Wings is officially set to be released on June 7th and I am so excited to share it all with you. Check back next week for info on how to pre-order your digital copy.
Also, be sure to like my music page on Facebook! I have a whole stream of new content coming your way.
It’s been an exciting week. I just got back from a trip to Reno the other day, where I was out ministering at a youth event—so much fun!
Now that I’m back home, I’m working on getting my summer EP finalized. Speaking of which, check out this new music video!
Higher is the first track on Wings. Check back next week for the official release date and cover art reveal!
“Lord, I ask that today, when I open my mouth to speak, my default is encouragement and not sarcasm.”
This has been my prayer of late. It’s a desire that my heart is chasing on a daily basis.
Believe me when I say, I have come a very long way over the years. A few years ago, in particular, the Lord began to speak to me on the topic. He showed me the impact that an encouraging word brings and how they open a door for the recipient to receive His truth.
Words that heal and not harm.
Words that build up and not tear down.
Words that shift atmospheres and cause the darkness to flee.
I look back and think about the times when I have been the recipient of sarcasm. Sure, some of those words made me laugh in the moment, but there’s always those moments that linger. The ones that make you wonder if there was any truth behind them.
And yes, it’s usually something really stupid, but . . .
You can’t help but think to yourself, when the lights go out and you’re alone, staring up at the ceiling in your bed,
“Is that how they really see me? Is that who I am?”
Of course, it’s not like we can control how people receive our words. But I suppose what I’m getting at is this:
“Lord, give me strategies on how to speak in a way that is intentional and with grace.”
We all experience times when the enemy seems to be shooting lies, like arrows, over and over. Attacking our insecurities and identities.
I don’t want to contribute to THOSE arrows.
I want my arrows to be the ones that attack the arrows of the enemy. Strategically sent out. Splitting the lies before they hit their target.
This is something I know can only be accomplished if I am taking the time to sit with the Lord. I need His heart for people.
That’s where you get the power to shift atmospheres just by walking into the room.
His heart.
I want His heart.
I was reading in Matthew 12 this morning:
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
So, I cry out . . .
I may have shared this before, but a very dear friend of mine passed away a few years ago. It’s still sad, but I have such joy because the last conversation we had was epic.
They took the time in that moment to share how proud they were of me and what God has done in my life, and I was able to do the same and tell them how much they have contributed to my story in a positive way.
When I think about how they are no longer here, this is the memory I have.
On the other hand, not all of my last conversations with people have been this positive. I realize, I can’t always control that and sometimes it was completely out of my control because I was on the receiving end. But . . .
That one positive conclusion to my friendship with that dear person makes me want to take every opportunity to do that for someone else.
We don’t always know when a moment with someone is going to be our last. Sometimes life happens and you lose touch. Sometimes it’s with a stranger in Walmart and you may never see them again—as much as I rant about hating Walmart, I did have an opportunity to speak life into someone there the other day.
The point is that we don’t know, which is why we should try (if we can) to not leave loose ends. To do our part, at least, and allow God to move through us.
“How high, how deep, how wide is Your love?”
It’s not every day that I release a song past 8:00pm, yet here I am releasing a song past 8:00pm on a Thursday night. As far as my marketing plans go, I shouldn’t be doing this—YOLO! I can’t believe I just said that. Further proof that I probably shouldn’t post things after 8:00pm. 😉
Anyhow, here is a song. A song which you can download for FREE on either BandCamp or SoundCloud.
And it’s almost the weekend, so . . .
This past weekend, I had the privilege of ministering at a women’s retreat. To be honest, I don’t tend to go out of my way to attend women’s retreats.
Most of the ones I have participated in, I would find myself feeling very out of place and flooded with social anxiety. As far as the women’s retreats I have ministered at, I would usually disappear immediately after the sessions.
Funny thing is, most of the women I spoke with this weekend had similar stories.
However, this one was different. I expected God to show up and do amazing things—He always does! But I did not expect Him to bring me so much personal breakthrough, as He did, starting the first night.
Toward the end of the first session, we were encouraged to ask God if there were any lies about ourselves (or Him) that we were still believing. And if so, to ask Him to show us the truth, and then perhaps to share what He showed us with the women at our table.
I was sitting there, jotting some things down in my journal. I asked the question, but I don’t think I expected an answer like the one He gave me. In fact, I really expected I’d be mainly spending those moments that followed speaking into the ladies who shared what God had shown them.
I did not expect that I would be crying and sharing something so deep. Something I had no idea was still lingering in my heart—I thought I had already dealt with this!
The phrase that popped into my head, when I asked the question, was this:
I felt the tears begin to form. Everyone else was still praying around me. A million thoughts rushed into my head. Not in chaos, but in complete clarity.
You see, I was in a very long, unhealthy, abusive relationship in my early twenties. I thought I already healed from the roots that came from that time, but the reality was clear to me in that moment.
Because of what was done to me, and because of how it made me see myself, I still carried fear of being disposed, not seen, and rejected.
This weekend was my first time away from my husband since we got married over a year ago, and I realized that fear was still influencing me now. Regardless of how amazing he is, I was still living in a certain state (at the back of my mind) of anxiety and fear of being disposed.
I started to write down scripture after scripture, and promise after promise. I wrote about how God is trustworthy and that He will never leave me. I wrote about how He will protect my heart and that I can let Him be in control. I was never in control anyhow. But I realized there was a certain part of my heart I wasn’t allowing my husband to see because I was still being affected by those lies from that previous relationship.
I looked up from my journal. The ladies began to share. I felt a lump form in my throat. I felt my feet try to drag, and I thought for a second,
“I don’t want to share this right now. I am totally going to start sobbing.”
But I did share, and I did cry. A lot. And after I shared, I knew it was a defining moment for me. I knew it was a necessary piece of my story and that God had shown up once again with His mercy.
The more I share this testimony, the more freedom I find. I had no idea what these feelings were for years, but now that I have a label for them, they can be addressed. There has been a certain level of inferiority I have been carrying around, and that has manifested itself in anxiety for way too long.
I am writing this because I know we all have stories and we all have things in our hearts that try to hide in the shadows. But . . .
When the secrets come out, the enemy can no longer dangle them over our heads.
Once the light shines in, the darkness has to flee.
Friends, I encourage you. If there is ANYTHING, any lie, any struggle, that is keeping you from walking in the fullness that God has for you . . . lay it down before His throne of grace!
We were created to walk in His freedom. Let Him into those deep and tender places. Let Him heal your heart.
Check out my new video of me performing one of my original spoken word poems!
Have a great Wednesday!
I challenged myself today and asked my fans & friends for a chord progression. I took the first one I received, set my timer and gave myself one hour & a half to come up with a song, mix it and make the cover art.
Chord Progression: D G BM A
I think I just started something new. Well, it’s new for me. Anyway . . .
I sat down in my studio and played around this afternoon. It has been a very hectic few months, so today was my day off. I was determined to just have fun. I decided all I was going to do was love my fur babies, relax and make up a little song.
It was purely exploratory with no goals or plans or whatever. Chad Baker was in my studio with me the whole time. He’s the big black one. Cass Baker, the fluffy one, is too afraid to walk past the laundry room to get down to my studio. Sometimes I carry him over with me. It’s kind of pathetic, but I do love him.
I had fun, and this is what I made. So, now I am sharing it with you.
It’s meant to play in a loop, which works super-dee-duper-ly well on instagram.
Are you on instagram too? If so, you should connect with me. It will be fun.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! See you next week.
Good morning, friends! It’s a cloudy day over here, and I’m writing to you from a local coffee shop—on an extremely comfy couch. 😉
This week I officially finished mixing my four-track EP, Wings. If you have a moment, check out this little animation I made with a sneak peek of what’s coming.
I present you with my first release off my summer EP. I hope you like it!
