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10 Questions with ... Shine Bright Baby
July 22, 2013
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1. Brief history....birthplace, childhood, schools, jobs, current hometown
I'll give you my own personal history. I was born & raised in Canton, OH. I had an awesome childhood full of so many great memories. I have two brothers one older & one younger and I couldn't be more proud of them. School for me was just mediocre, I never thought I was any good at anything & usually was the one day dreaming in class about things beyond a typical 9-5 job. I always told my family growing up that I never would work in a cubicle & have thus far succeeded in that mantra. I still live in the same hometown, my entire family lives here & it's such a blessing to be able to see them virtually anytime. - Josh
2. What does a normal/routine day at home look like for you, when you're not on the road?
that way. On Mondays we have rehearsal, on Wednesday I teach voice lessons. On Tuesday and Thursdays, if I'm not working at a local photography studio I can be found working on my computer. I spend a lot time emailing and designing in between fulfilling my duties as a housewife. If I have miraculously have nothing planned I sleep in and hang out with my cat, Mister Kitty all day and its awesome. - Emily
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now (from another artist or band). Why do you like it so much?
Oceans by Hillsong United. I love to worship. Every season or so I fall in love with a new worship song and this one is my jam right now. I love the heart of it and the bridge is just overwhelmingly beautiful and sincere. - Emily
4. How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home? How much do you travel, what are the challenges?
We travel often but we do split our time pretty evenly between being home and being away right now. I think it's important to strive for balance. Life is on the road is so much fun but it does come with its set of challenges...like lack of personal space, quiet and the rigor of constantly being on the road. Though sometimes I think being home is just as much work. I don't have to do dishes or weed the flowerbeds on tour. We love our friends and families and that is the hardest part of being away and we grateful for their love and support on the road. - Emily
5. What's the biggest "God moment" that you've ever experienced, personal or professional?
This is a difficult question. There have been so many "God moments" in my life and it seems that God always teaches me something new on every tour that we do. Perhaps the biggest moment was when I first got saved at the age of 13. I was at a youth rally with my church & one night the spirit of God completely captivated me to the point of tears. It was such an amazing feeling knowing & feeling the unconditional love of God. That moment was the most significant in my life because I surrendered my life to Christ from that point forward. There have been other "God moments" while touring. For example, our van broke down in rural Montana once & within 10 minutes a diesel mechanic saw our stranded vehicle and found & fixed our problem instantly. I love how God always shows up when you least expect Him to. - Josh
6. What's the last book you read?
I am currently reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Seth Godin, called The Icarus Deception. I haven't finished it but the concept of the book is about refining what it means to create art and how it's necessary to always be creating. - Emily
7. Tell me about how you became a believer. What caused you to want to serve God in full time ministry?
I committed my life to Christ at the age of 13. I was at a youth rally with my church & one night I experienced the love of God for the first time & gave my life to Him that night. It wasn't until several years later when I began playing guitar when the worship leader at my church encouraged me to use my musical talents to worship God. It never really clicked for me that I could play guitar & worship Jesus at the same time. Discovering that I could lead others into the presence of God was a no brainer for me, I had to utilize my talents for the kingdom of God, there was simply no other option. - Josh
8. Take us through a few songs on, "Dreamers", your new CD.
The first single, "Beautiful Love" is about the simple, beautiful reality of God's love. It came from the desire to let people know that they are accepted by God, in any state, and that through Christ they are made beautiful to God. Everybody has a past and no one is perfect but God wants to use us and take joy in His love. With this song being on the radio, we have been able to watch people respond to the message of "Beautiful Love". Seeing people singing along and experiencing the joy of God's love in their lives.
The title track of the album, Dreamers really sums up our mission as a band. This song was written while we were in the studio and even though we had plenty of songs to pick from I knew these words needed to be said because its a big deal to us. This song is our call to all the dreamers out there. Though the album isn't out yet we have been playing this song live and the response has been great. We want to inspire people to hope for what they can't see and to believe in the power of the dreams and promises that God has placed uniquely on their lives. - Emily
9. If you could go back and change any events/decisions in your life, what would it/they be, and why?
I don't know if I would change anything. It's not because I have nothing to regret but because I have realized that everything I have experienced in my 23 years on this earth has shaped me into who I am today. I believe God uses our struggles as a testimony to others of His grace and redemption cause no one is perfect. - Emily
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question
I think I'd like to have a discussion with the great grandparents of mine that I never got to know. I think it would be incredible to hear about their sacrifices to make a better life for themselves & their family. - Josh
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible verse....or life verse. Why?
I don't know if I have one favorite verse, I have many favorite passages. In this season, my favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9 and the surrounding passages. It says that His grace is sufficient and that His power is made perfect in our weakness so there is no way we can boast in our strength. I think it's a great reminder when life gets hectic that we are never going to have it all together and that our strength comes from Christ, not our own striving and efforts. - Emily
2. Funniest or most embarrassing moment?
Perhaps one of the most embarrassing moments of my life was when I was 18. At the time I was playing in the church youth band & the young adult pastor told me that I should stage dive during a worship set. Because I lacked common sense & wisdom at the time I decided to do it. Also, for some reason I thought it was cool to wear slippers as shoes when I was 18 so I had these super slippery soles that were a nightmare to walk in. Despite the odds being stacked against me I waited until the last upbeat song of our set & I ran and dove off the stage. I stuck the landing perfectly but my amazing slippers caused me to slide about 10 feet where I finally did fall onto a coffee table. Somehow I managed to play the write chords during this whole ordeal. -Josh
3. What artist or pastor has had the greatest impact on you, and why?
Misty Edwards. She is a worship leader out of the international house of prayer in Kansas City and has really inspired me. Before, Shine Bright Baby I led worship for my youth group and still serve in my Church. The way Misty leads worship and the flow of her songs that she writes is what led me to love worship music and leading worship. I remember the first time I heard one of her songs sung by a female worship leader at an area church and I was so moved by the unbridled passion and genuine spirit behind the song. Growing up in a conservative church, for me to witness that free flowing style of worship completely changed the way I viewed "worship" in the church. - Emily
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