Things are really starting to move along! I have put together a Kickstarter Campaign to build support to finish my CD project. The campaign is called "Where I Am". You can come alongside me and help me to reach my goal within the 30-day campaign.
Please be sure to share, like, and re-post my campaign page on all of your social media outlets. Also email it to as many friends and family members that you think would be willing to support it. In return I have some nice rewards for everyone's support!
Thank you so much and God bless! I can't wait for you to hear the final project! I can't wait to hear the final project! :)
Love,
Jen
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Nashville-Franklin Trip October 2013
I actually left the very last weekend of September. This trip was primarily focused on recording vocals for the album with my producer and doing a small add-on photo shoot on location at Dark Horse Recording. I tied it into the Christian Musician Summit (CMS Nashville) at the end of my stay, so I could help volunteer with the Summit and with a couple of classes for Creative Soul Records.
Vocals
were recorded by my Producer Eric Copeland and Dark Horse Intern Mike
Moore. I was a bit nervous and to lighten things up, a resident pine
cone became my comic relief to chillax (you had to be there)! Of course,
just being at Dark Horse was exciting and I also was able to meet Robin
Crow the builder and owner of the beautiful tucked away recording
refuge. It was so peaceful sitting out there on the porch swing during
breaks. Eric and Mike were so patient with me as I worked on vocals and
it really went well. The guys were awesome! I can't wait to hear the
final project.
Some
really big news is that we have an album title! We realized as I sang
through all the songs that there was one key phrase that I repeated. One
was the title of a song, Where I Am, and the second was the same phrase
planted within a different song, The In-Between. It was kind-of a no
brainer by that point! Oh yeah... Where I Am!Erick Anderson of EAFoto came out on Wednesday with his lovely assistant, Ezio (his beautiful white husky pup), to do the photo shoot on location and we have some really nice additional shots to add to the mix. Erick is now getting started on the art design for the album. I am really looking forward to seeing what creative ideas he comes up with!
At CMS Nashville
I was blessed to get to meet Jason Webb in person. When I was in
Nashville in May, I was able to meet a lot of the guys on the project,
but Jason was one I didn't get to meet. So that was really special for
me. He is so amazingly talented on keys! And I really enjoyed my time
helping out the guys, Bruce Adolph and Matt Kees, at CMS. I am always so
blessed to see their hearts as they support the mission of improving
skill and inspiring talent to musicians and worship teams!I am looking forward to CMS Northwest this year, as it will be my first opportunity to work with Worship Team Training, as an employee and coordinator of the Ministry Mentoring Program (MMP) with Branon Dempsey, CEO & Founder.
So much more has happened since I returned and I can't wait to update you more on this in my next newsletter!
Blessings to you all!
Love,
Jen
Saturday, October 19, 2013
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
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
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Most Beautiful in All Creation
Having just spent the last couple of days intentionally in God's
creation, I wanted to share a reminder that I always seem to get
whenever I am out in it.
I live in one of the most beautiful places of the country in the Pacific Northwest (I think - although, Alaska was possibly more beautiful when I lived there). Quite frankly, I see beauty in God's natural creation wherever I travel. I always find something beautiful about the place I am at, even if it is not necessarily a place I want to live in.
But as I stare at, listen to, feel and absorb all the beauty... God says, "wait..." and I hear Him say... "my children are even more beautiful than all this that I have created." On the 6th day of creation, when God had created mankind, He said it was "very good". On all the other days, He said they were "good". But humans... "very good"...even though in our sin nature we are so corrupt and in need of salvation.
I get seriously inspired by the natural environment around me. I wake up to it every morning right here in my backyard with the view of the mountains and I think of all the things I want to say or write about how wonderful God is and His salvation that He brings. But I must confess, have I looked at people that way? All people? Honestly, not all people inspire me to want to sit down and write a song... or think of how wonderful God is for creating that person. Yet it is so much easier when I look at an ocean, a river, mountains or the lush greenery of a forest. It does not take me long to look at the beauty of creation and be in awe of nature and want to think less of humankind. Such a sad and backwards thinking. I really want to be mindful to reverse that.
"God, help me to see the incredible-ness of your creation in every living soul that You died for; they are most beautiful in all creation. Help me to be inspired to love deeper than I ever have and also more genuinely as one of your own children saved by grace."
I live in one of the most beautiful places of the country in the Pacific Northwest (I think - although, Alaska was possibly more beautiful when I lived there). Quite frankly, I see beauty in God's natural creation wherever I travel. I always find something beautiful about the place I am at, even if it is not necessarily a place I want to live in.
But as I stare at, listen to, feel and absorb all the beauty... God says, "wait..." and I hear Him say... "my children are even more beautiful than all this that I have created." On the 6th day of creation, when God had created mankind, He said it was "very good". On all the other days, He said they were "good". But humans... "very good"...even though in our sin nature we are so corrupt and in need of salvation.
I get seriously inspired by the natural environment around me. I wake up to it every morning right here in my backyard with the view of the mountains and I think of all the things I want to say or write about how wonderful God is and His salvation that He brings. But I must confess, have I looked at people that way? All people? Honestly, not all people inspire me to want to sit down and write a song... or think of how wonderful God is for creating that person. Yet it is so much easier when I look at an ocean, a river, mountains or the lush greenery of a forest. It does not take me long to look at the beauty of creation and be in awe of nature and want to think less of humankind. Such a sad and backwards thinking. I really want to be mindful to reverse that.
"God, help me to see the incredible-ness of your creation in every living soul that You died for; they are most beautiful in all creation. Help me to be inspired to love deeper than I ever have and also more genuinely as one of your own children saved by grace."
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Being A Resilient Believer
There is an amazing strength that comes from within when you
know beyond a shadow of a doubt whose you are: that you were created for
a purpose and how much you are deeply loved.
"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3, ESV
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes say my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16, NIV
No lie from the Enemy can steal that truth away. You have to see it and really believe it, no matter what life seems to present you with. We may bend with the wind, but we won't break.
It is the One who has carried you through every high gale and storm; He is the One who sings over you joyfully and holds you tenderly in the palm of His hand. The God from everlasting to everlasting!
Don't you know, you are a child of God?
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:16-17, ESV
and
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12, NIV
This is our positional and eternal truth! It is hard to be shaken from that reality once you get it!
"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3, ESV
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes say my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16, NIV
No lie from the Enemy can steal that truth away. You have to see it and really believe it, no matter what life seems to present you with. We may bend with the wind, but we won't break.
It is the One who has carried you through every high gale and storm; He is the One who sings over you joyfully and holds you tenderly in the palm of His hand. The God from everlasting to everlasting!
Don't you know, you are a child of God?
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:16-17, ESV
and
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12, NIV
This is our positional and eternal truth! It is hard to be shaken from that reality once you get it!
Friday, June 7, 2013
God Shines Through Our Failures
Failure. Who wants to fail? None of us. But the truth of the matter
is, we live in a fallen world and we have a sinful nature that wars
against us. There is also an Enemy agent at work against us. As humans
we are fragile. We are bound to fail. I fail, you fail, we fail each
other. But our God NEVER fails us.
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love towards those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." Psalm 103: 8-12, ESV
When
you FEEL like you have failed, when you KNOW you have failed, remember
this: "But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast
love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they
are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my
portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.'" Lamentations 3:
21-24, ESV
Do you cling to Him as Your portion? Then NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER!!!
A prayer of hope: We are so thankful, Lord, that even though we fail You and others, even ourselves, You never fail us. Everything you have said about yourself in Your word is true. You have given us Your gracious Holy Spirit, through our Savior, as a deposit on our hearts to mark us for the day of redemption. We wait for that with eager expectation and in the meantime, we pray that the acknowledgement of our failures and humility that comes from them, continues to reflect Your radiant glory in all Your goodness. Yes, Lord, Your mercies are new every morning! Amen
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love towards those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." Psalm 103: 8-12, ESV
From everlasting to everlasting... He is God!
Do you cling to Him as Your portion? Then NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER!!!
A prayer of hope: We are so thankful, Lord, that even though we fail You and others, even ourselves, You never fail us. Everything you have said about yourself in Your word is true. You have given us Your gracious Holy Spirit, through our Savior, as a deposit on our hearts to mark us for the day of redemption. We wait for that with eager expectation and in the meantime, we pray that the acknowledgement of our failures and humility that comes from them, continues to reflect Your radiant glory in all Your goodness. Yes, Lord, Your mercies are new every morning! Amen
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)