Giveaway with Jessa Anderson

Oh cyber friends, have I got a treat for you! An up-and-coming new musician who is stopping by to chat, let us take a peek at her work and offer a giveaway!

But before that, a bit of housekeeping :-)

First, don’t miss the second webcast installment tonight at 8:00 pm EST with our P31 president Lysa Terkeurst’s on her new bestseller (yes, already! Just hit the New York Times bestseller list!) Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food.

Simply head over to madetocrave.org to join us.

And if you tried last week but couldn’t get on? Well, hopefully that little problem has been fixed.

Oh, it was a good problem! Thousands more girlfriends trying to come to the party than were expected and so it crashed the server.

But all girlfriends are welcome. And there will be more room at the shin-dig tonight. :-)

Second, in tandem with the whole Made to Crave wave, I will be resurrecting our Weight Loss Wednesdays feature for a time. So, each week tune in, be encouraged and chat it up in the comment bar about your struggles, triumphs and tips.

Finally, I have a treat (calorie-free!) for you today.

Last October, our church’s worship was lead by a guest artist. She’d been a college student at our teaching pastor’s former church and she’s now a rising star in the industry recognized by many one of the best new artists to the Christian music scene.

That fall  morning, I was not only inspired by her music, but struck with the powerful and humble way she led us in worship.

So, I marched myself straight over to her table, bought Kenna one of her cd’s, told her about all of you, my fabulous cyber-sisters, and asked her to join us one day. She donated a couple cds and said, “I’d love to!”

Often when I’m working in my home office, I navigate my laptop to her sight and listen to her uplifting and soulful music.  Now, you’ll be able to do the same. And you may even win a few cds!

So now, meet Jessa!

Jessa Anderson is a singer/songwriter bringing jazz and rock influences to her pop-centered music. The Nashville-based musician tours with husband and fellow musician Jordan Anderson. The pair has toured throughout North and South America and Europe since June 2008, offering their unique sound for a variety of audiences.

With songs centering on both her triumphs and struggles, Jessa shared her heart with audiences through 11 original songs on her debut album, Fundamentally Broken. Jessa’s honest and intensely personal writing style continues on her sophomore release with 10 new songs.  Not Myself Anymore is set to re-release in the spring of 2011 with BEC Recordings.

Jessa and Jordan welcomed their first child, Lorelei Jade Anderson on 8/3/10 and the family continues to enjoy life on the road together. For more information about Jessa, a current tour schedule and to experience her music, please visit http://jessaanderson.com.

Now for our interview:

Jessa, tell us a little about how you got your start in music. Music has definitely been my passion since I was a little girl. I grew up singing and leading worship at church and school events and traveled with a touring ministry team my freshman year of college.

At that point I knew music was something I would love to pursue and I transferred to Belmont University as a performance major. After a few semesters there I recorded my first CD, “Fundamentally Broken” and when it was finished (along with my husband’s first EP) we started touring full-time and have been supporting ourselves that way for 2 and a half years now!

When did you decide that you would make a ministry out of  this passion? The decision to record helped a lot because I had to start at the most basic level: the songs. Once I chose those first 11 songs, it was evident that much of my writing was influenced by specific ways God had changed me and I wanted to share that in the hope that others might know His saving grace in their lives as well.

As a wife, mom and woman in ministry, what is a typical week like at your home these days? This question made me laugh a little bit, because I have no answer!

I recently heard an interview in which Sara Groves she said that she and her husband had made the decision to “let God define normal for our family.” That resonated with me so deeply, because each day is different for us.

We tour full-time and spend 1, maybe 2 weeks home out of a month. Integrating an infant into that lifestyle, I have found that God’s mercies truly are new every morning. I feel so fortunate to travel and work with my husband and child. We take on life as a team and I believe that enables us to balance those roles of spouse, parent and musician in a unique way.

What has God been teaching you lately as you walk with Him? That He is beyond good. I can’t even express the joy it has been to learn more about God’s love for me as I learn to love my little girl.

Knowing that His perfect love is even greater than the love we feel for our own families blows me away! This last year was also a great testament of His faithfulness in my life.

When I can hardly see a few weeks into the future, He makes the path clear and allows me to rest in His provision during uncertain times.

Being self-employed and a full-time musician has definitely challenged our faith, but we have never gone without. Seeing that dynamic work with a baby added to the mix only reinforces the fact that God has a plan for our lives and He is gracious in His gifts!

What is your greatest desire for those who experience your music? I hope people will sense an honesty. I do my best to not just write about the good days or the exciting moments, but the challenging ones as well.

God shows up in the dark times just as He is present in the light, but sometimes we hesitate to expose our challenges and struggles for fear of embarrassment or rejection. I try to avoid building those walls because I want people to know God’s grace in their own lives and those are the moments we need it most!

Thanks for dropping by today Jessa!

Now for the giveaway!

Just leave a comment today about anything (or if time is tight, say “I’m in!”). One of you will  not only win one of Jessa’s cds, but one of her husband’s too!

Comment away!!!

Soulful Blessings,