New Website!

I wanted to add more gadgets and functionality as a musician to help get my message out there.

Here's the link to the new page. I don't know if I will link this page to the new one, or if this one will go by the wayside in place of the other. We'll just see how easy it is to link them.

Check out the site and use the email form or guestbook to give me your feedback about how it could be better. Is it easy to navigate, easy to read, easy to jump to the cdbaby page?

Thanks for your support.

The ride home...

Tennessee is beautiful. Of course, any place would be beautiful today. I woke up so overwhelmed by God's favor. And a chest cold.

All I want to do for the next little while is reflect and compose, out of my passion, out of my gratitude, and out of the overflow of my heart.

Besides, the ride home will be a little on the long side, so I just wanted to kill some time trying to send my first blackberry post.

My hands are cramping. How do people do this?

NashVegas

What an experience. I was so overwhelmed by our hotel, the Opryland Gaylord Resort. It's a little microcosm, full of shops, restaurants, pools, a river, bridges to everywhere, and beautiful grounds. I am so glad that I came. Mostly because....

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Praise GOD, the Giver of all good things, who saw me when I was obscure and anonymous in podunk Mississippi. Now I am just slightly less obscure, and at least thirty more people know my name.

Although I only entered the songwriting category, the recording I made of this song EIGHT YEARS AGO will be released to radio this Christmas. So check your local Christian radio stations for "Son of God".

The industry professionals (producers, promoters, artist managers) that I talked with were, most importantly, all about the ministry of Christian music. One said she saw the whole Christian side of this business getting away from the self-agrandizing music career and getting back to Jesus. Taking it back to the original message. And that, I think, is why my song connected with them so. I've never felt like it was very commercial, because it's so preachy. But this is where Christian music seems to be moving. They're looking for better, non-cheezy music that really rips into people's hearts. I'm very honored that they see that in me. I was so encouraged and affirmed and ....man, I just don't know what God's going to do with this radio release.

Thank you to all my friends who prayed for me. I started getting a sore throat on Thursday as the fall ragweed and whatever bronchitis bug is going through our school seems to be encroaching. It wasn't a problem during my audition or my showcase. Lots of bottled water, coffee, and tylenol helped me through the day, but mostly just prayer.

And thank you to the other artists who entered and shared their gifts. As iron sharpens iron, I was challenged and encouraged by your lyrics, and creatively inspired by your melodies. Keep in mind what Isaiah 55:11 says. God's word, in your music, won't return void. He has a purpose for it.

This is only a small toe in a door that is full of people who make critique their sole occupation. I hope this opens more chances to record, to write, to co-write, to publish and to produce. Mostly, I want to get home to my piano and my guitar and just let all the emotion that's stirring inside my heart right now at what God's doing find its way onto paper.

This morning, before I left my hotel room to hunt up a cup of coffee, I journaled what I was feeling at that moment. I'd like to share it here.

Just let me be faithful. Let me obey you.

Let your power supply all the missing pieces.

'Cause it's not about me, but how I glorify you,

And let you have the spotlight.

This is Your moment.

Jesus, shine!