tag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:/blogs/living-the-art-uncovered?p=2Stories Behind the Songs2023-06-29T22:11:57-08:00Andrea Sandefurfalsetag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691452023-06-29T22:11:57-08:002023-10-16T06:59:08-08:00Find Rest<p><span class="text-big">Do you feel rested when you wake up each morning? </span></p><p><span class="text-big">If you didn’t hesitate saying “yes” to that question, let’s talk, because you my friend are a bit of a unicorn to me. My normal morning rhythm is a slow, snooze-button filled, coffee-dependent routine. My family has come to understand that momma isn’t to be “poked” first thing…or even second thing for that matter. My lack of bright-eyed energy in the mornings has often left me wondering what feeling truly rested is like. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/2167d0e107709f865b37d6fa033a04203acc980a/original/pic-strip-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p><p><span class="text-big">In the Fall of 2013, I studied through the book of Hebrews with a group of ladies at my church. “Rest” was a repeated theme, and captured the attention and curiosity of many of the worn out mommas around the table. Out of a desire to fully understand what this word meant, I did the most logical thing I could think of. I Google searched the definition of “rest”. Being both a verb and a noun in the English language, this is what I found: </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><i>Rest (verb) – to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. </i></span></p><p><span class="text-big"><i>Rest (noun) – an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity. </i></span></p><p><span class="text-big">Looking to scripture for some additional clarity, I landed in Genesis 2:2-3. These verses record how God himself rested on the seventh and final day of the creation account, from all of the work that He had done. Another reference was Deuteronomy 5:14, where God’s people are commanded to cease their work on the seventh day of the week. They were commanded to rest. To God, this rest for His people meant something holy. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/e1a28e2097071bf9d3f18b13b97b917c1dc38923/original/pic-strip-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p><p><span class="text-big">When I studied Hebrews, my children were 4 and 1. Truly an adorable time, but those that have gone before me in a similar season know that life was busy. Tasks never felt finished, my house always felt messy, and the to-do lists were a continuous cycle of rinse and repeat. Sound familiar? Learning to rest in the midst of this kind of monotony sounded hard, almost like another thing to tackle on the to-do list. To strive and strive (and strive) each and every day to obtain “an instance of ceasing” left me burnt out. Rest was a command I was sure I was failing to obey. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Those Google definitions and Biblical commands left me feeling like “rest” was still a far off, unicorn-type thing to be experienced. However, digging a bit deeper into the verb form of the word, I found this: to be at rest means we are grounded; we place hope, trust or confidence on or in something. That definition felt closer to what I truly desired, and needed. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">In 2019, I spent time studying the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. The theme of “rest” came up again, not only in the Sabbath command, but also in a dimension that illuminated where true rest is found. Faithfulness. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Consider the first generation of Israel to be led out of Egyptian slavery. They weren’t allowed to enter the promised land (a land of rest) because they disobeyed the Lord. They hadn’t remained faithful to Him. In contrast, the nation of Israel eventually DID experience periods of rest, namely after they entered the promised land and trusted in the Lord to establish them as a people within it. That is the sticking point. Trust, confidence, faithfulness. God blessed His people with rest in the land when they remained faithful to Him. </span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>“On God rests my salvation and my glory; </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>my mighty rock, my refuge is God. </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>Trust in him at all times, O people; </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>pour out your heart before him; God is a </strong><i><strong>refuge</strong></i><strong> for us.” </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>~Psalm 62:7-8, ESV</strong> </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Refuge is such an inviting word. But are we allowed to enter this place of refuge, of rest, if we aren’t completely faithful? Are we welcomed into His rest on our own? Historically, entering God’s presence wasn’t something everyone could do. Only the appointed High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place of the temple and atone for their sins, and only once a year. He alone was “allowed” to enter the presence of God and intercede on behalf of the people. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Our intercessory High Priest, Jesus, gives us access to this refuge; this forgiveness and peace with God. Receiving the grace he extends to us is how true rest is possible. </span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>“Let us this with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>~Hebrews 4:16 </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">For me, drawing near to God with confidence means trusting in the salvation I have been given through Jesus. I approach His gates of refuge through prayer, worship, the study of scripture, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit. I place my hope of entering God’s refuge in my true and better High Priest. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/520974/48b4c35c155084ddb806da18410c202f7f6ca97c/original/square-cover-art.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><span class="text-big">“Find Rest” is a song born out of my desire to better understand this elusive concept. I wanted to capture the struggle of daily striving, and a desire to enter God’s rest in the midst of it all. This meditation is a reminder of the good and better rest offered by God. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">The rest I was originally seeking was the feeling of completion. “Google definition” rest still happens occasionally (and should), but instead of “trying” to relax and cringing through the reality of all that still needs to be done, I’ve learned to place my trust in God’s provision of time to get it all done. I still make lists (I love lists and the joy found in checking things off), but I now try to approach them differently; trusting in God to help me decipher His will. I listen for His leading and place my hope, trust and confidence in Him. It creates a confidence in my days, a feeling of rest. Peace even. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">God’s gift of rest is better. It is lasting. True rest can be found when we place our confidence in our Savior, Jesus Christ. I would love to hear what your favorite ways to truly rest look like! Care to share in the comments? </span></p><p><span class="text-big">I pray that this song blesses you on your journey. Enjoy the music, and rest well friends. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Andrea</span></p>4:08Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/70895452022-10-27T21:05:53-08:002023-06-29T22:10:46-08:00Shepherd King<p>Seasons of uncertainty can cause a lot of doubt and fear. Can I get an amen? </p>
<p>My family recently walked through a major life transition, and while we entered it with much excitement and hopeful expectation, we soon started down a path of uncertainty. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/a75e2101b9f5b525fde02e9cb0c44fa82d78035c/original/5397a3bd-9eb6-4a75-97b3-4631dfb88bc0.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" />At first, I found myself stepping forward, trial by trial, with patience and trust that all would be well. Well, that lasted for about one month. Soon, the road ahead seemed really broken, and the next steps even more uncertain. </p>
<p>Long story short, my husband stepped down from a long-time corporate position and pursued starting his own handyman business. Obtaining the business license was the easy part, but navigating the lack of clarity and processing from the state on everything else created continual doubt that we would ever be able to start working. </p>
<p>And, no work means…you guess it…no income. His corporate job had brought us years of financial security (and thankfully, some savings), so having that tap shut off was hard. Well, it wasn’t hard for the first couple months…but month 3 and 4 started to sap our trust and belief that we had made a good decision. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/74f1384a0945833cc49db82d2ef7fe3053477d5b/original/hill-blocks-view.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />We have a sign on our road that, when first put up, made me laugh a bit. We live on the top of a hill, and the road follows the arch of it on both sides. The sign reads, “Hill blocks view.” Well yes. Yes it does. Seems like an unnecessary statement, right? Of course we can’t see beyond our range of vision. No one can. </p>
<p>Well, I guess that isn’t entirely true…not if we consider our Eternal, Omniscient God. He actually CAN see beyond the hill. The physical hill, and the “hills” we encounter in life. He alone knows what lies ahead over the course of our lives. </p>
<p>That truth has been an anchor for my soul during these days of uncertainty. I can’t say that I’ve stepped forward each day in full confidence (and not grumble free), but I can say that I have looked back in thankfulness. As we overcame each obstacle, we could look back and see God’s provision and care. We could see how He guided us. </p>
<p>Throughout this journey of uncertainty, I got to work on this song with Nashville producer, Jeff Nelson. “Shepherd King” was such a gift to my heart, and such a reassurance when I needed to realign my trust and reaffirm who I longed to follow. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/e3cd078cf6f542cb4099a9a9c2af220deff608fc/original/cover-art-comp.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>A shepherd is someone who guides and looks after those in his care. A king is someone who rules and protects. <strong>Jesus is beautifully both</strong>. His heart is gentle and lowly. He knows our weakness as we face uncertainty. He understands our temptation to doubt and grumble. And because He knows and understands, He is the best shepherd and king we could ever hope to follow. </p>
<p>We can depend on Him. We are forever secure in His care. We can (and should) trust every step we take when our eyes are fixed on Him and our ears in tune with His voice. </p>
<p>Our business is now officially “in business”, and we have been so blessed with a continual stream of amazing first customers, so much so that I’ve been asked to withhold marketing too much. Praise be to God! His vision was clear the whole time. </p>
<p>The “hill” never blocks His view. </p>
<p>I pray that “Shepherd King” reminds you to trust His lead. No matter the trial, He alone knows how to bring you through.</p>
<p><a contents='VIsit this page for ALL things "Shepherd King"' data-link-label="Shepherd King (October 2022)" data-link-type="page" href="/shepherd-king-october-2022" target="_blank">VIsit this page for ALL things "Shepherd King"</a></p>3:34Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/65606122021-02-27T12:35:12-09:002022-10-26T21:46:17-08:00I Want to See Jesus<p>Originally posted on October 18, 2020.</p>
<p><a contents="Click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/qMv2tEWVrQI">Click here</a> to listen to the song right away, and visit <a contents="annasandefur.photoshelter.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://annasandefur.photoshelter.com/index">annasandefur.photoshelter.com</a> to connect with my talented sister-in-law, Anna Czapla, who provided the Alaskan photography in this post and in the video.</p>
<p>The following is the story behind this special song.</p>
<hr><p>I haven’t always been a songwriter, but I am now.</p>
<p>That seems like a silly sentence to start with, but in reality, that simple fact still remains. It is amazing how, in looking back, we can start to see how God weaves our stories together in order to bring about His purposes and His plans for our lives. So today, I am honored to share the story of how God brought me into songwriting, and the man to which I can point to and say, “Thank you.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/6266cbbee9bfc6c19e8690394734ffdbbbb4d886/original/chorus-pioneer-twin-sunrise.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Pioneer and Twin Peaks, photo by Anna Czapla (<a contents="annasandefur.photoshelter.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://annasandefur.photoshelter.com/index">annasandefur.photoshelter.com</a>)</p>
<p>I met and started dating my husband in the little town of Westcliffe, Colorado in high school. When I got to know his family, I immediately felt welcomed and loved. Charles and Phyllis Kastendieck, my husband’s maternal grandparents, quickly became my family too. It felt as though they had always been a part of my life. They welcomed me into their church family too, for which I am eternally grateful.</p>
<p>In the summer of 2006, shortly before we moved to Alaska, Chuck handed me a piece of yellow memo pad paper. He told me that it held a poem that he had written and “always wanted to be a song”. He wondered if I would write one for it.</p>
<p>I remember feeling unsure, but hopeful. I remember telling him I would try. I also remember his kind eyes and his reassuring smile. I remember his confidence in me.</p>
<p>His memo pad paper didn't just contain a poem, but a visual record of his life. It spoke about the things he got to see here on this beautiful planet. It communicated a wonder and reverence of our Creator. And, it spoke so clearly of his love for his Savior. He marveled at all he got to see here, but ultimately, he wanted to see Jesus.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f5ed851c62df6523aa9b888c155722cff6319bec/original/aurora-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The first few months of our settling into our rental home in Alaska offered a lot of time for creativity, and that is when I started to work on Chuck’s song. I remember unfolding the yellow paper and laying it out on my piano. Although I did not have any formal training in songwriting at that point, I don’t remember struggling to find a melody. I don’t remember struggling to find the right chords to fit. The song came together in a way that I now acknowledge as a gift.</p>
<p>I had the honor of playing Chuck’s song, “I Want to See Jesus”, for him, his family and his church family on a Sunday morning in Westcliffe on one of our return trips. And then, I had the honor of playing it again at his memorial service in 2015. Of all the songs I’ve been honored to sing, that moment tops the list.</p>
<p>I asked my dear sister-in-law, Amy Baller (formerly Sandefur), to share some memories about her special grandpa, and I’m so thankful for her words.</p>
<hr><p><em>I had the privilege of getting to spend a lot of time with my grandparents, both growing up and into adulthood. After my grandma passed away, Grandpa spent quite a bit of time up in Alaska, and I was able to spend almost everyday with him while he was up here.</em></p>
<p><em>At the time, my oldest daughter was less than two years old, and they became fast friends. They got to watch moose wander through the yard, and enjoy cuddles while reading books. She would pile his lap full of stuffies and continue to play long after he had dozed off in his chair.</em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/25c132fe405c67301e529e0565c4fb0bbf375072/original/snuggles.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />He had a sweet tooth that could not be satisfied, and he would share his sweets with my little one. Even though I insisted that she had enough and did not need more, he would respond, “Oh it’s fine!” and continue to feed her KitKats and little Hershey bars. They were pretty much inseparable and she was always excited to go and visit Grandpa Chuck.</em></p>
<p><em>Watching my daughter with Grandpa brought back so many memories that I had with him. I remember early morning “earthquakes” as he would shake the bed or couch that we were sleeping on to wake us up for a fishing trip. We would then spend all day in the mountains as he would walk circles around the lakes fishing in different spots. Fishing never seemed slow for Grandpa, and if you were not having any luck, he was the first one to hand you his pole so you could reel one in.</em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/aad367e4e158ac352e7574ae466614616c19a990/original/hike-out-of-lake.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />He always had work to do even though he was “retired”. He was always willing to help “old folks” (who were often younger then him) with anything they needed. The way he would rig things up to get them working was definitely questionable. J-B Weld and duct tape were often his most used materials.</em></p>
<p><em>I do not think I ever got into his pickup without there being a bag of Cheetos. Often they were stale, much like all the donuts he would eat with his meat cutting gloves on, but none of that bothered him. Westerns and The Statler Brothers where the only things that would be on the television, unless football was on. His bacon eggs were definitely a family favorite, and he ate gravy on almost everything. He cured sore throats with whisky, while grandma used iodine on everything else.</em></p>
<p><em>His faith and family were what mattered most to him. You could see that in the way that he lived. He would often tell of his and grandma’s love story. He was married to the love of his life for 65 years. I always loved how he would call my grandma “Peeds”. I got to spend many Sunday mornings sitting beside them in church, while he would be sucking on a peppermint candy. He would share his excitement about when he would go to Heaven and talk with God. He had a whole list of questions he wanted to ask. Every night, he and my grandma would read from the Bible, and then begin their prayers. They prayed for our country and its leaders continuously, and prayed that God’s will would be done.</em></p>
<p><em>My grandpa lived life to its fullest. This song is just a glimpse of the things he saw and did. I have no doubt that he is singing this song at Jesus’ feet for the rest of eternity. I look forward to joining him someday in Heaven where we will get to worship together, and where we get to see Jesus forever.</em></p>
<hr><p>God welcomed me into my songwriting journey through the confidence of a dearly beloved family member. My family members and I are honored to gather our voices to record this special edition of his song, and we pray it blesses your heart.</p>
<p>Charles Kastendieck would have turned 96 years old today, and we miss him dearly. Oh how glorious it will be to sing this with Chuck again, and to sing for Jesus: the One who died for all.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="qMv2tEWVrQI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/qMv2tEWVrQI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qMv2tEWVrQI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/65605982021-02-27T12:25:31-09:002022-01-27T19:50:49-09:00Wait and Hope<p>Originally posted on July 2, 2020.</p>
<p>Have you ever been given a topic to write on? Have you been given a single word with which to craft something?</p>
<p>These kinds of exercises can be good for us in that they stretch our creativity, and build writing-endurance muscles, especially through repetition. I have taken part in a couple daily writing prompts through Hope Writers, and each time I was amazed at what thoughts spilled out onto the paper. We would start with a single word, and craft from there.</p>
<p>So, when I joined Nashville Christian Songwriters, I was pleased to find out that they have a monthly song challenge. They pick a topic, or theme, for each month and encourage the members to try and write a song around it. I have participated three months in a row now, and have (yet again) been amazed at what can spill out onto the paper.</p>
<p>“Wait and Hope” was the song from April, and the theme was resurrection. The Easter season is a wonderfully fitting time to meditate on Christ’s resurrection, and I was excited to try and capture my thoughts through music. So, I started journaling.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/859c0d39d7a48b971cf3fc0bdf2c70b2cc422030/original/kdtgtotmqk6oe1yl6lm-1a-thumb-b34f.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I am often asked what my song writing process is, and while I don’t have a consistent method, journaling has always proven to be a great place to start. I just spill out all of my mental ramblings down on paper. Write and don’t stop. The goal is to fill an entire page, or two if I can. Then I go back and read, and pay attention to repetition. If something stands out, I try to develop that idea further.</p>
<p>For resurrection, my ramblings pointed to a flow through time. What was Good Friday like? How about that Sabbath Saturday? What was that first Easter morning like?? Basically, I was drawn into the emotions of that time. Our church family was walking through a portion of Romans 8 that week too, and much of my writing drew from Paul’s words as well. I then compiled everything into lists:</p>
<p>Friday’s list looked like this: death, darkness, evil, brokenness, cast off, grief, bondage to corruption.</p>
<p>Saturday’s list: we wait, wait eagerly, groaning, hope, patience, sufferings of this present time, struggle to rest or trust, uncertainty, lost.</p>
<p>And Sunday’s list: transformation, set free, obtain freedom, redemption, glory, light, new creation.</p>
<p>Have you ever thought through those three days in respect to our journeys of faith? Before we come to know Christ, we live in a sort of Friday tension. We may not know we live in that tension, or may even deny we do, but it is in realizing that tension that we enter into our “Saturday”.</p>
<p>I feel like the lives we live in the here and now, once saved by God’s grace, exist in a sort of Saturday tension. We have hope, but we still struggle. Things around us feel broken. We can lack patience and peace. We are eagerly waiting for our Sunday resurrection.</p>
<p>The passage in Romans I was most drawn to speaks of our groaning “as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we are saved.” (8:23-24) The joys that Jesus’ followers felt on that first Easter morning had to have been one of the greatest motivators for their service. They faced persecution, but yet they had hope.</p>
<p>Something needs to motivate us toward good too, and I believe the hope of Christ can be that fuel. I believe, too, that God graces us with Sunday moments…like energy bars for our races. He is so good to us.</p>
<p>I pray this song helps you see the journey of faith you’re on with clarity and joy. I pray you can find an anchoring hold in the hope that we eagerly wait for. I pray you hear the freedom and peace extended through His resurrection. Enjoy the music.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="izCkgLhNmgM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/izCkgLhNmgM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/izCkgLhNmgM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/65605972021-02-27T12:18:29-09:002022-01-27T19:49:01-09:00You Are Faithful, God<p>Originally posted on October 3, 2020.</p>
<p>To hear the song right away, <a contents="click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/SWP2GfZY5IM">click here</a>, or find a link at the bottom of the page. The following is a bit of the story behind the song. Enjoy!</p>
<hr><p>One of my favorite things to teach children is why our beautiful world has seasons.</p>
<p>For the past 4 years, I have helped in the classroom where my kids go to school. Each student works through a packet of geographic locations and features, having to point them out for me on an unmarked, black and white map. It is amazing what they learn throughout the year, and even more amazing that I’ve learned it all as well. Teachers are truly students too.</p>
<p>While they identify the equator early on, another level has them show me where the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer are. (Pro tip: "Capricorn" has more letters in its name than "Cancer", and thus it “sinks” to the south. You’re welcome.) If the kiddo doesn’t seem to grip where or why each line is equidistant from the equator, I break out my sun-fist and earth-pencil. Try to imagine a tilted pencil circling around my balled fist, and me pointing out that the sun points directly at these lines during the winter and summer seasons. Yes I’m that cool, or that nerdy, or both at once and I’m totally good with it.</p>
<p>Our planet’s distance from the direct light of the sun determines our season. The further away we are, the darker and colder it is. The closer we are, the lighter and warmer it is. Light brings seasons of flourishing. Darkness brings seasons of rest. God has much to teach us in this rhythm.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/22d728ff58c16ef0810ae7cf466b3c9621f72c14/original/pioneer-fall.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When I was challenged by Nashville Christian Songwriters to write a song celebrating nature, we were in the midst of creation coming alive here in Alaska. It was May.</p>
<p>Glorious May. Trees that had been coated in snow and asleep since October grew new lime green buds. My garden perennials pushed above the surface, having waited until the temperatures were more welcoming. Birds seemed to sing more, and wouldn’t you? It was all so gloriously good. They seemed to sing for the faithfulness of it all. I like to imagine they sing to glorify our faithful God.</p>
<p>I was told that I got over-poetic with my lyrics this round, but I’m totally good with that too. I welcome you to listen closely as the song moves through each season. Summer, autumn, winter and spring. Each season of our lives, much like each season of our planet, has much to teach us.</p>
<p><strong>Summer.</strong> Think of seasons of flourishing in your life. Think of times when God’s blessings seem abundant. His light, the light of life, seems to shine. The design of our days can feel heaven sent.</p>
<p><strong>Autumn.</strong> Harvests in our lives can look like accomplishments, met goals, finished projects. Yet changes can be ahead. Change can sometimes come on slowly, or quickly like an overnight frost. Sometimes growth slows, and we are called into periods of rest. We are called to surrender.</p>
<p><strong>Winter.</strong> Sometimes the brokenness of this world destroys. Sometimes God’s care seems hidden. Sometimes God seems silent. Evil and darkness can overshadow our joy, hope and peace. We long for light.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/080c2c8507ade7c34b53518e747bd66f181dd583/original/trees-budding.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Spring.</strong> What a gift Spring is! My favorite line in this whole song is when God calls “us to life, and [grows] from all surrendered”. Let me explain.</p>
<p>Just today, I harvested seeds from my nasturtium plants, marking each little bag with what color the flowers had been. Each parent plant flourished during the summer and produced the seeds to continue that growth during another season of flourishing. But, the plants had to surrender them. Will every seed grow? Not likely, but some will.</p>
<p>God does His best work in me when I allow Him to. He delights in bringing us into seasons of flourishing, for His glory. He delights in growing from “seeds” once planted, like subtle hints of His hand at work in our stories every moment along the way. He longs for us to trust Him and follow His lead.</p>
<p>The bridge of this song weaves the truths from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 into the lyrics; that the flow of our lives is to be viewed much as the flow of the seasons, as God intended. We are born, and we die. We weep, and we laugh. We mourn, and we dance. We grow, and we harvest.</p>
<p>God’s faithfulness through it all is the anchor of our hope, and He is the focus of praise if we acknowledge His loving care in each season of life. He is growing us more fully into who He desires us to be (and, if I can be so bold, needs us to be) for the good of His kingdom purposes.</p>
<p><strong>Seek His light, and may all darkness flee.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Don’t be afraid to rest and surrender, and trust His loving care for you.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Trust the work He does IN you each season.</strong></p>
<p><strong>He is faithful.</strong></p>
<p>So, as the northern hemisphere continues to swing away from the sun, allowing its light to head toward the Tropic of Capricorn, don’t forget that He is faithful to bring us back around. He will grow from seeds planted, in faith, for His glory. Amen.</p>
<p>Enjoy the music!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="SWP2GfZY5IM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/SWP2GfZY5IM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SWP2GfZY5IM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/65191082021-01-12T11:26:56-09:002022-01-27T19:48:26-09:00Be With Me<p>Click <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/oF-BE_B7K8Y" target="_blank">here</a> to listen to the song right away, and the following is the story behind this new song. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/af45b0824683e3b0550bdc803e55ddc8f024159d/original/sun.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />"Mountain Sun Rays", Photo by Nick Sikorski, available for purchase <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mountain-sun-rays-nick-sikorski.html" target="_blank">here</a></p>
<p>I’m kind of a people person. </p>
<p>The world might label me as an extrovert, but I’m pretty sure there is more to it than just enjoying being around other people. I crave connection. Rich and nurturing conversations fuel me. I am encouraged, edified, and stretched by those I enjoy “hanging out with.” </p>
<p>Last Spring and Summer, when we were all spending less time with each other, I started to feel the weight of loneliness. Sure, I missed seeing people, but truly, I missed the deep connections that had once fueled me. </p>
<p>I love my family, but they can only pour so much into me, and they too were feeling the weight of the strange days. My kids especially struggled in that they had kind of “lost their jobs”, not being able to go to school and interact with their teacher and classmates. There was a grief there, and from my space of loneliness, I struggled to help them. </p>
<p>In the midst of that season, it was hard for me to identify all that I was feeling, but I started to gain clarity when I began exploring the topic of prayer with a friend. I had always entered prayer through speaking or thinking my requests and praises to God, but had never learned to listen. I had never considered how God loves to enter into prayer <em>with</em> us. He longs to speak to us through His Spirit, and we need only to listen. It took me a bit to grow comfortable with listening (some may call it meditating), but I eventually began to hear (and <em>feel)</em> the voice of the Spirit. (If you would like to learn more about listening for the voice of God, I encourage you to connect with my friend, <a contents="Mukkove Johnson" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mukkovejohnson.com">Mukkove Johnson</a>)</p>
<p>“Be With Me” flowed about of that season and from what I learned through practice of listening for God’s voice. I would often need to quiet my mind from all it was feeling and thinking, and would literally have to invite God in. I know and believe that God is ever-present, but good grief do I turn away from Him. By crying out, “Father, come and be with me,” I could feel myself turning back. </p>
<p>More often than not, God would speak words of encouragement to me. He would remind me that He knows exactly what’s going on, how I feel, and what’s ahead. He would remind me how precious I am to Him. These conversations would bring me such peace. </p>
<p>I pray that this song ministers to the hearts of anyone struggling. Are you lonely? Are you walking through grief? Are you fearful? Do your days seem to contain more sadness than peace? Listen for the voice of the Spirit. He wants to help. He wants to be with you.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="oF-BE_B7K8Y" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/oF-BE_B7K8Y/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oF-BE_B7K8Y?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691562020-11-02T23:40:31-09:002022-01-27T19:47:52-09:00Questions<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted June 10, 2020.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Have you ever had to cancel a trip before?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Anyone that knows me decently well would tell you that I don’t handle change very well. Plans changing, especially well thought out and scheduled plans, tend to throw me. So, when early March of 2020 arrived, I was in no way prepared for the changes that were going to take place. None of us were it seems.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Our women’s ministry event took place in late February, and my kids and I looked forward to traveling to Arizona to see my parents, my sister, and her two kids during spring break. Because the event had kept me extremely busy, I was pretty unaware of what was happening in the world. Namely, I had never even heard of the coronavirus.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/0449d3e91fc597142a7777ae6e046934f6f7d03f/original/seattle-from-plane.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />A few days before our trip, I texted my parents asking them to pray for my daughter. She was running a low grade fever, but otherwise felt fine, and I was hoping she would be feeling better before we left. My dad texted back and recommended we cancel our trip. Say what?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We were planning on flying through Seattle, and in early March, they had started waking up to the risks of the virus starting to appear within their communities. The fear was that we would be pulled aside and placed in medical quarantine if she was running a fever during our travels.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">So, change began. With our trip canceled, we tried to make the most of the “free time” at home. Little did we know that the change was just beginning. Schools extended spring break an additional week, our church stopped serving coffee and shaking hands on Sunday mornings, and the stores started to show signs of panic. It all felt surreal, and strange, yet I figured it would end soon. It had to. None of it made sense.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">On March 15th, I led worship at our church on what would become our last Sunday together for 77 days. We then transitioned to online worship, and school shifted online as well. All the change, with no end in sight, created a sorrow within me that I found difficult to express. Each day melded into the next, and I started to I feel a loss of purpose and a confusion of how to do anything. Grocery shopping became a sport and frightened and frustrated faces became the norm during outings to town. The spread of virus flooded the news, and fear seemed to grip everything. It was all so wearisome.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f9a89d3328d79cfc447b77f2e4a31d56a35f5745/original/denali.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />My family and I decided to head to our family’s remote cabin, to escape a bit and find peace in the midst of the situation. I brought along a couple books, both by Andrew Peterson. One was the first book in his Wingfeather Saga (which I highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy/fiction) and my new favorite book, “Adorning the Dark”. Within that book, I found encouragement for my songwriting, and in particular, for writing songs that expressed my thoughts and feelings. Most of my lyrics are based directly out of scripture, so writing something without a verse to reference felt raw. I wasn’t sure I could do it.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Journaling has become one of the best ways for me to dump all of my thoughts down on paper. Once down, I can sort through the thoughts (or rather, ramblings) and try to find the core of a potential song. The pages I wrote during the early days of quarantine revealed that I had SO many questions. I struggled to see why I felt so unsettled, so lonely, and so afraid. I am a woman of faith, and yet I had so many questions that God didn’t seem to want to answer. I lacked peace.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In conversation with a few friends, I started to realize that the days of quarantine had given us a unique opportunity. We could take advantage of the family time and the slower schedule to grow closer. We could grow in our knowledge of something by reading more. We could grow in our contentment by getting caught up around the house. We could grow ourselves to think outside the box when it comes to connecting. Growing became the focus, rather than all of the change I struggled with. The desire to be grown and changed for the better became the heartbeat of the song I longed to write.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Yet, I still felt the need to cry out to God about all I was feeling. Lament is something God is used to, and accepts, from His followers. One third of the book of Psalms is lament, and the book of Lamentations is just that…a whole book of lament. Seasons of lament are a normal part of the human experience, and God is big enough to handle our grief. He is mighty enough to handle our anger and frustration. He is loving enough to listen to our questions and our lack of faith. He is merciful enough to guide us through it. He is powerful enough to give us songs, prayers, and encouragement through His word to help us find peace.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“Questions” is my song of lament from this past season, but I trust that God can use it to speak the lament of any heart through any hard season. I pray it gives you room to feel what you may be feeling, and for you to pour your questions out to the One who can handle them.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="q1WgjKRsY9M" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/q1WgjKRsY9M/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q1WgjKRsY9M?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My prayer is that you would find peace in knowing that He is growing you, for His glory.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Enjoy the music. ~Andrea</span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691552020-11-02T23:34:40-09:002020-11-02T23:34:40-09:00We Get to Shine<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted March 31, 2020.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The sun shone in a bright blue and nearly cloudless sky today. For this I am thankful.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Its warmth serves as a reminder to me. Yes, it means Spring is coming, but more than that, it reminds me of the joy that light can bring into a dark world. We are climbing out of the darkest and coldest months here in south central Alaska, where the sun seemed to do nothing but steal our blanket of warmth from the clouds. But this light feels life giving.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As I type this today, we are a few days into the new mandate in Alaska to “hunker down”, limiting travel to critical grocery and fuel gathering only, and not leaving the community we call home. Long story short, these days are strange and challenging. None of us entered into the New Year thinking a pandemic would force us to change courses on literally everything we call normal. Yet, here we are at the end of the strangest March in our recent history, making the most of it.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Making the most of the day meant taking a walk with my people. The sun beckoned us to come join it, and the path through the trees was so peaceful. I feel refreshed and blessed by taking the time to breathe the fresh air and saunter through the snow.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/be2c374234dd51e8f8dc2667e95eb2f3337c20f1/original/img-9580.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Making the most of the day also meant sharing some music with you all, and I pray it finds you well. This song was written for the Revive event (a women’s ministry event our church hosts each year) that took place at the end of February. It was a wonderful weekend, focused in the book of Acts, and centered around being the Church. A few women had requested that I write our theme song like I had for Ephesians two years ago, so I entered into worship planning praying for the direction to do so.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/321d5ac4a823017ebafbd791a84a630875c8d3d0/original/img-9617.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular">Revive 2020 - photo credit Paula Murphy</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Our event planning soon revealed that growing in our witness would be a big theme. When I think of living as witnesses to the grace and mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I think of light. Have you ever been around someone who just shines a bit? There is a joy about them, a peace and warmth. I believe that, for someone rescued by His grace, those traits are evidence of the Holy Spirit within them.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I enjoyed capturing as much of the gospel message as I could in this song, as well as creating a celebratory feeling of what it means to live as witnesses in this world. I tease by telling people that this is the first song I’ve written that truly needs a drummer, but I do love how upbeat it ended up. It was fun to lead that weekend, and a blessing to meditate on throughout the weekend and beyond as we have sought to carry forward what we learned together.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="x-PhMaMJ8a4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/x-PhMaMJ8a4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x-PhMaMJ8a4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Friends, we get to shine as lights in this world. We get to share our stories, pointing to grace. We get to love and speak of salvation, with the Holy Spirit to guide. We get to shine.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We get to, and we must, especially when hopes fade and faiths grow weary. These quarantine-filled days call for unique and creative ways to witness. For me, that looks like showing my children how to navigate change while focused on hope. It looks like calling people on the phone to encourage through my voice instead of text. It looks like shining light onto the Internet where people are spending a lot of time. And for me, it looks like walking a bit closer to my Savior, soaking in the sunshine so that I can be reminded to do that same. Shine.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Enjoy the music everyone! ~Andrea</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. I'm sure glad the Revive event happened when it did! I grieve for the events that have been canceled lately. Easter will be a bit different this year, and I miss my church family. I miss hugs. I miss a lot, but have all that I need. God is good, and if we are His, we have everything.</span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691542020-11-02T23:24:24-09:002022-01-27T19:45:54-09:00Sermon on the Plain (and The Good Shepherd)<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted December 18, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">How are your memorization skills? How about when it comes to memorizing large portions of scripture?? Word for word?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">For me, memorization is easiest when there is music involved. I can remember a series of notes faster than a series of words, hands down, any day of the week. If you can relate, this project might be useful.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/c1330dc3acb557053c8d800ad31dac2a5e55f889/original/sermon-on-the-plain.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Our church congregation set out to memorize Jesus' words as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 6. The "Sermon on the Plain" begins in verse 20 and runs through verse 49. Those 29 verses were the task, and I didn't become confident in my ability to conquer them all until I was asked to set them to music.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">During the summer of 2018, a group of women met at the church each week and sought to memorize Jesus' sermon. Writing and preparing the music portion each week was such a blessing. And, through that repetition, I can now say that I absolutely KNOW those 29 verses. Word for word. They are written on my heart. And I know they were written on the hearts of a dozen or so ladies as well, which is amazing and humbling.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">SO...I though it would be fun to create a "suite" of sorts that you and your families could enjoy. The tracks move you through each chunk of the sermon, tackling a few verses at a time, interlaced with my offering of some instrumental music to help with the flow. Each "memorization track" features me singing the melody line and then is followed by that same melody line as an instrumental, so you can practice. The verses are then offered in full as both a vocal track as well as an instrumental track when you're ready to tackle them all together!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/e2d40157d09adca76ee8fcdf6649f43766d40085/original/m7pymmb8tgsu3pl1bgsp8w-thumb-b50a.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />One of my favorite things offered on the album is the instrumental entitled "The Good Shepherd". It is actually a song I wrote a long time ago and just recently revisited. It seemed fitting to name it after the way our Lord described himself so often. It is gentle, loving, and powerful at times. Overall it helps me meditate on the depth of Jesus' teaching, and I pray you enjoy it!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">You can download the album in my store, and songbooks and sheet music are available there as well. They include all of the verse melody lines as well as photography from around our beautiful state of Alaska. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">PLEASE let me know if you aim to memorize Jesus' words through this project as I would be thrilled to cheer you on!!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Blessings everyone, and Merry Christmas!!! Click below to enjoy "The Good Shepherd".</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="u8LkbKtpWq4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/u8LkbKtpWq4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u8LkbKtpWq4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691532020-11-02T23:17:41-09:002020-11-02T23:17:41-09:00Our Savior<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted October 31, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When I originally watched the video on YouTube, I marveled.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The man actually went into the water to demonstrate what he was teaching. I was shocked that someone would willingly fall through ice, into freezing cold water, to teach viewers what to do if this ever happened to them. Laughing him off as crazy, I went about my day. I’m not even sure how much time passed before that crazy little video came to mind again, but I’m glad it did.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/ae3de0e56e8c571516fd0c22a03aa41f3059bc29/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-b487.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular">Photo by Deana LePage</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">It has been nearly a year since my dear friend, Amber Jefferson, passed away suddenly. For those that did not know her in this life, she was a joy and force to behold. I miss her deeply. I miss her hugs and her smile. I miss her voice. She was the soprano to my alto for over 8 years, and I will always miss singing with her. My path of grief has been slow. My path of grief has been marked with many moments of sorrow, loneliness, and doubt.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The passing of time doesn’t stop because we struggle. Life proceeds like normal, seemingly unaffected by our feelings. The dishes and laundry still call us to task, and meals still need to be planned and created. Paperwork piles still grow. Appointments and activities still need to be scheduled and driven to.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My people still needed me.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Part of me was thankful for the ordinary days that kept me humming along through it all. Yet, there remained a sorrow I just couldn’t shake. The feeling had been with me for months, just under the surface and festering like a thorn in my foot. But I couldn’t even name it or place it. It took something sudden, scary, and potentially tragic to force it out for what it was.</span></p>
<p><em><span class="font_large">I didn’t trust God. I didn’t trust Him to keep me safe and to go before me all the days of my life. I didn’t trust Him to keep my family safe.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span class="font_large">I didn’t trust Him.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/4ffa8f578c37d8648f62bb17465ed335203a328c/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-b1ec.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></em><span class="font_large">Thankfully, ministry work still welcomed me in and filled my days with joy in the midst of sorrow. Bible study, leading worship, and planning ministry events have been such a gift to me in the midst of grief.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This past April, and the day after an Arts for the Kingdom evening, my family took a trip out to a remote cabin. Time in the outdoors is what I thought my heart needed as I came down off of a busy schedule. I felt worn, in need of recharging. I needed to be filled up mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The fresh air and the beauty of God’s creation felt like a salve to my soul. It was good, but in reality, I needed something deeper.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We drove across the swamps at the feet of Denali. It was a beautiful day. The area was starting to thaw in the warming sunshine of spring. Our rigs navigated across the ice and snow, but on the return trip, we found a soft spot. We “abandoned ship” in order to make getting the rig out easier. The kids went before me, making their way toward my husband’s parents in the other vehicle. I followed.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Suddenly, my feet broke through the thin ice that was covering a small lake in the tundra. I never felt the bottom, but my arms caught the edges of the ice before I went completely under. Instantly, that funny little video came to mind. In the midst of the chaos, I knew to calm myself and breathe. I knew to kick my feet out behind me to propel myself forward onto the ice. I knew to stay low and flat until the ice felt solid and strong. I knew I would be ok.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Although I didn’t acknowledge it right away, I also knew that God had been with me. God had been with my kids as they navigated across the same ice and didn’t fall through. He brought that video to mind the instant I needed to know what to do. His mercy surrounded that whole situation.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">He brought me safely out. We were ok. I was ok. It was going to be ok.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In an effort to trust God more fully, I searched His word for anchors of truth. I soon found Isaiah 43. The first five verses resonated with me so much that I knew I needed to memorize them. They needed to be written on my heart so that I could bring them to mind (as quickly as a YouTube video).</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“When we pass through the waters, He will be with us” is a paraphrase that still hits home, but the promises that follow give me the deepest hope. God tells us not to fear because He has redeemed us. “Fear not for I am by your side”. “Fear not for I am with you”. These are anchors for my soul. No matter what happens, I am redeemed.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Something my husband and I have noticed since I went through the ice that day is the affect it has had on our children. They are still fearful when thinking of that day. They haven’t been very excited to go on adventures since it happened. It makes me sad, but it makes sense. Watching your mom fall through ice isn’t something you’d soon forget or would want to face again. I acknowledge that they are likely on their own paths of grief following that day, and I pray that the truths in this song can serve as a reminder to them that they can trust God. Above all though, I pray for the confidence to live a life of witness to the trust I have in God. They are watching and listening. May my life reflect the trust I have in God.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">That day on the tundra ended well, but that isn’t where my trust lies. We aren’t promised that all will be well just because we trust it will be. When we trust God, we trust that He will be with us in the midst of everything. The good, that bad, and the ugly. Pain, loss and grief are mingled with flourishing, joy and beauty in this life. That is a reality for everyone.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I am thankful to navigate this life with the hope of Christ, “our savior”. None of us are promised tomorrow. None of us are promised a road without sorrow. Why not live with an anchor of hope in the midst of it all? Why not live it redeemed?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If you haven’t yet gripped the hope of Christ, please reach out. Ask me about it. I’m still growing and learning, but I would love to grow and learn with you.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">May this song bless your heart as it has my own. May it be an anchor for your soul.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CPz2CNzikLk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CPz2CNzikLk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CPz2CNzikLk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. That little video was a portion of a longer and <a contents="more detailed video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/7PA-GzpcgIA">more detailed video</a>, which I recommend watching too. Be safe friends!</span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691522020-11-02T23:09:41-09:002022-01-27T19:43:53-09:00Psalms Project - A New Path<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted October 22, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Sometimes the way forward is unclear. Sometimes though, a signpost is provided that offers us a chance to walk forward into something new. Something never before considered.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In July of 2016, my worship pastor, Joel Stamoolis, asked me to consider a project. The task? Creating a musical setting for the words of Psalm 60 to be sung by our congregation. I was given a metrical setting of the psalm to use, packed it away in my bag for our trip to Lake Louise, and planned to come up with a melody to fit. I hummed as I kayaked, wrote rhythms down in my planner, and recorded my voice in an app without accompaniment. These were the humble beginnings of my new path.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/b02351d51515842d36fc3d4694fae91a3584f68b/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-49f6.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />For three and a half years, my church family at Wasilla Bible Church sung through the entire book of Psalms. We began in 2015 with Psalm 1 and ended with Psalm 150 on September 2, 2018. This amazing project was prompted by the Holy Spirit and walked forward by our worship pastor and elders.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If you would like to learn more about the project, enjoy this <a contents="article" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/how-singing-through-the-psalms-reveals-the-excellence-of-jesus/">article</a> published by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in February of 2019.</span></p>
<p><em><span class="font_large">“As we’ve sung through the Psalms together as a church, we have lamented together, longed for God’s justice, praised his righteousness, acknowledged our sinfulness, sought his mercy, told his story, and celebrated his faithfulness. All these actions point us again and again to Jesus.” ~Joel Stamoolis</span></em></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I am honored to have taken part in the project by writing 9 settings in all, which will be posted here as the recordings are completed. Contributing to the project awoke in me a love of musical settings for scripture, and it is on that path that I continue to find my inspiration and joy.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Keep an eye out for the signposts redirecting your steps. They often point to the good works God has planned for you. They often point us right to the feet of Jesus. Enjoy walking forward.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Visit my WBC Psalms Project Playlist on YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95aLIDfjvSplEcJOa3DPmrbBGtNHUEqC" target="_blank"><span class="font_large">Visit my WBC Psalms Project Playlist on YouTube</span></a></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691512020-11-02T23:00:44-09:002022-01-27T19:41:49-09:00Lift Up Your Hands (Psalm 134)<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted September 17, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Trees are pretty amazing if you think about it. Every single one of them is different.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Consider their shapes. Their heights, types of foliage, and position of their branches all vary from tree to tree. Everything about them is unique.</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/72f342f467efeaab09a94b887d0adb32614cc43a/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-b2e2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_large">Like trees, we are all very different from each other. How glorious is that? All of creation reflects a very creative God, so it only makes sense that we would as well. All humans were created in His image (Genesis 1:27), which is beautiful and mysterious. Forests may sometimes look full of identical trees, like uniformed soldiers in formation. But, when studied closely, their unique identities shine through.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We were each created to bless each other in different ways, and through unique gifts. We each contribute to our families, communities, and world in beautifully different ways. And like a beautiful forest, when gathered together we can strengthen, support, and flourish side by side.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My church congregation is preparing for our third Arts for the Kingdom event on October 5th. These events celebrate the artistic talents of our congregation through painting, photography, crafts, music, spoken word, and culinary creations. Each event has a theme, and this upcoming evening will center around the theme of “Shalom”. Sometimes translated peace or flourishing, shalom has been a lovely meditation. Our time together is sure to feel like a celebration of who we are together in Christ. I look forward to that time very much.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If you would like more information about these Arts for the Kingdom events, especially if it sounds like something you would like to introduce to your own congregation, please contact me! It is one of my favorite things to talk about.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/ba6486a712a33246dd649c8ab438818fd015a4c8/original/pic2-preferred.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Something else I’ve noticed about trees is how they reach heavenward. Their branches extend like arms, lifted in continual praise to their creator. What a beautiful example given to us in this world.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’ll be honest that lifting my hands in praise in front of other people hasn’t always been within my “comfort zone”. However, when I allow myself to forget about the watching eyes and let the words of worship dive deep into my heart, lifting my hands feels as natural as taking my next breath. Leading worship has become my favorite thing to do because I get to help others hear and feel the weight, joy, lament, and promises in each song. Engaging and encouraging hearts through music is such an honor. May my leading always point heavenward.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I had the opportunity to write quite a few psalm settings while our church worked through the Book of Psalms in recent past. Psalm 134 is a gloriously fun and short little psalm at the end of the Songs of Ascent. This particular song was likely used to close a festive gathering as it closes with a blessing.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When our worship pastor assigned the psalm to me, I quickly noticed the call to “lift up your hands”. Uh oh. Could we? Should we? Would they? So much doubt surrounded the idea of lifting our hands.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Understand that our congregation gets teased on occasion for not knowing how to clap. We even start some songs with a quick “clapping 101”, modeling the movement and timing from the stage before we begin. One of my friends even admitted to the pastor we met in Germany last winter that we could be named the “frozen chosen”. Fitting, especially in February. So, when we got ready to tackle this psalm together, we encouraged everyone to lift their hands during the chorus. And you know what? The “frozen chosen” lifted up their hands, and survived. We sang the psalm together, hands lifted, to bless the Lord. It was gloriously good.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The setting was a fun melody to write and even more fun to play with a team. Many of my songs feel like that. Written in my little house in the woods, on my keyboard, they feel a certain way. Adding guitars, drums, a string section and hundreds of voices changes everything. Thankfully, this recording caught a taste of that because it features Joel Stamoolis and John Rogers playing guitar. So, enjoy the break from my piano bench, and enjoy the music!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="dfUpefTs0wQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/dfUpefTs0wQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dfUpefTs0wQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691492020-11-02T22:54:03-09:002022-01-27T19:40:54-09:00Call Me In<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted September 11, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This story was recently shared as part of a <a contents="blog series by Pamela Henkelman" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.pamelahenkelman.com/blog/refining-stories-lessons-from-the-sting-of-rejection">blog series by Pamela Henkelman</a>, and I thought I'd share it with you all as well. It was such a good and therapeutic process...this process of writing the story down. Sometimes we can't see the good from something hard until we have retraced our steps over time. This retracing was good for my soul. Be sure to tune into the rest of Pamela's series for wisdom in navigating seasons of refinement.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">AND, I'm excited to share one of the songs that flowed out of this season. "Call Me In" was a song of healing and direction for me, and maybe it could be for you as well.</span></p>
<hr><p><span class="font_large">My pulse raced with excitement as I walked into the sanctuary for the congregational meeting. Nerves were present, but it was mostly an alive sort of feeling. This vote could set me on the course of something I felt driven and called to do! This was forever going to change the trajectory of my life, my career and my faith! I just hadn’t imagined how much it would.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">A couple months prior to that moment, I had found myself spending almost all of my free time serving as a worship leader and a youth leader for a little church in my town. Was I officially trained for any of that? Nope. Civil engineering was my full-time day job. Music was just a hobby, and teenagers were honestly kind of a mystery. However, music was what made my heart come alive and was what I could spend hours doing without fatigue.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The youth of that little church made up the band, so I naturally spent a lot of time with them. They were wonderful kids and fantastic worship leaders, and we even got invited to lead worship around the state for other churches. Our pastor was even our drummer. Yes, we were cool.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’d like to think it was the Holy Spirit who first whispered the idea of making this passion into a job. I remember telling our pastor and his lovely wife about my idea, and honestly, I can’t recall their first reactions. I wish I could. What I doremember is entering into a series of meetings about the idea. I met with the elders. I sat in a couple open forum meetings, which anyone from the congregation could attend. These meetings were to lead up to a congregational vote to determine my fate.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The content of those conversations has stuck with me. What strikes me about this is that I can hardly remember what was said to me yesterdaylet alone 12 years ago when this all happened. Something burned into my memory. Something stuck and hasn’t let go. Conversations laced with conviction and rejection burn. They burn into memory unlike anything else. Not every moment of those meetings was hard, but somehow the conviction and rejection became lodged into my brain, like a thorn too deep to pull out.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/b1661cbfc4c14425b8b9a7db3e2b3f26768a62f9/original/img-5476.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />But I pushed past it all. I was so in love with the idea of working for this congregation. I actually warned my boss, saying I would be putting in my two-weeks notice after the vote went through. In my enthusiasm, I made plans to work part-time for a local firm to fill in the hours I wouldn’t be at the church. I even purchased a piece of art to hang on the wall of the little office I anticipated having there.Confidence was outweighing anything anyone was saying about me, about my style of music, and about the church’s need for my position.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The day of the vote came, and my husband and I walked to the front of the sanctuary and sat down. There was time for discussion prior to the vote, all of which I was present for. A last minute sway from a respected long-time member, and the treasurer at the time, seemed to shock the group. I sat still and faced forward. I raised my hand to vote yes. I felt my husband do the same. I didn’t turn around to see who voted no. I truly shouldn’t have even been in that room. Why was I there for that?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The vote lost by 2 people. That was enough to seal it. I had been publicly rejected. Some people left quickly, and some stayed behind and cried before me. I didn’t cry. Not until later. I actually didn’t cry until the next Sunday morning. Our pastor was out of town for the service, and one of our lay ministers was in charge. Everyone seemed to turn to me that morning with questions, for help in figuring out what to do, how to proceed. They sure acted like they needed me. But hadn’t they just rejected me? How could that be?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We went home after the service and I vividly remember telling my husband that I didn’t want to go back to that little church. It wasn’t because I wanted them to miss me, but because I was truly hurting. I didn’t even want to touch my piano after that. I didn’t want to sing. I went back to work and repaired things with my boss so I could continue working. Two-weeks notice? Just kidding. I was so confused. Hadn’t I heard the Spirit’s call? Wasn’t I walking forward into something good, something I had been passionate about?</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">Sometimes God uses a season of rejection – not to refuse us, but to refine us.</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I was forever changed by that experience. I learned that some relationships are only surface deep, and that words hold weight. I still love many of the people from that little church, and often grieve that things didn’t work out. The words spoken there, the ones that stuck, are a constant reminder for me to always be kind. “Sticks and stones” aren’t the only things that can hurt. Even if I disagree about something going on, God has shown me the power of extending grace in every situation.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I learned that desires planted in our hearts are not necessarily bad, but the timing might be wrong. God’s timing doesn’t always (or ever for that matter) line up with our own. Is the dream to make music into a job still my desire? Yes, but I’m learning to be patient. Since that day, God has brought me into something better than I could have imagined. I’m now connected with a church family and ministry that continually grows and increases my love of God, of worship, and of leading others in praise. I am thankful beyond words.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I also learned the value of serving where and when I’m needed. The faithfulness of showing up and serving when asked brings a peace that can only come through following God’s lead. In hindsight, I feel like I was trying to force that staff position to happen. I wasn’t willing to just show up and serve. That wasn’t where my heart should have been. I wasn’t serving the Lord. I was serving myself.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">That experience revealed a need for maturity I didn’t know I needed. God has since shepherded me into a richer understanding of my area of service. I sing for an audience of one. I play and write to honor the God who gave me these gifts. I wasn’t rejected by Him. And now I can say without hesitation that I wasn’t truly rejected by anyone. I was just redirected for a little refinement.</span></p>
<hr><p><span class="font_large">P.S. A desire to reconnect with God and my purpose took me back to my piano bench almost 6 months later. And while it took a while for the words to pour out, some of the lyrics I meditated on through that season have become signposts of His faithfulness. Here is one song that came from that season of healing. Enjoy the music.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="L1Z5F1ePprc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/L1Z5F1ePprc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L1Z5F1ePprc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691482020-11-02T22:47:07-09:002022-01-27T19:40:14-09:00Let My Soul Live and Praise You (Psalm 119)<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted August 13, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Summer has been crazy amazing! Busy, but amazing. Also very, very warm. I actually saw that Alaska had its hottest month on record in June. I don’t doubt it for a second, and wonder if July and August are in the running for the top ten as well. Our whole summer has been full of ice cream, front yard swimming pools and sprinkler jumping. Glorious!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/e4519e982e3b5adaaf49cc2fa372141654f332a3/original/pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />What I haven’t done much of is write or share my music. I’m honestly playing a bit of check up with my music, most of what is being posted being from years prior. I’ve enjoyed spending time getting many of those old songs down on paper, and look forward to sharing them with you.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The little song in this post is part of my goal to memorize more scripture. The only way I’m able to memorize anything is through song, so I’m sure you’ll hear quite a few of this kind of song from me over time.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This one is from a portion of Psalm 119, which is actually the longest psalm in the Bible, all about loving and trusting in God’s law. “Let My Soul Live and Praise You” is a portion that I loved and wanted written on my heart. I big thank you to my worship pastor, Joel Stamoolis, for playing guitar for me on this one.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="G-ZxH0oQzxM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/G-ZxH0oQzxM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G-ZxH0oQzxM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Other projects coming up that I’ll be sharing are based on:</span></p>
<ul> <li><span class="font_large">Portions of Matthew 26 and Psalm 143 </span></li> <li><span class="font_large">Luke 6:20-49 </span></li> <li><span class="font_large">Isaiah 43:1-5 </span></li> <li><span class="font_large">Psalm 31 </span></li> <li><span class="font_large">Psalms from our church Psalms project – 63, 66, 73, 81, 101, 134, 142</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font_large">Do me a favor and head over to YouTube and subscribe to my channel so you can listen as I get them posted.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Connect with me on Facebook and on Instagram @andreasandefur too. I would love to connect and share this journey with you! Thanks for letting me share my love of music, scripture, and the God who gifted them both to us.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. If you have a portion of scripture that you would love to memorize, let me know! Maybe we can learn it together through music!!</span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691462020-11-02T22:40:52-09:002022-01-27T19:39:20-09:00Love Unfailing (Psalm 13)<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted April 7, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’m pretty sure there is something wrong with me. No. Scratch that. I’m absolutely certain there is something wrong with me. Sure we are all imperfect people, unrighteous sinners in fact, but I seem to wrestle with a deeper issue. Doubt. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f7dca41bc3d367043d7c658d5222414e78318bbb/original/pam-spence.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular">Sleeping Lady ~ Photo by Pam Spence </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’m at war it seems, with myself. “I am my own worst enemy,” is a phrase that comes to mind. Self-doubt seems to be a constant companion, a loyal friend that trumps all other voices, rejoicing when “I am shaken” (Psalm 13:4). And boy oh boy do I feel shaken, again and again (and not just by aftershocks, though those have subsided lately, praise God). My 20 years of adult life have been filled with cycles of start and stop, excited beginnings and frustrated ends. Most of my endeavors haven’t lasted more than a couple years. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Some of you may know that I sold skin care and cosmetics in college. Did I wear makeup prior to joining the force? Nope. But I felt like I belonged to that amazing group of women, and I felt encouraged and empowered among them. I even felt like I was good at it…you know, the whole eye shadow application stuff. When the business side of things got tough and a few faithful customers fell away, I doubted. I stopped. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Some of you may know that I tutored math for high school students for a while. My kids were little and I had a wonderful support system for my young children while I traveled to each home and helped each child. I didn’t ever make much money, but it felt good to help those kids and it was nice to use that side of my brain after “laying it to rest” as a new stay-at-home mom. I felt like I was making a difference and felt valued. When a couple students continued to fail after hours and hours of effort, I doubted. So, I stopped. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Some of you probably remember my recent history with a fitness and nutrition company. I had purchased a fitness pack, which included workout DVDs and a bag of shake mixture loaded with nutrition. It helped me gain self-confidence and boosted my energy. When people started to ask, “what are you doing differently,” I found that I enjoyed encouraging others to try the same method. Enter coaching. I truly enjoyed it, mostly from the encouragement standpoint, but alas…it wasn’t to last either. Nothing seems to anymore. A health challenge caused me to…you guessed it…doubt my ability to coach anyone. My continuous battle with my over-weighted frame made me doubt I was even worthy to tell anyone about nutrition. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Part of me truly wants to view this motley list of random attempts as seasons. I can’t help but wonder though if I’m finally coming to grips with what I’m truly fighting. Myself. I allow doubt to creep in and start to take hold. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/d79497d65349be6e612a4992f82b766c4300ec52/original/pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Like a slow leak from a faucet, dripping into my mind one moment at a time, doubt will enter. In those prior experiences, there was usually just a series of shifts. Something happened, or something was said, or something changed within me that made me walk away. Writing it out now makes me pause. It actually sounds like a lack of devotion on my part. A lack of faithfulness to something I once believed in. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When I think of devotion, I picture a couple that has been married for 50 years. I think of the caretaker of a child with special needs. I think of a teacher devoted to her trade and her method so much that she teaches well into her 70s. Through the lens of that mental list, I’m not devoted. Sure I’ve been married to the same man for nearly 18 years, but it seems like any area of my life where I’m given the “freedom” to let go, I have. When the going gets tough, the tough might get going, but I seem to jump ship. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I remember feeling these feelings most strongly back before I had become a mom. I had walked through something confusingly hard, and I doubted myself. I doubted the devotion of some friendships, I doubted that I belonged to a group I had served faithfully for a few years, and I even doubted God’s call in my life. I had felt called to serving in music ministry, but something went terribly wrong in the process. Looking back, I honestly see my lack of devotion as part of the problem. Had I stuck with it, stayed devoted to that group through thick and thin, something beautiful might have grown from it. I’ll never know. I live with much regret surrounding that history, especially now that I see more clearly my issue with devotion. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Shortly after that hard situation, I found myself searching the scriptures. Like gripping for a floatation device, for a rope tied off to something I could climb. Quite a few songs were born out of that season. That’s something to be thankful for I guess. I had the desire to write about what I was feeling. I wrote a lot of prayers to God; prayers about what I was struggling with. I found a gripping point in the Psalms, actually more specifically in the Psalms of lament. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If anyone had reason to feel cast out of a group of friends, it was David. His words from Psalm 13 struck me somewhere deep in my soul. At that time, I didn’t have a clue “who” my “enemy” was; who or what it was that seemed to rule over me. What I clung to though, and have throughout these years, is the phrase I had created as a chorus from that psalm: </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">“Your love unfailing <br>Our salvation, let our hearts rejoice <br>Sing to the Lord, for He is good” </span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">~Psalm 13: 5-6 paraphrase </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I clung to the words of Psalm 13, and the simple melody helped weave those words into memory, where I could call them to mind time and time again. And, though I still feel at war with myself, and still feel like I’m struggling to find my place, my people…myself…I cling to hope. God never fails. He was and IS devoted to us, even unto death. He paid the price of our sins, including doubt and unfaithfulness, so that we didn’t have to. If anything is worth signing about, worth staying devoted to, it is that kind of love. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">To be fair to myself (and to strive to see outside of my self-doubting attitude), I guess I could say that I am devoted in some areas of my life. My marriage, being a mom to my kids, an involved member of my church family, and a leader of God’s praises and the study of His word make the faithfulness cut. I pray they remain on my faithfulness list until Jesus calls me home. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Maybe God’s grace has brought me through these seasons of devotion (and lack thereof) to teach me the value of faithfulness. May our lives reflect His own unfailing love and devotion, and may we strive to stop the cycle of self-doubt. Rejoice in the hope we have in Christ, in who He is shaping and molding us to be, and just keep singing. Be devoted to the One who is devoted to you, and enjoy the music. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="e8pcvH_b_mE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/e8pcvH_b_mE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e8pcvH_b_mE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691422020-11-02T22:30:05-09:002022-01-27T19:38:02-09:00By Grace We Have Been Saved<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted February 1, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Are there certain things that have become a normal rhythm of your year? For me, in this season of life, those are the preparations for the beginning of the school year (crazy town!), trips outside (meaning out of Alaska) to visit family, and Revive. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f3d701368973951e25620a1466fd08a66746ef4e/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-9577.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Revive is a special-event ministry at my church under the banner of Women’s Ministry. It creates time and space for women to come together and be “revived” through worship, spending time in the word, learning from other Godly women, and sharing meals with one another. (Enter Qdoba catering…score!) It is a very special event that typically covers a Friday night and a Saturday. My roll in this ministry has been, for at least five years, leading worship. Glory, glory, hallelujah! We typically approach each event with a theme or book of the Bible in mind, and I have the privilege of choosing songs that serve as an extension of that teaching. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Last year’s event was focused on the truths found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Now, my roll is typically worship, and only worship. However, last year I got to step forward into a new roll (in addition to worship) and teach from a portion of the book. To say this new roll stretched me is an understatement, but I truly enjoyed the process and was blessed by it. Let me know if you ever want to listen to my take on Ephesians, chapters 1 thru 3, and I’ll direct you on where you can find that message. Lovely nuggets of God’s grace to be found there, for sure! </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” </strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>~Ephesians 2:10, ESV </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This new teaching roll created an interesting dimension to the worship planning process. Fact was, I needed help! Building a team, choosing music, writing instrumental parts, coordinating practices…I needed helpers. I found them in two of my dearest friends, Alyssa and Naomi. They helped me brainstorm and work through the tasks, and their help proved to be a huge grace to me and to the process. It worked so well that I’ve enlisted the help of another dear friend, Anne-Renee, for this year’s planning process. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">One of our brainstorming meetings from last year stands out to me the most. We always try and find a perfect theme song for the Revive weekend. The song needs to contain the core truths that we are encouraging the ladies to glean, and it needs to be something easy to teach and to lead…something they can carry as a tune in their minds as they leave our time together. Truths can weave into hearts through music unlike any other medium. Trouble was, we didn’t have one. We had a lot of great songs, but none of them seemed to “stick the landing” on the theme. Naomi, in her loving and encouraging way, said quite simply, “Well, I bet you could write one.” I laughed. I doubted. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/6f1688e074dc86b9b345f766181aa50a3e0c6ccb/original/pic-strip.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Here’s the thing. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the possibility that I’m a songwriter. Outside of childhood piano and flute lessons (along with some lovely band-nerd years), I’m not trained as a musician. I’m not a poet, and I know it…ha! I’m actually educated as a Mechanical and Civil Engineer. Yep, you read that write. Claiming the identity of songwriter is still a struggle, even after all these years of writing and developing music. So, whenever I’m encouraged to write music, I wrestle with myself a lot. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">God, however, is the potter. We are the clay. He can shape and mold us into whoever He needs and wants us to be, for His good gospel purposes. Leaning into this truth is how I have to approach my song writing. I have to trust that when I sit down with His words, He will guide the process. I have to trust that the tune that comes to mind will pierce hearts and weave truths into our lives. I have to get over myself and tackle the task, enjoying the fruit of the labors, and trusting that He will carry it forward. I have to trust. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>“O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” </strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Isaiah 64:8, ESV</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“By Grace We Have Been Saved” was the fruit of that process, and it was a wonderful “stick the landing” theme song for our time together last year. I have been extremely blessed to hear from many in our church family how this song has continued to be a blessing in their lives. There is no greater compliment to a doubting songwriter. I would encourage you to take twenty minutes (yes, I timed myself) and read or listen to Paul’s letter in Ephesians. Hear the truths about God’s grace to us, and how then we are to extend that grace to others. Enjoy the music, and may it weave these truths into your heart. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Until next time friends…trust. God’s got it, and to Him be the glory! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="0aowE2MVtFo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/0aowE2MVtFo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0aowE2MVtFo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64691412020-11-02T22:18:13-09:002022-01-27T19:30:52-09:00Hope Has Come<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted January 4, 2019.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’ve recently learned that “Christmas Time” is technically Christmas Day and the 11 days that follow, hence the 12 days of Christmas, so this post isn’t entirely too late. Right? True, “Hope Has Come” is my first Christmas song, but I wasn’t able to record it and share it with you all until now because (dun dun da!!!) my computer had crashed! Thanks to an expert diagnosis, being able to order parts online, and trusting my husband to fix it (though I need to work on my “I trust you” face), my 2012 model laptop has been resurrected. I am thankful for this tool and the ability to share with you all. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/d62e61a0386892ee4505c43fc2fb4e1dd3656301/original/snowy-pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This song actually flows out of my time in Nashville last September. I attended a breakout session led by Stuart Townend, on “The Art of Lyric Writing”, though I’m pretty sure he went rouge and decided to share instead what the Spirit led him to share that morning. He identified areas in the genre of Christian music where he saw “holes” or needs for more specific kinds of songs. Among his list were biblical narrative songs, which are basically songs based on stories from the Bible. From them, we not only learn the stories that shape our faiths, but we can memorize them! Music has a way latching on in our memories. Can you sing along to a song you loved over a decade ago? Yep! Music is a powerful memorization tool. I had just spent the whole summer writing Luke 6:20-49 to music, word for word, for our women’s ministry and congregation, so believe me…it works! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Long story short, we returned from Nashville with a lot of new ideas, and one of those was to hold an event to encourage the artistic talents in our church, which was originally scheduled for November 30, 2018 (I’ll explain in a minute). It was to be an Advent-themed event, and because I wanted to share that evening as well, I decided to tackle my first biblical narrative song based on portions of the Christmas story found in Luke 1 & 2. It was a really fun project, written mostly while watching basketball practices for my kids…ha! Creativity can truly happen anywhere I guess. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I remember talking to my friend, Amber Jefferson, about the event and what I was writing for it. “Oh I can’t wait to hear it”, she said. She was always such an encouraging friend. Always, no matter what was going on in her life. I was actually planning on recording the draft version for her and sending to her to see what she thought. Why didn’t I? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When I received the news that my dear friend Amber, a wife and young momma of 6 beautiful kids, had passed away, I cried…hard. I cried my self to sleep, my dear husband hugging me and trying to calm my shock and hurt. I felt numb for days. At times I still feel numb about it. Sadness comes in waves, in moments, in strange ways, and especially on Sunday mornings when I lead worship without her melodies to fit my harmonies against. I always sang better with her. Always.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/b4ed6cc022c0c548d5fbf9e006ef6a2701e6529f/original/amber-pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span style="font-size: 1.4em;"> </span>But, I cling to hope. Even when a wave of sadness hits, I cling to hope. You see, I have full confidence that my friend is singing with the heavenly hosts. She was the definition of love and reflected God’s love in everything she did. Everything. My son had oral surgery when he was 20 months old…she brought dinner…like without warning. She was amazing, and I miss my friend. I want to love like she did. I cling to the hope we have in Christ, knowing that I will sing with her again. Praise God for the hope he sent us at Christmas! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Our 7.0 earthquake derailed the Advent-themed event the morning of November 30th. I was volunteering at my kids’ school when it hit. It was amazing to see the kids go into action and proceed as they had practiced for such an event. There were minimal injuries area wide. No deaths. Praise God! I had been planning on heading to the church after my time there to finish setting up. I instead took my kids home and helped my husband clean up broken glass and dirt from broken houseplant pots. Our house was fine and we were fine. Praise God! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">So much work and planning had gone into the event, not to mention the offerings from dozens of participants in the form of art and the musical and literary talents to be shared that evening, but a water leak at the church and the feeling that we all needed to press pause made us postpone. Thankfully, we were able to hold the event the next night, and “Hope Has Come” was first shared with my church family. The whole event was amazing, a glimmer of hope and light in the midst of the chaos and aftershocks. We gathered, celebrated the season of waiting, and encouraged one another in our giftedness. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/e24349bbdc0ea711fcb9304823b6b4eb56d6f796/original/arts-pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’ll be honest though. I wasn’t myself that night. I felt very small. I hadn’t had a chance to grieve yet, to recover, to feel as if I was standing on solid ground. I was still quite shaken. I wasn’t in control of anything. Amber. The ground beneath my feet. I felt very small, powerless. Yet I still walked forward, clinging to hope in the one that DOES control it all. Our God knows and sees all. God hears our prayers and knows our hurts. He loved Amber more than anyone, and He called her home. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” </span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>~Angels to the shepherds, Luke 2:14, ESV</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Who is like our God? Who would leave His heavenly home to dwell among us with the mission to die for us so that we can cling to the hope of His salvation? Jesus. He is the rock on which we can stand when all seems to shake around us. He is the giver of peace, strength, light. He is the Hope that came those many years ago. It is for His return that we hope in today. Merry Christmas everyone. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="b_aSKOBHqOI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/b_aSKOBHqOI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b_aSKOBHqOI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. I continue to be thankful for the beautiful photos by my friends. Today’s post features photos from Ken Culberson, Kyle Moffat, Pam Spence, Pat Albert, and Igor Galloway. Thank you for capturing beauty in moments and places. </span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64677912020-10-31T23:57:13-08:002021-02-27T12:07:20-09:00Aurora Night<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted November 12, 2018.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">What would you say are your favorite things? What things, when you see them or get to experience them, bring you joy? Mountains at sunset, my little girl with her dog on the new spring grass, and babies bundled in snow gear make my list. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f3ede561bc871226db9093d42e04b13395781974/original/fav-things.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Favorites on my list this time of year can be in short supply, but I’m still striving to find the joy. You see, for me, winter in Alaska brings on a few “not so favorite” things. Darkness…talked about that a bit in my last post. Snow…hinted at that one too. Cold…yeah, I live where the air can hurt my face. But this time of year brings about one of my “top of the charts” favorite things: the perfect conditions in which to see the Aurora Borealis, the northern lights. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When my husband and I first starting “dream talking” of moving here in 2006, I remember sharing how excited I was that we would live where we could see the northern lights! At that time I naively thought they would be a nightly occurrence, but nonetheless we couldn’t wait to experience them in person. I had studied them a bit in college in a Space Environment class, but nothing can prepare you for seeing them for the first time. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/6d964a3f638e39325eada64058df7e4951fa9f27/original/move-pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Our move north brought us up the famous Alcan Highway, which extends from central Alberta Canada through the Yukon, in mid August. Our journey was not what I’d call smooth sailing, but God provided the whole time. We started out with two vehicles and two fully loaded trailers. And while we did end up in Alaska with the same two vehicles and trailers, we also had picked up a transmission repair, new trailer tires and had actually unloaded some of our things in Edmonton, Alberta to lighten a load. Long story short, we headed back to Edmonton after spending less than a day at our rental house in Alaska to return for our stored items…in one vehicle with one trailer…with the goal of 1,000 miles a day. Lots of driving. Lots of driving in the dark, which didn’t come for very long up there in August. Also, side note ladies, don’t ever leave your purse in a hotel in Canada and drive 300 miles before you realize it is gone. It does not make the mood in the vehicle a light one. Anyway, back to the lights… </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We were somewhere outside of Watson Lake on our return trip. It was early morning in the middle of nowhere. It was dark, and yet, there was a faint glow in the sky that made it seem like we should have been gaining ground on a large city not marked on the map. It was a strange mixture of white, and blue, and green. And then, when the glow divided into ribbons of light and moved in the sky like a string of banners in the wind, I knew. I knew but yet, all of my head knowledge flew from consciousness as I sat on the dark roadside, in the middle of nowhere, and simply marveled at the wonder of it all. It was magnificent, and I felt so very small under the sky that night. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/8bbd96ecb8a4e45168face8dbada56253f26a923/original/josh-4.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Twelve years later, I never tire of see the lights. Seeing them is special enough, but if you add the comfort of my own back deck and a warm mug of tea to the mix, you’ll find me in full joy mode. Some have been so active and vibrant that I can’t keep silent or keep tears from streaming down my face. My prayer is that everyone could one day behold them with their own eyes. To stand still, in wonder, in smallness, and behold the creative art of the One who made it all. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span class="font_large">In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. </span></strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span class="font_large">And God saw that the light was good. </span></strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span class="font_large">Genesis 1:1–4a, ESV </span></strong></em></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Aurora Night flows out of my love of these lights. It is a simple piano piece, with varying movements and dynamics, much like the lights themselves. This version adds in a string quartet and a flute for fun, which was born out of the joy of being able to play “October Snow” for my church congregation earlier this month with the team I’m blessed to lead worship with at church. Our Worship Pastor, Joel Stamoolis, wrote some amazing parts for that little song, so it got me thinking about what this one would sound like if my team played with me too. Fun stuff, and I’m still learning about part writing, so this is a bit of an experiment. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I’m also excited to be teaming up with a local photographer and friend, Joshua O’Donnell, to share this song with you. His photos beautifully capture the vivid colors that we most often get to see around here. You can check out more of his amazing work and connect with him on his website at joshuaodonnell.com. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Friends, give thanks for your favorite things in life. Until next time, enjoy the music.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="LumEyVYj7HY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/LumEyVYj7HY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LumEyVYj7HY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64677902020-10-31T23:50:54-08:002022-01-27T19:29:19-09:00October Snow<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted October 12, 2018.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Well, October is here. Not sure what happened to September. Maybe it got lost in the flurry of new school year schedules and…wait for it…a trip to Nashville! Yep, I got to go to Music City with some dear friends for a music ministry conference in September. It was my first time to that glorious place, at least as an adult aware of my surroundings, andmy first trip out of town without my family since I became a momma over 9 years ago. Not gonna lie. It was amazing, not just because the music conference we attended was out of this world fabulous, but because I was maybe more “me” than I have been for a while. Hear me when I say that I treasure my family and who I am because I’m called “mom”. But there is something to be said for adventuring out on your own and steeping yourself in something that fills your heart. Something that you feel called to do. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/00919782ccdedbe14f1e6d7721dcab798c92780b/original/nashville1.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Want to hear a transformative teaching from my time out of town? Here it is. We are blessed by God so thatwe can be a blessing to others. I had heard that truth before, but until I heard it taught by David Platt at the conference, that truth hadn’t made its way into my soul. Pause here and read Psalm 67. (And just a side note. Although we aren’t 100% sure, “Selah” likely means “to praise” or “pause and reflect upon what has just been said.” Rich indeed!) </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><em><strong>May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, (Selah) that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. </strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon the earth. (Selah) </strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Let the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the end of the earth fear him! </strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Psalm 67, ESV </strong></em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Does the beginning of this short little “song” sound familiar? Maybe your pastor has spoken that over you at the end of a service…a type of benediction to carry you from “the altar to the door” (thanks Casting Crowns) and into the crazy week ahead. However, do you notice the comma after that familiar benediction? YES! Not a period but a comma…meaning we are to keep reading beyond the blessing. Our blessings from God are meant to spill out all over the place so that the whole world might be blessed through us and come to know God! This illuminating “SO THAT” was huge for me.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/727ad76faba84ed744a0e5cb6fedbbcd07db2b12/original/nashville2.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Friends, if you are reading this, you are among the most-blessed people in the world. We have a God given responsibility to be sharing, giving, serving, and blessing others in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I walked away from that conference in Nashville feeling even more excited to tackle my music projects and to share with anyone who finds it. I pray for the moments I need to develop and share my music with you. Could you pray for that for me as well? I’m still trying the figure out the momma/ministry balance. It’s a toughie! But for now, I at least have one song to share. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">October in Alaska usually means the start of a long winter, and typically holds the first of many snowfalls. I think the kid in me still rejoices in the first snow, the first blanket of white, but I’ll admit the adult in me laments a bit. I may or may not audibly whine about the snow making the drive to school more complicated, but I mostly lament at how it signals the start of something harder, and darker. I’m working on this attitude a bit, striving to find ways to enjoy our snowy months more, but I’ve come to realize how much I crave light and warmth. About late January you’ll find me dreaming of sunny beaches and palm trees, and truly thankful if I have a trip south on the calendar during Spring Break. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/17ac3d460cc4a02f268f6afc268cfd001547c64a/original/snowy-pics.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">However, finding the joy in every situation has been a mission of mine lately. Find the joy in the pile of dishes: we have had food to eat. Find the joy in the endless string of homework questions: my children are learning. Find the joy in the health struggle: God is my comfort and my provider. And yes, even in a first snowfall, I strive to find joy. That is what “October Snow” was born from. When we get a wet and heavy first snowfall during the stillness of a quiet October afternoon, there is a beauty there. It can start so slowly, with the tiniest of flakes, and suddenly explode into a falling cascade of silver dollar sized clumps of white. Just as quickly as it began, it will subside, leaving you wondering where in the world it came from and if it will come again. I rejoice in the beauty, in the power of our Creator, and in the freshness of the added layer of light. Yes, I rejoice in the snow because it adds a brightness to the dark. It adds light. Not the warm kind, but a “fight back the darkness” kind nonetheless. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I hope you enjoy this (my daughter’s favorite) little instrumental, and may it bring you joy in the season, no matter what it holds. Blessings friends, and strive to find joy!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="xqprUFSiTB4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/xqprUFSiTB4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xqprUFSiTB4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">P.S. Thanks to Kyle Moffat at The Alaska Life, Glen Conaway, and Pat Albert for the gorgeous pics showing the winter beauty around here! </span></p>
<p> </p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64677892020-10-31T23:42:56-08:002022-01-27T19:28:03-09:00Summer Song<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted June 19, 2018.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">So, what season would you say is your favorite? When asked, I can find things I like about each and every season (yes...even in Alaska), but I tend to cling to our current season with complete joy! Summer...aaaahhhh. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/871d7978a9ae55f224d247ffdd820d29309c539a/original/jessica-bird-4.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Maybe it is the return of the light and warmth. Maybe it is the feeling of satisfaction and dirt under my fingernails after working in my garden. Maybe it is the thrill of landing a King Salmon on our boat with my family. Maybe it is the return of color...a glorious contrast to the monotone black and white of the past 6 months! But really, it is probably because my favorite things in life have always happened in the summer. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We used to travel from the Chicago suburbs in my youth to the mountains of Colorado every summer. The cool (and less humid) mountain air was a fantastic place to ride stick horses and explore the ponderosa pine forests. That mountain paradise became home to my family when I was 12, and there we continued to enjoy our summers, and added motorhome travel and frequent trips to the Sand Dunes National Monument to the mix. I also married my high school sweetheart in June of 2001 in that fantastic little mountain town. Summer is grand! (Side note...if you're planning a trip to southern Colorado any time soon, be sure to give the Sand Dunes a visit!) </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Even after moving to Alaska, summers have continued to be full of special moments. Both of my children were born in July, making that month packed full of fun celebrations. Fishing has become quite an obsession of mine (just ask my husband), and I have spent the past month willingly whittling down the yard and garden check list. It all brings my heart joy, and I try to savor every single sunny (and rainy) day. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span class="font_large">“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” </span></strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="font_large"><strong>Psalm 19:1 ESV</strong> </span></em></p>
<p><span class="font_large">One of my favorite things to do musically is to sit at the piano and just see what tunes my fingers come up with. I guess that's called composing, but it never feels very formal to me. It just kind of flows out of how I'm feeling. Some songs end up sounding sad or lonely, and some brighter and lighter. This little "Summer Song" has been a companion of mine for nearly a decade now. I remember playing it for my college friends back at my first house in Colorado Springs...eons ago! It has a waltzy feel, and the tune brings my heart joy when I play it. Seemed fitting to name it after my favorite season. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/d9665046ce38c6997d5fa79b53bb8ac954c721e9/original/summer-song-blog-pics.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Travel is the name of my game right now. Believe it or not, I am currently writing this from Nebraska! We actually flew into Chicago from Anchorage first and spent a few whirlwind days visiting places from my youth and spending time with extended family still living in the area. We then hopped over to Lincoln, where my sister lives with her sweet family, and have enjoyed seeing their new home, visiting the most gorgeous capital building I've ever seen, and eating...really well! Anyone ever heard of a cheese frenchee?? The lemon crunch cone wasn't too shabby either...HA! We even got to experience a good old-fashioned midwestern thunderstorm tonight. The power of God's creation in full surround sound all afternoon and evening! Tomorrow we head to those glorious mountains of Colorado again to round out our travels. Joy. For me, summer equals joy...midwestern humidity and all. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The attached video is full of handiwork from friends, so...enjoy the summer scenes from south central Alaska, and I hope you enjoy "Summer Song". </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="DVhY5yHifxQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/DVhY5yHifxQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DVhY5yHifxQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64677882020-10-31T23:34:49-08:002022-01-27T19:26:55-09:00Psalm 121<p><span class="font_large">Originally posted January 5, 2018.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/f7ef1a5515690007f3344084e8f4f4e344e7f00a/original/long-set-for-top.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In the Spring of 2012, I met with a couple of friends for a weekly "book club" of sorts. My daughter was almost 3 years old, and I was very pregnant with our second child. We had been meeting for a few years, and had read through numerous books written by various authors, usually concerning motherhood, faith, and encouraging suggestions on how to live out faith IN our mothering. Our young children would play around us as we discussed questions from our study guides. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The book that we spent time in that Spring was A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. The subtitle she used to describe her book's content was 10 Ways to Love Your Children. One of those suggested ways was to "Teach Your Children God's Word," living out the encouragement of Deuteronomy 6 to "teach [God's Word] diligently to your children" so that it "shall be in [their] hearts." As if that wasn't a high enough calling, I was struck by something very specific in this chapter. While Elizabeth George researched the cultural "how" behind Deuteronomy 6, she found a guideline based on Jewish customs: "The life of a Jew is religious from the cradle to the grave. In the room occupied by the mother and her newborn infant the rabbi puts a paper containing Psalm 121 in Hebrew." These mommas would literally pray Psalm 121 over their newborn babies, establishing God's character in their hearts from an early age. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">“Imagine the heart, faith, and emotion of the mom who holds her baby </span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">and prays Psalm 121 over her newborn” </span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">Elizabeth George, A Mom After God’s Own Heart </span></em></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The study guide associated with this chapter posed this question: How are you living out "the cradle to the grave" principle of teaching God's Word diligently to your children, no matter what their ages?" My answers were 1) teaching songs about God/Jesus, 2) attending church as a family, 3) praying the Lord's Prayer with them at night, and 4) playing Christian music throughout the day. All good things, but right after that list I added something I wanted to strive toward, especially for the baby growing inside me. I wanted to be able to pray Psalm 121 over my kids, as often as possible. And for me, that meant I needed to memorize it, because carrying around an open bible or even a piece of paper with the psalm typed out on it didn't seem feasible while changing diapers. However, memorizing large portions of scripture has always been pretty tough for me...unless it is set to a tune. That is where my setting of Psalm 121 was born.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/4003310ed29025d2597452d62296aa45ca50faaf/original/large-square-set-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I encourage you to take a moment to read through Psalm 121. As one of the "Songs of Ascents", it was intended to instill confidence in God's people as they made the long and often difficult journey to Jerusalem, the City of David set high in the hills, to worship Him. Right away it asks the reader a question: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?" Imagine being at the bottom of a long hill that had to be climbed. The elements could be brutal and everyone around you was making a journey of their own. What a metaphor for life, right? The answer in the next verse is the confidence boost: "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." The best and most powerful help we could ever seek to find during life's circumstances is from the One who made those very hills. I truly love the contents of the remaining verses in how they further build on the confidence we can find in the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">“The LORD is your keeper…your shade on your right hand…</span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">The LORD shall keep you from all evil…</span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">He will keep your life…keep your going out and your coming in…</span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">He will not let your foot be moved…</span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">He who keeps you will not slumber…nor sleep.” </span></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span class="font_large">Psalm 121: 5-8, 3-4 ESV </span></em></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Fast forward a few months, and our family had welcomed our son, Matthias, into the family. In true busy momma fashion, my goal to have Psalm 121 memorized or set to music hadn't happened yet, but I had never lost the desire to see it through. I could tell that he loved music from an early age, and it made sense that he would as the poor kid had no choice but to attend worship team practices and full Sunday mornings of leading worship while his ears developed. Music was also one of the only things that calmed him down...a glorious discovery! On one particularly tough momma day, I decided to press pause. I followed through with an obedient step forward, and printed Psalm 121 out on a single piece of paper. I needed the encouragement found within those verses, and in true God fashion, He helped me piece together a setting...in my kitchen...within the time it took me to prep dinner. I had been given a melody, and got to sit at my piano later that night to figure out the rest. It was simple, easy to remember, and quickly became a daily lullaby. Praise God! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I was honored to share the setting with our congregation later that Fall on the Sunday morning we prayed over our little boy. We also got to sing it together as a Women's Bible Study during a summer study of the Psalms, and it has been shared during a summer concert in recent past as well. There is something quite scary yet beautiful about sharing our creative works with one another. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">On May 24th of 2015, our Music Pastor, Joel Stamoolis, took us into a congregational project of singing through the whole book of Psalms during Sunday worship. So, for the past 2 1/2 years, we have sung one Psalm each Sunday and are currently in the middle of Psalm 119 (the longest psalm) which we are signing one stanza per week. God willing, we will finish with Psalm 150 on September 2nd of 2018! It has been an amazing project of which I have been honored to be a part of in writing, leading and recording capacities. Singing Psalms has become a regular part of my daily worship, for which I am truly thankful! If you'd like to know more about this project and check out the recordings we have accomplished so far, please visit the <a contents="Psalms Project at WBC" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://wasillabible.org/ministries/music/psalms-project/">Psalms Project at WBC</a>. There is also a Facebook page for the project, so look us up and follow along! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">To wrap up this lengthy post (ha, sorry...long history to this one), I'd like to share a bit of the "why" behind my choice to share this song first. I had just finished the book A Million Little Ways (see previous post) during a weekend of moose hunting and was driving back home to lead worship. On the 1 1/2 hour drive back, I prayed for guidance on how I should go about sharing my music. While I was at church that morning, two separate friends asked me about this very psalm setting...unprompted by me...but obviously prompted by the One who answers prayer. I left that morning with the goal to pull this recording together as soon as I could.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/5b1d40b2525c6da9efab8948c5527bdfae1b9f52/original/large-square-set-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I also knew I wanted a mountain background for the video, and in reaching out to friends I received many beautiful offerings! Some of my favorites are scattered throughout this post, and I am excited to use them all in upcoming projects. For this setting, I have to thank my friend Kyle Moffat from The Alaska Life for a stunning picture of the highest hill around...Denali. Our mighty God created even that "highest of hills"! So, I invite you to enjoy my humble first offering, Psalm 121. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="GGVlKikz8q4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/GGVlKikz8q4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GGVlKikz8q4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>Andrea Sandefurtag:andreasandefurmusic.com,2005:Post/64677842020-10-31T23:10:38-08:002020-10-31T23:43:54-08:00Living the Art Uncovered<p><span class="font_large">Originally Posted September 11, 2017</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Excitement is one emotion I’m feeling as I type these first words. But I’ll admit…they are laced with doubt and a “why” question in mind, but hey…that is just fear talking, right? You see, I wouldn’t label myself as a “writer” or even among the very wise. English was not one of my “comfort zone” subjects in school…it took a lot of work! So why write?? Well, I pray this blog becomes an answer to a call: To live the art I’m called to offer. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I recently finished a lovely book entitled A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman. About halfway through, daughter asked me what I was reading, and as I tried to explained the soul feeding truths I had been gleaning, she asked me if Emily was my friend. After giggling a bit, I actually said “yes, yes she is,” though I haven’t been given the chance to meet her in person (yet!). You see, the art that Emily lives out is encouragement. She has a beautiful way of helping her readers (and listeners…more on that later) connect with who they are, how they are designed, and cheers them on toward living more fully in those prayerful revealings. Like a good friend.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/aab0bc2f49be9cf1b9f95a5b9a69fb3e9dd35f2d/original/a-million-little-ways.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">One of the first things in her book to catch my eye was this: “How are we to know what things we should or can pursue? Maybe those things bringing you joy do so because they are one of the many ways in which God wants to declare his glory through you.” So, in response to that, I set out to discover what brought me JOY! Ponder that yourself if you will. What brings you joy? What makes you come alive when you are doing it?? This just may be the art you were made to live. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Emily fleshed out this idea of an artist beautifully in her book, and one of my favorite ideas was this: </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“An artist is simply anyone who is brave enough to move toward what makes her come alive. And whatever comes out as a result of that, be it [music, faith or lessons learned], these are simply the evidence that art has happened, proof of people willing to bear God’s image in the world.” (my list was inserted here, but yours could contain anything!) </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">At this point, my blog is called “Music, Faith & Lessons Learned”. This is because I truly find JOY in music. Singing, playing piano, leading worship, composing, listening…I love it all! My music is directly influenced by what I’m learning in my faith journey and life lessons God is teaching me along the way. My hope and prayer is that I can give you a glimpse into the life of this “artist” and share my music with you as I’m able to record and develop it. This is where the doubt enters in. Why? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Why should I take the time to write? Why should I take the time to share my music? Free time isn’t something I feel I’m graced with these days. But, I was able to overcome these questions in two different dimensions recently as I listened to an episode from Emily’s current project, The Next Right Thing podcast. I’d encourage you to look this podcast up…seriously good stuff! In Episode 5, she shared this: </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“What if you desire to do a particular thing because God created you a particular way, not to tease you or to make you miserable, but to actually mold you into becoming more like him, for his glory and the benefit of others? Could it be possible that the thing you most long for, the thing you notice and think about and wish you could do, is the thing you were actually made for and are being equipped to do?” (emphasis mine) </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Catch that?? The dream inside isn’t there to tease. What if walking toward that dream in faithfulness means “becoming more like” the woman and men God designed us to be. AND, when we are faithful in that, it is for His glory. He is equipping us to walk toward that dream, that idea, that art. And not only that, it is for the benefit of others!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/a7ce861df25b307abc9d38483ac5ba34978c007f/original/members-of-body.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Henri Nouwen in his book Here and Now says: </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“The more I think about the human suffering in our world and my desire to offer a healing response, the more I realize how crucial it is not to allow myself to become paralyzed by feelings of impotence and guilt. More important than ever is to be very faithful to my vocation to do well the few things I am called to do and hold on to the joy and peace they bring me.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">There is a lot going on in the world right now. There are hurricanes, fires, flooding, people displaced from their homes…and that is just in my nation! Closer to home, there are thieves breaking in everywhere it seems and tragedies to raw to even talk about. Dear friends of mine are walking through some tough stuff with medical issues, family issues, financial issues…the list never seems to end. Something I am continually drawn to do is to encourage and to help. Have you ever tried to help everyone though? Can’t be done…believe me. I can’t even help everyone within my little circle of personal connection! Guilt casts quite a shadow when I consider all of the people hurting or struggling…I just want to help. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We can’t let guilt seep in though. We should help where and when we are able, but when we feel like there is nothing more we can do, there is still a job we CAN do.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/520974/a7ce861df25b307abc9d38483ac5ba34978c007f/original/members-of-body.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">It is more important than ever to make art! We are each called, by our creative Creator in specific ways. We, as a whole, make up the many parts of a body. Without each other, we are just a piece. We need each other to function, to live more fully, and to thrive!! As much as I would love to do big and important things for the world, my hope and prayer is that could at least do my own thing well and present it as an offering. So friends, this is my offering to my Creator, and to you. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrea</span></p>Andrea Sandefur