This is a repost from my Facebook personal page:
Its funny how so many people think that Christians don't get sad, or down, or depressed. Yes we are Christians, but we are also very much just as human and emotionally fragile as those who are not. We DO have certain assurances because of our faith, but we are weak individuals who sometimes even doubt that because of our life's circumstances. Life as a Christian isn't about being happy all the time and never worrying about anything and everything always going right. Life as a Christian is about leaning on God when we AREN'T happy, letting Him know (even though He already does) about what worries us, and knowing that even when things DON'T go right, He is right there beside us (and sometimes even is CARRYING us) as we get through it. We can be sad and cry, we can have downright depressing days, but God is with us....He GRIEVES with us and cries with us...this is the same as WE are with OUR children here on earth....we grieve with them, & cry with them....and THEN we pray with them. If you come across someone today and they seem sad, down, or depressed, take time to ask if they would like for you to pray with them. You don't need to know the details. God does. Its a simple act. It doesn't require any special skills or words. The act ALONE is amazingly uplifting and just might change the life of someone profoundly. At the end of the day, you will notice YOUR life seems better, seems more enriched, and, yes, even more filled with love and grace. For as you pour out God's grace from your heart, God refills it and more. So go change a life today.....I DARE YOU!
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I want to make this little blog spot as a SPECIAL THANK YOU place to list folks who are ACTIVELY supporting my music ministry either through donation or prayers. "It is through faith that we perservere, it is through giving that we find ourselves rich in love, and it is through love that the gospel is shared with a world that is lost." Each of the folks I list below have helped me make that phrase come to life! I cannot thank you enough!
Blessings always!
Love,
Renee
The Guthrie Free Methodist Church - prayer
My family - prayer & funds from time to time
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You know,God has really been touching my mind, spirit and music of late! I sat down here at my folks house in Colorado and was showing my mother my newest songs. I stopped suddenly and added up the number of new songs I have penned of late. I now have 9 songs! One more song and I will have enough for a new album!!
Now if I can only get my prayers answered for the funds and people to record all these new songs I can put out a new album by Christmas of this year! THAT is my prayer...to produce this new album by Christmas. Join me in my prayer for this to happen. I know that God will provide the final song when the time is right, so for now my focus is on getting the financing to get into the studio.
Thank you to all my friends, family and fans who have supported me, even if only in prayer, and my music for God. Your words to God do NOT go in vain....he hears them all.
Blessings to you my friends....pray with me!
Hugs!
Renee
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This has been an amazing and annointed weekend of singing and praising God!! I sang at the Gospel Praise Gathering show on Friday night where 112 people gathered to REALLY praise HIS name! It turned out more like a revival! I don't know that I have ever been on a show with so much jumping and shouting and praising God! It was great!
Then on Saturday's Songwriter's Showcase, I was so blessed and humbled to be performing with some VERY talented and touched singwriters! Then on the break between THAT show and the Gospel Variety Show, myself and another writer got SO annointed from the songwriter's show, that we sat and wrote MORE songs!! I ended up writing 2 songs and he wrote 5 before the night was over! It was AMAZING! Simply AMAZING!!
Then to perform at the Gospel Variety Show Saturday night was like going back into revival!! There was all kinds of raising hands and praising our precious Lord! I have now finished off this weekend with the honor of singing with some of the VERY BEST gospel groups and soloists on the Branson Radio Live show! Go by their web page and check out their show... the web page is www.BransonRadioLive.com and is something that will really knock your socks off. The testimonies share will really touch your heart. You never know, you might hear/see something that could help someone else!
Hope you all will read this & respond to my blog. Lets me know ya'll stopped by. Give your opinion & input. I'd love to hear from ya'll!
Blessings to one and all!
~Renee
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Seems like I hit a dry spell where I wasn't getting the tunes as much, but I've had several of them written out recently. Seems like when I've got the songs, I don't have the cash to record (or the other artists available), and then when I have the cash, I don't have the time! Isn't that just the way the little ball bounces?
Well, the new songs are content varied...in that, my song "Whisper", for instance, isn't a gospel song (although I bet a really clever person could make it that way) but is really a love song. Then there's my song, "Journey of a Lifetime", that is MOST definitely gospel and is going to be a FANTASTIC Christmas release single! And then, you've got my song I just penned this morning, "It Ain't Over Yet!" that, although it is gospel, its more of a folk/country feel to it than "traditional" gospel sound. Once again, it seems like I have an eclectic approach to the "sound" of my music. I think God wants me to keep it mixed up for my listeners to stay interested and engaged.
So, if you're a singer/songwriter or play an instrument (and you're good), give me a shout. I might not always "pay" in cash, but sometimes we all need a "little help from our friends". I figure we get what we give and I try my best to always give from my heart first. Being a maasage therapist by trade, I've even been known to "pay" an instrumentalist/singer in massage therapy sessions! THAT is sometimes even BETTER than cash!
Drop me a note and let me know you're out there and reading the latest news (my blog) and don't be afraid to say "Lets Jam!"...who knows what great things God can create if we collaborate!
Blessings to one and all!
Renee
PS: If you're heading that way...see ya in Branson, MO this weekend at the Ramada Inn on Hwy 76 on Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening too (June 25th, 26th, & maybe even 27th, 2010!!)
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Well, I am moving into a new venture! God willing....God providing....God's blessing...I am working to create a once-a-week free Concert in the Park here in Guthrie to promote my country, bluegrass, & gospel singer friends and groups. This does a couple of things.
#1 It promotes my community to the outside world.
#2 It provides FAMILY FRIENDLY music to folks in the middle of their week to draw closer and enjoy each other!
#3 It provides a connection between us as singers with an audience to create a following and a sense of giving back since it is FREE TO our listeners.
#4 This previous reason and, hopefully, a desire, for those same listeners to not only purchase a CD or two but to share THEIR experience with someone else, thereby growing a community of singers and fans.
My prayer is that the funds will be QUICKLY made available for me to purchase my OWN sound system so that I don't have to rely on a fellow singer to provide THEIR sound system. I can, at present handle some of the costs involved but if it grows exponencially I want to be able handle that with grace as well!
If you so feel led, come to a concert and add a dollar or two into the tip/donation jar. This helps defray costs and is also put toward a sound system.
Blessings to you, my friends and fans as we make this journey together.
Hugs to you each,
Renee
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Wow! What a week of fantastic entertainers! This competion took a week to hear ALL the entrants. I took time to listen to many of the competitiors and can honestly say, they were some of the best singers and entertainers I have heard. There were some I could tell were new to the stage but they did a great job singing and, still yet, others who looked like they had been performing on stage their entire lives. There were even a handful that I felt should ALREADY be on the radio nationwide!
With all that said, I am so humbled and honored to have been among those who competed and I am even more honored to have been chosed 2010 Vocalist of the Year and 3rd Place Entertainer of the Year in the Female New Gospel Category! It has been just over a week since I recieved the award and it still seems so surreal.
I didn't place in the songwriting category. However, with over 25 entries JUST in the New Gospel Category, I now have an idea of what the judges are looking for in a winning song submission and will be better prepared for next year. Just to have been in the same category with such wonderful writers, in and of itself, was a fantastic experience!
I am so thankful my dear sweet husband, my son Joe, and my son Mike & his girlfriend, Casey, could all be there for my competition and later share in the excitement with me as they announced the winners. I put my family first before I started my music career and I am SO glad I did. It is nice to share this with them and have them understand what I do to try and make a mark in this industry. Their excitement at my wins and their support in my losses keep me lifted up and inspired.
Now its time to start preparing for next year!
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I was talking with a friend on Facebook about a variety of things when the subject of my music came up. She had meant to go by the site and listen to my music since she had heard it was good music from another mutual friend. While we were talking she went by and listened to the music. He son happened to walk into the room and this was the comment she posted that he said:
"Tammy Newton: my son came in while I was playing your song he thought it was someone lady on the Grammys, I said no it is on the computer, he said she is really good, he is a teen 16...Wow you are really good.."
I was really floored! That has to be one of the nicest compliments I have ever recieved!
~Renee
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I am so thrilled to be able to go to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and represent Oklahoma and God! He has blessed me so much and, maybe I shouldn't be but..., I am so amazed at where He has taken me in my singing and music! God is great and God IS good! He sustains me to be ABLE to sing when otherwise I SHOULDN'T be able to sing. He ministers to others in the audience as I sing. And He moves through the words in my songs to the hearts of those who hear. He gives those words, songs and opportunities to me and I cannot thank Him enough!
My husband promised me that if I won first place in our state competition that he would take off work and go with me to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. For the many of you who do not know my husband, this is a BIG DEAL. He works TWO jobs so that I may continue to sing and perform. So, when he takes off we lose part of our income. His main job is a salary job so he gets paid whether he is there or not, however, he makes SURE he is there unless he cannot physically get out of the bed. His other job is part-time and if he isn't there, he DOES NOT get paid and that is where we lose the money. With all the travel we will have to take to do this the least expensive way, we will be gone for 10 days. THAT is about a $200 loss and I am confident that God will either pre-provide those funds OR He will make sure we have them by the time we return. He has always taken care of us that way. I see this happen time and time again. My husband always worries and frets that we won't have enough, but I try to reassure him that God will make a way if we ARE to go. HE will put everything in place to make sure WE are cared for because HE loves us THAT much!
I have family in Tennessee that I have not seen in 12 years, so we are taking a day or two extra so I can see my family one more time. I was adopted as a child of 3 years old and met my birth family for the first time when I was 27 years old. This is the family we will get to see in Tennessee. Other than one sister who was able to be at my wedding to Ken 8 years ago, I have not seen these family members in 12 years. My sister is so excited that we are coming out and is going to do her darndest to have ALL the family there on the 16th for a big family reunion while I am there.
Since I have been married to Ken for only 8 years, many of my family have never met his children. We are hoping and praying that we can raise enough funds to take our entire family on this auspicious occasion so that they not only get to see me compete but also to be there for the family reunion so EVERYONE can me EVERYONE else! Just the accomodations in Tennessee will be expensive for the 8 days we are in a hotel there. Then we add in the cost of food and travel. So, I now understand why the other CMSA members did SO MUCH fundraising to go! I can see how this could easily add up to $2,000 or more for a family of 5 (my eldest son is the Marine Corps and I am pretty sure he won't be able to come which would make 6 of us).
I ask that you join us in prayer that God will make the way for this to happen. That all our children can go and that we can just (for the first time) have a REAL family vacation with everyone in our family.
Blessings to you all for reading this post and joining us in prayer about this upcoming event. Praises be Him in all His glory. Praise be to God for giving me a voice to share His word through music.
Sincerely,
Renee
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This afternoon, I was awarded 1st Place in the catagory of Adult Female New Gospel! I was so excited.
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Renee Lappin Heaven And Earth Music / Blog
Go ahead! Change a life! I DARE YOU!
This is a repost from my Facebook personal page: Its funny how so many people think that Christians don't get sad, or down, or depressed. Yes we are Christians, but we are also very much just as human and emotionally fragile as those who are not. We DO have certain assurances because of our faith, but we are weak individuals who sometimes even doubt that because of our life's circumstances. Life as a Christian isn't about being happy all the time and never worrying about anything and everything always going right. Life as a Christian is about leaning on God when we AREN'T happy, letting Him know (even though He already does) about what worries us, and knowing that even when things DON'T go right, He is right there beside us (and sometimes even is CARRYING us) as we get through it. We can be sad and cry, we can have downright depressing days, but God is with us....He GRIEVES with us and cries with us...this is the same as WE are with OUR children here on earth....we grieve with them, & cry with them....and THEN we pray with them. If you come across someone today and they seem sad, down, or depressed, take time to ask if they would like for you to pray with them. You don't need to know the details. God does. Its a simple act. It doesn't require any special skills or words. The act ALONE is amazingly uplifting and just might change the life of someone profoundly. At the end of the day, you will notice YOUR life seems better, seems more enriched, and, yes, even more filled with love and grace. For as you pour out God's grace from your heart, God refills it and more. So go change a life today.....I DARE YOU!
Reply
SPECIAL THANK YOU's go to....
I want to make this little blog spot as a SPECIAL THANK YOU place to list folks who are ACTIVELY supporting my music ministry either through donation or prayers. "It is through faith that we perservere, it is through giving that we find ourselves rich in love, and it is through love that the gospel is shared with a world that is lost." Each of the folks I list below have helped me make that phrase come to life! I cannot thank you enough! Blessings always! Love, Renee The Guthrie Free Methodist Church - prayer My family - prayer & funds from time to time
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Music, music, music!
You know,God has really been touching my mind, spirit and music of late! I sat down here at my folks house in Colorado and was showing my mother my newest songs. I stopped suddenly and added up the number of new songs I have penned of late. I now have 9 songs! One more song and I will have enough for a new album!! Now if I can only get my prayers answered for the funds and people to record all these new songs I can put out a new album by Christmas of this year! THAT is my prayer...to produce this new album by Christmas. Join me in my prayer for this to happen. I know that God will provide the final song when the time is right, so for now my focus is on getting the financing to get into the studio. Thank you to all my friends, family and fans who have supported me, even if only in prayer, and my music for God. Your words to God do NOT go in vain....he hears them all. Blessings to you my friends....pray with me! Hugs! Renee
Reply
Branson Weekend
This has been an amazing and annointed weekend of singing and praising God!! I sang at the Gospel Praise Gathering show on Friday night where 112 people gathered to REALLY praise HIS name! It turned out more like a revival! I don't know that I have ever been on a show with so much jumping and shouting and praising God! It was great! Then on Saturday's Songwriter's Showcase, I was so blessed and humbled to be performing with some VERY talented and touched singwriters! Then on the break between THAT show and the Gospel Variety Show, myself and another writer got SO annointed from the songwriter's show, that we sat and wrote MORE songs!! I ended up writing 2 songs and he wrote 5 before the night was over! It was AMAZING! Simply AMAZING!! Then to perform at the Gospel Variety Show Saturday night was like going back into revival!! There was all kinds of raising hands and praising our precious Lord! I have now finished off this weekend with the honor of singing with some of the VERY BEST gospel groups and soloists on the Branson Radio Live show! Go by their web page and check out their show... the web page is www.BransonRadioLive.com and is something that will really knock your socks off. The testimonies share will really touch your heart. You never know, you might hear/see something that could help someone else! Hope you all will read this & respond to my blog. Lets me know ya'll stopped by. Give your opinion & input. I'd love to hear from ya'll! Blessings to one and all! ~Renee
Reply
Working, writing, and sharing the sounds...
Seems like I hit a dry spell where I wasn't getting the tunes as much, but I've had several of them written out recently. Seems like when I've got the songs, I don't have the cash to record (or the other artists available), and then when I have the cash, I don't have the time! Isn't that just the way the little ball bounces? Well, the new songs are content varied...in that, my song "Whisper", for instance, isn't a gospel song (although I bet a really clever person could make it that way) but is really a love song. Then there's my song, "Journey of a Lifetime", that is MOST definitely gospel and is going to be a FANTASTIC Christmas release single! And then, you've got my song I just penned this morning, "It Ain't Over Yet!" that, although it is gospel, its more of a folk/country feel to it than "traditional" gospel sound. Once again, it seems like I have an eclectic approach to the "sound" of my music. I think God wants me to keep it mixed up for my listeners to stay interested and engaged. So, if you're a singer/songwriter or play an instrument (and you're good), give me a shout. I might not always "pay" in cash, but sometimes we all need a "little help from our friends". I figure we get what we give and I try my best to always give from my heart first. Being a maasage therapist by trade, I've even been known to "pay" an instrumentalist/singer in massage therapy sessions! THAT is sometimes even BETTER than cash! Drop me a note and let me know you're out there and reading the latest news (my blog) and don't be afraid to say "Lets Jam!"...who knows what great things God can create if we collaborate! Blessings to one and all! Renee PS: If you're heading that way...see ya in Branson, MO this weekend at the Ramada Inn on Hwy 76 on Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening too (June 25th, 26th, & maybe even 27th, 2010!!)
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Moving ahead to promote myself and others!
Well, I am moving into a new venture! God willing....God providing....God's blessing...I am working to create a once-a-week free Concert in the Park here in Guthrie to promote my country, bluegrass, & gospel singer friends and groups. This does a couple of things. #1 It promotes my community to the outside world. #2 It provides FAMILY FRIENDLY music to folks in the middle of their week to draw closer and enjoy each other! #3 It provides a connection between us as singers with an audience to create a following and a sense of giving back since it is FREE TO our listeners. #4 This previous reason and, hopefully, a desire, for those same listeners to not only purchase a CD or two but to share THEIR experience with someone else, thereby growing a community of singers and fans. My prayer is that the funds will be QUICKLY made available for me to purchase my OWN sound system so that I don't have to rely on a fellow singer to provide THEIR sound system. I can, at present handle some of the costs involved but if it grows exponencially I want to be able handle that with grace as well! If you so feel led, come to a concert and add a dollar or two into the tip/donation jar. This helps defray costs and is also put toward a sound system. Blessings to you, my friends and fans as we make this journey together. Hugs to you each, Renee
Reply
NACMAI Competition in Pigeon Forge
Wow! What a week of fantastic entertainers! This competion took a week to hear ALL the entrants. I took time to listen to many of the competitiors and can honestly say, they were some of the best singers and entertainers I have heard. There were some I could tell were new to the stage but they did a great job singing and, still yet, others who looked like they had been performing on stage their entire lives. There were even a handful that I felt should ALREADY be on the radio nationwide! With all that said, I am so humbled and honored to have been among those who competed and I am even more honored to have been chosed 2010 Vocalist of the Year and 3rd Place Entertainer of the Year in the Female New Gospel Category! It has been just over a week since I recieved the award and it still seems so surreal. I didn't place in the songwriting category. However, with over 25 entries JUST in the New Gospel Category, I now have an idea of what the judges are looking for in a winning song submission and will be better prepared for next year. Just to have been in the same category with such wonderful writers, in and of itself, was a fantastic experience! I am so thankful my dear sweet husband, my son Joe, and my son Mike & his girlfriend, Casey, could all be there for my competition and later share in the excitement with me as they announced the winners. I put my family first before I started my music career and I am SO glad I did. It is nice to share this with them and have them understand what I do to try and make a mark in this industry. Their excitement at my wins and their support in my losses keep me lifted up and inspired. Now its time to start preparing for next year!
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A very nice comment from a friend...
I was talking with a friend on Facebook about a variety of things when the subject of my music came up. She had meant to go by the site and listen to my music since she had heard it was good music from another mutual friend. While we were talking she went by and listened to the music. He son happened to walk into the room and this was the comment she posted that he said: "Tammy Newton: my son came in while I was playing your song he thought it was someone lady on the Grammys, I said no it is on the computer, he said she is really good, he is a teen 16...Wow you are really good.." I was really floored! That has to be one of the nicest compliments I have ever recieved! ~Renee
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Working on going to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
I am so thrilled to be able to go to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and represent Oklahoma and God! He has blessed me so much and, maybe I shouldn't be but..., I am so amazed at where He has taken me in my singing and music! God is great and God IS good! He sustains me to be ABLE to sing when otherwise I SHOULDN'T be able to sing. He ministers to others in the audience as I sing. And He moves through the words in my songs to the hearts of those who hear. He gives those words, songs and opportunities to me and I cannot thank Him enough! My husband promised me that if I won first place in our state competition that he would take off work and go with me to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. For the many of you who do not know my husband, this is a BIG DEAL. He works TWO jobs so that I may continue to sing and perform. So, when he takes off we lose part of our income. His main job is a salary job so he gets paid whether he is there or not, however, he makes SURE he is there unless he cannot physically get out of the bed. His other job is part-time and if he isn't there, he DOES NOT get paid and that is where we lose the money. With all the travel we will have to take to do this the least expensive way, we will be gone for 10 days. THAT is about a $200 loss and I am confident that God will either pre-provide those funds OR He will make sure we have them by the time we return. He has always taken care of us that way. I see this happen time and time again. My husband always worries and frets that we won't have enough, but I try to reassure him that God will make a way if we ARE to go. HE will put everything in place to make sure WE are cared for because HE loves us THAT much! I have family in Tennessee that I have not seen in 12 years, so we are taking a day or two extra so I can see my family one more time. I was adopted as a child of 3 years old and met my birth family for the first time when I was 27 years old. This is the family we will get to see in Tennessee. Other than one sister who was able to be at my wedding to Ken 8 years ago, I have not seen these family members in 12 years. My sister is so excited that we are coming out and is going to do her darndest to have ALL the family there on the 16th for a big family reunion while I am there. Since I have been married to Ken for only 8 years, many of my family have never met his children. We are hoping and praying that we can raise enough funds to take our entire family on this auspicious occasion so that they not only get to see me compete but also to be there for the family reunion so EVERYONE can me EVERYONE else! Just the accomodations in Tennessee will be expensive for the 8 days we are in a hotel there. Then we add in the cost of food and travel. So, I now understand why the other CMSA members did SO MUCH fundraising to go! I can see how this could easily add up to $2,000 or more for a family of 5 (my eldest son is the Marine Corps and I am pretty sure he won't be able to come which would make 6 of us). I ask that you join us in prayer that God will make the way for this to happen. That all our children can go and that we can just (for the first time) have a REAL family vacation with everyone in our family. Blessings to you all for reading this post and joining us in prayer about this upcoming event. Praises be Him in all His glory. Praise be to God for giving me a voice to share His word through music. Sincerely, Renee
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Heartland Opry State Awards show 2009
This afternoon, I was awarded 1st Place in the catagory of Adult Female New Gospel! I was so excited.
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