Media Articles

Have you ever listened to a song that stirred your soul and lifted you out of your dark mood or frantic worry? It is no accident. Our brains respond to music differently than to other noises. Music can lift us up mentally, emotionally, and even physically. There are all kinds of music and each person responds differently. We know that music can affect our mental health, either positively or negatively, depending on the style of music and the lyrics.

I want to introduce you to W. Ian Walker, a Canadian ADHD survivor, and Author.   Ian published his autobiography, Stirring My Soul to Sing, Overcoming ADHD Through Song (Word Alive Press in 2018).   Ian believed the Lord revealed to Him the power of worship music.  He is now an advocate to promote worship music as the alternative to overcome ADHD rather than taking medication. 

Stirring My Soul to Sing is Walker’s first book, published by Word Alive Press of Winnipeg. The autobiographical account traces Walker’s triumphs and tribulations from childhood up to the age of about 50.

In 2009, I was working at Blessings Christian Marketplace in the music department of both the Mississauga and Brampton stores. During the day God would repeatedly speak to me revealing different aspects of my life—like a movie—flashing before my eyes. I would casually dismiss these thoughts until I would come home after working a long day in the store. God would literally start downloading the book in my head.

As a child, I loved to read and was an excellent reader, who learned and could retain information about various cultures, countries, and humanity at large. Later, in my teens, I knew that I wanted to go to university and obtain a degree in music or the arts. In the mid-1970s, I was diagnosed as being “hyper-active” and then placed in a special education class for two years.