It’s always hard to write a fair assessment of yourself but I will do my best. First of all, thanks for stopping by my site. It really means a lot to me! This last several years has been quite a journey for me. I grew up in Illinois and even went to college there. I graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in music focusing on the viola. While in college I was asked to be a part of the worship team at my college group, Campus Crusade for Christ. I had never played without sheet music in front of me so I was overwhelmed. But as I played from week to week I began to love playing by ear. Soon I found myself playing at Crusade conferences and for other worship teams. I also joined a ministry called Keynote for a summer and traveled from Indiana to Washington D.C. and ministered in a D.C. homeless shelter and all around the city using music. After graduating college and spending a year on staff at a church in Illinois, I decided it was time to head to Nashville and pursue what God had for me there. It has been quite a journey…
MUSICALLY SPEAKING…
I am currently settling into Nashville and seeking God for wisdom as I help create an atmosphere of worship at Journey Church. A team of us are pouring into the youth in regards to what it means to worship in “Spirit and in Truth.” This isn’t your ordinary youth band. We want to see God move in this generation and are asking Him to show us what it means to worship Him. The beautiful part to this is that we are taking this piece and combining it with the atmosphere of worship that is being shaped in our church as a whole. I am honored to serve in this way for this season but of course there were steps that led to the position I am standing in today. Here’s a little glimpse into my past.
Coming to Nashville was hard for me to grasp. I didn’t want to be a “poor musician” so I searched for what I saw as a legit reason to move. I ended up enrolling at Belmont University where I studied Music Business. A year into my stay I decided to plant myself here in Nashville and let go of Belmont.
Since Belmont I have been blessed with many opportunities to play my viola on the stage and in a recording studio setting. In the several years I have played with several artists like Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Anadara, Amy Stroup, Crutchfield, Jenna Lowery, and Allen King. I had the privilege of joining Landon Pigg in his performance at Next Big Nashville in 2008. I have also played with Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockles at the Dove Awards in 2009. And then again at the opening of Passion Conference 2010 and the Good Friday service at Passion City Church. For the second time, in summer 2010, I played my viola with worship leader Ronnie Freeman at a family camp called JH Ranch. I have also had the honor of sitting in on the worship team at Horizon Christian Fellowship in Rancho Santa Fe, CA over the last few years. And have joined Mike Clark Band on many occasions.
On a studio level I have recorded with artists such as Anadara, Phil Keaggy, Ginny Owens, David Phelps, Dana Jorgensen, Sarah Hart Pearson, Jenna Lowery, Abbi Walker and other incredible artists. Getting to walk alongside incredible worship leaders and artists that long to worship in Spirit and in Truth (John 4) has been life changing. I desire to serve and minister in churches and venues alike. I want to be where God wants me to be.
THE START OF GRAPHIC DESIGN…
As we speak I am at the tail end of an internship with Epic Life Creative and am beginning the journey as a “legit” Graphic Designer. I say legit because I feel like I finally have wings to fly in this area. I am using Photoshop and Illustrator alike and even enjoy doing logos! I have come a long way. But TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY. It was by His divine appointment on my life that I became a Graphic Designer…
After my first year in Nashville God opened up another unique opportunity that never in my wildest dreams would I imagine I would be a part of. A friend of mine is a missionary and needed help with the ‘face’ of her ministry. I had an old graphic design program on my computer and thought to myself, ‘ how hard could this be… I’ll give it a go.’ So I designed my first flier and email newsletter EVER! For the sake of everyone I did not include that in my portfolio. But, it gave me a taste for an aspect of creativity that I would never have explored hadn’t it been for a need that I desired to meet. From there God developed this skill. In a year I had a new computer, the latest software and clients and didn’t spend a single dollar on any of it. God was clearing a path for me and it was very clear. And that path continues to keep itself cleared for me. It’s been an amazing ride.