Making A Kickstarter Campaign Video & Music Video

Today was such a fun day! I don't know how we pulled it all together so fast, it was both a God thing and all the amazing people that were a part of this. My friend, engineer and producer, Jeremy Cays of Jeremy Cays Production put everything together in a matter of about a week. And Richard & Cathy Perfrement made themselves available on such short notice to video everything, even knowing I was trying to meet a deadline by the end of the month. We recorded video for my Kickstarter Campaign for the new album Where I Am and then also a full length music video of my song Loved You Well which is on it. 

We also did some outdoor footage today in the Fall foliage. The melody of the song is haunting, so I was not disappointed when the fog did not burn off completely today. It was a perfect fit for the song and God knew what He was doing. (Check out the pictures from the day here) In fact, more profoundly, as my oldest daughter and I put the pieces together of the day (chatting through my musician page on FB), I knew we taped the video in the Church sanctuary where daughter #2 was married and then we did outdoor footage where daughter #1 was married. But it was all completely unintentional and unplanned by me. It wasn't until yesterday, that we found out we could get the grand piano in the church. And then it was the video production people that decided to take me out to the Marina for background footage. But God knew all along. And today was His day.

In fact, the 4th take of playing through my song was perfect and I know that it was only because Jeremy was praying the whole time. I felt it, and I knew it was going to go all the way through without error. I was able to remain very focused and calm! (That's pretty amazing for me!) What is so special about all of this, is that both places are in the video for THIS song in particular: Loved You Well which was co-written by me and my producer, Eric Copeland of Creative Soul Records.

This song reflects the struggles that my husband and I went through in our marriage, and the message of loving well was something we learned, when we went away for our Brief-Intensive Counseling in CO after being divorced for a brief 6 months. If we had not re-married 13 years ago, I KNOW my daughters would not have done so well and ended up where they are today. All of our kids struggled so much and were in so much pain when their dad and I were divorced. So, the song Loved You Well reflects loving my children well by deciding to love their dad well, because I knew how much God loved all of us well. He was just hoping I would try and do the same. It was the hardest thing in the world for me to do (and for my husband to do), But God honored our efforts and obedient hearts.

It was the most rewarding for us as we saw how our daughters lives moved forward in a strong faith in Jesus and now their brother has followed suit. They even pursued purity in their lives, courted their future husbands and saved their 1st kiss for the altar with them. They blessed their dad and me! Our son has committed to the same and we can't wait to see how God leads his future!

"There's a truth that brings me 'round... that He reconciles."

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for a perfect day orchestrated by You! You ARE enough for us!

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin. 1 Peter 4:8

Today I Ran For Boston

Yesterday, I wept for Boston.

I did a 12k once and completed 3 triathlons. But I have never run a marathon.

As I heard the news and watched the horror that those in Boston had experienced 2 hours earlier, my heart grieved and I covered my eyes to what I was seeing. My ears heard the screams of innocent people stunned in the aftermath and fear. I cried out, “Why, God?”

Evil has touched our nation once again.

But evil has not triumphed. It lost a long time ago. It rears its ugly head only temporarily to remind us that our lives are precious and not to be taken for granted. It reminds us that people, strangers, healthcare volunteers, law enforcement and others, respond in acts of kindness beyond themselves. We were made for relationship. And we respond in compassion to those in need.

Yesterday, I grieved with all those around the world that were connected to this horrific tragedy and loss of life and limb there in Boston.

This morning I was reminded of God’s faithfulness. That darkness is never dark to Him. That I live, move and breathe in Him. My very existence is held in the palm of His hand and all my days here on this earth are numbered. I will never understand on this side of Heaven why some lives are taken, by what seems to me to be, too early. Why evil has to persist long. I will never understand the full extent why we humans have to go through painful experiences in our life: many times by things that are beyond our control.

As I reflected on those who lost so much yesterday, I was reminded of what God has given me. I used the legs that carry me and I moved them. I hugged my son with my arms. I kissed the lips of my spouse who is my best friend. I used my hands to pray and play the songs that I write as a songwriter on my piano. I listened to sounds of the birds chirping from the nearby tree. I looked with my eyes at the creation and at the beauty of a frail humanity that needs a Savior. There are some who never see, never hear, never walk, can’t hug. But I can. I take it for granted.

To all those who have suffered; to all those who didn’t get to cross their finish line yesterday in Boston; to those who were so excited to watch their family, neighbors and friends run such a historic and prestigious race yesterday and then left this earth so abruptly:

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells, God is within her, she will not fail, God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts, The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” Psalm 47:4-7

There is a finish line with a prize greater than anything this earth can offer. Be still and know that He is God. He is the One that can bring you your comfort when there are no answers. He has swallowed up death in victory. Evil’s power lost it’s grip when the perfect sacrifice laid down His life for all and brought it back up again. Those of us who remain, we are ALIVE. There is hope in a fallen world. There is One who knows our suffering: Christ Jesus.

This morning I didn’t want to run.
But this morning I was compelled to run.
I laced up my running shoes and put on my mismatched running gear.

Because others can’t and I can…

Today, I ran for Boston.

A Yielded Life - Part I

Meriam Webster defines "yielded" as: to reward, render as fitting, to give up a claim or possession on, to surrender, to cultivate, etc. (see: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yield)

Here are the many definitions of it in the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek (basically it means the same thing): http://biblez.com/searchstrongs.php?q=Yield

Be sure to read up on these though, because this will be a longer blog series that I want to share with you. This first part will reflect a portion of a testimony and story that I am writing in a book that I hope will be another important part of my ministry here at Jen Haugland Music.

As I went about a particular day in my week (last week), I think I may have experienced most of these different meanings of the word. I certainly yielded to my early morning schedule. I had to drop off my son with his sister early in Seattle,  so I could get to the recording studio in time to lay down vocal tracks for my new EP starting at 10. That meant I had to leave the house by 5:15 to catch an early enough ferry (which I missed by the 4th car) and know my route to my daughter's house (which I overshot by going a back way from downtown Seattle and ended up in a very wrong neighborhood of W. Seattle and consequently was late to my recording time). But the morning had started off so good as I laid in bed, slowly waking up, reflecting in my mind these songs that I would be recording that day. They were worship songs and meditating on them, word by word, gave me solitude with my Heavenly Father.  I prayed that He would be glorified in every song that I sang so that the listener on the receiving end of this upcoming EP project would hear whatever message God would have for them.

Then I turned over and looked at my husband of 25 years next to me still sleeping and remembered whom I yielded my life to in marriage, twice! I thought about my God of second, third, fourth (etc.) chances. This day was our 12th wedding anniversary of when Craig and I re-married each other after being divorced for 6 months (and married for 13 years previous to each other). On August 16, 2000, I chose to be brave that day, when I was so scared. I had thought about running away, even at that last moment before walking into that courtroom to go before the Justice of the Peace. My step-mom, whom I had just confessed my fears to, who was by my side said, "I am so proud of you honey, you are so brave" and she held my hand. I never forgot her words. As I stood outside of that courtroom I thought about that word "brave".  I had no guarantee that life would be easier, or different from the previous 13 years that we struggled through, but then I heard a still small voice in my ear reminding me, that if I would yield, I had a guarantee that He would be with me every step of the way and carry me when I needed Him too.  I yielded my life to Christ and remembered how much He yielded His life to me and also to my husband who very much needed the same forgiveness that I needed.

Apparently there is something to being brave...

Yes, I trusted my God that day, I chose to be brave and yield to Him and His will in my life (as did Craig), and our God has been faithful... these last 12 years have been the best ever and we count even the 13 before as a blessing as well. Yielding has produced much fruit in our lives. We stood against the forces of darkness that day that longed to destroy us and our little family. We stood against the societal norms of our times and the 'lie of divorce' as we stood inside that little room and we confessed to love one another forever with the love that Christ had shown us. That day, we were surrounded by our small cloud of witnesses here on earth: our 3 beautiful children: Jessica, Rachel & Nathanael, Craig's dad and mom and my dad and step-mom. I know our Heavenly Father, our Savior, the Spirit and a cloud of witnesses in the heavens were also rejoicing! It is a day we all highly treasure as a family. It changed our hearts, it strengthened our faith and it gave a solid foundation and future to our children who now understand a deeper meaning of what and who love is in their own lives.  It has changed our lives forever in so many ways and we are so thankful for the cross!

 

(to be continued, A Yielded Life-Part II)...