Ball of Nerves

Tomorrow Jeremy and I head to Dallas, Texas for X Factor Auditions and I am a ball of nerves! We are both very excited and have great peace about it. Yesterday however, I sat down to read over all the rules, info and such and my stomach has been in knots since.When I checked my facebook this morning encouragement was there:

"God would not have planted those dreams in your heart if He had not already given you the talent, the creativity and the determination to see them come to pass." Joel Osteen. (Thanks Sherry and Robin).

Many of you have made yourself available to help us in so many ways and we could never say thank you enough. Others have asked how you can help. 

We need prayer. Specifically for favor. 

God has planted seeds and gifts inside Jeremy and I bigger than ourselves. I know this, I believe it. With more people supporting us now than ever, I am overwhelmed with love and joy. Favor with man is all that is left at play. 

Join us as we claim it as ours this week! I know this is just another leg in our journey forward to his purpose for our lives. So here we go! Nerves and all.

Head to Jeremy's music fan page on facebook where we will keep you updated on auditions while we are there!
https://www.facebook.com/jeremymccallmusic

Keys

One of the workshops we attended during Nashville Connection was with vocal coach Dave Brooks from Dave Brooks Artist Development. Jeremy scored a free evaluation while we were there and in the short 10min we had with him all I can say is AMAZING! I have had many vocal lessons and training over the years but I loved his technique. He's an in your face, tell it straight kinda guy who challenged everyone right where they were in their vocal ability. This moment is categorized  in my jealous emotion. Would have love to have him evaluate me.
He praised Jeremy and built him up like you wouldn't believe. Now whether is was honest or he's just a great salesmen I'm not sure. But we left planning to work extra hard to see to it that Jeremy got at least 1 lesson.
Instead Jeremy won 5! 5 free lessons with Dave and I have to admit I will be hiding behind the computer screen for each lesson as we skype him into our living room.

Last night I had a dream featuring Mr. Dave Brooks himself. When I woke up all I could remember was that we were in a bar, much like Smileys Downtown Greenville, and He and my father-in-law were asking me theory questions. When I couldn't answer them Dave's response to me was, "I thought you knew music?" "But I haven't played for years!" I replied. "I have just leaned on my ear and less on my knowledge." Dave them locked eyes with me and using hand gestures that included a lot of pointing back and forth between the sheet music and me said "If you can't play, you're out of the game before you ever get started. Nashville doesn't have room for just singers anymore you need to dig back in and stand out."

Now, is that something Dave would say? Who knows. Is it a true statement? I don't think there is a rhyme or reason, other than God, that someone makes it in the music industry. So what does this mean for me? My interpretation is that it is time for me to brush up, suck up and play the piano again.

I think it's something I have needed to do for a while. It's hard as a vocalist, especially leading a team of musicians, to gain respect when you can't talk their language. I battle with this every Tuesday and Sunday. I love what I do and I know that I am called to do it. Granted leading a worship team and leading a band are two totally different things, all musicians speak the same language when it comes to the theory and charts of a song. How can I rise to new levels without the knowledge to keep me there? I can't.

So I am breaking out my theory book buried in the bottom of my piano bench, cleaning the dust off the keys, pulling up some tutorials on YouTube and picking up where I left off. My mom will be thrilled! She always said I had a gift. I have too many songs in me that need to come out and God has given me the talent and understanding to do it.

Thanks for the kick in the butt Dave. lol
Brad, continue to challenge me. You have and always do.

The Open Door

Two weeks ago our lives changed dramatically. Well our lives not so much but the direction for our lives. My husband came in second place in the Nashville Connection Heroes Salute Competition.  Are we heading to Nashville with a record deal in hand? No, but the journey has begun.

It's in us. It always has been. I believe God placed it there. The desire to do BIG things.

A week before the competition I asked my husband, "Jeremy, are you happy with where you are?" He seemed restless. I could feel it. I had felt it for weeks. My husband is great at what he does and I believe that one day he will settle into a church and follow in his daddy's foot steps but I could feel his uneasiness to settle in that just yet. So I did what great wives do and challenged my husband on his dreams.
I gave him 3 weeks to make a decision and proceeded to tell  him I would follow him and never look back once he decided in his heart of hearts which path to take. Does it require sacrifice on my part, of course, it always will, but I know that God will honor me in the end for supporting the head of our home in fulfill his God given dream.

One week later we were signed up for Nashville Connection and heading to the Workshop event here in Greenville.We didn't make the finals for the competition on Thursday. Honestly I can't say with the songs we sent in that we should have. God had bigger plans. We got registered early enough to participate in a LIVE wild card performance on Wednesday night.
That night I watched a man already beaten and one who had given up on the talent so many saw and see in him, step onto a stage and blow the entire room away. He did what he was created to do and won! My husband kicked butt. I didn't do so bad myself.
He went on to compete the next day and beat out 32 other finalist coming in 2nd place! And yet he had favor and was treated as if first was written beside his name. We made God connections that week and God did something I could never do;  He show my Husband that He still had plenty for him to do and plenty of time to do it.

I think Jeremy had given up. Filled his mind with excuses: I'm to old. I have a family and can't give what I need to make it into the music business. I missed my time. It's a season for new dreams. But I have learned through this experience that with talent, prayer, favor and people that believe in you, God will make a way when there seems to be no way. He can open doors that no man can shut. When he plants a desire and dream in you, He will see it completed. And He has done that for my family.

Jeremy's voice has been heard. 
And a dream has been reignited in my husband. A journey for us has begun.

Where it leads I don't know. Maybe no where or maybe he is picked up and carried into this new world (music industry is it's own world) on Eagles wings. Hey, why not, God is that big!

So over the next weeks, months, however long it may be,  I will write. I'll talk about the balance between reality and dreams. I'll open my book and share with you our journey to the spotlight. How it's done with family and roots. How we stay grounded in our faith and supported by our church. How we hold on to the promises of the word and give thanks and praise only to God. How easy it has been and hard it will be. I don't know if the CMA spotlight will be reached. I'm scared but so excited. Nervous and a little uneasy. Overwhelmed and a little jealous. But thankful to see my husband walking in God's plan and resting in the peace that God's got this. "Jesus, keep us humble."


Check out our handle bar Wildcard performances:
Jeremy McCall- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF0zjhn9sJE
Lauren McCall- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r79rot4ml9A

Thanks you: Sherry and Earl, Joan and all at the Nashville Connection, our parents, our babies and everyone who pushes us to be better than we are everyday. To those that pray for us, don't stop!