Hey guys, we have some exciting news to share with you… our EP (demo CD) is FINALLY ready!!!!! Mark your calendars for October 27th our official release date of Crimson Letters EP. I will have a countdown alert once a month on our blog and Facebook page since we still have summer to go through first ; ) Over the past few months God has been stretching me and showing me a few things I would like to share with you.
Our gifts, natural talents and resources are tools to help build up and encourage others around us to step out and use their gifts, natural talents and resources for God’s glory. Something so simple, yet, we often just glaze over it and I am guilty of doing it so many times. Last month I was sitting at the back of the church sanctuary listening as kids stood up from their seats and walked to the front to share a talent. Every once in a while they would have the opportunity after AWANA club to do this. I’ve seen it before, watched, listened then clapped after their performance but this last time, I was rocked to the core. These kids are mostly shy and by the way they keep their heads down as they walk up to the stage it is easy to see they are nervous about their performance and possibly thinking about turning around and sitting back down, but they go on. They face the audience of children, their peers, the kids they associate with every Wednesday night and swallow down that fear catching in their throats and begin. The moment they finish, you can already see the wave of inspiration that had moved through the room as several little hands shot up when it was time to choose another kid. The next one goes up, just as nervous as the last, but pushes aside the fear and goes on. Then another and another, until the entire room of willing children have had their chance to share their gift. All it took was one kid. One bold kid to go up, sing, play an instrument or dance start a chain reaction that had moved through everyone there. God has placed these gifts within us and sometimes it takes someone else’s courage to motivate us. Christian artists have been inspiring me since the day I could sing along to their songs, some have even personally reached out at times when I needed a little encouragement which was totally something only God could work through. That Wednesday night was a great picture of what building up one another looks like. Often times we see someone else’s talents or gifts as fierce competition rather than the inspiration to get up and do what we were created to do.
When you read these blog posts or listen to our music, my prayer is they are being used to inspire you to get out, push aside the fear that threatens to hold you back and shine for Christ.
Another thing God has shown me is accomplishment is in the eye of the beholder. While I was driving home from work this last week I spent some time just talking out loud. With no music in the background or someone else to distract me, I was able to dig up things I had running through my mind that I honestly didn’t know were there. One of them was the question, “When does your life begin?” At first, the answer was simple but my answer revealed a lie I had unknowingly accepted. As a young girl, fantasies of being a rockstar filled my mind to the point I had convinced myself that was the only goal in life worth aiming for. Jump ahead over all the little important steps to get to the front of the line. Those little steps along the way mold us, stretch us and grow us to be more like Christ and more importantly, show the areas that need change. I had wanted to skip the growth as an artist that is needed and get right to the glistening stage that I thought would be the magic wand that would give me the confidence I felt I lacked. It wasn’t fear that kept me from taking the leap, it was God gently pulling at me to show me the importance of the growth phase I am in and the glistening stage I had dreamed of wasn’t the golden moment that would be the peak of my existence. God has shown me the fame won’t fulfill me. Music takes work and learning how to use the tools He has given me needs to come before I can even think of getting out there. The time of working on music at home in my room has shown me how my perspective and desires have changed. God has taken this girl who had believed the only thing worth living for was being a rockstar to someone who sees this music is a gift entrusted to be used for God’s glory. I went and took a music class at a local Christian College for a semester and even with the little confidence I had gained with my practice, the experience showed me I still had a ways to go. As the finals for the semester, we were free to perform a song of our choice in front of the class. I was excited, worked hard at home every chance I got and felt ready when the time came. Even though I had stumbled with technical difficulties, my performance had inspired some of my classmates and I had left that night knowing I can only get better because I had been encouraged by their performances. The experience could have easily gone the other way. I was surrounded by amazing, talented people at different stages in their musical accomplishments but like I said earlier, I didn’t see it as competition, I saw it as inspiration and motivation to work harder. We don’t have to be a certain age or have certain accomplishments in order to be used by God. Appreciate your accomplishments and the work it took no matter big or small. The little steps in life are the ones worth focusing on. Don’t overlook them, those steps may lead to the next milestone.
Super excited for our upcoming EP release October 27th!
Be bold and shine.
-Becca
Crimson Letters 