Category Archives: music

Recent Adventures: WY and CO

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We left Billings on July 15th and began our life on the road. As we journeyed south we spent some time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton Nat’l Park; both were packed with people and we actually heard these words as we scrambled for a campsite, “you have the absolute last spot in the entire park.” Not bad…Unless you were in the car behind us. Then we drove across the very exciting middle of Wyoming. We met up with David’s cousin and his family at Alcova Reservoir, which was a blast. We found the most perfect campsite overlooking the lake and spent a few nights there.

Even though we haven’t had the most calculated plans (not hard to imagine if you know David and I), we have ended up in the most beautiful places! We feel like God is guiding us to His favorite spots and giving us precious moments to enjoy in them.

Our next stop was about building relationships as we pulled into Douglas, WY for a night to visit David’s mom’s side of the family. They were happy to host us and we knew that it was time well spent to invest in those relationships. David’s grandmother was so excited to take us to her church and show off her grandson to all her church friends and tell them about what we are doing. A very special conversation I had with Grandma Doris was enough to make this whole trip worth our while.

Then it was on to Fort Collins, CO, a very cool town full of my mom’s family and some of my closest friends. We have been here for a week and plan to be here for one more. We have spent quality time with lots of people we love and we’ve taken this time to work on following up with people in the next few stops on our route. We’re seeing more doors start to open so we are encouraged. Also it’s been a good amount of time to recover since David had his yearly back-throwing-out. He’s on the mend and feeling much better today.

Yesterday was my first official opportunity to share my music in a church since we left MT two weeks ago. I shared at First Presbyterian in Fort Collins. The people there were so kind and excited to hear my songs. We spoke to many afterwards who were touched and went home with my CD to hopefully get SUPER blessed by it. Also, just as we suspected, opportunities for more are presenting themselves as we move forward with the small steps of obedience we have in front of us.

We feel so blessed that this is how we get to spend the first year of our marriage! And it’s not just adventure for adventure’s sake… we truly feel guided by God and entrusted with a ministry!

That is the quick update on the last week or two. Our plan after Fort Collins is to head down through CO, stopping in a few spots along the way and end up in Santa Fe in the second week of August to celebrate with some friends as they get married. Then we’ll head through Arizona on our way to San Diego and then eventually up the coast. I’ll post when I have concrete dates for shows in those areas!

Letting go of OUR plan, saying yes to HIS

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Blogging seems to have taken a backseat to huge life events, hence the 2 months of silence from me. May was the month of finishing my CD and almost-the-wedding plans. June was completely full of family arriving in Montana to celebrate, a glorious wedding weekend, and a beautiful honeymoon on Maui. July already seems to be flying by as we are back in Montana for a short time to get ready to move in to “our” camper and head out to the open road! My real reason for not writing so far is that I really have no idea how to sum up all that has taken place, how to express the richness of these last couple months as God has brought so many dreams to pass. Should I just carry on and start writing about the next thing? Or should I attempt to share it all with you so that you know what’s been going on in my world?

Well, I suppose I could attempt to sum it up.

It’s all about relationships.

That is the theme of every story in the past weeks and months. Yes, there were some important events… but even in the ways that those events unfolded it was clear that God was clearing space for relationships to grow and deepen. Take our wedding for example: We had planned a beautiful outdoor event in the forest with a reception in the backyard of some family, with me thinking, “it’s June… the weather will be perfect.” Ha! The morning before the wedding day, a layer of snow covered the ground that needed to be very dry in order for things to go according to OUR plan. So that Friday morning plan B kicked into full gear. The only thing was, plan B wasn’t exactly planned besides the church where it was going to take place. As my plans came crumbling down, I watched as the friends and family that surrounded us rolled up their sleeves and dove in to make this wedding happen. And not just happen, but it was more beautiful than I could have hoped, because it had been built on the love and hard work of people who David and I have deep relationship with. As we stood in that room surrounded by people that love us, I felt so cared for and carried by them… much more than if they had just been guests at a perfectly planned event.

This theme of relationship continued into our honeymoon on Maui, the small island packed to the gills with people who have known me since childhood. In the plane on our way over the Pacific, I coached myself in saying “No” to people who wanted to spend time with us, since afterall, this was OUR honeymoon. But as soon as we arrived I felt my attitude beginning to shift. I was realizing that Maui isn’t just a beautiful place that i wanted to show David, it is an island of people that I wanted to show David. We talked about it and decided to throw ourselves into the lives of people that are incredibly invested in me and my family, and now, into David’s life as well. We spent such sweet time with precious people in those 2 weeks and not once did we feel overextended or like we didn’t have enough time for each other. And we were over-the-top blessed by them as they poured out on us with generosity and support of our new direction to share my music on the road. The blessing of God was unleashed as we said yes to HIS plan, which as always, was people.

And we feel that this has all be preparation for the next step which again will be about investing in and nourishing relationships we have across the country. Our entire route for our tour has been planned based on where we have a friend or family member who wants to host us and believes in my music.

So feeling very refreshed (and very tan) we are getting ready to head out this week! We will be making our way through Wyoming, visiting some family of David’s, and then on to Fort Collins, Colorado, where we’ll be spending some time with my family and I’ll be sharing music on a few occasions as well. (If you live in either of those places and have an idea of a way for me to share my music in your community, please let me know so we can make the most of every opportunity!)

This blog will be where I make frequent updates on our travels and share stories from the road, so stay tuned!

If you are reading this, it is quite likely that you are one of those people that we have the blessing of relationship with…. Thank you! We love you!

Recent Adventures: Frontline Arlington

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I woke up with these words in my head…. Some may trust in instruments, some may trust in voices, but we will trust in the name of the Lord. A perfect reminder as we started the day full of recording and then preparing to play in church in the evening…

That night I had the opportunity to be a part of leading worship at Frontline Arlington, a church full of really creative and talented young people. They set up for church every Monday night in an old theater that makes for such an intimate atmosphere, not to mention, a perfect place for playing and listening to music. This community of believers is incredibly vibrant… people were bringing food and coffee to give to the homeless, 4 people got baptized, their pastor spoke on what it means to authentically worship the Lord… it was such a beautiful thing to get to step into their world for the evening and see such passionate people. I was able to share with them my song I’m Coming Back, and to share the story behind it: Christ’s longing for His Bride, and a challenge for us to examine our lives and see if we are truly making ourselves ready for Him; Are our eyes and hearts fixed on Him, and not just on the here and now of this world? Do we live with a holy longing for ever-deepening intimacy with Jesus? And to play I’m Coming Back with such talented musicians who complemented the sweet and subtle song so beautifully. We also played my song This Is What I Bring, the perfect match for a service that was all about how true worship is submission and honesty. It was truly a pleasure to be a part of Frontline Arlington, and my prayer for this community of believers is that they continually have their eyes lifted, their gaze set on Christ, as they serve Him and the people He puts in their path, with diligence, until Christ’s return!

Click here to visit Frontline’s website!

Also, the album is coming along quite nicely, and to let you in on a little of what it’s sounding like, follow these links to download two songs for FREE! A-Yo!

Click here to download “This Is What I Bring”

Click here to download “I’m Coming Back”

Enjoy this taste of the album! Hopefully it gets you excited for what is to come! Thanks for your support…
K

Some thoughts from the studio…

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I’m sitting in the cutest little house in Spingfield, VA, watching snow fall on the woods outside the warm livingroom. Downstairs is a beautiful studio with a microphone that seems like it was made for my voice, a gorgeous guitar that is taking the place of my poor Takamine that once again cracked it’s neck on the flight up here. I’m sipping Jasmine Green tea loaded up with honey to soothe my throat as my unfortunately timed cold takes it’s toll this morning.

So many things about this experience so far have seemed absolutley unfortunate. Tony (the guy who’s recording me) has been sick with food poisoning and he has had to conduct things from the couch in his control room. The next day I was battling stomach flu symptoms all day, too weak to do much other than sit and listen as we tracked drums all day on 3 of the songs. The area has had record breaking amounts of snow, causing some homes to lose electricity, which would bring this project to a swift halt.

But at the same time, so many things about this experience so far have seemed absolutely perfect, as though God’s hand is directing it and this was the plan from long ago. I am personally amazed at how much peace I have in the process. God has His hands gently supporting mine as I open them, letting go of my plans and saying YES to His.

I could get discouraged as I look around at the circumstances, but then how could I go downstairs and sing Take Courage, which tells the story of God’s encouragement to His people when things didn’t look the way they thought they were going to look.

I could cling to my own plans and dwell on the ways God seems to be emptying me of myself, but then how could I honestly sing Naomi’s Song, the story of God’s refilling of His precious presence when He empties us of ourselves.

I could just buckle down and crank out these songs though my heart isn’t in them, but then how could I allow myself to call the Church to stop going through the motions and surrender their hearts hearts to intimacy with Christ, as in Where Is Your Heart? I am challenged by the very words I am recording myself singing, and I need to be the first one to be taught by them if I want them to have any impact at all.

The more opposition we face in this recording, the more I am assured of the fact that God is doing something big. And in moments of discouragement I have been so grateful for the people that are surrounding me in prayer and support. Your prayers hold my arms up as I walk out what God has given me to do! Thank You!!

In the midst of all this, I am very pleased with the way things are coming together. The songs are really coming to life in a new way as some really talented musicians do their thing. It seems that we’re ahead of schedule as well… that’s one good thing about being snowed in, there’s nothing to do but lock ourselves away and get down to business! I’m excited to be able to share this album with you soon!

Recent Adventures: Minnesota

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A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to get a fresh breath of air in Minnesota as the temperature had just started to drop and the leaves had just started to change color. I saw the trees hanging over the Mississippi River and quickly took a picture with my mind as traffic moved me along the river of I-94.

My time was full of rich experiences:

Reconnecting with precious friends,

drinking good coffee (thanks Common Roots),

eating a most delicious beet salad! (thanks Birchwood Cafe),

celebrating new seasons of life with very special people (Congratulations Cora and Jake),

and much reflection time for me… on where I had been and where I am going, and all that’s happened in between.

There was a lot of time to “just be” in the very familiar setting of Minneapolis, and there came a sensation I wasn’t sure I’d have…I didn’t long to return. I appreciated it for all the things I’ve always loved about it, and I remembered all that I went through and learned and all the passages of life I walked through while I lived there, and yet it didn’t need to be NOW. I was okay with it being THEN. It was like re-reading one of your favorite chapters in a beloved book. And it left me ready to dive into the next chapter.

 

While I was there I had the privilege to lead a time of worship in music at The Salvage Yard Church of Jesus Christ, the community I was a part of for some of the time I lived in Minneapolis. A friend accompanied me on accordian and drums (it takes some serious talent to play both at the same time!). It was a beautiful time and I am excited about what God is doing in that amazing group of people who are serious about walking out the gospel right where they are. And their hospitality in putting me up for the 2 weeks I was there left me so grateful for the Body of Christ, The Church, when we function the way God intended us to.

 

On Sunday morning I made my way out to the suburbs as I got to play a song at Bethany Church in Bloomington, a church that was a huge part of making me feel welcome to the Midwest when I first moved to Minnesota. I shared my song, I’m Coming Back, a picture of Christ’s longing for His Church who He is soon returning for.  This message seemed to be an echo of what the heart of this congregation already is focused on. It was so encouraging to worship with a group of people who are truly hungry for Jesus and are doing their part in ushering in His return with prayer and worship.

 

There were so many things about this trip that made me feel extravagantly loved and cared for. And there were so many encouragements along the way of His guidance. I really feel that God is moving me around to use me in whatever way He sees fit. And I am absolutely up for it.

 

Hopefully more churches to share with soon, and more adventures to report…..