Continue reading “What scares the sh*t out of you? What can you do about it?”
Anyone who enjoys Contemporary Christian praise and worship music knows about Matt Maher. Coming on the scene in 2007, Maher has written and produced eight solo albums with three of them having reached the Top 25 Christian Albums Billboard chart; four of his singles have reached the Top 25 Christian Songs chart (Wikipedia). He was awarded the Dove Award this year for Songwriter of the Year and Best Song (“Because He Lives (Amen))” Continue reading “Matt Maher rocks the house for Christ”
The end of my fundraising campaign for River of Grace: The Soundtrack is just around the corner and I thank all those who have so far donated to the campaign–your support means a lot!
The album is finished and I can now give you a full preview. From listening to this preview you will see that I got an exceptionally good product for a budget of $1600; in fact, it’s phenomenal! I can’t begin to thank my producer, Ron Zabrocki, enough for his talent, vision and commitment to this project.
Here is a sample of all seven songs (minute long samples):
And here is the artwork for the CD:
I hope you have enjoyed this preview. My Indiegogo campaign is ending this Thursday, the 15th and we have a ways to go. Your donation would be most appreciated. We have the finished product but expenses need to be covered. Please visit my campaign at http://igg.me/at/susanbailey.
Thank you for all of your support!
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new books, River of Grace
and Louisa May Alcott: Iluminated by The Message!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
This past Wednesday was a BIG day. This arrived in the mail …
But that was not all. I also got the final mix of my soundtrack CD for River of Grace from the producer. And I have to say he really outdid himself. I sent him a text back with 7 hearts – one for each song!
It was one of those rare, extraordinary days that sends you into orbit and you just want to cling to that feeling forever. I will write about it in my journal so I can go back and bathe in that grace, that pure gift from God whenever discouragement knocks on my door.
River of Grace: Creative Passages Through Difficult Times is a spiritual memoir that reveals how several major losses helped me rediscover creativity and faith. Published by Ave Maria Press, it is described as “Filled with powerful insights on the presence and action of grace–in the Mass and the sacraments, nature and grief, and even through the life and works of Louisa May Alcott–River of Grace guides readers in strengthening their faith, discovering their own hidden gifts and restoring a joy in living during and after tough times.” It contains lots of practical spiritual exercises called Flow Lessons that lead you there. (Some of the Flow Lessons are on this site–check them out here.)
One of the losses I experienced was that of my singing voice. Yet throughout the writing of River of Grace, I kept thinking of songs that would fit with each chapter. While writing the third chapter on the loss of my voice, I experienced a miraculous healing after receiving a throat blessing on the Feast of St. Blaise.
This song was playing in my head; here’s a passage from chapter 3 on why:
How Can I Keep from Singing • Traditional Quaker hymn
“Instead of being raw and fragmented, I began to feel whole. A sense of wonder and deep gratitude welled up inside. The following Sunday as I entered the church to go to Mass I was immediately struck with the knowledge that I had received a significant healing with that throat blessing. I couldn’t wait to tell the priest.
Thereafter during Mass I noticed that it became easier to sing the hymns. Buoyed, I pushed my voice a bit further each week. One day while driving home after Mass I sang some of the most challenging songs in my repertoire including “I Know That My
Redeemer Liveth” from Handel’s Messiah and discovered to my delight that I could sing them just as I had before. My voice had been restored. I had received a physical healing along with the emotional and spiritual.” (from chapter 3, River of Grace)
River of Grace is also about new life. In the writing I learned that creativity is far more than being able to sing, dance, paint or write. Creativity is all about intention. As the Lord led me on my journey towards a new creativity in my life, I thought of Psalm 103, traditionally read during the Easter season, and this song:
Lord, Send Out Your Spirit (from Psalm 103) • Words and music by Susan Bailey ©2001 Susan W. Bailey
“If you recognize and accept the presence within of God’s Spirit, you will live a creative life. Since God is limitless, the possibilities of creativity are limitless too. You only need to believe it and take your own deep dive to discover the authentic person within, the one created in the image and likeness of God, the person you are meant to be. Nothing is too small or too insignificant. Nothing is too foolish or crazy. No effort is wasted. God has placed the capability in every person to be “great” even if that greatness is quiet, unassuming, and shared within a small circle. … Broken as we are, we can be made new, made whole though likely we will never be the same again … By being immersed in the river of grace, we can go on the adventure of a lifetime.” (chapter 5, River of Grace)
River of Grace is also about overcoming fear; stepping out and seeing life as a glorious adventure. Seeing obedience to God’s will as a series of wonderful “yeses” rather than onerous no’s.
This song came to mind:
Touch the Sky • Words and music by Susan Bailey ©1998 Susan W. Bailey
“I saw yet again that working through my fear was necessary in order to find and then be my authentic self. I could be like Gloria: passionate, confident, joyful, and enthusiastic, affecting those around me as a result. By believing in God’s love for me I could then become his emissary. I didn’t have to travel to Haiti; I only had to travel within to discover where the river of grace was leading me, and then commit to the journey. I had to get used to living with the uncertainty that is the fundamental part of self-discovery. It required being alert and awake to that quiet voice of God inside of me, his gentle hand nudging me this way and that. It gave new meaning to the scripture to “Beware, keep alert” (Mk 13:33). We must be alert and awake at all times to God’s call. This is what it means to be truly present to each and every moment. And if we pay heed to such moments, we won’t have the time to worry about the future or regret the past.” (from chapter 6, River of Grace)
So that’s the big reveal! This project has been my life for the last two years and a lot of the transformation I write about happened as I was writing the book. Gotta love the immediacy of the Holy Spirit at work.
Ave Maria Press is everything everyone said it would be. Totally professional, really helpful, and daring, taking chances on newbies like myself. I am so honored to have a book published by them.
You can order River of Grace (the book) through Ave Maria Press and Amazon. Don’t forget to write a review after you’ve read it!
The CD will be available by the end of October; I’ll let you know when it’s ready.
I hope you are enjoying these clips from the new CD. With the deadline of October 15 looming just around the corner, I still need much help in meeting the goal of raising $1600 to pay for the making of the CD. You can donate at http://igg.me/at/susanbailey. Every dollar counts. If you can only give $5 or $10, I will be so grateful. And for those who can give more, I am offering some rewards which I think you’ll appreciate.
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new books, River of Grace
and Louisa May Alcott: Iluminated by The Message!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Have you ever wondered just how a song is recorded? It’s rather like building a building from the ground up, or making a layer cake. Here’s a simple demonstration from the recording of “Spirit of Life” (written by Carolyn McDade, Surtsey Publishing Company) for my River of Grace Soundtrack CD:
Recording is a long and tedious process of such layering but it’s fun and rewarding too when you hear the final product. Besides the layering of vocals, instruments are added in (more than you can imagine!). Then the engineer (in this case Ron) makes sure every little piece can be heard – this is done by something called panning. When you listen to a stereo recording through headphones you can pick out how there’s a little guitar here, a little percussion there … it’s all quite fascinating to figure out just what is in a recording of your favorite song.
Special effects are added in as well (such as putting a little echo into the voice, known as reverb. Without reverb, it sounds like you’re singing in a small room. With reverb, it can sound like you’re singing in a cathedral with slate floors (or something a little smaller).
This is just the beginning of the process for “Spirit of Life;” very soon I can show you the final result.
By the way, here’s a peak at the cover for the CD. Longtime readers of Be as One will recognize it:
With just 8 days left in the campaign I really need your help! Please visit my Indiegogo site at http://igg.me/at/susanbailey and contribute what you can. And thank you!
Thank you to all who have pre-ordered River of Grace! You can find it on Amazon.com.
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new books, River of Grace
and Louisa May Alcott: Iluminated by The Message!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
The CD is coming along nicely and I expect to have some finished product later this week! I will share as I receive them. There are several short videos on my Indiegogo campaign page that you can view for a sneak preview.
Here is one showing the progress so far on a classic hymn, “How Can I Keep from Singing:”
We recorded the lead vocals at Ron Zabrocki’s studio and then later I added on harmonies from my own studio which I then sent to Ron. He then will polish it with additional instruments and vocals. I can’t wait to hear what he does and share it with you!
“Eventually we face the prospect of letting go of something we cherish about ourselves. As my voice began to lose consistency, I knew now how others felt: the loss of my voice truly was a death. I missed that sensual feeling of singing, how it used to vibrate in my throat and buzz in my head. I’d never again hear that nice clear sound echo throughout the church and come back to me. I had sung with such ease that I could forget all about the technique of singing and just get into the prayer of it. There were times when those memories would flood my mind, and I would break out in spontaneous tears.” (Chapter 3, River of Grace)
“Instead of being raw and fragmented, I began to feel whole. A sense of wonder and deep gratitude welled up
inside. The following Sunday as I entered the church to go to Mass I was immediately struck with the knowledge
that I had received a significant healing with that throat blessing. I couldn’t wait to tell the priest.Thereafter during Mass I noticed that it became easier to sing the hymns. Buoyed, I pushed my voice a bit further each week. One day while driving home after Mass I sang some of the most challenging songs in my repertoire … and discovered to my delight that I could sing them just as I had before … I had received a physical healing along with the emotional and spiritual.” (Chapter 3, River of Grace)
Thus you can see how I had to record “How Can I Keep from Singing”!
Perhaps you have lost something precious about yourself; something that was once so natural, so easy to do is now hard or impossible to do. As we age, this kind of loss can occur. We can lose something we cherish about ourselves and feel sad and adrift. It is a great challenge that requires patience and faith; we have to learn to let it go.
In River of Grace I write about the struggle of letting something I loved go; I never expected to get it back again, It was in the course of writing the chapter that I experienced the healing. I did not seek it nor ask for it; I just wanted to learn to live with the loss. It was pure gift, abundant grace, and that is the mystery of God’s merciful love.
All I know is that now I feel deep gratitude every time I open my mouth to sing. I savor the moments I can sing in church, awestruck that God would give me a second chance to sing for Him.
This is why I had to record this album. I wanted a musical testimony to accompany what I had written. I wanted to share my gratitude and offer a witness to God’s merciful love. His love is available to all of us!
By the end of the month, River of Grace will be officially launched. The CD will be available as well. In the meantime, I would really appreciate your help in financing the CD. There are ten days left to contribute to my Indiegogo campaign; click here to contribute.
Over the course of the next ten days I will share other songs from the soundtrack and passages from the book to show you how these songs correspond with the text.
You don’t have to wait to order your copy of River of Grace—it is available right now on Amazon and at a reduced price!
Thank you for your continued support!
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new books, River of Grace
and Louisa May Alcott: Iluminated by The Message!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
I’m getting pretty excited; the launch date for River of Grace is a mere 7 weeks away! (It’s available now for pre-order on Amazon at a reduced price!) But there’s something else in the works too.
Ever since I received the healing of my singing voice I have dreamt of having a collection of songs recorded to go along with River of Grace. These were the songs that came to mind as I wrote the book. Summarizing the stories and lessons, these songs are a great way to ponder and pray on the message of River of Grace, a message of the creative power of life and how each day can become an adventure even in the worst of circumstances.
Each time I sing I am amazed at God’s mercy in granting me a second chance to serve him through song. This is my first CD in 7 years and one that I never thought I could make.
The CD will contain my take on two classic hymns, “How Can I Keep from Singing” from the Quaker tradition and “Spirit of Life” (my mother’s favorite hymn and a standard of the Unitarian hymnal). I am re-imagining three old favorites, and, I have two new songs I’ve written. Each song relates directly to a chapter in the book. Learning the song and listening to it in your head (or even singing it) is a wonderful way to think about what God is teaching you.
Recording a CD involves a lot of work and expense. While you can’t help with the work, you can help through your contribution to my Indiegogo campaign.
I am looking to raise $1600 in 30 days to cover the cost of producing this CD. No contribution is too small – $5, $10, whatever you feel moved to give. I’ve included some cool rewards for those of you who wish to contribute more—you can see it all here on my Indiegogo campaign page.
If you can’t contribute, you can still help by spreading the word to everyone you know—there are easy ways to share on my campaign page.
The campaign is introduced by a short video where I explain the project and provide samples of songs on the CD. I will be updating my progress on the CD through the 30-day period with additional videos and sound bites.
Excited? I am! Come on over to my Indiegogo campaign and let’s get started!
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new book, River of Grace!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
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“What Pet Should I Get?”, a recently discovered Dr. Seuss work, is on sale starting July 28. Apparently. Dr. Seuss’ wife discovered a carton with manuscripts in the attic. AND, this book is just the beginning! How cool is that??? |
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Novels About Real-Life Women Are Saving Forgotten History Some fascinating women in history are explored through these interesting historical fiction novels. |
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People for Happier Cats – Compassionate Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Pilot for Feral Cats This is an amazing initiative by Tinykittens.com with a feral colony of cats. The first experiment, that of trapping a pregnant feral so that she could give birth in in a warm and safe place resulted in her four kittens being totally socialized and adopted out to loving families while the mother cat was returned to the colony where she would be the happiest.
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Fun in the mud: Children benefit from exposure to nature How many of us remember making mud pies? Hiking in the woods? Splashing in a stream? Observing birds and butterflies? Every kid needs to experience the outdoors and this program offers some amazing options. |
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Kayaking Through the Apostle Island Sea Caves Check out this video of a kayak trip through the Sea Caves of Apostle Island – heavenly! |
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War veterans say kayaking helps them cope with combat trauma As an avid kayaker familiar with its therapeutic benefits, I can see how this would be a tremendous benefit to our vets. |
As you all seemed to enjoy the video I posted of Sarah Hart singing “Praying from a Broken Heart” so I thought I’d share this:
October 26, 2013 – Sarah Hart singing in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis and a crowd of 150,000; Sarah meeting the Pope at the end of the video
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new book, River of Grace!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Sarah Hart is a prolific songwriter of faith-based songs. She has won a Grammy award for song she co-wrote for Amy Grant and a earned a gold record for a song she co-wrote for the Newsboys.
This is her first video for a song called “Praying with a Broken Heart,” from her album, Above Earth’s Lamentation. In this song she describes a common prayer experience of “Where are you, God?”
Sometimes it seems our prayers hit the ceiling and go no further. There is no stirring in the heart, no sense of consolation. No warmth. And yet we are told that in those moments of cold and doubt, God is closer to us than ever. Perhaps so close that we just plain miss him.
I know I often feel that in the middle of the night when fear is magnified. Jesus knew that on the cross when he cried out, “Why have you abandoned me?”
Sarah’s song reminds us that faith is more than what we feel. It needs to get beyond feeling to the knowing:”I know you are there!”
When I push through my fear in middle of the night to that knowing, it gets better, even if the fear is still there.
How about you?
Visit sarahhart.com to hear more of Sarah’s music and see where she is appearing.
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new book, River of Grace!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
I am so excited to share this wonderful new version of Be as One with you all! Allow me to give you a tour of the new home. Just click on the headline to go to the page.
Here I pose a simple question: How would your life change if you were connected to God? Clicking on that question will take you to a short video where I share how a renewed connection with God changed my life into one of adventure and exhilarating discoveries.
On this page you can find out more about me, from my work and passions to my family and pets. There is contact information and a media kit in case you would like to bring me to your parish or group to speak. And, there is a video explaining the beginnings of the Be as One site and how we as a community can share in the blessings of making a firm connection to the Spirit of God within us.
I am particularly excited about this page! This is the home of all of my blog posts, organized in a way that will make them easier to find. You will see many topics listed in the main menu. I have many interests that I love sharing with you and I’d love to hear about yours!
You will see two sliders (aka, slide shows) of blog posts: the one on the left highlights the latest posts while the one on the right highlights the most popular posts. You can advance the slide show yourself by clicking on the arrows; just click on the image to get to the blog post.
This page is a work in progress. I have just begun loading practical and prayerful exercises that you can do yourself called Flow Lessons. They are featured in my book, River of Grace: Creative Passages Through Difficult Times (read more about my book here). They are designed to help make a connection between a common everyday experience and deeper spiritual truths. I hope you enjoy them!
I have also loaded several videos that you can use for personal devotion. Currently there are videos on the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, along with meditative videos with lovely scenes and peaceful music. I will be adding more in the future.
There are also videos highlighting my music and personal appearances.
Let me know what you think of these resources in the comments section below. Share them around with your friends. And thanks for visiting!
Here is where I display all my wares for sale including my book, River of Grace, my sung rosary, The Critter Room Memory Book for you cat lovers plus all of my CDs (with links to digital music). I even have an easy One-Stop Shopping link if you already know what you want to buy. Your purchases are the fuel keep my ministry engine running and I am so appreciative of your support!
And last but not least …
Here you can find out not only where I have been speaking but how you can invite me to your church, group or conference. I enjoy presenting at all kinds of venues from small and intimate groups to large auditoriums. Along with speaking I also provide live music!
So, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed the tour. Please share your impressions on the website and if there is something I can add that could help you, let me know.
Join my Email List (special surprises just for you!)
to subscribe to this blog.
Keep up with news and free giveaways regarding Susan’s new book, River of Grace!
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read Susan’s blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Be as One 