label with 65 employees and 120 musicians social media, which I love. This last year the Lord so sensitive that I’ll sing really quiet, and then I’ll
in the worship department. There’s just a asked me to reel it in, where I was spreading yell. It’s been a journey. I don’t think I’m there
million different moving parts and every day is myself too thin emotionally, so that I could just yet. I’ve learned a lot, but it hasn’t been the
an occasion for something, you know? I’ll go really be present for the people that needed funnest part of the whole story.
through the day and stuff will be bothering me, my attention and affection most. That’s been a but then the next morning I get up and I have really good pulling back and simplification for [WM] Well, it certainly doesn’t look that way
that time where I get my coffee and I get my me in this past year – to kind of weed things out when you sing. Brian, there is one main guitar
Bible and I just start reading –dedicated time. some. I deleted over 100 people that I followed, that you use. What is it?
And usually by the end of that time, all that stuff not because I didn’t love them, but I just felt that was really getting to me, which typically like the Lord was asking me to simplify my [Brian] I’ve had an old parlor Martin that’s
would have derailed me, doesn’t matter as emotional space and what I was caring about. about 60-something years old that is kind of
much. That’s my only answer to everything,
like my main one. I’ve got two of them actually.
honestly. Not to be sarcastic, but I really feel I think in every season it looks different. I know I had a little Trinity system put in it so I could
that we need to have less self-help books and it has for me as a mom. Every season of work mix the mic and pickups. I love that little
more Word. All that’s amazing, but there’s has looked very different. Some seasons, my thing. I’ve written most of my songs on it. It’s
something about getting to a point where no kids have needed me more. I’ve just done my matter what anyone says or does to you, you best to follow the Holy Spirit to be a mom and know where you are with God. At the end of the wife in ministry. It’s been incredible, honestly. day that’s really what matters. I wouldn’t trade any of it, and God’s been so
faithful in each season to direct me and give me
[WM] Jenn, how do you manage being a mom blueprints for how to attack that season and
in ministry and finding that devotional time in what was needed for it.
play and it sounds the best when plugged in.
the midst of the craziness of the morning? Any
tips on that?
[WM] That’s gold! Jenn, you’ve got some
serious pipes! What do you do, and what have
[Jenn] Really, I get a lot of help. There’s just you done to cultivate your voice and maintain
no way you can do it all. Early on in ministry it?
really encouraged me to get help on areas of [Jenn] I do a vocal warm-up before I sing. The
our lives that anyone could do, so that we really bummer for me as a mom, is that I’ve had to
could focus on being leaders, parents, and learn I can’t yell for all my kids sporting events
having a healthy marriage. That was a really and performances. Which I hate as things like
beautiful thing. So as each year has gone by that have blown my voice out. I’m just kind of
(you know our oldest daughter is fifteen) I’ve babying it a bit. I’ve done a few singing lessons,
just gotten more and more help to cover the but with being a mom it’s kind of been one
things that anyone could do so that I can really of those things that I haven’t given the best
focus on the areas that God’s called me to. I’ve attention to it because I’ve had so many other
increased the time that we’ve gotten help every things going on.
everything.
[WM] Brian, you are speaking into the
500,000+ views on YouTube. That said, the
video about what you walked through with a
mental breakdown has over a million views on
Facebook. As a senior worship pastor, what
does that say to you?
[Brian] People want reality, they want real,
they want authentic, they want someone that
they look up to, someone to pull back the
covers a little bit and say, “Here’s really what
I’ve experienced.” When leaders do that, when
they tell their story, that’s what people are really
year. I think that’s a practical way to maximize
I have really sensitive hearing. I did a hearing
test, and I hear what dogs should only be able
But for me, just in driving around in my car, to hear, I think. So, my voice and my hearing
which I do a lot as a mom, I just keep my have actually been a really big struggle. I’ve
heart connected to the Lord. Just talking to wanted to quit, honestly, so many times. I’ve
Him during the day and constantly asking Him been really angry sometimes, and it’s been very
what He’s saying to me, or about a situation. frustrating with in-ears. Less with the vocal,
Communion with God really is that connection. but with the hearing it’s been something I have
In the past year especially I’ve really had to had to work through because it’s been a real
protect my emotional space, especially with struggle to get my in-ears right. My hearing is
May Jun 2017
I’ve very much an avid believer that pickups are
lives of so many people. “Gravity” alone has
a leader who was a good friend of ours just
that there’s only so much time.
comfortable, it’s a writer’s guitar, it’s easy to
wanting, you know? That’s what Jesus did.
Jesus told stories and then talked about what
He did, and I just think there’s something to
that. We have a lot of words in ministry and a
lot of how to’s for bettering ourselves. But when
we just get a hold of the fact that when we’re
vulnerable and humble before God, He’s like
a mighty warrior on our behalf. He creates an
easy pathway for us and defeats our enemies.
There is a humility and vulnerability that I feel
people are starving for in the church.
WorshipMusician.com
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