HAPPY NEW YEAR

Can you believe it's the New Year already? 
2010 has gone by so fast, it was almost a blur to me.

One of my New Year resolutions was to start a Blog for you all.  I started one once before when I was on my tour in Australia but like most things I set up, I forgot my password, so I had to start a new one.  It makes sense though, because I'm beginning a new season of my life!

I feel I have grown so much this past year!  I think I'm smarter, more compassionate, maybe a little more organized (or I strive to be), stronger in my faith, and more determined than I've ever been.

I definitely feel smarter in business!  
I've made some mistakes along the way but I keep hearing you have to do that to learn!
As the New Year begins I think I'm finally at my capacity for learning...  and I’m ready to get this train moving forward!

I also just feel a whole lot smarter in life.  Here's how…

• I have learned to live in the moment more and enjoy each and every minute.
• I have also learned to stop worrying about every little thing!  I can't enjoy today if I'm worried about tomorrow. 
• I've learned, that to be at my best, I have to be doing what I was put on this earth to do.  And I truly believe my purpose is to sing and make music for as many people as I can.  Doing that makes me smile more than anything.
• I've learned to accept that I cannot please everyone, but if I live a life that is pleasing to God then that’s all I expect from myself.  
• I've learned to surround myself with people that believe in my Me and my dreams, and to work with people that don't want to compromise who I am as an artist or as a person.  
• I've always known that material things are just that... they are material, and you can't take them with you to heaven and you aren't promised you will have them tomorrow!  The May floods in Nashville taught me that!  My family lost our home, most of our belongings, and our cars in the flood this year.  My Mom, my sister, my dogs, and I were rescued from the strong, rushing waters of the Harpeth River.  The flood took away our ‘things’ but not our 'faith', and it brought us closer than ever because we only had each other and that's all we really need anyway, right?  
• I've also learned, this past year, not to question God's plan for my life.  This has taken many years to learn but I think that at the conclusion of 2010, I finally get it.  God's timing is perfect and only  He has the best plan for my life.  

I could talk about so many things in this blog but I will just briefly touch on one...
As most of you know, I moved to Los Angeles two years ago to pursue acting.  I took acting classes and actually spent almost a year working on the script for a movie based on my life.  I HAD SO MUCH FUN OUT THERE!  I loved my classes and all of the wonderful people I met, and that’s also where I found my dog Cosmo!!  

In my mind, I planned to take my classes, film my movie, and release a new album.  I thought I'd be back on the road and making enough money so Mama could quit her job and run my fan club from her new home with a big front porch!  But God had different plans. Things kept happening to postpone the movie production, which postponed the release of my album, and you guys know that has postponed me starting up touring again.  I was determined to stay out in Los Angeles until the movie got made but with all the delays there came a point where I just had to move back to Nashville.  Time continued to pass and still no movie!  And to make things more frustrating my record label would not release my new music without the movie.  Because my new songs were going to be in the movie they thought a simultaneous release of both was the best thing to do.

It felt like nothing was going right.  I prayed every night for God to help me and I read Matthew 6: 25-34 and Philippians 4:6-7 over and over again to ease my mind.

  

Then came the May flood…  

At one point I didnt really know what to think.   What was I supposed to do now?   It felt like I had lost everything! But I actually learned that this was in fact God's answer to my prayers.  

When the flood happened, so many people reached out to help my family…  The Grand Ole Opry, MusicCares, my family and my friends.  They all wanted to help us rebuild our home and our lives.  

While I have the chance I want to say Thank You…   for all of your prayers, and for every person that helped us clean up, gave us a place to stay, gave us food, gift cards, clothes, etc!  Each and every one of you showed me what compassion is all about and my family will be forever grateful for you.

For the 6 months after the flood that I was out of my home, God gave me the resources to not only rebuild our life but also to keep my career ticking along.  It was during this time that I began working with Jason Collum of Sorted Noise, one of the producers on my new album.  Jason has been wonderful in so many ways, but one way that I am most appreciative is that he helped me continue working on my music.  With all that we were going through with the flood he generously paid for the recording of 7 of my new songs.   I am so thankful for Jason and Sorted Noise and WILL be paying him back soon!  You have my word on that! 

Marcus Hummon is another friend who has been so generous to me.  He has also produced some of my songs for my upcoming album, he has guided me, offered advice, and directed me during this time of my life.  And he has done it all free of charge.  I am so grateful and I WILL pay him back too!

Thank you EVERYONE!  I am so blessed to have so many angels in my life.  

Some of you may not know, but another thing that happened the week of the flood was Mercury Records and I decided to go our separate ways.  Boy, was my life taking a turn!  I had dreamed since I was a little girl about having a record deal and now I was walking away from what God gave me in 2003.  At the time I felt like it was the right thing to do, but I can’t lie, I still wake up some mornings wishing I had a record deal again. 

Because they were not going to release a new album without the movie I decided I couldn't put my life on hold any longer.  I have no hard feelings towards them at all, in fact it was most of the staff at Universal Music Group  that came over to clean out my house after the flood!  WOW! I could not believe it!  I thought when we parted ways that the staff would never speak to me again and boy was I SO WRONG! They got on their hands and knees, in the dirt and mud at my flooded house, and helped us so much!! I love the staff at Universal Music Group with all my heart!  Who knows, maybe we will get to work together again some day :)!!   

So, as you can imagine, by the middle of May I was beginning to question what I'd done wrong in my life to make all this stuff happen. The answer was, nothing! I had done nothing wrong!

I'm not perfect, but God is not a punishing God and everything we go through in life is for a reason.  I have a strong faith and I know in my heart He has a plan for me and He is unfolding it right in front of my eyes. 

I tell you all this, not only to give you a closer look at my journey in this life but also to give you some insight on why it's taking me FOREVER to get you some new music.  I've been working so hard on the music but all these circumstances combined have slowed down the process.  

And…  Now that I’m an Independent Artist I'm having to change the way I do business.  I have been busy working on how to actually get my music to you all when it is ready and the same goes for planning a tour… trust me, I WANT TO BE PLAYING IN YOUR TOWNS too!

Also during 2010 God sent me a wonderful friend who is helping me with my day-to-day tasks.  She is brilliant and another gift from God. She's helping me with everything creative, shows, business, and helping me get organized (and to remember my passwords) etc!!  I hope that I work with her for the rest of my life. 

I also have an amazing publicity team that has been working on my behalf for over a year now!  These girls have a fire under them and are determined to help me achieve my goals!  

So now I hope you understand why I said at the beginning of this blog…

“As the New Year begins I think I'm at my capacity for learning...  I’m ready to get this train moving forward!”

This year, I am more determined to make my dreams happen.   I have faith that they ARE going to come true.   I am determined to get back on the road and get my new music out there to you because I am so proud of these new songs and I want you all to have them.  

I live by faith and not sight so I can't see where this journey will take me next or what turns I have to make to achieve all of my dreams.  But I have faith that God will direct my path and keep me headed in the right direction.  

I want you all to know that I live every single day to open up my laptop and read the messages from you all on my Facebook and Myspace.  You are a huge part of why I believe I can achieve my goals and my dreams.  You understand me, and my music, in ways that I cant believe.  You love the songs I choose and when I see you, you sing them back to me!!  You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me cry (good cries), and you make my life worth living.  

I am so blessed to know you all and that you are in my life.  May God bless you in this New Year and I pray that I will see you all soon!

One final note is for my Mama…

You are such a special woman!  I am so blessed to call you "Mama" and call you my best friend.  Thank you for letting me cry to you, for helping me continue to make music, for fighting for me, for being patient with me, and for always believing in my dreams.  You WILL have that front porch one day and we will get that beach vacation in a tropical place!  (two pina coladas!!)

Love you all more than you will ever know,

                                                        Julie