Sisterhood: The Sonflowerz Official Blog

Courageous Girls

2012-02-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Over the last few months, I’ve been told by countless people, “You really need to see that movie Courageous!” My husband agreed. He went with my dad and brother-in-law to the theaters to see it while us girls were on tour.

Bryan and I sat down on our sofa to watch “Courageous” recently. I wasn’t expecting the tearjerker kind of movie that really messes with my heart! I won’t spill the plot for those of you who haven’t seen it yet...I will just say: See it. Redbox. (And Redbox is one of the best things in the world, in my opinion. Why? One dollar for a movie (plus tax) is cheaper than Trident!)

In the days after our movie night, I kept thinking about the word courageous. It’s one of those stirring words that make me think of epic scenes of battling over evil, you know, Lord-of-the-Rings stuff. Sacrifice. Tireless persistence to fight for truth. Total ‘guy’ stuff. Well, not exactly.

Courage isn’t reserved for guys, even if us girls grew up playing with dolls and mini kitchens, while the boys pretended to be superheroes.

I’ve known many courageous girls throughout my life. And when I look at the Bible and all the epic stories, I see courageous women. My friend Jaime is courageous. She left home to be a teacher in southeast Asia, showing the love of Jesus to Buddhist families. Then there’s Callie, working hard in state politics to be a light for Christ and influence those around her.

To me, courageous girls are the ones who stand up for truth, no matter what happens. In school, that could mean losing a few friends when you say ‘forget it’ to peer pressure. It’s being sure of what you believe, choosing to lean back on intimacy with Jesus when the world around you is chaotic.

How do we find courage? I do know Someone who is more courageous than anyone else who has ever lived: Jesus Christ. He will give you inner courage for whatever comes your way, and you can count on that.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

-Ephesians 3:14-21

-Becca

A Heart for the World

2012-01-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the privilege of sitting in a room listening to Patrick Johnstone speak about his new book, The Future of the Global Church. It was an hour filled with statistics, graphs, maps (thanks to my husband Bryan for making them) and big ideas. Normally I would consider this well outside my scope of music and creative expression…which takes up most of my day…but this time I caught a bigger picture and saw the need for all believers to understand missions (and become passionate about it).

I admit, I only picked up John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life” a few years ago because my husband said it had a profound influence to lead him to go into missions research. While reading Piper’s book I felt a deep conviction to be burdened for the world that doesn’t know Christ. And today another brick was laid while listening to a life-long missions mobilizer, Patrick Johnstone (who lives in Peterborough, England). God wants us all to see the world through His eyes. It’s not just about our personal lives, which, if we’re not careful, can be all that we see each day.

Our church supports missionaries around the world. Your church probably does too, and you may have a world map in the foyer showing who they are and where the live. They’re part of the church family, even though you don’t see them every week. In the same way, Christ-followers all around the world are part of our church family. Some of them choose live outside of their own culture in order to reach a different culture that needs Christ.

I want to share their heart for people and be just as passionate. You and I can do so much where we are, right now. The city where you live has multiple cultures within it, people who have migrated there and still don’t know Christ. We first need to ask God for a heart of compassion and love for them, most of all. The love of Christ compels us. Missions isn’t for a select number of enthusiasts. It’s the call of every believer, because the heart of the God we serve is for them to know Him.

-Becca

Read Operation World, a daily prayer guide for the nations.

{This is Kathya, our little sister through Compassion Int'l. This picture reminds me of what matters most.}

Football Frenzy

2012-01-11T12:28:00.001-08:00

On tour last month, Becca and Bryan invited me and Chad for a pizza/football-watching night. Chad and I weren’t up on our football much for this season, but Becca has caught the football fever Bryan has for Clemson, his alma mater. Commonly Becca will jump off the couch with hands in the air for a Clemson touch down. And this was an exciting game. Lots of shouting and finally Clemson won. We all agreed to return for the Orange Bowl where Clemson would end the season by playing for the title.

Over at Becca and Bryan’s for the Bowl last week, they were on the couch suited up with Clemson attire and all the frenzy for a memorable championship. Well, if any of you are sharp on your recent sports facts, Clemson made a shocking record for losing the worst. We couldn’t even watch after they were 40 points down. The final score hurt for even a non-football-fan like me.

But what about those Denver Broncos? They certainly helped sooth the wound of Clemson’s loss when they beat the Steelers this weekend. Our whole state is catching a crazy hype over Tebow and rightly so. Good things are happening and I’m proud to live in Colorado where football is exciting for even the non-fans like me.

-E

The Dream Life

2012-01-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

I was on a walk with my mom down a well-worn broad path. Looking up, we saw a family coming toward us from the other direction. The parents were walking and laughing as their three kids barreled ahead on little bikes. I’m sure the two older brothers were around 7 and 8 years old, and their little sister of about 5 lagged behind them. As the brother zoomed past Mom and me, we got a good look at the sister doing everything in her power to keep up with them.

She had bright red cheeks from the cold air, long curly locks thrown back by the wind, and a set of training wheels bouncing over the gravel. She whirled past too, and we glanced back. How cute, I thought. Then, she let out in the greatest triumph, “I’m living the DREAM life!”

Long after the family was out of sight, Mom and I were talking about this girl.

What is the dream life anyway? I pondered this after hearing the words from the five-year-old on training wheels. In my heart I had been caught up with future goals so deeply that the present was beginning to feel like grunt work. All I could think of in my day was the household duties, computer work, and paying bills I had to pay to make those goals a reality. But truly, the dream life isn’t about those things.

Matthew 6:34 says, “…do not worry about tomorrow…” Worry was all my mind was doing until this revealing walk with my mom.

If I looked at my daily life, forgetting my future goals and worries, the reality brings days filled with romance with my loving husband, exciting opportunities to play my music and sweet times with my family. Why do future worries swallow up these present joys? As adults we have to guard our hearts against this. For those of you who are teens, you need to develop the habit of praying over your future but making a choice not to worry about it.

Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be give to you as well.” Matthew was talking about food and clothes, but I realize as I seek the Kingdom and the presence of God to abide with me, I will see God doing more than I could imagine.

There is more joy, more courage and strength for the future when Christ is what I seek and not the things I can attain.

My new year's resolution for 2012 is to yell out, “I’m living the dream life!” as often as I can. I want to be like that little girl joy-riding on her bike, celebrating what my Father in Heaven has done for me each day.

-Elissa

A Sonflowerz Christmas – in a nutshell

2011-12-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the more I realize two things about Christmas: traditions never get old, and my eyes are bigger than my stomach. Around the Leander house, holidays are a mixed bag of American and British traditions. The Queen might as well have been literally in my parents’ living room as we watched her Christmas message via YouTube. I was stunned by her sincerity and the way she spoke of Christ’s birth.

“Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.”

This never gets old. Neither does Christmas cracker wars after dinner. I think we came up with a new tradition this year, though, in honor of the Queen. With a few shovels and a little imagination we built a snow castle in my backyard (snowmen are so last year). We were lucky enough to get snow 3 days before Christmas.

My second realization, my eyes are bigger than my stomach, shouldn’t surprise me. Yet it does every year. There are just too many good things to eat, and not enough time or ability. Close friends came over for dinner and brought some amazing pies for dessert, which were devoured in a tiny second by (mostly) the guys in the house. By the end of the night as the movie credits rolled, I could barely lift a finger. It was a good Christmas in every sort of way.

-Becca

Winter Touring Has it's Moments (Blog By Elissa)

2011-12-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

I stumbled into my house at midnight Sunday night after a weekend traveling around Colorado on tour. I had spent myself completely, but that's what a good tour does to you. My husband Chad came on this trip as well as Becca's husband, Bryan. The four of us had piled into the 'band van' Friday afternoon, ready for an adventure. One of my friends said "Oh, I bet that is so much fun...like a mini vacation!" Yes, it WAS FUN. But, it was a "vacation" with LOTS of logistics and places to be. Getting to take the husbands with us is a treat.

On the way up to Fort Collins, CO, Bryan drove while Becca ran the juke box of Switchfoot's new Vise Verses.

The event was a Christmas Tea with women of all ages. Too many twinkle lights to count, gorgeous table-scapes all prepared with the best linens, dishes and centerpieces. Each table was decorated by a different individual from the church! The room just sparkled.

We shared songs from our new album and our Christmas EP Beautiful Miracle. We helped a handful of kids get sponsored through Compassion International at our table. This gets me excited! Just think, the nations were impacted, many families were given aid and the Gospel was shared around the world, all through a Women's Tea in Colorado. Saturday morning was just as exciting when we performed again and a woman gave her life to Jesus.

We drove to Cheyenne, Wyoming Saturday night. Now, at this point the snow was getting a little nasty, but the roads were still manageable. We were getting hour-by-hour weather updates. "Sounds like it's stirring up for a big storm," said one broadcast. We unloaded the van and soundchecked. In the morning, I needed a load of coffee to get me going. The usual brew of the day is a cup of TEA, but I call in the coffee when I'm up at 6 am like I was on Sunday. Get to the church early and pray. That's the plan. Worship was exciting and I felt the Holy Spirit doing something really unique. I sang 'Mighty To Save', like I have dozens of times, but it felt like the first. God was moving and infusing faith in all of us. Calvary Chapel Cheyenne is a happening church, full of life, and awesome people. I hope we get to return soon!

The four of us were really hungry after church, and hoping for a GOOD bite to eat. Not the Burger King or MacDonalds, which sometimes happens to be the only place to eat when you're on the road. Not this day! All of us celebrated when we saw Chipolte.

Sunday afternoon we drove back down south to Denver, way out east to a large home for a "house concert". We have talked about doing this for a long time, but this was our first "house concert". The four of us set up in the living room. Becca on keys, Bryan on his djembe, Chad and me both on acoustic guitars. Chad is the master of guitar and keeps me on my toes instrumentally. The youth group of Redeemer Presbyterian and the leaders and parents joined us that night. The concert couldn't help but be personal and fun. We were right there in the living room hanging out with everyone! Talk about UP CLOSE. So fun. All the girls chatted with us in the kitchen for a couple hours. We loved it. Packing up and driving home was the hard part. The blizzard had really set in.

It was completely dark (no street lights) with six inches of snow on the road already. No snow plows had come through yet. To make it worse, our wind shield wipers weren't doing a good enough job. Caking ice all over so the drive was straining to see. The four of us prepared for a long long drive home and a stop at the Castlerock Walmart for new wipers. The boys are good with cars and the new wipers were installed quick. Bryan set the wipers in action and it was bad news. They didn't do a thing and in fact, it just smeared the water around. Ugh. It's late and we're tired. Chad decided to check the wipers again. Oh wait. The plastic is still on the edge. Ha. Now the wipers are working better than ever. Thank goodness! We need to get home! Winter touring has it's moments.

-Elissa

What's on my iPod?

2011-12-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

Here are my top 10 songs that I’ve been re-playing all week.

1. Keep Your Eyes Open – Needtobreathe

2. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Sara Groves

3. Please Come Home For Christmas – Aaron Neville

4. Christmastime Is Here – Vince Gauraldi Trio

5. Paradise – Coldplay

6. Dark Horses – Switchfoot

7. Praise Him – Shane & Shane

8. Manifesto – The City Harmonic

9. Ships In The Night – Mat Kearney

10. O This God – Matt Redman

We just came home from a great weekend tour! My heart is still so full. We made it safely after driving through a minor snowstorm to reach Colorado Springs.

I’m reminded of why we do what we do when God use our stories to change hearts. One Asian woman came to Christ at our Christmas concert in Fort Collins, CO!

No doubt Wyoming is 10 degrees colder, windier and drier than Colorado Springs. But we left there feeling warm and welcomed. Bryan, my husband, was the navigator extraordinaire. Chad got some great footage of the snow on the fields and buffalo.

Our last stop in Parker, CO was a house concert. We don’t do many of these, mainly because many living rooms are too small. But this gorgeous house out in the country was a perfect backdrop for a holiday event. The only problem I have with house concerts is the food, drinks and desserts are too yummy. I can barely sing after. Instead I’d like a nap.

I was encouraged by all the teen girls that came, and it was so fun talking with them. One conversation started with “Oh I like your TOMS!” These girls rock. They have so much energy! I wish I could borrow some of it! Speaking of, I think I’ll go make my afternoon tea. Little boost of caffeine just helps.

-B

A Snapshot of Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

Last week we headed to my parents’ house along with 12 other people. We all celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a load of food. I brought sweet potato casserole and Elissa brought her yummy green bean casserole. We’re pretty classic with our Thanksgiving, nothing too fancy, all the dishes the same every year.

But my new favorite dish was a cranberry relish courtesy of my mother-in-law. Since my in-laws from South Carolina were in town for the week, we took the week off and showed them the sights of Colorado and the scenic trails that we hike regularly. Earlier this year I made the mistake of assuring my mother-in-law that we’d certainly have snow during Thanksgiving week. Yet we ended up with 60-degree weather.

Spending a week with family made me freshly thankful for the blessings I have. If all of us stop long enough to really contemplate how much we’re blessed, we will be pouring out thankfulness to God. The automatic response is praise.

You don’t need much stuff to feel blessed. I remember visiting El Salvador and meeting Christians with overflowing joy. Yet they didn’t have the material possessions we have.

As I’m writing this, the Christmas season is in full swing. Every other commercial is selling the best gift to stick under the tree. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the sights and smells of Christmas, treating it like a national holiday or a big event to get ready for. I love having people over and going to parties. But this isn’t Christmas.

I looked up the word “Advent” to see what it meant. I had heard the word so many times in church but I really didn’t feel the impact.

Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

Expectant. Waiting.

I have to confess that my expectancy is normally about the feeling when Christmas Day comes around and I celebrate with family, food and gift giving. Yet, that’s not the main point of Advent. It’s a spiritual journey, expectantly waiting, so that with each day I grow closer to Christ through the miracle and revelation of His first coming.

And the expectancy shouldn’t end the night of December 25^th. We still wait in anticipation for the second coming of Christ, keeping our eyes on Him as we ring in another year, make our plans, and walk out the next 365 days.

-Becca

What happened to kindness?

2011-11-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

Kindness. It's a lost virtue in our sporadic, fussy society. The mindset that goes around commonly every day is "I'm entitled to being treated a certain way, served a certain way, on my schedule, to fit my needs."

Today at the hair salon was no different. I walked into an already intense dialogue between a client and stylist. A simple mistake of being double-booked, which no one likes, turned into an excuse to give a speech on why she was entitled to her appointment that second. Despite the attempts to solve the problem by the stylist, the client stormed out, blasting out words that left the atmosphere cold. The stylist stood there in tears, and those in the salon were silent in shock.

What happened to kindness? Sure, its pretty inconvenient to reschedule a hair appointment. And everyone can relate to experiencing inconveniences at airports. Traveling full-time means this comes with the territory. But surely disagreements can be sorted out in a more respectful manner, can't they?

Gone are the good ol' days when strangers would chat on the bus about random things, and people would smile at each other when passing on the sidewalk. I don't think I was born yet when those good ol' days were in their prime. Kindness was not just a learned virtue, it was actually practiced and disrespecting someone was not acceptable.

Where does kindness come from? Titus 3:4 says, "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy."

Kindness is an attribute of God, and when we're kind to people, we're like God.

Knowing you've been shown the greatest expression of kindness through the salvation of our souls, gives us a reason to be kind to people.

When we first started the band, I was in my freshman year of high school. Peers were not expectant of you to be kind to your parents, and not much has changed. It's much cooler to be independent and do what you want. Some of that had rubbed off on my 14-year-old mind. I am ashamed to admit it. One day our drummer called me out on it. It wasn't long into the conversation before my heart completely broke. I realized even in front of my friends I had been slacking in my respect and kindness toward my parents. I immediately asked God to forgive me. I'm thankful my friend was bold enough to confront me in a gracious way and remind me of how important kindness is.

We have been shown generous grace and kindness by God, who saved an unkind people, so He could make us into the image of His Son! Let's not forget to extend that kindness to others, even in the inconvenience of life.

-Becca

Behind the Song "Made To Shine"

2011-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

By Becca

One of my favorite tracks on our new album is titled “Made to Shine”. It came about through hearing the story of a 12-year-old girl who showed up to one of our concerts.

Though we didn’t get to meet her, we were told of her struggle with bullying at school. It was so devastating that she starting hating herself, and harming herself. This grieved me. I couldn’t believe how low the bullying had brought her and the horrible things she was doing to herself.

In our song “Made to Shine” are the words I would say to her if I could sit down with her and be face to face.

I won’t repeat what they said

They tore you down and broke your heart

The words resound in your head and make you feel like nothing

I know you’re chosen for great things

A child of God, a work of art

Fancy clothes and diamond rings will never match what you are worth

Hold on to the beauty inside of you

No one can take that away

At some point in our lives I know we all struggle with believing lies told about us. Whether they’re subtle or not, they creep into our hearts like termites inside the walls of a home. Lies eat away at the truth that we are children of God, works of art by the Creator God Himself, and no one – not even ourselves – could stain our image.

“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”…Isaiah 43:7

When I stopped at this verse one day...

Read More Here

2011-09-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hey friends!
We just got back from Washington state, and we had a blast. We stopped in Sequim, famous for their fields of lavender, and then went to Chehalis, home of the Southwest Washington Fair. We met Ernie Haas & Signature Sound - those guys can SING.

New Song "By Faith" on iTunes!

2011-07-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Elissa shares about the latest tour, and how the new song was inspired.

NEW SINGLE AT ITUNES NOW

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1

I boarded a plane for Joplin, Missouri last week. The plane was too small for our carry-ons, the seats didn’t recline and the windows were dusty. The man next to me had traveled to Joplin a number of times over the last month to help the town recover from the devastating tornado that hit on May 22nd.

I’ve always believed that music can enter our hearts and bring refreshing even in the hardest times. Our mission in going to Joplin was to offer what we could; music that would bring hope in a dark hour.

After arriving, I met a pastor’s wife and her family. When the tornado hit, this family was in an IHOP having dinner. They survived by squeezing into the huge freezer in the back of the restaurant. She drove us to our lodging, past a main street of wreckage where many businesses such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot had been swept away.

The next morning we saw the work that was being accomplished at their church. Semi-trucks full of food and supplies filled a huge tent. Clothing and household items were available for those who lost homes.

I spoke to a teenage girl who said that 20 of her friends lost houses. At one point, the tornado path was about 4 miles wide. We drove to that spot, and as far as I could see the trees were stripped. Only the strong ones remained. Every house for miles was in rubble. It looked like the third world.

A music festival “Hope and Healing” was planned for that night. I saw such dedication by the volunteers preparing and serving meals for 2,000 people. If I could describe the Church in Joplin in one word, I would say “beautiful”.

All the believers there were joyfully and sacrificially caring for the broken. We were braving 100-degree temperatures, but it was worth it!

Becca and I took the stage and started with “My Adoration” as people came to the front to receive prayer. I was most encouraged by the stories I heard throughout the day of how people saw God’s hand delivering them through this storm. Many lives were saved.

Joplin will carry on, by faith. It’s in times like these that our faith can grow stronger, when we can’t see the healing, but we believe for the healing. As I read Hebrews 11, I see a list of patriarchs of the “Bible days” and all of the accomplishments they have made ‘by faith’. It’s too easy to close the book and imagine that those people are special, more gifted, or more deserving of mention than maybe my story will be. But this is not the case. Each one of us has a place in God’s history book and we are important to the work He is doing today. My story is unfolding and I can only walk it out by faith. All of us have a ‘by faith’ story.

Some times I feel physically tired from traveling, sleeping in different beds, adjusting to inconveniences, for the purpose of singing our songs and encouraging others. This is when I silently call on the Lord and believe for renewed strength. I determine that I will go forward by faith. Not by my strength, but believing for His.

So is our new album, “By Faith”. When we were in the studio, my voice was nearing complete exhaustion. Becca and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to press to the end of the recording. It was a total of 8 months and endless hours of purposeful work believing that these songs are going to make a difference, and change lives, by faith. I am seeing God do what we felt was impossible at times, with the release of the first song.

What is your ‘by faith’ story?

-Elissa

DOWNLOAD THE NEW SINGLE HERE

Lessons from London

2011-06-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

After flying 5,000 miles across the Atlantic, we arrived at the Heathrow airport. I love coming back to my second home in England. Being in charge of planning this trip, I admit to being a little anxious. Two guys should be waiting at the airport exit to pick us up. But would they show up?

I was familiar with planning an overseas tour, this being our 5^th one. We waited about 15 minutes by the doors, smelling the petrol and damp city air as the automatic doors opened and closed. It seemed like an hour had gone by when finally the pastor and elder from a London church found our travel-weary group. They piled our luggage and gear in two minivans and drove us down the narrow roads to a small village in London.

As we were driven around, we heard the church's story. The pastor and his family had left Africa to plant a church in London. They described how difficult it was to leave everything, and suddenly my 8-hour journey and jet-lag seemed minuscule. They had given up much. Though the size of the church wouldn’t put them in the paper, and it didn’t have the sound and lights of a mega-church production, I learned so much from this generous church and pastor’s family. They were faithful. They simply did whatever it took to keep it alive and growing.

I was reminded of Philippians 3:12-14 that says: “I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.”

This family did not turn back as they left the familiar and headed to England to start a church.

The weekend in London for me went by fast. We picked up our 85-year-old 2^nd cousin to bring her to our concert Saturday night. She has lived her whole life in a nearby suburb. Such a highlight for me to have relatives from my British mum’s side of the family there!

Our talented Welsh friend drove in from Cardiff to drum for us, teach us some Welsh in her spare time, and help lead worship for the Sunday service. We met a joyful, diverse congregation who sang incredibly loud to every song we played! I’ll never forget how their voices overpowered the monitors.

In the body of Christ we are challenged to live out the task, whatever it is, faithfully. So often we give in to the desire to see instant results. If we don’t, we move on to something else. I want to be faithful in my own life, ministry and anything God puts in front of me to do. I know it will mean sacrifice and courage, especially when the immediate results are not there.

It seems to me that Jesus was a great example of this. He could have started his ministry at 18, or even 25, but he wait until he was 30. Why? Or perhaps he had started his ministry at an early age, faithfully serving his parents, earning respect from those around him and growing in His relationship with His Father in Heaven.

Jesus’ public ministry got him attention, but he never sought attention. His entire life was about glorifying God.

In whatever you are called to, even if it seems small, pursue a faithful journey. Applause and popularity are less important than longevity. Know that God has given you the grace to see it through, however long it takes.

-Becca

I can see the finish line now...

2011-05-19T12:11:00.001-07:00

We are six months into the creation of The Sonflowerz new record! After two flights to Nashville and countless trips to our studio here in Colorado, we are nearing the finish line. Mixing is under way. For all of you recording geeks like us, you know how intense this stage is!

Our two producers, Don Koch and Matthew Fallentine have really made the songs come alive. The album’s drummers Jared Henderson and Dan Needham, have brought the rhythm and rock with guitarist Chad Tipps (a.k.a. Elissa's husband). Our friend Jared Anderson puts his vocals on a song too. This has been an amazing group to work with.

This summer we're hitting the mid-west and ramping up the promotion of the new record, set to release in the Fall. We already have plans to be on tour from coast to coast once the record releases. You'll find dates in California and Texas so far, with much more in the planning process.

So what is this record going to be about? We are waiting to release the title of the project, but I will tell you it reflects where we are as people, artists, and followers of Christ who live each day by faith. Seeing the world and all the problems facing us everywhere, tells me this is the moment we really need to know what true hope is. It's not in our comforts, conveniences, wealth or fame. It's not even in people, as good as they can be. Our faith has to remain on the solid rock, which is Jesus Christ. I am challenged everyday to put my hope in Him alone.

On another note, I am loving life as a newly married lady and learning how to cook for the first time. And it hasn't been a Food Network show. If DIY's "Renovation Realities" had a cooking version, I would have been on it a few times. And this high altitude doesn't help!

Our pastor wrote a book recently called "Fear No Evil". It’s about our church's recent history. As I'm reading through it, I have been brought to tears several times. Other times I've had to shut the book and just let my mind and heart soak it in. Does that happen to anyone else when you read a really good book? The last book I tackled is a familiar one to most, "Radical", by David Platt. I love to read, and finishing a book is the best feeling ever.

Our coffee table is home to a small rotation of magazines. No fashion magazines (yuck) will be discovered here. Relevant, Christianity Today, NatGeo and the Economist-to name a few. Elissa comes over and borrows the magazines, but that’s what sisters are for.

Check back with us soon for a release date for the new album! -Becca

A Bird at the Studio

2011-04-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this latest video of fun times at the studio! You just never know what will happen next.

See more videos at our YouTube Channel.

A Song From El Salvador and a Dutch-Inspired Breakfast

2011-04-16T17:59:00.001-07:00

Hey friends,

This week we tracked vocals on a song inspired by our trip to El Salvador with Compassion International. Titled, "The Face of Jesus", the song talks about living a life that allows others to see Jesus through every thing we do. Particularly in reaching out to the poor and orphaned, which Compassion is all about.

A week ago we led worship for the You and Your Girl Simulcast. So incredible that over 60 churches in 3 countries were gathered at the same time! It blows me away to know that God's presence is not limited to time and space. He saw each heart worshiping individually, whether in Alberta, Texas, the Bahamas, Tennessee, and anywhere else. Thanks to all the churches who hosted this mother/daughter day.

This morning I had a one-of-a-kind breakfast. Our friends in Franklin, Don & Donna Schmidt, made us Dutch Babies (check out this pic!) It was perfect with maple syrup! See recipe below.

While in the studio, I do a lot of reading during down-times. This week I'm working through "Attributes of God" by A.W. Tozer. This book is rocking my world!

Keep following our journey making the new album at Twitter and Facebook, we're updating it daily! Check out Twitter @sonflowerz, along with our Facebook fan page. -Becca

How To Bake Big "Dutch Babies"

PAN SIZE // BUTTER // EGGS // MILK & FLOUR

2-3 qt.____ // 1/4C. //_ 3 // _____3/4C each

3-4 qt. ____// 1/3C. //__ 4 // ______1C each

4- 4 1/2 qt. // 1/2C. //_ 5 // _____1 1/4C each

4 ½ - 5 qt. // 1/2C. // _____6 // _____1 1/2C each

Put butter in pan and set into a 425 degree preheated oven. Then mix batter quickly while butter melts. Put eggs in blender and whirl at high speed for 1 minute. With motor running, gradually add milk, then slowly add flour; continue whirling for 30 sec.

Remove pan from oven and pour batter into melted bitter. Return to oven & bake till puffy & well-browned 20 – 25 minutes. Depending on your pan. Dust w/ nutmeg if you like & serve at once w/ any other the following toppings:

Sprinkle with powered sugar and squeeze lemon juice over serving
Any syrup or honey
Jam or marmelade

You and Your Girl Simulcast Countdown!

2011-03-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hey friends: We want to share this new video with you! We're talking about our new release coming up, plus the first-ever You and Your Girl Simulcast event we're leading worship for on April 9th. It'll be amazing to have so many churches across the U.S. gathered at the same time, to worship, to learn from Vicki Courtney, and connect as moms and daughters! Check out more and find this event at a church near you here.

-Becca & Elissa

Elissa and Becca enjoy some Pinkberry

2011-03-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

While recording in Franklin Tennessee, we discovered a frozen yogurt place called Pinkberry!

I think this healthy + sweet dessert is the perfect way to end a long day in the studio. Or better yet, any time of year. I'm counting down days until Pinkberry opens a store near me.

(Um, I think a full day recording guitars makes Chad do this)

Check out loads more pics on our website! I'm loving the journey this project is taking us on...

-Becca

Lumberjacks and Frozen Yogurt

2011-03-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

We pulled up to LifeWay's headquarters a week ago, excited for the Girls Ministry Forum. It was a great event!

While staying at a hotel nearby, we noticed many trailers and large vans parked outside. Most of them said "log homes", "taxidermy", and similar things (but, those things aren't similar). Then I was asked the first morning if I was kept awake by noise coming from the Lumberjack convention. Thinking this was a joke, at first, but it ended up being totally true. The road is never a boring place...

We had a great time tracking in Franklin this week. Recording is not the easiest thing in the world (for me, at least). It stretches me, shows me my weaknesses but encourages me at the same time. I see how I've grown since the last recording. I am seeing these songs take shape, and it's like building a house. Each step is important, and the process requires a lot of patience!

Something I realized is that it's very common here for every other house to have a studio in their basement. It's like every other house having a pool in Texas.

This is our last night in Franklin. We're staying at the house of wonderful friends we knew in Colorado. Their dog "Snuggles" has become my favorite, but I must say goodbye in the morning.

Franklin is also home to "pinkberry", my new favorite frozen yogurt in the world. And since they are opening a location in the Springs, I can enjoy it on a regular basis. That makes me happy.

Now I'm off to prepare my bass

guitar for TSA and pack to head back to high altitude and freezing temperatures. Home sweet home.

-Becca

Hello Nashville!

2011-02-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday afternoon. The birds are chirping outside, preparing us for a new day of tracking! The CD is underway, and it's going to be a fun process this week as we focus on guitars, bass and drums. Chad and Elissa are nailing the guitars, and I will handle the bottom end.

Right now we're at Kent Hooper's house doing guitars. He is also mixing the project, but not yet...first thing's first! We got to pull the song together and add instruments, vocals, and probably other things as creativity sparks.

Yesterday we finished a conference called the Girls Ministry Forum at LifeWay. Downtown Nashville is a great place, but we mainly saw a few square blocks of it walking to and from our hotel to the venue. I learned so much this weekend, it almost felt as if I was attending and not leading worship. But the times of gathering for worship together were incredible. God's presence was real and tangible.

We met so many girls and adult women who had a great calling for ministry, simply normal people serving and volunteering at their church. They were all about giving - not getting. Serving is only through giving. I learned that in a fresh way from these women.

I'm so glad God gives us opportunities to grow even as we lead worship and "give" out. I enjoyed going to church with the Hicks family and just absorbing this morning. Now for some music...

Becca

A Day at the Studio

2011-02-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

Check out some photos from our rehearsals and recording sessions at Matthew "Fallenti" Fallentine's studio! We cranked out bass and drum tracks to 3 songs, managed to have lunch at Chilis and took breaks watching funny YouTube videos (which somehow make us better musicians).

The bass cabinet was put in the bathroom, the secret to a great sounding amp. I think the tones we got were as smooth as Garnier hair products. -B

Update on the Songwriting Process

2011-02-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well folks, the songs have come together. This week we start rehearsals, tracking throughout the months of February and March, and I'm excited just thinking about it. Here are some snapshots that Chad took while we co-wrote with Don (producer) at the Tipps' house here in Colorado Springs!

Do you think there are enough Apple products in this room?

Don rockin' the piano...lets face it, he plays better than me.

Thinking deeply (I look mad, but I'm really not!)

Stay tuned! :) - Becca

Monday Morning Songs

2011-02-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

How does a song come about? Every song has a different way of arriving. The most important thing is that a song begins with inspiration and that we let the inspiration ride as far as it can go.

Today, Becca came over to my house with the purpose of polishing up a couple songs for the new album. It was majorly cold outside. Everyone says we are expecting a blizzard, but so far just a few flakes of snow have shown up. This is good songwriting weather.

We gathered in my little home office. Okay, not much inspiration here besides the Compassion International calendar I have hanging and my iTunes folder. I have demos of all the songs in progress and we listened through a couple times. Becca suggested we write a bridge for this song which is currently called “In You Alone”. With the theme of the song in mind, the bridge needed to communicate something that the rest of the song wasn’t already saying... Something that maybe we haven’t said yet in any of the other songs for this upcoming album... Or even the album before! Here is where a lot of songwriters hit a wall. It has to be something new! Well, thankfully, something new came. It was new for me. I can’t tell you what it was exactly in this blog, but I wanted to sing it over and over again. This is a good sign.

Becca was jamming on the guitar, changing the chords around a few times. I was interjecting thoughts. How about... No, what about... Thankfully, we are the kind of sisters who can handle each other interrupting and tossing thoughts right and left. This is a creative process we have down! I sang the melody and Becca brought a sweet harmony that engaged the lyrics.

What fun we are having! Becca and I haven’t always written together. I used to be a solo songwriter, but now I’m much happier writing with someone so I can bounce ideas back and forth.

More songwriting will happen on Wednesday or Thursday I imagine. That is, if we don’t get that blizzard everyone is talking about.

-Elissa

(the pic above is from our time with our Producer, Don K., songwriting for the new album a few weeks ago!)

Off to the races!

2011-01-20T19:58:00.001-08:00

Our new CD project is underway. We just spent 3 days co-writing with one of our producers Don Koch. He's a great writer and producer, and we're excited to work with him again. It's going to be a great journey. I'm eager to see how these songs take shape and sound through speakers. I feel so ready to have a new album out this year.

Songs and albums have a way of representing where an artist is at their present season. If we're going to remain true to artistry, we have to reflect the current place we're at. We sense God is leading us in a direction into more worshipful songs. Yet we aren't preparing to make a normal worship record. It's not going to look just like a CCM record, either. We've always had our feet in both worlds, so to speak. Maybe that's just where God has placed our feet. I find such peace in letting God plant us where He wants us.

We are also "indie" artists. Many definitions are made for the word "indie", but I see so many different types of independent artists. Some are part-time, and some make a living out of it. We happen to love being independent right now, and have experienced the label side of things before. There have been many seasons since we started this 11 years ago...

Whatever the case is for indie artists, people shouldn't validate their artistry based on record sales or numbers attending a concert. Some artists are never meant to fill stadiums. I much prefer some to sing for me in a small venue where I can chat with them afterwards, wouldn't you agree? There is great purpose to that.

If you're an indie artist, keep up the good work and don't give up. If you're doing what you love, and see the positive effects of it, don't let petty things like MySpace friends numbers discourage you. Keep making great music and try your best to perform it everywhere possible...

Becca

Download Compassion Compilation FREE!

2011-01-07T13:30:00.001-08:00

We proudly support the work Compassion International is doing around the world. They are releasing children from poverty in Jesus' Name! Check out the latest Compilation they've released featuring one of our songs, "My Heart is Alive"...

This month only, get a free download of our song and 17 others from fellow Compassion artists. Go to the link and sign up for NRT membership, then download! By doing this, you're supporting Compassion's ministry! New Release Tuesday will donate $0.25 to Compassion every time someone downloads this album.

Here is the link. Please pass on the link to all your friends!

http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/freemusic_compassion.php

It's a New Year

2010-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Bryan and I just got back from a Christmas trip to South Carolina. We spent a couple days in Charleston. It's a beautiful city with quaint shops, rich history, and characteristic houses. Bryan, an SC native, was my tour guide (see him pointing to Fort Sumter out in the harbor!) so with maps in hand, so I knew we would see as much as possible in 48 hours.

Most of Charleston is best seen by walking around, or taking a carriage ride. When we set out for the east coast, I thought spending a holiday at the beach would mean an escape from winter. But when it snowed and the frigid temps hit, it was a rude awakening. I came to discover that even Myrtle Beach (100 degrees sometimes in the summer) gets cold in the winter. My father-in-law got the fireplace lit and it felt like a classic Christmas. I was missing my Colorado family, though. Thanks to Skype we were able to video chat with Mom, Dad, Elissa and Chad on Christmas Day.

Bryan's family dog Wilson is a Boston Terrier. I rarely saw him calm. He apparently stole Santa's cookies early Christmas morning. We woke up to find the plate licked clean, but the milk was untouched.

Looking back at 2010, I have had a very full and blessed year. I got to marry an amazing godly man and begin a new journey with him. As the Sonflowerz we toured many great states and saw God work in the hearts of thousands of moms and daughters at the regional “You and Your Girl” events with LifeWay all year long.

Between wedding planning (for two couples in our double wedding...that got interesting!), seeing my only sister get married, to going on the road with the team and enduring long drives and airport layovers, it’s been a crazy ride in 2010. And with each year, I see God’s faithfulness in a new way.

Remembering what God has done is such an important thing. It is one way we are drawn to worship Him. Sometimes I'll grab a piece of paper and a pen, and take some moments of silence to pray, it’s amazing what God brings to my heart and remembrance. Writing down a list of things we’re grateful for isn’t just for Thanksgiving day. How easy it is to leave these things to the holidays, or "special times". It should be a part of each season of our lives, shouldn't it?

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Our salvation brings something new, leaving what was behind. We step forward into a new destiny and discover that we're made for relationship with God. When a new year comes, we are leaving the old and moving into something new.

Don't let the worries of yesterday keep you from walking out 2011 in faith and obedience. Christ has made all things new.

Here are some of my favorite pictures capturing highlights from 2010...

The Perfect Size?

2010-12-08T14:32:00.001-08:00

Somewhere in our culture, an idea formed. It's the idea that there is a perfect size out there and every girl needs to fit that perfect size. We compare and contrast ourselves with other girls all our lives. It doesn't stop with age. The older we get, the more money we're able to pay to get the look we want.

The battle is inside of each of us. As women, our hearts and identity is so wrapped up in the things we believe about ourselves. And often it's the media, the culture that tells us what to believe. If we can fit the perfect size, have the hair and the clothes that make us feel pretty, we believe we are beautiful. But the moment one of those things doesn't work, it's like a set of dominoes lined up and knocked down in a moment.

What are your core beliefs about yourself? Write them down. Examine where you got that belief from, and if it is a cultural idea or a biblical idea. The Bible is a foundation for the truth of who we are. I don't get any of my beliefs from another source than the Bible.

The voices in our society are quick to label us imperfect. For the girls in middle or high school, the competition is a daily battle. And it can be devastating battle to lose, when rumors and gossip spread like fire, and friendships betray. It seems hopeless when each school day brings another attack. But what does God say? Check out Psalm 139:14-16 to start with:

"For You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."

God created you as beautiful. A picture of His glory. Though the world may not always applaud us, we aren't looking for approval there anyway. The game they want us to play will just cause us to lose in the end. No matter your size or your shape, we are stamped with approval from God, so we don't need approval from other people.

You are the perfect size! Don't believe the lies you hear, and if that takes putting down some of your magazines and picking up the Bible, do it. A confident woman is someone who knows her worth is not in what she owns, or how she fits a certain image. She smiles on the days ahead and keeps her eyes on Jesus, letting all the other voices disappear.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh at the days to come." Prov. 31:25

-Becca

My favorite time of year

2010-11-29T14:18:00.001-08:00

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. This was our first Thanksgiving as married couples, which made it all the better. There was a plethora of food, and I was given the job of making sweet potato casserole. But the night before Thanksgiving, I realized that my so-called sweet potatoes were actually yams, which have a more yellow color. But I was determined to make this the best sweet potato/yam casserole yet. And the fact that there were NO leftovers said a lot. So I patted myself on the back!

Bryan and I just bought our Christmas tree from Lowes last night. I was looking at the Noble Firs, but Bryan said that we should have a Fraser Fir. "What's the difference?" I asked. "I don't know. My family always had them growing up." So, we brought home a Fraser Fir, which looks nice and now the smell of evergreen fills our apartment! That's the best part. Not the part where it takes hours to get the tree to be straight. That requires a lot of patience.

Wherever you are this Christmas, I hope you have a fantastic holiday!

~Becca

Don't miss these moments

2010-11-08T13:27:00.001-08:00

I (Becca) live on the west side in Colorado Springs, which means wildlife are a-plenty. This morning, a large buck (aka male deer bigger than your dog) stood outside my window. I could have touched him if it wasn't for the wall between us. He looked calm, yet fully aware of everything around him. Another friendly creature that loves my yard is the magpie. As it swooped in towards the deer, I was sure that buck would show the bird who's bigger. Much to my surprise, the bird landed on the back of the deer as if to say "Hello neighbor." And the buck didn't mind at all!

The scene of this just drew me into worship, in awe of our Creator God. Fully in control. Full of mercy, strong yet gentle. We can be like the bird, and find rest in our God as He "quiets us with His love".

For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With His love, He will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Zephaniah 3:17

A Perfect Day

2010-10-13T12:11:00.001-07:00

We are posting the wedding photos you have been waiting to see! The exciting double wedding day was fantastic. Most of the details came together smoothly. No tripping on dresses, no crashing wedding cakes. There were only two small mishaps, which are now some of my favorite memories to chuckle over. Chad and I were at the alter enjoying the sweet moment of exchanging rings. As I went to slide his ring on, it got stuck on his knuckle. We were laughing as I struggled to finally get the ring in place.

Becca and Bryan had a comical moment at the alter, too. The pastor turned to them and pronounced them Mr. And Mrs. Bryan Nicholson by the power of the state of Oklahoma. The wrong state! All of our guests were roaring with laughter as the pastor corrected himself with the state of Colorado!

The wedding was beautiful, unforgettable and everything we hoped it to be. Leaving the church at the end of the reception, I wondered what other traffic on the road thought as they saw not one, but two cars driving away with “Just Married” written on the back.

Reflecting on the day I realize the most important part of a wedding is the relationships. Joining two lives, and two families (in our case three families). In many modern weddings, so much of the fuss and emphasis is on getting the look of the wedding just right. But, the heart of the wedding is the only thing that matters. During the process of a double wedding, I had to choose relationship over my own opinion. What color should the font be on the invitation? Who goes down the aisle first? Which one of us gets the real first dance? It was easy to decide these things because we have learned to value each other and our relationships over the little details of life. This is the goal of family and friends, not just weddings.

In the end, the church, the group of Christians you call yourself a part of, should be constantly at work to lift each other up. No matter what event you plan, Christmas pageant or summer picnic, God is most glorified when we are most unified. Jesus prayed that His followers would be one just as He and the Father are one (John 17:21). This is a high calling. As you pursue your passions, seek fulfillment of your life dreams, remember to also pursue unity in the Body of Christ at the same time. In this, Jesus will always be glorified. -Elissa

Maple sweets and Cannoli a-plenty

2010-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

New England is a unique place, and we made some great discoveries while there for 9 days. The cannoli (right) is one of them. It's an amazing dessert that I tried for the first time. It was a gift from the volunteers at You & Your Girl in Syracuse!

Then upon arriving at the Vermont State Fair we were showered with maple gifts, which was amazing since I had said every day before then that I wanted to take home some maple syrup! I got my wish, times 3! We had to pack the syrup in our merchandise boxes, since the airlines wouldn't give us any more weight in our bags... don't you love flying?

This trip was sooo girl time, and it was great. We found the coolest spots to eat, visited quaint old towns on the coast of Maine, oh, and we did work as well. We had concerts in between all that!

What I loved most about the You and Your Girl conference (our 5th one with LifeWay!) in Syracuse, NY was the open hearts of the women and girls that came. God's presence was powerful during worship, and our heart-to-hearts during the breakouts encouraged me so much. These are girls that are hungry for God! We were all at different places in our journey to know God better, some of us have been on that journey longer than others, but we all share in the common desire to know Him. Nothing else compares!

As I write this, I'm feeling quite stuffed after my mom made this amazing dinner (I helped too people!) and now I'm thinking ice cream would top it off perfectly. My iTunes shuffle just turned to Josh Groban Christmas. I think I'll change it before I start wishing for snow!

~Becca

What a weekend!

2010-09-05T16:44:00.001-07:00

We made our way down a narrow dirt road to find ourselves at a stage overlooking an amazing view where many rivers meet. This was yesterday, at Swiftwaters Music Festival at Chop Point Camp in Woolwich, Maine! We got to know Building 429 (see left, pictured with some of the band), Laura Story and Mark Harris. All of us came on stage for a worship song at the end, and then we enjoyed a lobster dinner! Both Elissa and I have never had lobster before, so it was probably very funny for people to watch us. We were frightened of the creature that landed on our plates, complete with eyes and a hard shell that had to be cracked. It's messy business, people. But the meat inside is well worth the crackin! Thanks to Mark Harris for showing us how it's done.

Even though Laura Story (pictured with us on the left) had a flat tire on her way, we were so glad she made it. The entire festival was awesome and we hope next year we can come back.

Friday we flew into Portland, Maine after a long day of traveling through Denver and New York's airports, and we're loving the calm weather (glad the hurricane missed us) and seeing familiar faces. We were here in December, and though the temperate was much different, the folks were very warm and welcoming.

Maine is one of the states everyone must visit. My mom, Elissa and I just spent time at the Coastal Botanical Gardens and they are gorgeous! So many types of flowers and plants I'd never seen before. I'm figuring some of them won't be popping up in Colorado's rocky soil and high altitude, so its nice to see a variety of plants blossoming together.

We ate lunch today at Sarah's Cafe in Wiscasset. (Learned how to pronouce that one the hard way) Across the street I was so amused to see this huge long line leading up to a small dinky shack they call "Red's". It apparentely makes the best lobster rolls, and tons of TV shows and newspapers rave about it. I definitely wanted to try one, but we timed it to see how long it took one couple to get to the front of the line. 45 minutes went by and they were still waiting!

We have a few days off and then a busy set of dates ahead of us.

Happy Labor day!

The Best Dressed

2010-07-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

When He walked the earth, Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God, forgiveness, compassion, what to do with our money, and our time. He also talked about clothes. Yes, what we wear matters to God.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ~Matthew 6:25

Girls spend a lot of time worrying about what they will wear. We shop, but we’re hardly satisfied with what we have.

Defining Modesty: freedom from vanity

Will you ever regret dressing too modestly? I have yet to meet a person who regrets wearing the types of clothes that promote purity, modesty and a devotion to God. But I have met women who regret dressing immodestly and the impact that it had on their daughters.

Dresses these days look like shirts to me! (My tip: Wear with leggings or jeans to go with!) If you wear a “dress” that hardly covers you, then the result is the entire world will quickly look past your face, past your heart, your character, and simply see what isn’t covered up! When I saw Christina Aguilera on American Idol, I wondered if she was in such a hurry getting ready back stage that she forgot half of her outfit. Poor girl!

So, do we cover ourselves so much because we fear attention or praise? Should we shun beauty, and toss out our makeup and accessories? Keep your shiny belts, girls, because that is not the goal at all! Modesty is not about fearing beauty or hiding ourselves completely. It’s about promoting purity. It’s a matter of the heart first. If our ambition is to attract attention from guys or to look better than everyone else, it’s a selfish desire. It will only come back to hurt us. The results will give us what we don’t want.

Defining purity: freedom from guilt or evil. Innocence.

We must choose to dwell on the truth of who we are. We are more than a new pair of shoes! We are worth more than a passing glance from a guy. Our value isn’t in what we wear. And thank goodness for that! It takes the pressure off. Who you are is priceless, and no new outfit can express that. In both definitions of modesty and purity, one word is consistent: freedom. When we choose to live the way Christ calls us to live, there is freedom! His love brings freedom from the lies of the world.

The next time you put an outfit on in the morning, consider your motives. Are you wearing that so you can be the center of attention? If so, there’s a longing inside that won’t be filled until you let your heart receive God’s unconditional love. Consider your brothers in Christ, and encourage them to live godly lives. You can do that by how you dress, how you treat them, and how you set an example for the girls around you.

I often hear from guys how tough it is to stay pure. And girls, I’m sorry to say we aren’t doing a very good job of helping them out. In the end, we are all responsible for our own actions. For me, being on stage has made me really think twice about what I wear.

I can point people to Jesus, or distract them from Him.

Are you up for the challenge? It will take some tenacity and courage to go against the flow. It won’t be easy when you are shopping with friends and tempted to buy something that you know won’t promote purity. But every act of obedience to God will be rewarded, though your friends may not reward you. The choice is in front of us every day, and my prayer is that you will choose the path of no regrets.

~Becca

Double Wedding, Take Two!

2010-06-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

You may have heard on Facebook that Becca and I are both engaged. If you saw us on tour last year, you may have seen my fiancé, Chad, playing electric guitar. Chad and I met at our home church many years ago. Becca’s fiancé, Bryan, is a talented percussionist and can be seen on the road with us as well. Our engagements were just 12 days apart, so we decided to join forces for the second double wedding in our family history!

In 1908, our great-grandmother was married in England on the same day as her sister! We discovered this bit of family history when rummaging through a pile of old papers. My mom was excited to find an invitation to the wedding of the two couples.

Our mom had always wanted to visit the church were her grandmother got married. Last June we got the chance while on our UK tour and had some days off to sightsee. The guys were on the road with us too and all of us piled into a mini-van, practically sitting on our luggage! It was so crazy driving through the narrow country roads to this small town.

It was just like a scene out of Pride and Prejudice. The church was very quaint and it seemed nothing had changed much for 100 years. We walked around and talked with some of the locals. None of us knew a double wedding was in our future. But that day, God planted the thought in our hearts.

Our Dad will finally have sons in the family. Mom is having a blast planning the details of the wedding with us. Becca and I are still scratching our heads, wondering how things fell into place so perfectly. Bryan and Chad have been supportive of our ministry for many years. It will be so great having them on the road with us when their schedules allow! (To the Right, Here is Becca at the church, holding her favorite British drink: Ribena)

I recently came across this passage of Scripture, and it perfectly describes how God has led the four of us, individually and as a ministry.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:5

Truly, God is more involved in the details of our lives than we will ever know. We want to share this exciting news with you and thank you for your continued support and prayers. We are beginning an exciting journey and a new season of ministry!

-Elissa

The Ultimate Wedding

2010-05-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

So much of our busy lives create layers of stress and anxiety. To-do lists, worries and concerns about money, relationships, family, school, employment all take their tolls on our capacity to thrive, and live with true joy. These little burdens try to weigh us down, and together they can become a heavy load! I'm in the midst of wedding planning, and although it's an awesome adventure to be enjoyed, there are moments of stress and concern for things to work out well. I hear from wise friends that everything will fall into place. Even if it seems like scattered puzzle peices.

But we all have another wedding day on the horizon. Every one of us who have given our hearts to Jesus Christ will be invited to celebrate the wedding feast of the Lamb. And while I'm planning my 6-hour extravaganza and getting caught up on the color of ribbon for the vases, my Savior is planning too. Planning to return for His people, a Bride who will be spotless. As a church, are we planning this too? In our hearts, are we making room for His arrival? Have we cluttered up our lives that we have no thoughts of God? I'm convicted as I write this, to lay all else aside so that the primary mission is to know Jesus and bring Him glory. I want to be found serving, loving and giving my all to Him when He returns.

That will be the ultimate wedding!

We Are Adored

2010-05-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a fun and packed weekend at the Adored girls conference at Mission Hills church in Denver. What a weekend! I just love girls events, for many reasons...I can wear as much pink as I want, say goofy things that only girls understand, and laugh about boys, to name a few. As girls we all share in a common need to be loved. Guys need to be loved too, but there's just something unique about the need for us girls to be loved by our Heavenly Father. It defines us. Without it, are are left to search for love elsewhere only to find it out of reach. In John 15:9 Jesus says, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." Truly accepting and knowing the love of the Father, demonstrated through Christ, is life-changing. For me, it came at a time when I needed to know my worth and my value.

When I was a pre-teen, at youth event, I chose to surrender my heart to God. My personal walk with Him began. But there still came a time a few years later that I realized I had not fully understood His love. I struggled with comparing myself. I thought other girls had better hair, clearer complexions, and more contagious personalities. I slightly cringed when pictures of me were taken up close, sure that they would expose my acne and blemishes. I kept this insecurity hidden, and tried to seem confident. I still pursued God in my quiet times, and poured out my heart to Him. I knew I needed to give Him these things. It wasn't until I reacted badly to my parents one day in front of a friend that my deep insecurities came out. My friend asked me later what was wrong. I actually didn't know, but was embarrassed by it. I had just been feeling down about my appearance, and took it out on those around me. What was in my heart began to surface. It was kind of a wake-up call from God, saying to me, you're worth more than you think right now. I wanted to be the godly Christian, the Christ-example, but with that insecurity in my heart, I was hindered.

From that point on, I walked more confidently in Christ's love, and less dependent on measuring up to the world's standard of beauty. I actually chose not to buy fashion magazines because I new they could create new insecurities to tempt me to compare and compete. I sought out friends who shared this desire. Of course, some of my teen friends were caught in the cycle of comparing. It came out in the conversations we had. I just want to be more tan. I'm so fat right now. I wished they could have the kind of revelation I had, of how God sees them. Because truly, we are adored. We are adored by our Heavenly dad, who created us in His image and loves us with an everlasting love. It won't fade over time, not when more wrinkles come and we grow older. It's the kind of love we crave as girls, and it's only found in Jesus.

Thoughts on a Windy Day

2010-04-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

In these last few days I have seen so many leaves flying around like fireworks just set off. Powerful gusts of wind come rushing toward our house set on a bluff in Colorado Springs. Whatever is not anchored will be blown around until the wind dies down. This includes garbage cans! I just hope those cans aren't full!

I'm noticing that the trees that surround my house are so anchored into the soil that they are the only things not carried away. Their roots go deep while leaves and litter take flight. The trees battle the wind and are pushed and pulled. But tomorrow they will still be there.

This depth of a root system keeps them grounded. One of the greatest things we can ever strive for is to be like these trees.

We must be grounded! Yet, we must set our hearts on things above! How does that work?

Setting my heart on things above takes courage. The strong winds of the lower things push and pull for my heart. There are days that my heart wanders. Our hearts contain our deepest dreams, hopes and affections. What we are drawn to. What we long for. If we set our hearts on the lower things of life (temporary happiness, relationships outside of Christ, material ownership) we will be carried away by the winds.

We are called to a courageous journey. To setting our hearts on things above. What is above? Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God. In Him are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Setting my heart on Christ is a choice. The winds come (distractions, disappointments) and try to blow me over. But if my roots are deep enough, clinging to the soil of my relationship with Christ and knowing Him intimately, I will be victorious.

Men, Mirrors and Magazines

2010-03-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

"Beauty cannot be bought or sold."

Those are the words of a former runway model, Jennifer Strickland (check out her website here.) The searching and wanderings of us as women to look and feel beautiful can take us to the depth of brokenness and emptiness. Her story sums it up. You can be considered the best, the most beautiful, and still wonder why perfection is out of reach.

Just as soon as a little girl is old enough to know what "pretty" is, she is told how to behave and look to please the people around her. Her parents keep her well-dressed, and no later than Kindergarten the classmates begin to critize her outfit. About that age I tried ballet, but was a poor dancer so my parents put me in soccer. I excelled at that. Dancing wasn't for me, but running on a grassy field toward the goal was! I could have received my validation there, in my acheivement or athletic ability. But after 10 years of competing on soccer teams with my sister and a sophomore in highschool, I gave up the cleats.

I have to say, our gifts can become our idols. They can be the measuring stick of our self worth. As girls, we do this with any special talent (gift) in our lives. Soccer could have been that idol for me. I gave it up, but I didn't toss out my self worth along with it. Thankfully, I heard the voice of God and my family telling me I was more than that.

For you (God) created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:13,14

The desire to beautiful is not inherently bad. We go searching for fulfillment in all the wrong places. Reading 1st Corinthians today, it reminded me that the 'things of the world are passing away'... in other words, they are temporary. Striving for beauty in the temporary aspects of life will only leave us feeling worse than when we started.

Sisters, how long will we allow men, mirrors and magazines to tell us when we're enough? Beauty is a reflection of who Christ is in us. If we let the world tell us where the standard of beauty is, we will find ourselves in a race we cannot win.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you think it's what God sees? Depending on my day or my mood, I can be frustrated with that mirror. My emotions can dictate what I see, and unless I surrender and emotions to Jesus before the day begins, I will lack the peace and joy that He wants to bring.

As my thoughts come to a close, I am not leaving my computer with all the answers on how to be truly beautiful inside. I'm not unfamiliar with the tug-of-war that goes on in our hearts and minds. But I am able to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and say a prayer. Thank you, Jesus, for making me with a beauty, purpose, and significance that no one could ever take away from me.

-B

Spirit Life

2010-02-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Sisters,

Something caught my attention this morning. I was reading Romans 7 and 8. There is so much truth there, that I had to let it sink in. Once it got down to my heart, I wanted to share with you my thoughts...

To sum up this part of Scripture, Paul is telling us some extremely good news! The battle to be perfect is over. The battle to overcome sin was won by Jesus on the cross. He didn't just pay for our sins - past, present and future - He put His Spirit within us. His Spirit would enable us to live righteous lives instead of living the old way - sinking into a quick sand of sin and death. Without Jesus, we can't do it.

Are you "slaves" to the law that you can never live up to? If you have been born again, Paul in Romans declares you are now "dead" to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another. We are free. We are released from being controlled by the sinful nature and now serving in a new way (not through guilt) of the Spirit.

Jesus rescued us from the trap of sin. The new law of the Spirit set me free from the law of sin and death.

What does it mean to live according to the Spirit now? It means total transformation. I don't know about you, but that's good news to me! It means life and peace. Not "survival" of the day-to-day nothingness, but real LIFE abundantly. We have a new compass for our lives. A director - Jesus Christ - through His Spirit. And we belong to Him now.

After reading these incredible chapters (Romans 7 and 8) I just sat in silence. We can know this in our heads, but to live it out...that's another story. I want it to be a conviction in my heart. Don't you? When something grabs your heart, you can't let it go. So, how does this go from knowledge to the depth of our beings?

Get into His presence.

Yes, God is everywhere. But His presence is a reality for those whose hearts are seeking after Him. Living the "good Christian life" is not about rules layed out in the Bible. That's missing the point! We want more than that, we want a reality of His presence daily. I've discovered and will continue to learn that experiencing this presence comes when I seek Him, focus on Him and worship Him. It's my aim to lives this out everyday. Through encounters with His presence we are transformed, as King David wrote in a song to God in the book of Psalms... "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11

It comes down to this... the connection between you and Jesus.

Is there a connection? Is there a communication link flowing back and forth? That's an indicator of a real relationship there.

One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 12:1-2

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

When I find myself not walking in this new freedom given to us by Jesus, I have to come to His presence and once again surrender my heart, let my mind be transformed by His Word, and choose to worship Him.

Sisters, the peace, joy and love we desire in this life is only found there.

-B

Beaches of Hawaii

2010-02-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

There are some places on earth everyone should see. Going to Maui last year checked off one on my list. Crystal blue sky, turquoise ocean, breeze blowing through your hair as your toes sink in to soft sand. (The picture on the right is of Elissa and I in Maui last month while on vacation with our fam)

Ok, ok.. wait a minute. It's snowing here in Colorado and I'm tempted to grumble about it.

To turn a corner completely, have you ever counted how many books you have? I think its funny how many collections of books I have that I don't read. Coffee table books. Gift books (that I will "read someday"). Books that interested you in the store but now stand rejected on your shelf and are collecting years of dust.

I'm not going to gather all my unnecessary books and donate them. I'm not even going to rearrange them. I'm just going to keep them on the shelf as possibilities for a rainy day. I may flip open one and read a page or two, or I may not.

That's why I think blogs are a great idea. They don't take up space on a shelf yet they can be filled with a million chapters.

So let the blogging begin!

-B