Susan and her family live in the Florida Panhandle. She is sharing this collection of live, acoustic demo recordings of her Scripture-based worship songs and a selection of live and original videos with the hope that listeners will be encouraged by them. A longer artist bio is below.
One of Susan's first memories is singing on stage in Nashville, TN, with her musician-father. When Susan was 16, God blessed her with a personal relationship with Him when a friend's youth group (Young Life) leader shared some very good news with her. He explained how God created her to be close to Him, but her sins had become a wall between her and the Holy God who made her, that only God's Son, Jesus could remove. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (I Tim. 1:15), and through belief in Him--His righteous life, death on the cross for sins, and resurrection from the dead--she could have forgiveness of her sins, eternal life, and adoption as God's child.
That day, Susan prayed to receive Jesus personally as her Savior and Lord, and she was filled with a joy and hope she had never experienced before. Susan began talking with God in prayer and growing in her faith by reading the Bible, going to church regularly, and attending Christian fellowship groups. She also began reading great Christian literature from authors like C.S. Lewis, R. C. Sproul, Tim Keller (gospelinlife.com), Kay Arthur (precept.org), and John Piper (desiringgod.org), and listening to an array of wonderful Christian artists. Susan is grateful for God's intimate, caring presence and amazing grace in her life; in challenging times of serious injury, loss, illness, and caregiving; and in wonderful times of enjoying family and friends, the blessing of being a wife and mom, and various rewarding full-time and part-time occupations and volunteer endeavors.
Besides occasionally singing with her Dad, Susan played the violin in school orchestras, sang in school choirs and in a competitive choir, and performed lead roles in musicals and for special events, such as singing "The Star Spangled Banner" as a soloist for a college (Duke) basketball game. Susan also served on praise teams in college and at her church, and she won a regional Contemporary Christian Musician (CCM) singing competition.
Sometimes when Susan would reflect on Scripture verses, prayers, and themes, melodies would come to her. A few months after the unexpected death of her father when Susan was 25, she felt like she was inspired by the Lord during a talk at a Christian (Ligonier) conference that mentioned Jesus' "Parable of the Talents" (Matt. 25:14-30), to take piano and voice lessons and begin working on her songs. Susan decided that if it really was the Lord, someday she would have completed songs to share with others. After she was married to James, a Presbyterian (PCA) minister, Susan began taking voice and piano classes at a local college and singing some of her songs at church, and friends from church began encouraging her to share her music with others.
Susan is thankful for the opportunity to offer these simple, live Scripture-based demo albums and live demo videos and original videos here on Reverbnation that were recorded at Safe Harbor Presbyterian (PCA) Church in Destin, FL (safeharborpcadestin.org), where she has served as a part-time Music Director for more than 19 years. Susan also has a musical outreach to the elderly and infirm, and by God's grace she has given more than 600 performances in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities in five states.
Notably, two of Susan's original songs, "Refuge" and "He is God," were mentioned, with links given to this Reverbnation page, in Christian author/speaker, Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage's devotional book, "The Waiting Room: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace & Hope in a Health Crisis."
Susan's song and video, "Let Everyone See (Kids Who Give Care)," written in advocacy of caregiving youth, has been shared online and in public presentations by The American Association of Caregiving Youth (aacy.org), an organization founded by her mom, Connie, that Susan currently serves as a volunteer National Advisory Council member.
Susan gives all glory and praise for anything good in these songs and videos to the Lord. She hopes listeners will be encouraged, inspired, and draw closer to the Lord as they hear this music, resting deeply in His unfailing love and mercy, and celebrating His kindness as Isaiah 61:3 says, “…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Susan would like to express thanks to her husband, James, and their daughters, and to her mom and step-dad and all her family, friends, and church family who continue to support this "work in progress" with their encouragement and prayers.
Susan and James have also been blessed to be child sponsors for many years through World Vision. More information on Child Sponsorship can be found at worldvision.org.
Soli Deo Gloria! <3 * "Let the peoples praise you O God; let all the peoples praise you!" (Psalm 67:3). *
