Caring, kind singer dazzles conference leader

A song written by Bev Michielson, "Helping Others through Simple Acts of Care and Kindness," has been adopted as the theme song for an international conference to be held at the Crystal Cathedral in March.

By Shandra Martinez, The Grand Rapids Press

With the release of her first album and a growing list of upcoming performances, Bev Michielson is realizing a lifelong dream to sing professionally.

"It just seems like wherever I perform, it leads to something else," the sunny 44-year-old Park Township resident said. "I'm thankful it has all come together."

After singing at the Crystal Cathedral in October, Michielson was asked to return March 14-16 to take part in the International Conference of Care and Kindness at the Garden Grove, Calif., church.

A song she wrote, "Helping Ohters through Simple Acts of Care and Kindness," has been adopted as the conference's theme song. The music and lyrics came to her after attending the conference last year, she said.

"We are very excited to have her," said Shirley Zink, chairwoman of the conference and founder of the Simple Acts of Care and Kindness Foundation. "We have asked her to be our guest performer."

Started five years ago by the pastoral care arm of the Rev. Robert Schueller's ministry, the conference gives people the tools they need to practice active caring and kindness.

"We kind of think of us creating a tsunami of care that can wash around the world," Zink said.

It isn't Michielson's songs alone that inspire conference organizers.

"She has the heart of a caring and kind person, and she puts it to good use," Zink said.

Michielson has been tapped for another SACK effort: a project for the schools that will highlight six character attributes.

I'm going to create separate songs for each of the attributes," Michielson said. "Something that will plant in (the children's) brains."

Helping others through her music is the best medicine for Michielson, she believes. She has peripheral neuropathy, a rare neuro-muscular disease that has begun to short-circuit the nerves in her arms and legs.

"If you didn't have things to focus on, it would be very easy to sit around and feel sorry for yourself. The thing is that it hurts whether you sit or walk," Michielson said.

Although there is no cure for the progressive, debilitating disease that may eventually cost her the use of her limbs, a healthy lifestyle helps.

She combats the disease by staying rested, lifting weights and taking scores of vitamins. There are still days when getting out of bed is very painful for Michielson.

"It's amazing how many people want to know about the illness. They are interested in what drugs I'm taking," Michielson said.

Doctors can do little more than give her medication for the disease's symptoms, she said.

After the onset of the illness about five years ago, Michielson decided to return to church again and to one of her first passions, singing. A couple in her congregation were so impressed with her voice, they recommended Michielson to Schueller's staff.

The downside of her recent success has been the extra stress that has accompanied it, she said.

"Through Me" is the title of Michielson's debut compact disc and the name of a ministry she founded that focuses on spreading the word of "God's peace, forgiveness and amazing grace."

She performs for women's groups, men's groups, senior citizens and Alzheimer's patients.

The highlight of her burgeoning career remains her trip in October to Garden Grove, where she sang at the Crystal Cathedral. Although her performance was not included on Schueller's weekly show, "Hour of Power," the experience was unforgettable.

"The cathedral is so vast," Michielson said. "It's all open and has a sound system that is so immense."

He compact disc, which was released this month, is available at the Crystal Cathedral gift shop and at several local stores, including Barnes & Noble in Holland Township, Baker Book House in Holland and Grand Rapids, and Dykstra Drug Store in Holland Township.

The "Through Me" CD sells for $15 and the cassette version for $11. A portion of the proceeds raised from their sale will go to Hospice of Holland, where she volunteers, and her church, First Reformed Church of Holland. Her 2001-02 schedule has her performing in many churches through West Michigan. Most of the requests she receives to perform come from word of mouth.

"I just tell people I have the greatest publicist. It's God above," Michielson said.

For more information about the Care and Kindness conference, check out the Web sites: www.careministry.org, www.simpleacts.org and www.careandkindness.org.

Learning lessons of kindness in school

Students studied traits throughout the year, shared their message in song

By Nardy Baeza Bickel, The Holland Sentinel

Singing, clapping and stomping their feet, students at Corpus Christi Catholic School practiced how to be kind and courteous to others Thursday under the guidance of Holland-born singer Bev Michielson.

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade have studied this year through songs and dances how simple acts of kindness can impact other people's lives.

"Each year, we like to come up with a school theme we can concentrate on all year long," said Principal Judy Koepnick. This year, the school in Holland Township decided to focus on kindness and developed a program with Michielson to teach character traits such as acceptance, patience, courtesy, generosity and respect, in a non-threatening way.

Thursday, students got to sing lessons learned throughout the year.

"The kids learn but they don't know they're learning, "Michielson said. "They know they don't have to do anything tremendous but smile, open doors for people or say thank you to make someone's day better," she said.

"Sometimes we do things that we don't mean to do," Michielson told about 200 students assembled at the school's gym. "Sometimes we hurt people but we don't mean to. We need to say sorry."

"That seems to be very insignificant," she later said. "But it's not. Nothing is too simple. You have to look for those acts of kindness."

After a short speech, Michielson started singing, "Clap your hands, stomp your feet, you and me, we are unique."

Michielson, 45, who used to work as a loan officer in the Holland area, said she was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, an illness similar to multiple sclerosis. When diagnosed, she said she turned to singing and composing stories related to her illness and started singing at events mainly for adults.

There was a song about kindness she just kept thinking about and sang in a 2001 concert at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif.

Next thing she knew, Michielson said, California-based "Simple Acts of Care and Kindness" asked her to adapt her music to the non-profit organization's needs. So far, she's produced three CDs that children seem to enjoy.

"I think it's really cool because it teaches the importance of being nice to other kids," said fourth-grader Janelle Pernesky.

Fifth-grader Makenzie Gee agreed.

"I liked the S.A.C.K. (Simple Acts of Care and Kindness) song," Gee said. "And I learned to respect people more."

"I liked (the class) a lot because it inspired us to be kind to others in our lives," added fourth-grader Olivia Duesterberg. "The person that did it was very nice."