Do you remember my sweet friend Dorothy from a previous Featured Testimony here on my site? Well, Dorothy has been through a lot since that feature. She’s been diagnosed with cancer and is currently in an assisted living home. We went to visit Dorothy today, (Dorothy pictured here with Evangelina) and I’d like to ask you for your prayers. She’s doing a lot better than where she has been, yet is needing to regain some weight. She was most recently hospitalized for her breathing and fluid around her lungs. She is eating better meals and they have the fluid under control, but your prayers would be most welcome. Thanks for caring for not only yours truly, but for those who care for and support this ministry as yourself! I love you and pray God’s blessing on you…

Hi Friends!  One of my fellow Incubator Records artists and friend, Darrin Thurman (pictured here), has an AWESOME opportunity to open up for Jeremy Camp and Natalie Grant soon AND go on tour with Rush of Fools.  But he needs your help!  The competition began  back in January with 500 artists who auditioned, and Darrin is now one of the final three left.  At this point, this amazing opportunity is TOTALLY based on how many votes he gets.  THIS WEEK, you can vote for Darrin (in unlimited amounts, I might add …hint, hint! =)  Simply go to this link and you’ll see the VOTE option underneath his picture.  I know he’d appreciate it!

Travis and I had a new experience this past weekend …seeing our baby 28 weeks and 2 days in utero! She is absolutely beautiful (yes, I know, we are slightly biased!) and I wanted to share these three pictures with you all. The first is a side profile which looks as though she’s praying! The second is her response to Travis talking to her through my belly …yes, she is smiling real big! And the third is a funny one for you all …sucking her big toe! She’s already bringing us such joy and I can’t believe the incredible love that fills our heart for her already. I’m sure there will be songs birthed out of this too in the days and years to come! Thanks for your prayers as we continue on this journey too!

I find Valentine’s Day a wonderful reason to say and extra special ’Thank you’ to all of you who support this ministry with your amazing love, care, prayers and financial gifts. It’s because of you that God’s done so much to help the hurting around us …I treasure you and your love.  Have a blessed day and, this Valentine’s Day, please take time to soak in how much you are loved.

Dear friend reading this post …would you please pray for Rick and Melody Kaiser? Rick and Melody are dear friends and supporters of this music ministry, but they really need some extra love, support and prayers right now. Melody’s grandfather just passed away, she’s been diagnosed (again …she’s had many bouts) with cancer, and they were just in a car totaling accident today, Rick sustaining some kind of neck injury. I know you most likely don’t know them, but could you please call unto God on their behalf? They have been and are going through so much that one person shouldn’t even have to remotely encounter. Thank you so much, friends. You can find Rick on Facebook, or feel free to leave any messages here for he and Melody and I’ll be sure to pass them along.

For those of you who have been dying to hear an update on Baby Deans, we are doing well and decided to take a pic for you today in the gorgeous snow just outside our home. (Who would have thought we’d be slammed with so much snow overnight?!!)  Our sweet little baby girl is due the end of May, and we are very excited, to say the least.  She’s quite the mover inside me and we certainly can’t wait to meet her face to face and learn how God’s uniquely equipped and crafted her.  God’s been teaching us a lot in this amazing process …and I know that teaching has only begun!  I’m so thankful for an amazing husband who not only loves the Lord but is determined to lead our home in a godly way, being the best husband and daddy possible.  We are working hard each day as God shows us what’s next especially in how to manage home life and ministry in a healthy balance.  I’m continuing to press on in worship leading and my songwriting with the record label, focusing especially on recording my two upcoming singles …yes, they’ll be here in the months to come, folks; and some special ministry product too. Thanks for all your love, care and prayers in this season of our lives.  We treasure you!

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time now, you know that I like to occasionally spotlight special people who support this Ministry and are shining examples of living their lives out surrendered to God. One of those special people is Candy Nelson. I met Candy several years ago, when the record label had me do some ‘image consulting’ and I’ve been graced with Candy’s exceptional service at Platinum Salon and Spa ever since. Through our hair appointments, God’s developed a sweet friendship between she and I, and I’ve come to learn more specifically how God’s uniquely created her heart too. One of those ways is through the non-profit, no-kill animal rescue shelter that Candy has founded and works passionately towards. Candy invited Travis and I as special guests to the Animal Friends of Westmoreland’s 4th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala this past Friday, the shelter’s number one fund raising event for it’s upcoming year’s budget. We were blessed with a special evening of elegance, scrumptious food, dancing, meeting some absolutely FANTASTIC people, and learning more of the shelter …and Candy too. As I soaked in the ambiance of the event, listened to Candy’s heart and words come alive, and watch the people impacted by her worthy cause, I was reminded how God’s not only uniquely enabled each one of us for something specifically GRAND to do for Him, but how HE makes our dreams come true when we are focused on Him and others, bringing His compassion instead of staying focused on ourselves. God’s at work in Candy and through her in some pretty big ways …thanks for walking this road God’s given you, one step at a time, making a huge difference, Candy! May we all be challenged by your excellence and yeildedness to Christ to accomplish big things in His name ourselves!

…well, to my parent’s home, that is! Yesterday was the loooooooooooooong anticipated day when Aunt Carol was released from the Rehab Facility and able to come home. My family -Mom and Dad especially- have been so worn spending hours on end at the hospital with Aunt Carol, and then the rehab …6 weeks she’s been inside and away from Summer due to the broken hip, surgery and recovering. She’s got lots of recovery to go, yet is excited as ever to be in the confines of her sister’s home, and eating yummy food too! =) Thank you for those of you who have been praying for her, and please do continue!  And please pray for Mom and Dad too, as they play ‘Nurse’ for a while longer.  If you’d like to send her a special encouraging greeting, contact me at: http://www.judydeans.com/contact.html and I’ll pass on an address where you can do that. And if you’d enjoy seeing pics of her fun day ditchin’ the rehab place, here’s a link for just that: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=298875&id=668255034&l=50dcdd5651