One Thing Remains

Well, I've made it! I'm all moved into my apartment here in Texas, and let's just say, I moved at the perfect time. I called home yesterday and found out that Wisconsin has gotten quite a bit of snow. I'm happy to report that today in Texas, it was sunny and 65 degrees. BEAUTIFUL.

My family left last Monday after driving with me all the way here to help with the moving process. Not 6 hours after they left, I was driving down the highway when I was hit by a semi. I'll hurry up and tell you that I wasn't hurt physically (except being sore for a few days), and that the truck driver wasn't either, but I cant say the same thing for my little VW Jetta. She took quite the beating, and will be in the shop for the next few weeks.

When this happened, I was immediately discouraged. How quickly our attitudes are changed by circumstances. I took this as a sign that I did the wrong thing, and began to question all that I thought I had seen God doing. But, can I just be a testimony of God's grace and love? He has continued to drown my heart in peace. There are definitely moments where I'm scared or question or begin to worry, but it never fails that I hear His voice in my ear saying, "This is what I've asked of you. GO. Walk in this with boldness."

And I've been doing just that. In my flesh, I am so weak, and He has brought that to the light. But, with the constant reminder that I serve a God who gave His Son that I might be redeemed and serve Him....well, let's just say I'm in good hands.

Thank you to those who have lifted me up in prayer.

What a blessing the Church is. Amen!

One thing remains,

Your love never fails,

It never gives up,

It never runs out on me.

A New Thing

This blog could very well be full of nothing. But, there's some exciting news I wanted to share with all of you.

After a year of praying and seeking, I feel God calling me to Dallas. Hillside Community Church has been flying me down once a month to lead worship there, and it's just become apparent that I need to be closer to the action than 1,000 miles away! Hillside is made up of a group of wonderful, Bible believing Christians, who are heavily involved in the community around them, and I can't say how much of a privilege it is to worship with them.

Apart from Hillside, this is the right decision for me. God has been stretching me and pushing me out of my comfort zone in EVERY area of my life, and this certainly fits in that category!

There are so many good things I see God bringing my way, and while I know there will be hard times, I'm ready. I look forward to what God has next.

Please join with me in praying that God will be glorified in everything; my life, my ministry, my move, my job....anything and everything. I count on my fellow believers to hold me accountable, so if you see me stepping out of line, I'm sure my parents would appreciate you calling me out on it! Haha. (No, really. They want you to be their eyes.)

Thank you all for being my support system; a place for me to come with questions and for relentlessly pushing me in God's direction. I look forward to sharing this new chapter with everyone!

"Remember not the former things,

not consider the things of old.

Behold I am doing a new thing;

Now it springs forth!

Don't you see and feel it?"

Isaiah 43:18-19

-L

: The Narrow Road :

Hey there!

It's been, well, super long since I've posted. But, I had good reason.

I've been on tour for the past two months. Left for Texas on March 26th and just got back May 24th. It has been a wild ride, let me tell you.

This tour was different from all my other tours in several different ways. First, it was EXTREMELY different because I went all by myself. On past tours, my Mom and all my siblings would load up in our SUV and head out with me. But since the kids were in school, I was all by my lonesome. More than feeling lonely, though, being on my own taught me to...well, be on my own. I suppose you could say I grew up on this trip. Having to wake myself up for early Sunday morning shows, or finding my way to the show, or setting my stuff up at the show, or tearing my stuff down and thanking my hosts after the show, all sorta made me a semi responsible adult. Or at least closer to one than when I left.

The tour was different in another way too; the people I met. I've never had a tour where people were so ready and willing to bless me. The encouragement came in all forms; financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It seemed that with every stop I made, God had a person (or multiple people) in mind that He wanted me to hear from. They gave of their time and some even opened up their homes. Whenever I got to feeling weary, someone was right there to pick up the pieces, and send me away refreshed. My faith in The Church was renewed, to say the least.

Lastly, tour taught me alot about the road. Obviously, I learned alot about reading a map, and sticking to the speed limit, and even when it's best to make illegal u-turns. (Just kidding) But, I also learned more about the narrow road. The road that I am called to travel more than the roads that take me to my concerts. The road that affects every area of my life, regardless if I consider it big or small.

I read today in Ephesians 2:1-2a:
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world..."

Notice, I WAS dead. I DID follow the course of this world. I WALKED in my sins daily. But, no more.

vs 4: "God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..."

So, as I sit in my comfy bed, resting in my home, I remember the road.

The road I left behind, and the new course that God made me alive to live.

: Sleepless After Seattle :

Just got home yesterday from my two weeks in Seattle for the recording of my next record. Can't believe the weeks went by so quickly!

The first few days were spent recording the scratch tracks for guitar, piano, and vocals. And we built upon the songs from there! It was so crazy to literally HEAR my dreams coming true.

The guys I worked with were such a blessing. Got to know them and their families well, considering the short time I was there. I think God was just allowing me to get to know people in this business so I have a better idea what to expect in the future. They were so welcoming, and were great to show me around Seattle. I ate every possible type of Asian food known to man, and eventually took a break from that for some clam chowder. I got the full Washington experience, apparently. Haha.

My producer, Brandon Bee, is also an artist. You should totally check out his website. He is on fire for Jesus, and is just an inspiration. His wife and 5 kids are wonderful too. God bless them all. He and his band just left for a 5 weeks tour. If he is in your area, you would be blessed by stopping by one of their shows. Here is his website:

brandonbeemusic.com

I'm happy to be home, even though it's only for alittle while. My Texas/Oklahoma tour will start before I know it. I've got alot of work and several shows to do before I leave, and I'm looking forward to seeing my Seattle friends when they stop in Wisconsin during their tour!

God is good, and His mercy endures forever. He blesses us through our doubt and stubbornness. His jealous love follows us even when we try to run. He is never ceasing in His pursuit of all that we are.

That is my God. AMEN.

:Things To Hide Behind:

Several of my girlfriends invited me to a Bible study they started a couple weeks ago. I went for the first time on Tuesday night unprepared for how greatly one night would change my outlook.

 The book they are all reading is called "So Long, Insecurity" by Beth Moore. I don't own the book, but was inspired just from hearing their thoughts relating to what she has written.

We spent the better part of 3 hours talking about our insecurities and how they can affect every aspect of our lives. I guess I never really thought of myself as a really insecure person, but the more we talked, the more I began to see myself for who I really am.

Never noticed how we as women often use talents, job titles, skills, accomplishments, our looks, or even our spirituality to hide what's really going on in our hearts. We long for acceptance, security, praise, and adoration. We replace who God has made us with fake, trivial things to make people who aren't even a integral part of our lives think just a little higher of us. We refuse to let things fall apart; we believe our lives are our masterpieces. We become still life portraits, never having the courage to try something new just because we might fail. 

This is me.

I like to think that my life doesn't revolve around the opinions of those closest to me, but the truth is that sometimes my life revolves around the opinions of people I don't even know. I hide who I am from people because it's dangerous territory to be vulnerable. And honestly, sometimes I even hide who I am from ME.

Who am I if all that I've hidden behind is striped away?

:The Release:

He gives and takes away,

He gives and takes away,

My heart will choose to say,

Lord, blessed be Your name.

I crave control. That's been a part of my personality ever since birth. I watched some old family videos this week, and the fight for control reared its ugly head in many ways, from telling my brothers what to do to arguing with my mom about if Dumbo could really fly. (Now I sound like a horrible child; I promise I had some redeeming qualities.)

Perhaps my need for control also comes from being the oldest of 5 kids. By the age of 12, I would be left home with the younger siblings, fix dinner for them, bathe the ones that needed it, do some laundry and clean the house all before my parents came home. For a few short hours, I ruled that house.

But, God is breaking me of this.

Quite honestly, in every area of my life right now, I have zero control. And the eye opening thing about it is that that has been the case my whole life....your whole life too.

Regardless of the control we think we might have, we are all utterly powerless. I take comfort in that. If nothing I've done has gotten me where I am today, then all the glory to God for the life I'm now living. Which means I have no business telling God which part of my life He can have, and which He can't. He must rule every decision, every relationship, every thought, every action.

I hold onto the things God has given me with an open hand.

-L

: Foolish Wisdom :

"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
-1 Corinthians 22-25

I think I'm a bit like the Jews and Greeks. I would never come right out and say it, but I think sometimes I'm looking for God to prove Himself. Waiting for a miracle or wisdom spoken into my life that is undeniably God.

But what SHOULD I cling to? Christ crucified; nothing else, nothing less.

He is the "proof" I've been looking for. Every wise decision revolves strictly around Him.

Question is: Am I willing to look foolish in order to truly be wise?

-L