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10 Questions with ... Love Collide
June 29, 2015
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
https://www.facebook.com/LoveCollide https://twitter.com/_lovecollide
1. Brief History / Synopsis
Lauren was born in Tampa, Florida and Brooke was born in Hickory, North Carolina. We grew up in North Carolina and went to various schools but were primarily home-schooled through High School. Lauren graduated from Belmont University with a degree in music May 2014 the same year Brooke graduated high school. We currently live in Nashville, TN.
2. What does a normal day at home look like for you?
There is no "normal day" pattern for us. No matter where we are, we try to begin each day early with time in the Word and prayer and then some stretching or yoga. After that we write, rehearse, travel, play shows, catch up with emails, social media etc.
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?
Brooke: Send Me Out by Steve Fee because it is the prayer of my life.
Lauren: He knows my name by Francesca Battistelli, is powerful to me and I find myself humming it without even realizing it.
4. How much do you travel, what are the challenges? How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home?
We started touring in August 2014 and were on the road fairly consistently until mid December - then again all spring. Our mom travels with us as our tour manager, but we try to swing by home or have family come to us at least every 3 weeks.
Lauren: it is probably harder for me. I have my boyfriend who lives in Atlanta, our brothers and Dad are in NC and a lot of friends are in Nashville - so trying to see all our loved ones gets challenging. Thankfully, everyone is so supportive of our ministry and encourages us on the road, especially when we have reports of God changing lives! We try to stay primarily in host homes while on the road - that is a huge blessing of home cooked meals, prayers and comfy beds.
5. What Artist or Pastor has had the greatest impact on you?
There are many artists that impacted our lives, but as little girls, Barlow Girl probably impacted us the most with their sibling harmony, their powerful messages in song and also during their concerts.
Brooke: drums were my first instrument so Lauren Barlow's drumming and singing inspired me.
Both: Our spiritual lives were greatly impacted by our parents consistently living out a life of Christ in front of us. We have many leaders who have poured truth into our lives. We attended a Life Action Ministry Family Camp every summer growing up and the Godly teaching there shaped us profoundly.
6. What's the last book you read?
We have at least one spiritually enriching book going at all times. On the road it keeps us focused and accountable.
Lauren: one of the books I read was The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows by James Bryan Smith. Knowing who God is effects your whole life. Until you fully understand the character of God, you can't truly experience what life in Him is meant to me. I began to really study the character of God.
Brooke: We both just read Whatever the Cost: Facing Your Fears. Dying to Your Drams and Living Powerfully, by David and Jason Benham. It has numerous great nuggets of Truth but most important being to hold all our dreams with outstretched hands and to serve Him wholeheartedly whatever the cost. We must focus on the depth of our devotion to Him and He will direct the breadth of our ministry. I am also reading through many great classics, currently reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
7. Funniest or most embarrassing moment on the road?
When we travel, it is primarily 3 females and none of us are exactly auto mechanics, but we keep gaff tape on hand! Once traveling through Atlanta, Lauren had food poisoning, so that was an experience in and of itself, then something flew off the truck in front of us, and hit our car and knocked the front under panel off. We pulled over and gaff taped the entire front of the car back on. It stayed on the entire trip back to Nashville.
8. Take us through a couple songs on your latest project.
Our last project was our self-titled debut CD, LoveCollide. The first track is Sold Out which is basically how we desire to live our lives for Jesus Christ.
Check out the live acoustic performance of Sold Out.
We each have our "testimony" song.
Brooke: Through Your Eyes was written after we heard of a loved one who we knew struggled with a eating disorder, but it escalated in self harm to cutting. We wanted to write something to bring Hope in the knowledge of who we are in Christ and how we can base our identity in the Truth of who we are, through the eyes of God. While recording in the studio, I broke down realizing that even though I wrote the words I was singing, I often listened to the lies in my head because of my own insecurities rather than the TRUTH.
Lauren: The majority of Numb was written as a journal entry after a panic attack in college. I never intended the words in my journal to become a song, but after reading it again years later I knew there was an answer and His name is Jesus. As we personally share our own stories with authenticity and vulnerability we have had so many people relate to what we share, and in turn they have found hope in the truth of the Gospel. There is nothing more humbling and powerful than to see lives changed.
9. What organization/service group are you affiliated with?
We have sponsored children through Compassion all our lives and we still do as individuals. We can each change at least one life for a minimal amount of money. As LoveCollide, we partner with a few other ministries as we support their mission. OneCry is a revival based movement that we promote. We are passionate to see revival! We believe there is no political, social, entertainment, or educational reform that will change our nation. Only true revival will bring about the change we need! We also promote RemedyLive. We have many people that share with us deep personal needs that need further counsel than we can provide. Remedy Live has trained soul medics 24/7 to help.
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question
Lauren: Ruth Graham Bell was such an inspiration to me growing up. I read all of her books. She was passionate for the Lord, fiesty and strong yet she was a fearless submissive woman of God. I'd love to sit under her teaching.
Brooke: Esther from the Bible; she didn't let fear get in the way of what was right. She was selfless.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible Verse....life verse?
Brooke: John 3:30 "He must become greater; I must become less" I fight the desire for men's applause and I want only Christ to be glorified, for people to see Him not me, for His name to become famous.
Lauren: Romans 8:28 "And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." Life is messy and knowing God's sovereignty and goodness is an assurance even when we can't understand our circumstances.
2. How & when did you become a believer?
Lauren: I grew up in a Christian home, but I was saved at seven years old at a Franklin Graham festival in Boone, NC. That was the first time I had heard an altar call, and I knew I believed in Jesus Christ and wanted him in my life. At eleven years old - I attended a True Love Waits conference, and it was then that I understood that Christianity was a relationship, not just a belief. After that, I began digging into devotionals, my own quiet time and a personal growth in my relationship with Jesus. When I went to college, I took a huge next step being on my own, and I had to fully put my trust in God. I grew so much that first year and was baptized in my church in Nashville, TN (I was only sprinkled as a baby). My relationship with God isn't a perfect one, because I am not perfect. But I press on towards the goal and I know what is yet to come. Every day I put my trust in Jesus, and I will for the rest of my days.
Brooke: I grew up learning about God and believed in God for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, most of it was head knowledge and did not translate into a full understanding of my need for a Savior and how to live for Him. I "accepted" Jesus every time there was an alter call, primarily to get attention. I do not remember the exact moment when it finally made sense. All I know, like the blind man in John 9:25, "I was blind and now I see" Around age 13 is when my walk with God transformed from a belief into a true following of Christ and becoming his disciple. I continue to be sanctified daily as I grow in Him!
3. What's the biggest "God moment" you've ever experienced? Personally or professionally, when has God shown up in a powerful way?
Anytime people come to Christ as their savior for their first time or their faith is deepened or strengthened as a result of our ministry we know it is ONLY because of His power and presence of the Holy Spirit and we are in awe of Him. At one of our concerts, a woman told us a few days earlier she accepted Christ as her Savior after hearing one of our songs on the radio. She had cancer and after a few unsuccessful treatments was at peace with God and finally ready to meet Him. To think that eternity changed for this dear woman due to the power of God through our music is astounding. Every door that has opened in our ministry of music has been through His hand.
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