"We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets."
Want to know who said that? Marilyn Monroe. I'm not saying that Marilyn Monroe is perfect, by any means, but I think she hit the nail on the head with this one, kids.
Fear IS stupid. Why? Because it's not what God created us to do. He created us to trust and have faith and believe and hope and persevere. So, letting our fears get in the way of what God has called us to be and do and live for is- just that- stupid.
I know a lot of people don't like that word. I wasn't allowed to say it at my house when I was younger. It's not a very nice word. But, in this case, I feel it fits perfectly.
How are we supposed to love if we have fear? I'm refusing to let fear in today. How about you?
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Real Me.
I started this blog so that you could get to know the real Lexie. The one behind the smiles and the stage. With that being said... This might be a tough one to post.
I'm scared. Yep, and I don't think I'm the only one. It's really hard when we've made plans, especially with someone, and those plans just completely fall through. They shatter, and we're left picking up the pieces. We're left to wonder what went wrong.
I just experienced (yet another) break-up [told you- you're getting the real Lexie here]. A marriage was in the making, and- just like that- he decided he had doubts. After two heart-breaking weeks, I sit here without my best friend. And nothing I could say or do would change his decision. Am I crying? No. I'm trying to be stronger. I'm letting my Jesus hold me together. It's really hard though.
When someone ends a relationship because they're scared of the calling that God has placed on your life, there's only one thing you can do. Pray and press on with God's plan.
Satan likes to prey on our insecurities. There are days where I've wondered if God has someone for me, who will love me as I am- flaws and all, because the devil fills my head with those doubts. But, I'm trusting and hoping and praying...
Today, I'm going to have a tough day. And I'll probably have tough days for a while. But... I do know this: I'm going to keep trusting my God, and I'm going to keep singing for Him. In the meantime, will you pray for me and for all of those who feel hurt, confused or broken right now?
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
I'm scared. Yep, and I don't think I'm the only one. It's really hard when we've made plans, especially with someone, and those plans just completely fall through. They shatter, and we're left picking up the pieces. We're left to wonder what went wrong.
I just experienced (yet another) break-up [told you- you're getting the real Lexie here]. A marriage was in the making, and- just like that- he decided he had doubts. After two heart-breaking weeks, I sit here without my best friend. And nothing I could say or do would change his decision. Am I crying? No. I'm trying to be stronger. I'm letting my Jesus hold me together. It's really hard though.
When someone ends a relationship because they're scared of the calling that God has placed on your life, there's only one thing you can do. Pray and press on with God's plan.
Satan likes to prey on our insecurities. There are days where I've wondered if God has someone for me, who will love me as I am- flaws and all, because the devil fills my head with those doubts. But, I'm trusting and hoping and praying...
Today, I'm going to have a tough day. And I'll probably have tough days for a while. But... I do know this: I'm going to keep trusting my God, and I'm going to keep singing for Him. In the meantime, will you pray for me and for all of those who feel hurt, confused or broken right now?
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Ready... Set... RECORD!!!
So, last night, I was given the opportunity to record my demo for WIBI's Opening Act competition at The Stage (part of Mozingo Music) in O'Fallon, Missouri.
Have you ever had a moment in your life when you knew you were in EXACTLY the right place at EXACTLY the right time? I literally get that every time I'm able to sing. And last night was no exception... Here's how it went down:
I left directly after work to head to Morrisonville (my hometown and where my parents live and teach currently). From there, my mom, Della, and I started our journey to the St. Louis area.
We encountered a lot of rush hour traffic, but we spent our time talking, laughing and praying about God's will. Upon arriving at our destination, we decided we needed to get a little food in our stomachs. That being said, I wasn't even sure I could eat! My stomach was full of butterflies. I was so excited to record!
I manage to sqeak by with a little salad and spaghetti from a nearby Italian restaurant, where the waitress was super helpful in making sure we got in and out quickly enough to get to the studio! Mom and I went over the notes and ideas for the song that I'd written down the night before. I was lucky enough to spend some time with my good friends, Morgan and Damien, who helped me make the song "mine". They're amazing, and I'm so appreciative of them!
Walking into Mozingo Music, my stomach was flip-flopping. This is what I've dreamed of doing for so long! And not only did I get to record, but knew while singing that it was going to be played on WIBI starting in March!
I spent an hour in the studio, recording and re-recording. We did different pieces of the song, and I played with each line and the melody to see how I liked it best. Jeff, Mark and the guys were so helpful and encouraging every step of the way. WIBI has hooked us up with some of the most talented and supportive people during this process, and I'm so thankful. It makes everything such a great experience!
I think one of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to meet a few of the other contestants! I was able to see Tabitha again, as she recorded directly before me. And meeting Crystal when I was finished recording was a blast! We were instant friends, and we share a love of hair accessories! Can you say 'soul sister'? As I was walking back to the car with my mom, chatting about the recording process, I saw Marc in HIS car, and I was able to meet him too! I was so excited to finally be able to meet the amazingly talented people I'll be working with!
So... I think I could record every day for the rest of my life and be completely happy. It was an amazing and fun process. And I really can't wait for you all to hear the finished product! They'll start playing our demos on WIBI (check out www.wibi.org for more information) on March 7th, so be sure to listen in on your frequency or online!
And don't forget to tune in on March 9th! I'll be in the WIBI studios all day. I'm so excited!
Awesome!
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Have you ever had a moment in your life when you knew you were in EXACTLY the right place at EXACTLY the right time? I literally get that every time I'm able to sing. And last night was no exception... Here's how it went down:
I left directly after work to head to Morrisonville (my hometown and where my parents live and teach currently). From there, my mom, Della, and I started our journey to the St. Louis area.
We encountered a lot of rush hour traffic, but we spent our time talking, laughing and praying about God's will. Upon arriving at our destination, we decided we needed to get a little food in our stomachs. That being said, I wasn't even sure I could eat! My stomach was full of butterflies. I was so excited to record!
I manage to sqeak by with a little salad and spaghetti from a nearby Italian restaurant, where the waitress was super helpful in making sure we got in and out quickly enough to get to the studio! Mom and I went over the notes and ideas for the song that I'd written down the night before. I was lucky enough to spend some time with my good friends, Morgan and Damien, who helped me make the song "mine". They're amazing, and I'm so appreciative of them!
Walking into Mozingo Music, my stomach was flip-flopping. This is what I've dreamed of doing for so long! And not only did I get to record, but knew while singing that it was going to be played on WIBI starting in March!
With WIBI Promotions Director, G.W. before recording!
I spent an hour in the studio, recording and re-recording. We did different pieces of the song, and I played with each line and the melody to see how I liked it best. Jeff, Mark and the guys were so helpful and encouraging every step of the way. WIBI has hooked us up with some of the most talented and supportive people during this process, and I'm so thankful. It makes everything such a great experience!
With Mark Roach and G.W. talking about the recording process and how excited I was to be there!
I think one of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to meet a few of the other contestants! I was able to see Tabitha again, as she recorded directly before me. And meeting Crystal when I was finished recording was a blast! We were instant friends, and we share a love of hair accessories! Can you say 'soul sister'? As I was walking back to the car with my mom, chatting about the recording process, I saw Marc in HIS car, and I was able to meet him too! I was so excited to finally be able to meet the amazingly talented people I'll be working with!
With my new friend and fellow Semi-Finalist, Crystal! We love accessories :)
So... I think I could record every day for the rest of my life and be completely happy. It was an amazing and fun process. And I really can't wait for you all to hear the finished product! They'll start playing our demos on WIBI (check out www.wibi.org for more information) on March 7th, so be sure to listen in on your frequency or online!
And don't forget to tune in on March 9th! I'll be in the WIBI studios all day. I'm so excited!
Awesome!
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A Dream Coming True...
Okay, so it's always been my dream to record. And tonight, in O'Fallon, Missouri, I'm doing just that.
As semi-finalists, we are able to record demos that will be played on WIBI starting on March 7th. We've had our songs for a couple of weeks. The song that I'm recording is one I was not familiar with before the competition. But, I liked the vocalist's voice quality, and I knew I could do something with that. I spent last night working with a friend of mine to make the song "mine".
Let me in on a little secret: I get nervous about some things. Generally not about singing, but occasionally I do when it comes to things like this. I think it's partly the uncertainty and newness of the situation. But... it's also because I beat myself up inside my own head sometimes.
How many of you have done that? Mentally beaten yourself up, I mean. I used to do it all the time when I was competing in the Miss America Organization.
Well, that's not what God calls us to do. Nope. He says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. He thinks we're amazing. And super talented. How am I so sure of that? Well, He's the one who made us and put the talents and gifts we have inside of us, so...
You know what I mean?
I hope you'll pray for this evening. Our job as artists is to be a vessel from which to let God's light shine. I want listeners to hear this song of worship and feel God's presence.
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
As semi-finalists, we are able to record demos that will be played on WIBI starting on March 7th. We've had our songs for a couple of weeks. The song that I'm recording is one I was not familiar with before the competition. But, I liked the vocalist's voice quality, and I knew I could do something with that. I spent last night working with a friend of mine to make the song "mine".
Let me in on a little secret: I get nervous about some things. Generally not about singing, but occasionally I do when it comes to things like this. I think it's partly the uncertainty and newness of the situation. But... it's also because I beat myself up inside my own head sometimes.
How many of you have done that? Mentally beaten yourself up, I mean. I used to do it all the time when I was competing in the Miss America Organization.
Well, that's not what God calls us to do. Nope. He says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. He thinks we're amazing. And super talented. How am I so sure of that? Well, He's the one who made us and put the talents and gifts we have inside of us, so...
You know what I mean?
I hope you'll pray for this evening. Our job as artists is to be a vessel from which to let God's light shine. I want listeners to hear this song of worship and feel God's presence.
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Love is patient. Love is kind. Blah, blah, blah...
This week, I learned that love is hard. I know, I know... With the experiences I've had in the last several years, I should've known that by now, right? Well, apparently I forgot.
1 Corinithians 13 talks all about love. It says what love should be. We've all heard it a million times. However, this week, I really thought hard about what love shouldn't be. In verses 7-8 of that particular chapter, it says this, "...love always protects, always hopes, always trust, always perseveres. Love never fails." And as I was tempted to give in my my anxiety, fears and insecurity about my own relationships this past week, God revealed the following to me...
He made sure that I knew that those verses didn't say: "Love is anxious. Love fears. Love doubts. Love gives up when it gets hard." And it most definitely didn't say, "Love means just deciding to not keep showing someone how much you care because they're not the most deserving of it at that particular moment in time." Nope, that's not at all what it says.
At times, it's easier for us to give up, isn't it? It's easier to just throw in the towel and to cut our losses and just move on. While I'm not saying that, in some situations, that isn't the best idea, I AM saying that love is WORK. Hard work. While that may seem like a "DUH!" moment for you, it was a poignant lesson for me.
Believe it or not, I am human! Crazy, right?! And being human means that we are flawed. Though I attempt to make myself appear the least flawed that I possibly can on a daily basis, it's quite obvious. I'm not perfect. [To those of you who are shocked, I'm sorry... :) ]
So... Here's what I have to say... Love isn't always easy. And it's not necessarily always fun. But, it IS worth it.
How will YOU make love an action instead of a feeling in your own life today?
In HIS (perfect and unfailing) Love,
Lex <3
1 Corinithians 13 talks all about love. It says what love should be. We've all heard it a million times. However, this week, I really thought hard about what love shouldn't be. In verses 7-8 of that particular chapter, it says this, "...love always protects, always hopes, always trust, always perseveres. Love never fails." And as I was tempted to give in my my anxiety, fears and insecurity about my own relationships this past week, God revealed the following to me...
He made sure that I knew that those verses didn't say: "Love is anxious. Love fears. Love doubts. Love gives up when it gets hard." And it most definitely didn't say, "Love means just deciding to not keep showing someone how much you care because they're not the most deserving of it at that particular moment in time." Nope, that's not at all what it says.
At times, it's easier for us to give up, isn't it? It's easier to just throw in the towel and to cut our losses and just move on. While I'm not saying that, in some situations, that isn't the best idea, I AM saying that love is WORK. Hard work. While that may seem like a "DUH!" moment for you, it was a poignant lesson for me.
Believe it or not, I am human! Crazy, right?! And being human means that we are flawed. Though I attempt to make myself appear the least flawed that I possibly can on a daily basis, it's quite obvious. I'm not perfect. [To those of you who are shocked, I'm sorry... :) ]
So... Here's what I have to say... Love isn't always easy. And it's not necessarily always fun. But, it IS worth it.
How will YOU make love an action instead of a feeling in your own life today?
In HIS (perfect and unfailing) Love,
Lex <3
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Life Unexpected
Sometimes hard times hit like a ton of bricks. Sometimes you see it coming. Sometimes you're blind-sided. But, EVERY TIME, it hurts.
Are you hurting today? Here's a little encouragement from one of my musical inspirations, BarlowGirl.
Never Alone- BarlowGirl
Life is hard, isn't it? But what a blessing it is to be able to rest in the truth that we have a caring and powerful God, who is holding our hand the whole way through.
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Are you hurting today? Here's a little encouragement from one of my musical inspirations, BarlowGirl.
Never Alone- BarlowGirl
Life is hard, isn't it? But what a blessing it is to be able to rest in the truth that we have a caring and powerful God, who is holding our hand the whole way through.
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Valentines Year 2011
Okay, so raise your hand if you hate Valentines Day? Yep, for the last 25 years of good old St. Valentine, my hand has been so far up in the air, you'd think it would never come down.
However, this year was different... Not only did I have a wonderful, Godly man to celebrate the day with (especially since it's his BIRTHDAY!), but God's been teaching me about love- REAL LOVE. What love actually means. We've all heard that it's not a feeling. It's not the butterflies in your stomach or the first date jitters. It's not the hugs or the hand-holding. It's the action.
My devotion yesterday started with the following verse:
"[Let your] love be sincere-a real thing" (Romans 12:9, AMP)
That's what I want. The real thing. At times, it's hard, but it's so worth it. So, I'm thanking my amazing God that this year, I'm determined to have a "Valentines Year", instead of just one day. I want those around me to know that I'm thinking of them. And that I care about them.
I hope you'll do the same. We only get one chance at this. Let's LOVE :)
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
However, this year was different... Not only did I have a wonderful, Godly man to celebrate the day with (especially since it's his BIRTHDAY!), but God's been teaching me about love- REAL LOVE. What love actually means. We've all heard that it's not a feeling. It's not the butterflies in your stomach or the first date jitters. It's not the hugs or the hand-holding. It's the action.
My devotion yesterday started with the following verse:
"[Let your] love be sincere-a real thing" (Romans 12:9, AMP)
That's what I want. The real thing. At times, it's hard, but it's so worth it. So, I'm thanking my amazing God that this year, I'm determined to have a "Valentines Year", instead of just one day. I want those around me to know that I'm thinking of them. And that I care about them.
I hope you'll do the same. We only get one chance at this. Let's LOVE :)
In HIS Love,
Lex <3
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Blast from the past...
A friend of mine found my 2010 audition video, so I thought I'd share that too!
And, yes, this is the infamous tutu...
And, yes, this is the infamous tutu...
2011 WIBI Opening Act Audition Video
The audition I attended this year was held in Litchfield, Illinois on Saturday, February 5, 2011.
Watch my audition by clicking on the arrow above!
Watch my audition by clicking on the arrow above!
And the adventure begins...
Well, here we go! My first post!
This blog was started to document my journey through Family Friendly WIBI's 2011 Opening Act competition. I've never had a blog before, so I thought this might be a good time to start one. Why, you ask? Well, let me tell you...
I was thinking about what I like to see in an artist. When I'm browsing the websites of my favorite artists (individuals like Natalie Grant, Franscesca Battistelli, Addison Road and so many more), one of the first things I click on is the "About" section. I love knowing where an artist comes from, where they've been, and what led them to where they are in the present. I want to get to know them- and I want it to be personal. While I am a big fan of professional PR, I also like getting down to the nitty-gritty.
So, I guess the purpose of this blog is to help you get to know the real Lexie. The Lexie that is goofy and outgoing and loud. I want you to get a look into my life.
So, thanks for taking the time to stop by. I'm so looking forward to this adventure! Thank you so much for traveling this road with me!
Check back soon for more entries :)
In HIS Love,
Lexie <3
This blog was started to document my journey through Family Friendly WIBI's 2011 Opening Act competition. I've never had a blog before, so I thought this might be a good time to start one. Why, you ask? Well, let me tell you...
I was thinking about what I like to see in an artist. When I'm browsing the websites of my favorite artists (individuals like Natalie Grant, Franscesca Battistelli, Addison Road and so many more), one of the first things I click on is the "About" section. I love knowing where an artist comes from, where they've been, and what led them to where they are in the present. I want to get to know them- and I want it to be personal. While I am a big fan of professional PR, I also like getting down to the nitty-gritty.
So, I guess the purpose of this blog is to help you get to know the real Lexie. The Lexie that is goofy and outgoing and loud. I want you to get a look into my life.
So, thanks for taking the time to stop by. I'm so looking forward to this adventure! Thank you so much for traveling this road with me!
Check back soon for more entries :)
In HIS Love,
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