The "In Between" stage has been a wild ride to say the least. There have been so many life changing opportunities that have happened since my #humblebeginnings. After singing my first successful solo at age nine, I was approached by many people to come sing for their church programs, conferences, community events, groups, CDs, etc. Keep reading to find out what happened #inbetween!
A few years after this photo was taken, a man that went to Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church asked my mother if it would be alright to have me come to his studio and have me record some original songs that he wrote. So we go bee-bopping (as my mom would say) over his house to record a song. I recorded one verse and never went back. He wanted us to sign a contract that allowed to him to get an outrageous percentage of whatever proceeds came from the record. It felt like a scam, and as it turned out other local artists who did sign the contract got burned. I'm so glad we walked away when we did!
Because my hometown was so small, all I did in middle and high school was go to rehearsals and singing events. We would call musicians to see if we could use their church to rehearse and have jam sessions. Out of those sessions came new arrangements of old songs, new singing groups, and new friendships/relationships. From those sessions also came opportunities. I was able to travel all over Oklahoma, to Ohio, Georgia, and California singing for a variety of churches from Church of God to COGIC to Non-denominational to Full Gospel. I opened for David and Tamela Mann. I sang behind Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Vashawn Mitchell! Having #humblebeginnings wasn't so bad after all!
When I graduated high school, I attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. While there I joined the world-renowned gospel choir, Souls A'Fire. Souls A'Fire taught me so much about myself and my gift. Being in Souls A'Fire made me experience growth in my spiritual walk with God and in my gift. All around I was a better person because I was in Souls. I met God in a way that I had never met Him before. My relationship with Him grew deeper and my love for Him grew stronger. I had a greater understanding of Him and of what my gift was to the world. It was in Souls that I discovered that I had so much more to offer than just singing background or settling for solos that didn't challenge or stretch me. I met friends in Souls that I will have for the rest of my life. It was in Souls that I met my husband (I'll tell y'all about that in a later post *wink*). Souls gave me the opportunity to sing on national tv in front of thousands during ORU's weekly televised chapel services. I sang in numerous concerts on and off campus. I even served as Assistant Director my last year. Oh, and did I mention I also went on tour? It is true what they say about college being your formative years, because I can truly say that when I left ORU and Souls A'Fire I had been transformed into a better, whole person.
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