This season of life and ministry sure has had it’s surprises, challenges, extreme joy and frustrating pain all lumped into one! My head spinning is more of a ‘normal’ these days, as I learn to juggle what’s on my plate and try to stay on top of things. And as I’ve had my time in The Word lately, the Lord has really been working on my heart in the deep places where I need to work on my own ‘issues’. You see, the pain and frustration I face, could most certainly be blame shifted or ignored with the excuse of busyness, and yet I’ve learned that the way to live in God’s favor, blessing and to continually become more and more into His likeness is to take a deep look inside …on a daily basis. And you know, it’s so like God that, when we do honestly evaluate and seek Him, He brings His truth and encouragement to the seemingly mundane as well as the ‘deep’ places of our hearts.

This song, You Are For Me, is a worship song by one of my favorite worship artists, Kari Jobe. This live recording was from when I had the privilege of leading it at Cornerstone Ministries with the amazing worship team a few weekends back. God is so good …and as He tangibly reminded me how true it’s message is while enabling me to lead the services that morning after waking up with hardly any voice(!), the message most certainly rings true in the deepest and most challenging stuff I’m walking through right now too. He is for me …He will never forsake me.

And He is for you …be encouraged in that today.

I’m continually amazed as I look back on this past year, how MUCH God did in this music ministry: direct personal impact through concert engagements and personal follow up, much stretching in growing in the craft of songwriting and this specific ministry focus, discipline and growth in time management, the beginning of my global ministry office (ooooh, exciting!!!), and more opportunities to grow and connect with the Lord and help others do the same through worship leading. And as I switched my office around a couple nights ago to make it more practical and ‘baby safe’, (like we’ve been doing with our entire abode, that is!), I am most certainly reminded that we’ve had quite the exciting year on the home front too! 2010 has overall been an exciting year! And as I really look back, it’s struggles tended to deal with resurfacing and ‘blows’ from our enemy who doesn’t want me to grow stronger from the pain in my past, but keep me stuck and caught up in it’s pain meanwhile repeating it …today. It’s 2011 now …a NEW year. And this new year is full of opportunity to celebrate, grow and give my fears and pain all afresh to Jesus as He writes HIS story with each month, week, day, hour and moment. As you begin this new year, be reminded that WE are the reason HE gave HIS life …to bring us hope, joy, freedom and peace. HE is the reason to live, and live victoriously. Here’s an audio clip of yours truly and my friend and worship pastor Alan Hannah with the song “We Are The Reason” which we and the team shared for the Christmas Eve services. I pray it encourages ya as you begin this new year and give your story to Him!

While visiting some family for the Thanksgiving holiday, Travis, Evangelina and I took a detour and spent a day in Nashville, Tennessee.  It’s been a decade since this artist almost packed her bags and moved there and wow, how my perspective and life has changed since back then!  Rather melancholic that day in Nashville, God reminded me of how He has surpassed my musical dreams and given me more than I could imagine with now my husband and baby girl to boot.  And He surprised us with a little present that day too; on top of a time to simply soak up some Nashville music, I ended up closing out the evening’s festivities at the legendary Bluebird Café by performing one of my newest original songs!  I was honored to be on the stage where many great artists in Music City perform, and even more tickled to see/hear the response after sharing the only Christian song played/sung that evening.  God is so cool how He works like that!

Even with the excitement of Hurricane Earl this past week, my travels to Liberty proved to be, once again, super sweet! This family of believers I affectionately call my ‘church home away from home’, are so real and honest before the Lord, and open to hear Him speak what it is He wants them to hear. Pastor John spoke such truth during the message, awaking the importance of how we are all part of one body …and OUR PART MATTERS!  I was honored to share more about this ministry to the brokenhearted; and tickled to share some music, especially a new ‘responsive’ song I’ve got in the works entitled ‘Heal Me’. God really showed up, and my heart’s been extremely blessed to hear story after story of how He is touching lives by my little part in the body of Christ. Don’t get me wrong …I’m not bragging here, but it IS such a privilege to function in the uniqueness that God has created each one of us to, being stretched along the way and growing more and more into Christ’s likeness. I challenge YOU to dig in to the Scriptures and read about the body of Christ yourself. And if you’d like to check out the message from this past Sunday, click here to do so!  God’ll speak to you too, make your life truly matter, and in the meantime, bless your socks off when you become who you’re meant to be in your local church!

We’ve braved Hurricane Earl! Now let’s worship together THIS Sunday!

It’s been a whirlwind since returning from Oregon (more on that soon…), though I wouldn’t trade it for the WORLD!  Yesterday was Ultrafest 2.0 -a HUGE THANK YOU for the opportunity to share this ministry, Cornerstone!  To all of you who prayed and lent your support by coming …you’re prayers and support made a difference indeed, and I was tickled to debut two new songs for you!!!  And now, without any further delay, I must give a shout out to my AMAZING band.  Brian, Mike, Rich, Paul, Jeff, Lia and Jim are ‘the real deal’ through and through, and I am so honored to share the stage with such talented artists, be blessed by their larger than life hearts, and entrusted with their friendship.  These guys, and gal, gave so much of their time (thank you significant others and families!!!) to make such an excellent offering to Jesus at Ultrafest 2.0 …thank you for serving Him and blessing yours truly, band!  I love you all more than you know, and can’t wait to rejoice as a band in heaven someday too …ha ha, we think we can rock out here! =)

Things were looking up yesterday …more support coming in, a great evening rehearsal, lots of smiles and fun times with my 3 month old, and my heart was so incredibly happy with anticipation that she’d be joining me on the airplane tomorrow morning. But then things changed. Evangelina started acting out of sorts, like she just knew Mommy was going away from her for several days, she didn’t want to take the bottle Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa tried to feed her but, like a light switch, calmed and happy when Mommy held her, …and we encountered, like hitting a brick wall, how traveling expenses to bring she and Daddy along to Oregon with me skyrocketed and more than doubled from mere days ago.  So no, sadly, Evangelina will not be coming with me to the record label.

I know this is a strategic and incredibly important developmental time these next days ahead for this ministry, and such concentrated time with the leadership at the record label invaluable, …meanwhile each time God organizes time for me to travel out there it’s not only vital for this ministry, but He exceeds expectations and then some. But this time it’s more than hard in having to leave my sweet baby behind. MAN, I knew it’d be hard, but not like this!

So, why do I process this all for the internet world to read???  Well, first of all, I want to thank each and every one of you nursing mommas and beloved friends who poured out your love and support to us with many prayers and financial donations while trying to make Evangelina’s presence with me across the country a reality.  We cannot thank you enough for each act of kindness and authentic love which motivated your heart to do something.  It’s your interest in our lives and this ministry that keeps enabling it to reach the hurting more than ever, and make a big difference in this community of brokenness and beyond.  Without you, point blank, this truly would be impossible.  So, thank you!  Secondly, I ask that you would please pray for this first time momma, papa, and nursing sweetheart these next five days.  We knew this reality would be tough, but not this tough.  I’m literally having to focus my mind on what’s ahead in order to not drown in tears.  I know I’ll look upon this time after growing up more and with new eyes in the days ahead, yet my mind and heart both currently long for Evangelina to venture these five days with me.  I’m trying to wrap my understanding around it all, looking form God’s eyes: perhaps lugging her across the country isn’t the best option, this’ll give good bonding time between her, Daddy and my folks, etc.  I know there IS good in all of this.  God’s like that.  And lastly, would you pray that God does, once again, more than we could ever ask or think with this ministry from this specific time with the label folks and special artist friends?  It’s gonna be vital that I focus and really hear what the Lord has to say for these strategic steps once I return, when baby will be in tow.  I don’t wanna miss a single second of God’s imparting of wisdom and direction in how and where he wants this ministry to go in these days ahead.  Just as Mommy-hood, this ministry too is something God’s crafted me for and placed as a ‘good thing’ in this life to accomplish diligently for eternity.  I don’t wanna loose sight of that.

So well …sadly, not this time.  But I’m looking forward to writing a blog in the days ahead, sharing God’s amazing faithfulness.  Will you stick with me as God unfolds this next chapter in my story?  Oh, I hope so!

Anyone still wanna go to Alloutprise! …and AMAZING, all day concert event TOMORROW?!! Due to baby happenings, I wasn’t able to be in concert there this year, though I’ve got four free tickets (compliments of the incredible folks at Champion Christian School) I’d like to give away to say ‘thanks’ if you are my friend on Facebook AND part of my Facebook Judy Deans Music group. If you are part of BOTH and can answer this question with one of many possible answers correctly, the tickets are YOURS: Judy Deans and Alloutpriase! headliner Jonny Diaz have something in common in their music ministries …what is it???  First Facebook Friend, Group Member and correct answer to this question who gets back to me, they are all yours! =)