A BIG congratulations are in order to Wayne and Julie (Director of Artist Relations) …and the rest of the Coop at Incubator Records, as Audrey Joy was born at 8:01pm this Thursday evening! She was just about a week past her expected delivery date, so I’m sure Mom and Dad were even more happy upon her arrival. Weighing 8lbs 1 oz, she’s a beauty indeed. Share your congrats to them with me, friends!
Thaaaaaaaaaaaat’s right! Sure, she broke her hip, had surgery (plus a whole slew of other medical stuff arise!), but Aunt Carol, at age 83, HATES being down and out, so shes trekking along with her rehab to being back to her healthy and mobile self again. Travis and I spent the evening with her last night, and it’s sooooooooo encouraging to see her spirits rising. Sure, she’s got her discouraging moments …like not being able to move her legs in and out of bed yet, meanwhile only sleeping a mere two hours of sleep a night!, but she’s getting better and better each day. She wanted me to thank all of you who are so diligently praying for her, sending her cards (…it’s not too late, if you’d still like to send her your thoughts, prayers and well wishes: Carol Foerster, 22 Shawnee Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601 will get mail to her!) and being a constant source of encouragement. She’s currently doing rehabilitation twice a day at a local rehab facility, and just found out the insurance will only cover her stay there through August 11th, so that’s her expected discharge date! Yaaaaaaay. She said to me last night, as I was showing her pics from alloutpraise!, “I’ll be there next year to see ya.” Now THAT’s the kind of attitude I like to hear! What a contrast from the weeks she was in the hospital. God is so good and never fails us …He meets our every need, even when we’re down and out in a way we never though possible. Keep clinging to Him today!
…and I believe this picture accurately depicts the ton of fun it was too! =) I was blessed to have a wonderful group of friends and fellow worshippers as my band, pictured here, as we shared a 40 minute excerpt from my current Once Upon A Time concert program at alloutpraise! this past Saturday. From the friendly folks we met upon parking, registration, backstage, the food vendors, to the folks sitting on the lawn taking each concert word and song in, God’s beauty and refreshment was vividly seen! And what blesses my heart more than anything was to hear the comments from concert attenders at my booth following our 5:10pm set, saying how God really blessed their heart and ministered to them through that 40 minutes and our very countenance. Aside from all the fun, movin’ around stage, and notes being played and sung during the concert, GOD showed up and reached deep to hearts present. Oh, it’s so fun to see Him at work! Thanks to all of you who have been praying and supporting this event in so many ways the months leading up to alloutpraise!, especially behind the scenes. Thanks to all of you who served at my booth this past Saturday. And thanks to all of you who came out and filled that crowd with excitement and the love of Jesus. He used you to make a difference for generations to come …He is so good! Here’s a link of pics I just posted to Facebook from some pics getting ready, at my booth, backstage, and during my concert set. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=290223&id=668255034&l=aa4926def0
Enjoy!
Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Look what I just picked up from the store today! Travis and I had fun carefully assembling this huge thing which’ll be at my booth for alloutpraise! this Saturday. (Go to www.alloutpraise.com for tickets and festival information!) Because of the timely income from a wedding I was last minute asked to sing in Friday night, I was able to get this especially for the festivities at my exhibitor’s booth all day Saturday! God’s timing is rather cool, hugh? This week (…um, more acturately, these past few months!) have been sooooooooooooooo full with details, planning, practicing, and lack of sleep even. But God is sooooo good and everything is coming together. Thanks for praying for yours truly at this amazing event, pop by my booth if your at alloutpraise! this Saturday, and don’t forget my concert at 5:10pm! Exciting times!
Meet Paul. He is a fellow Incubator Recording Artist (pictured here between me and his lovely wife, Myra.) Travis and I met them at a Strategic Management Meeting for the Artists with the Record Label in Denver a few years ago. Paul and Myra are my friends on Facebook too, and noticed that I had a few concerts this past Sunday on the Outer Banks, and would be passing through their neck of the woods on our return home. We managed to meet them for dinner at the most amazing Chinese Buffet, and chitt chat about what God is doing in our lives, specifically through concerts. Paul just began giving his concerts, and it’s so encouraging to hear the deep, heart conviction of his program theme, songs, and message he shares. Though this time with he, Myra, and their amazing children was what I had hoped to be more of an encouragement to him them than anything, God really encouraged me and reinforced in my heart why we do what we do as artists with Incubator Records. We give our all during our work days, songwriting, practicing, and concerts to make a profound difference in those folks who come to one of our concerts. It’s not about mere entertainment or simply to have a good time. God shows up. He brings life change. That is no small thing.
So thank you for praying for my concerts this past Sunday, (…and our travels, as we are now home safely!) Posted on Facebook at these links are pictures and captions from the Ark International Ministries Concert http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286269&id=668255034&l=a9d666e476 and Manteo Church of God of Prophecy’s Concert http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286280&id=668255034&l=8bc4b03ae0. And if you’d like to become my friend on Facebook too, simply click on this link: www.facebook.com/judydeans.
Please pray for Paul, Myra and Family, as the Lord continues to expand and deepen their ministry. Specifically remember his concert in the nursing home next week too! I know he’d appreciate it. And above all, think about how YOU are making a difference in your community too. God’s got ample opportunities for you out there …will you take ‘em?
True, true. Having family here gives us an excuse to take a well needed vacation from our busy work loads. =) That’s where Travis and I are this week. We’re spending some needed together time during the days exploring fun beaches and just chilling, and then filling our evenings full (and late!) with family fun. And, if you know me well, you know I’ve been taking lots of pictures; quite the hobby of mine. If you’d like to see them, have fun clicking on these Facebook links to see pictures I’ve uploaded during our visit so far and those I’ll add as the week continues: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=282441&id=668255034&l=a046d887e2 and http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=284711&id=668255034&l=ac79a1f3c2 and http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=285604&id=668255034&l=8a95b879db
And please pray for the two concerts I have here on Sunday, July 19th …and HEY, come on by if you’re in the area. I’d love to see ya!
*Ark International Church in Nags Head at 11am
*Manteo Church of God of Prophecy at 7pm
My dear Aunt Carol broke her hip a week and two days ago. While visiting my parents, when they were at church, her hip gave out on her, broke, and she fell. That led to the rush to the ER , surgery, and now in rehab at the hospital to learn to walk again. She’s had lots of other medical concerns arise during her hospital stay too, so her rehab has gone a lot slower than typical. And we just found out today that her insurance is not allowing anymore hospital rehab assistance. She is now needing to go to an assisted living/nursing home to complete her rehab and learn to walk again. At 83, Aunt Carol is mentally astounding (she’s sharper than most I know years younger than her!) and this ‘journey’ to a nursing home for rehab purposes isn’t something she’s terribly fond of, and I really would like to ask for your help in keeping her in your prayers. Thank you!
*If you would like to send Aunt Carol an encouraging card to help lift her spirits, please add your comment to this post, including your email address, and I’ll forward you the mailing address where she can receive your welcoming correspondence!
I’ve sure been busy lately …selling alloutpraise! festival tickets has been a HUGE part of how busy things have been. The band who sold the most tickets will get to perform just before Aaron Shust, so I worked hard at getting those tickets out there. The results are IN, and I was only three tickets shy of getting that spot, folks! Can you bleieve it? God, in His perfect planning though, chose to put me a little sooner. My concert time is now tentatively scheduled to begin at 5:10pm, though keep checking this alloutpraise! website link: http://www.alloutpraise.com/artists/judydeans for updates and if that time should in fact change. What’s so cool about being a bit sooner than that band just before headliner Aaron Shust, is that I’ll now have time to chat with people who were touched by the concert ministry and God can do some personal ministry in those moments, heading up to Aaron Shust’s concert! Isn’t it cool how He works things out like this? And another cool thing …one of my band members has a wedding to play in that afternoon, so he couldn’t have done an afternoon time slot. I think God is taking care of him/us in this way too. Thanks so much for your amazing support, love and prayers, peeps! I hope to see you on July 25th …and HEY, it’s not too late to get your tickets. Go to www.alloutpraise.com and secure yours today!