booking our way to texas

we have a show in texas on august 24, and so instead of just flying out there and back, we are booking our way out and back - if you are in between raleigh, nc and mansfield, tx, and you know of a good church or venue that would want to host a date on this hope and decay tour, let me know :) any and all help is more than appreciated. love ya'll.

photography

i took photos of jessie and her sweet family yesterday! - I went to college with rhett and it's been a joy to watch the Lord work in his life and grant him the best wife in the world and a sweet son - and now another one on the way! Jessie has grown to be such a precious friend to me over the years - I am so grateful to know this family! and I can't help but have a little crush on Locke (the 4 year old in the picture) I mean...for real - can anyone resist his little dimples? Can't wait to meet the new addition...
I've actually been taking a lot of pictures lately - it's been a fun season for it -- I've posted some favorites on my design blog www.stillframestudio.blogspot.com - hope you enjoy! and if you get a chance - check out rhett's work with link - you can find their stuff at rhettandlink.com or you could just go watch my favorite video ever of theirs... the grammys.

lock your doors.

a couple nights ago i was sitting at a stoplight near my house and a man was crossing the street in front of me - i had a strange feeling about it so i made sure my doors were locked - and as he walked he crossed in front of my car then came around to the passenger side and tried to get in my car - he started gesturing for me to let him in and began pulling on the door handle - i was so stunned for a moment as i looked at him shaking my head no and then my sense returned (this happened fairly quickly) and i ran the light i was stopped at to get away from him - i called the police and reported it so that they would be aware that he might try to get in another car - i wasn't sure what he was going to do but i was pretty shaken up about it and had a hard time sleeping (as this happened about a block from my house) ... my roommates are lovers of God and prayed for me and for him when I got home. As a girl, I have received forward upon forward warning me of "situations that could happen if a man gets in your car" and "what to do when..." - so my head flooded with stories - and I was so grateful in that moment that the Lord gave me a sinking feeling that led me to check to make sure the doors were locked. I thought through it all and wondered to myself, if he had gotten in my car and done things to me that were hurtful or scarring even, it would not make the Lord any less good. Man, that was a hard one to filter but it's so true - we are in a sinful place - so therefore we will be affected by sin - by our own and by the sin of others - and yes, God is able to protect us - but overall i have to remember that all things are under His control - and He is good. This is not heaven - I can not and should not expect to live here unaffected by the sin of the world... Paul was in prison - Stephen was stoned - Jim Elliot was killed - there are people throughout the Word of God and in the history of Christian martyrs who understood that these present trials do not make our God any less good. They just prove the depravity of this world and give us opportunity upon opportunity to show the world that there is a hope in this darkness - things to be seen their eyes have never beheld - things to hear their ears are deafened to --- may we know His WORD, that we may be ready at all times to point to the light in the darkness...
but of course if i can be of any service to anyone reading this now - i'd say pray daily - read His Word - and don't forget to lock your doors.

final decision...

ok...so i was sort of biased to the hairless one of the last post but mike said it looked like an alien and taylor said a drag queen and james said a bald girl or a dude with fake eyelashes.... i was not expecting that - so then we added hair but lost some of the energy that the first had - so now...here is the final - a happy medium that still has the energy and dynamic composition of the first with the necessary hair of the second :) hope you guys are all happy and will all buy one. :) there are 2 more designs that will be releasing soon - these will be available for purchase soon - through a newly designed website (if i can get it done in time....if not, they will be for purchase here and linked to paypal...either way i'll let you know) now i just have to decide final colors... maybe i'll just have to print two versions.... :)

which one?

I NEED FEEDBACK FROM GUYS AND GIRLS!

so... i kinda think this is funny.

prayer...

i need to be reminded of the power of prayer daily - i am so inclined to believe that it just makes me feel better "handing things off to God" when in reality prayer is so much more. i'd love to hear your thoughts or a time when the Lord has answered your prayers to just remind me of His faithfulness and to encourage all of us. Please comment. Can't wait.

With May 27th street date around the corner, the debut album currently has three Top 20 singles in multiple formats

(NASHVILLE, TENN.) -- Underground Sound, Volume One, the first project in a new CD series that will introduce Christian music fans to the hottest up-and-coming acts in Christian music today, will be released by NuSpring Records on May 27, 2008, distributed by EMI-CMG. With the street date still a few weeks away, the album is achieving unprecedented radio success with three Top 20 singles in multiple formats, with two more waiting in the wings.

"Carl Cartee's 'Trust In You' is fast becoming a hit at Soft AC/Inspirational radio!" says radio promoter Mark Giles at Hit Radio Promo. "Currently 10 on the CRW Inspo chart, listeners are voting yes, yes, YES!"

In addition to Carl Cartee's Top 10 hit, Paul Alan's "To Bring You Back" is currently in the Top 15 on the CRW and R&R CHR Chart, and the Jonny Diaz single "Hold Me" is resting in the Top 20 on the CRW Indie Chart. In addition to these early successes, Jeff Johnson Band's "Ruin Me" is currently the top new and active song on the R&R AC Monitored chart, and should debut in the Top 30 of the AC Chart next week. "Something Wrong" from Separated is also getting attention from Christian rock programmers, and is only a few spins away from debuting on the R&R Rock Chart.

Other artists featured on Underground Sound, Volume One are Last Year Portrait, Maria Long, The Wrecking, Justin Cofield Band, Foolish Things, 1 Life, Shelly Moore Band, The Ride, Abbi Walker and Jessica McLean. Additional radio singles from the project are planned for summer and fall.

Executive Producer Paul Wright III (who was also instrumental in launching the popular WOW Gospel series) created the Underground Sound brand for the purpose of introducing the "Top 15 songs by the Top 15 artists" that are sure to be tomorrow's biggest and best artists in the Christian music genre. The producers started with over 1500 artists and narrowed the list down to the top 15 songs that represent the absolute best independent Christian artists in music today. All of the artists are full-time musicians, with extensive fan bases. Combined, they have in excess of more than 2.7 million song plays on their MySpace pages.

An aggressive marketing campaign is in place, including extensive online promotions and partnerships as well as a nationwide television promotion that will have most of the project's artists performing on local television morning programs in each of their hometowns during the week of the album's release.

NuSpring Records is a Nashville-based record company, founded in 2007 by industry veteran Paul Wright III. NuSpring's artist roster includes Lamar Campbell, Daryl Coley, Ricky Dillard, Joe Pace, Isaac Simpson, Leesa Jordan, Image and The Classic Imperials.

memories...

So, a concert I was supposed to do a while back around the Campbell University area didn't go so well. I completely lost my voice before the concert - I went to the doctor and if I'm remembering correctly, I had a mix of laryngitis and strep. But it was too late to cancel the show so the doc gave me this numbing stuff that I was supposed to inject with a dropper into my throat....


We did the concert but had to end early. I think I was only able to attempt 3 songs - I already knew we weren't going to be able to do a full set so I called Jacob Taylor to open up and split the set - HE ROCKED IT - just him and his guitar but I loved the sound - I didn't get any pics of him but definitely buy his stuff - it has been such a blessing to me.