Will you please pray for my dear, dear friend Dorothy?  I just found out that she is beginning a battle with stage 4 liver cancer.  Dorothy is one of the dearest person you could ever know …her heart, character, and passion for Jesus is an example to us all.  Would you please remember her in your prayers today and in these months to come?  Her chemo begins Wednesday, August 12th. Please pray God would heal her and give her strength in this uncertain time.

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!

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!

Hi Everybody!

There’s only one week left to get your discounted tickets for July 25th’s alloutpraise! special event at this link: https://www.incubatoronline.com/cc/judydeans.html. Any $10 ticket I sell through next Tuesday, June 30th will not only pay for your all day event pass (food, games, Aaron Shust +15 other bands including yours truly!) and support Champion Christian School, but half of the ticket sales will go to help support this Music Ministry too. How cool is that?!!

For more information and event details, check out this previous blog: http://judydeans.com/blog/aaaaaaaaaaaaah-this-is-exciting/ and if you have any questions let me know! I hope to hear from you before June 30th!

Have you ever stepped back to notice how God gives you what you need at exactly just the right time …what you need to encourage you on in what He’s put in your heart to do? I had a couple experiences like that today.

The first was from Deb, a Facebook Friend who happened to ’stumble’ upon my Music Group page, but whom God specifically had in mind to be more than just an Internet friend! Due to my crazy schedule, I was finally able to connect with her via phone today, and God brought such joy, love and passionate pursuit of His encouragement to this ministry journey and focus that’s not all that ‘common’. Deb understands that focus too, as the ministry God’s given her to do is very similar. God’s certainly not through with her yet either! I’m delighted to grow with and walk along side of her in ministry too.

The second timely encouragement came from Misty …remember her? Misty was a broken yet being transformed mighty woman of God whom I met during one of my concerts last summer on the Outer Banks -OBX Concert at Liberty Christian Fellowship, More From Misty. At that time, Misty was finishing up her stay at Footprints in Recovery, a group home to help those who have suffered forms of abuse and addictions. God has transformed Misty leaps and bounds, from what I understand, and she is now back on her feet in pursuit of regaining custody of her precious son. She contacted me through my website today, and I’m praying an opportunity would arise for me to share this concert at her church this summer too, as Travis and I travel to the Outer Banks once again.

Bottom line, God is so good. I just love how His encouragement comes in such a timely manner, through various ways, but especially to those who understand the ministry which comes from surrendering past wounds, hurts and fears to the One who brings His healing, joy and freedom. Deb and Misty are great examples of that …God is so alive in them, and I am so privelleged to call them friends!

See this mess of chords and equipment that should be in my studio but is now scattered around my office?  Well, my brain feels like it’s been twisted up, and now a complete mess like this live work scene.  Since the last time I blogged about our Pro Tools Adventures, we’ve had difficulty after difficulty in getting this recording up and running.  Thank God for people who know so much more about this than I!  My Facebook friend brought some helpful stuff to my attention (you’re the man, Stephen!), and so did my Songwriting Coach and Producer husband and wife team from Incubator (thanks so much, Sheryl and Leon!)  They walked Travis and I through some things to test. And we just got off the phone with the dear folks at Sweetwater who sold me this equipment. (Thanks for bearing with such ProTools newbies, Jonathan!)  We think we have the problem source identified (the little purple and grey box sitting on the couch in the picture), so we’re at least one step closer!.. Who would have thought this Pro Tools Adventure would compare to a detective mystery? ha ha.  So now it’s waiting to hear from the fella at Sweetwater for our ‘next step’.  Travis and I would sure love your prayers for this part of the venture!  I’ll be in Columbus, Ohio Saturday and then a concert in New Stanton, Pennsylvania Sunday night … hopefully this will get tackled and solved on Monday!  I’ll talk to ya more when we’ve got this figured out..

I honestly don’t know where to begin … but I’ll start by saying this: Purity in today’s culture is sadly often overlooked and underestimated.  I really don’t need to give you any examples of that; just turn on your TV, take a walk down the halls of a public school, or just observe the folks at your workplace even.  And those in our culture who believe morality isn’t all that important truly are missing out on God’s awesome promises and blessings he gives to those who walk in a higher standard and choose a lifestyle that shines above the rest.  This vision and dream for purity resounded in several youth leaders and ministry directors’ hearts, which intern brought about iPromise 2009.  This amazing, semi-formal evening event for students grades 6-12 couldn’t have gone better, if you ask me!  A total of 189 people (students and some parents too!) attended the time of scrumptious hors d’oeuvres and an evening program consisting of myself leading a themed driven time of worship, followed by husband/wife speakers, Lary and Michelle Georgiana.  The evening was so refreshing and encouraging too!  And numerous students all around the room took a stand, indicating their desire to live a life of purity, leaving with special necklaces, keys, t shirts and promise rings.  It truly is beautiful to wait for the person God has uniquely hand picked for you, in His timing and in His way … that person who is able to love (protect and provide) and will make a commitment to you forever.  I’m thankful that is my story, and the story many others this past weekend committed to. 

Click on this link to view several pictures with captions to fill you more in on the evening and it’s happenings: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=223815&id=668255034&l=4cb18

God bless you, and thank you for your countless prayers.  God came through, as He always does! =)  

This past Friday, Travis and I had just over a 12 hour adventure at Seven Springs! Dear Vision Team Members Bob and Kim Baierl blessed us with two free tickets to WTAE TV’s Winter Fest that day. What FUN! Neither of us are natural ‘morning persons’, and I have been fighting a sinus bug too, so it was hard to roll out of bed early to get there for the registration/orientation, but how worth it it was! Throughout the day we became more and more thankful for the new and exciting adventure God placed in our laps. Seriously though, it couldn’t have come at a better time – we both were stressed and busy with ministry demands and needed time off and away. It’s just like God to give us what we need WHEN we need it, hugh? And like He often does, He knows exactly where to put us to meet those needs. This athletically challenged girl would have never thought something like this would meet such a need, but God did. And of that, I am so thankful and still overjoyed!

Click here to view some pictures throughout our day: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=220205&id=668255034&ref=mf

Have you ever struggled with God’s timing? Have you ever felt that what He was telling you to do, and what you accordingly planned to do wasn’t then happening … or at least in the time frame you were expecting?  I have.  And I don’t think I’m alone in that either.  I was sturggling the other day about this very thing, when a dear friend and Vision Team Member sent me an email which read:

“Judy, You told me something one day I will always remember and that is this: GOD IS IN CONTROL. HE ANSWERS US WHEN HE’S READY, IN HIS TIMING (NOT OURS), SO WHEN HE DOES ANSWER YOU – THAT IS WHAT HE WANTS FOR YOU AT THIS TIME. In a round about way this is what you told me when I was looking for answers. To this day I live by these words you said. My prayers are with you at this time as you seek what GOD HAS FOR YOU AT THIS TIME.”

I think that’s exactly what God wants us to remember, especially on those days when what we feel ‘progress’ is being hindered, stalled, etc.  As we do what God has put before us right at this moment, He WILL answer us.  He WILL guide us.  And it WILL be His perfect timing as we wait on Him.  Let’s wait on Him, embracing what He has for us in this moment of time!

At this crucial time in history, Travis and I knew we needed to attend the March For Life in Washington D.C. more than ever.  We ventured to D.C. yesterday with close to 200 otheres from Cornerstone Ministries.  God blessed us with SUCH a beautiful day … 45 degrees and sunny!  I’m sure he was smiling down on His children; the children whose parents made the honoring and Biblical decision to fore go abortion as even an option.  As we marched, we saw numerous signs, some that spoke especially loud like ‘Father who made the mistake of having an abortion’, etc.  People quietly protested and prayed with their signs and broken hearts for the devastation in our country right now.  Please be praying for our leaders in Washington.  Please be on your knees daily, as they (many of them not even understanding how devastating abortion truly is) seek what is best for our Nation.

If you would like to view some pictures I took from my cell phone at the March For Life yesterday, please visit my Facebook Photo Album at this link: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668255034&ref=profile#/album.php?aid=210080&id=668255034&ref=mf