Cheryl Rogers

As a child, Cheryl Rogers wanted to be a singer and a writer, no doubt in part to her fascination with Judy Garland and Nancy Drew Mysteries.

An important addition to her schooling was the study of music -- mostly piano.

Her father shared his love of music, especially country music, with his two daughters, encouraging them to play together as a family band. Often they would hear him playing his favorite, "Red River Valley," or any number of Hank Williams' songs, on his guitar or mandolin.

He also encouraged the girls to write songs. Eventually, the girls wrote one together. Cheryl wrote the lyrics while her sister Frances wrote the music.

But Cheryl spent many hours in a living room rocker reading book after book. When it came to choose a college major, Cheryl chose journalism. She also studied voice.

It wasn't until many years after Cheryl had worked as a reporter, and become a stay-at-home mom, that Cheryl was inspired to write her first song.

"I was reading from Psalm 18 on December 18,the second anniversary of my father's death," she recalled, "when a melody came to my mind as I read Scripture."

It was in the wake of the tragic World Trade Center attacks and she noticed a similarity between David's troubles and the problems the country was experiencing.

"I thought it was significant. I wrote out the song the best I could," she said.

The song, which she calls "My High Tower," literally sat on a shelf for two years, until the very week Saddam Hussein was captured. It was then that the song's timing problem was resolved.

She later wrote choral parts.

"The song came to life with the help of my church's music minister, Kent Smith, who fine-tuned the parts," she said.

The songs had trickled in between late 2001 and 2003, when Cheryl believed God was leading her to sing one of her songs in her church's talent show. She sang "I Will Give Thanks to You," from Psalm 30, to proclaim her healing in faith from a goiter.

"After the show, I got more and more songs, enough for a CD and then some," she said.

Her first CD, Victory!, was released in October, 2004. She said it was named Victory! because God "giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

Her second and third CDs, Arise, Shine and Bring my Soul out of Prison, were released in December, 2005.

All together, there are 31 songs. Some have more than one version.

"I can't believe there is any way I could have produced three CDs in such a short amount of time unless God wanted me too. He gave me so much help. He put a recording studio two blocks from my house, he sent a soprano to me in the library... I have to believe he has a plan for these songs."