Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah An.
Hannah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up in an immigrant home as a second-generation Korean American in Atlanta, GA, there were many challenges that I faced. Some of those struggles included cultural differences, unmet expectations, and a language barrier with my parents. Often feeling a tension between both cultures, I felt like I could not identify completely with the Korean culture nor the majority culture. As a result, my early home life was full of brokenness and a lot of hardships that directly impacted my faith. I would later realize in my 30s that I had grown up with a distorted view of God. I had always pictured God as distant, passive, and a disciplinarian.
My Christian faith and music were always an integral part of my life. I started playing piano at the age of 5 and performed several leading roles in musicals during elementary school. I loved singing in my school chorus and always looked forward to the yearly talent show, where I would sing the latest Disney song. As I reflect back on these memories, I believe that God used these experiences to pave a way for me to lead worship music in the church.
During my middle school years, I was asked to lead songs for our youth group. I absolutely loved it! A new passion for singing and leading people into worship began to form in me. In that season, I felt such a deep connection with God through singing, which was a healing balm to my heavy and burdened heart. As I continued to serve, church became my safe haven from the pain I was experiencing at home.
I eventually went off to college and continued to lead worship music. I desperately wanted to lead worship as a career, but growing up in an immigrant family, there was no way I was going to be allowed to follow that dream. Instead, I chose the more “respectable” profession of education. I taught for three years in the public schools and left teaching when I was due with my first child, Noah back in 2007. I spent the next eight years at home and had two more children (Elijah and Abigail).
During those eight years of child rearing, I stopped leading worship to focus all my energy on raising my kids. Although I loved being at home and pouring into my sweet children, I felt an emptiness and restlessness inside. A deep desire for purpose began to bloom within me. In 2015, I felt a stirring in my heart to come back to music and began to lead worship at church again.
In the fall of 2016, I wanted to grow more in the craft of leading worship and applied to worship school with 10,000 Fathers in Atlanta. I was accepted and began school in January 2017. With excitement and an eagerness to grow, I learned about worship theology, the enneagram, songwriting, and much more. As we took time to reflect, my hurt and pain from my childhood started to surface. I remember participating in a songwriting exercise, and words of God holding me in a fatherly sweet embrace poured from my heart. Tears of healing began to overflow. This was one of the many moments that God used songwriting to pursue my heart and draw me back to Him. I had built up so many walls to protect and shield myself from Him and the pain within me. God, in such a gentle way, began to use songwriting to heal my pain and to see Him as a good and loving father. These songs that flowed from my heart were written in God’s perspective singing over me.
Throughout worship school, my small group leader encouraged me to release an EP (extended play: a short album of 5-7 songs) on songs from God the Father’s heart. For the longest time I kept putting it off, making excuses. In reality, I feared failure and vulnerability.
I spent a year and a half of running away from the idea of releasing an album. But everywhere I went, I kept seeing and hearing my home church’s (Perimeter Church) motto. It challenged me to “attempt something so great for God that it is doomed to failure, lest He be in it.” I knew that this was a sign from God to proceed with recording. Initially, my husband and I were going to fund the project ourselves. However, God had different plans and led me to fundraise the project. I had never fundraised this much money in my life, let alone been completely dependent on my community to help me.
With Perimeter Church’s motto on repeat in my mind, God placed the amount of $5,000 on my heart. I quickly scrambled to put together a GoFundMe page for my EP project and launched it on May 7, 2019 with my husband and three kiddos cheering me on. And within 38 hours, the album was completely funded! In fact, God raised more than I asked for, $5,600. This was an incredible moment for my whole family. We witnessed God’s provision in such a clear and tangible way. I love that my kids were fully invested in the campaign, and it was an honor to see their delight as we met each financial milestone.
Over the summer, God brought me to all the right people to record the album. He also led me to partner with Wellspring Living here in Atlanta. They have an incredible heart and mission for women and children who have been trafficked. On September 20, 2019, my first album, “Songs from the Father’s Heart,” was released in partnership with Wellspring Living. All album sales will go to help fight human trafficking here in Atlanta.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road to where I am today was not smooth road at all. It was full of many bumps, bumps that I believe God used to grow and mature my faith. Some of the bumps that I had to face were my fear of failure and not being good enough. I just had to let go and trust that God was going to make it all happen, which He did.
I also walked into the process not knowing a thing about recording and releasing an album. With the help of social media and networking, I was able to find a photographer, graphic designer, producer/sound engineer, and a company to duplicate the CDs and release them digitally. There are so many steps that go into making an album that I never knew. As I reflect, I can see God’s hand in every step of the way. When I had no idea what to do or where to go next, God brought the right people my way to direct me.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a singer-songwriter and a worship leader for my local church, Perimeter Church. My desire is to help people see and experience God as a loving, kind, gentle, and good Father.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Yes!!! There are so many that have supported me, prayed for and with me, and have cheered me on through this entire process.
My husband, Young, three children (Noah, Eli, & Abby), and my sisters have walked this entire journey with me. They have stood by me in my brokenness and cheered me on with great JOY.
Micah Massey and my 10,000 Fathers Huddle Group (Brennon Kok and Alex Culpepper) were the first to hear any of these songs and planted the idea of releasing the EP on “Songs from the Father’s Heart.” Without their nudging, I would have seriously never thought to do it. I’m thankful for their input on all my songs and for sharing this journey with me.
Kirsten Boyd, Laura Story Elvington, Yane Yoo, Lorri Elliott, my discipleship group at Perimeter, and my sweet Intown Community School Moms in Prayer group literally prayed with me through this entire album process. From the moment I said yes to the Lord to proceed with the album to big decision making moments, these women were here for me. I really could not have done it without all these people surrounding me and supporting me.
Contact Info:
- Website: hannahan.hearnow.com
- Email: songsfromthefathersheart@gmail.com
- Instagram: @songsfromthefathersheart
- Facebook: facebook.com/hannahanmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/14ktSXhLLFGru2BLZXNsqT?si=fj7hvj5ASBedhWUmel1AFg
Image Credit:
Mary Claire Photography, Ambar Hasan Photography
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