Psalms 102–150 Part 2 • Dr. Michael Ballam • Aug 31 - Sept 6 • Come, Follow Me

August 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Music That Heals: Dr. Michael Ballam on Psalms, Suffering, and the Song of Redeeming Love

Dr. Michael Ballam, founder of the Utah Festival Opera, has spent decades thinking about how music reaches the soul. But the most important story he tells in this conversation is not about opera—it is about his son Ben. Born with spina bifida and not expected to live past seven, Ben is now in his thirties. When Ballam held him in the incubator as a newborn, he planned to command the boy to be healed. Instead, he found himself blessing Ben to endure his life, recognizing that the child had been sent on a special mission that included his challenges. "There was a miracle," Ballam says, "but it wasn't Ben, it was me. I was able to accept it."

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of followHIM

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (00:01) **Welcome and Ben's Story** - Dr. Michael Ballam shares the personal story of his son Ben, who was born with spina bifida.
2 (06:11) **Music as an Antidote to Despair** - The conversation shifts to how music can bring joy, using Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as an example.
3 (09:10) **A Lesson on Mount Sinai: Light for the Next Step** - Ballam shares a personal revelation about receiving guidance one step at a time.
4 (11:52) **The Story and Spirit of the Opera *Carmen*** - Ballam discusses the history and impact of the opera *Carmen*.
5 (14:53) **The Spiritual Depth of *Parsifal*** - Ballam explains the profound spiritual narrative of Wagner's opera *Parsifal*.
6 (18:25) **A Song for Ben: "Little Shoes"** - Ballam sings the song "Little Shoes" and dedicates it to his son Ben.
7 (21:58) **How Harry Potter Saved Ben's Life** - Ballam tells the miraculous story of how meeting Daniel Radcliffe gave Ben the will to live.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Opera legend Dr. Michael Ballam returns bearing testimony that music is one of God’s own direct lines to the Spirit.

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/P6fh8GIzMM8

NOW AVAILABLE IN
Spanish: @followHIMespañol
French: @followHIMFrançais
Portuguese: @followHIMPortuguês

ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTES
followHIM website: https://www.followHIM.co

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKS
New Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBook
Old Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBook
Book of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
https://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter

SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcast

Part 2 -
0:00 - Part 2 - Dr. Michael Ballam
2:39 Ben’s seizure in Israel: “I love you anyway”
6:11 Songs that spark joy
9:41 Climbing Mt. Sinai in total darkness
12:01 Singing Carmen
14:59 Parsifal and the look that finally heals
17:32 “Little Shoes,” a song for Ben
21:02 Ben’s surgery and meeting Daniel Radcliffe
24:47 Backstage with “Harry Potter”
27:27 D&C 121 set to music
31:55 Music as a battleground between light and darkness
34:21 Alma 5: Redeeming love
38:39 Singing “How Great Thou Art” and why auditions happen in a bare chapel
43:00 How a junkyard became the Manhattan Temple
45:32 Dr. Ballam bears his testimony of Jesus Christ
47:04 End of Part 2 - Dr. Michael Ballam

Thanks to the followHIM team:
Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, Sponsor
David & Verla Sorensen: Sponsors
Dr. Hank Smith: Co-host
John Bytheway: Co-host
David Perry: Producer
Kyle Nelson: Marketing, Sponsor
Lisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show Notes
Will Stoughton: Video Editor
Krystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, Website
Ariel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts
Amelia Kabwika: Portuguese Transcripts
Heather Barlow: Communications Director
Sydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design

"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonald
https://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com