10 Questions with ... Hannah Kerr

1. Please tell us how 2020 changed your relationships?

My relationships changed so much in 2020! First of all, I got married in March to my amazing husband Jason! Our wedding was at the very beginning of the pandemic, so we had a very small ceremony with just our families present last year and then had our full reception on March 21st, 2021. It was such a sweet wedding day and then such a fun celebration! As we think about how everything happened, we wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way! I also became an aunt in 2020 to my niece, Brinley! My brother Michael and sister-in-law Colleen became parents for the first time, and our whole family is already wrapped around Brinley’s little finger. She is perfect, and her birth was such a bright spot in an otherwise challenging year. In general, I think 2020 really strengthened my close friendships the most. When everyone was isolated and quarantined, we found so many ways to connect with people virtually since being in person was not an option. We had some virtual game nights where we played games online with our friends, and we did a lot of hanging out over Zoom! This year really made us be more intentional about our relationships and make a conscious effort to see our friends and loved ones! I’m so thankful for that and will never take being in person with people for granted again! Quality time with people you love is so precious.

2. Share the most challenging part of the past year.

The most challenging part of 2020 was how drastically life changed so quickly for me. Jason and I had planned to get married, take a few weeks off the road, and then jump right on a tour and get back to work! Obviously, we did not plan to be home and spend every day for a full year in our 700 square foot apartment! It was wonderful in every way, except we had no idea how we were going to make enough money to pay our bills, since touring is one of our main sources of income. We truly had to just trust that God was going to provide for us, and I can confidently say on the other side of 2020, that God provided everything we needed and then some. He blew our minds with His generosity and faithfulness even in our worry and stress. Our trust in God grew so much this year, and we are so thankful for how God used a difficult season to do a miracle in our lives and remind us that He is always good.

3. Some really great advice you received recently was…

Someone recently told Jason and me this: “In your marriage there will be times when you are mad at each other, and your feelings may be totally justified. But in that moment, you can choose to stay mad or you can choose to forgive and not miss out on that time that could be spent being happy together and loving one another well.”

4. How do you continue to deepen your relationship with Jesus?

The more time I spend with the Lord, the more I love Him and the more I learn more from Him. It’s all about making time with Him a priority. If I don’t give God space to speak to me, I’m not going to hear Him. I’ve learned a lot this year about spending time with God in silence and stillness; not trying to pray wordy prayers or “impress” Him, but rather just enjoying His presence and being grateful for it, knowing that He loves me and is with me no matter what. I’m also learning to read short sections of Scripture and let them soak into my spirit instead of reading quickly through a few chapters just to check off the box in my mind. I’ve found God so much in the peace and quiet this year and tried to resist hurry in my time with Him.

5. Share about that new song of yours.

I am so excited about my new song, “Same God”! I wrote it in November over Zoom with two of my friends, and I’ve loved it ever since. We went into that co-write and started sharing about how this year has challenged us and how our lives have changed so much. Emma, my cowriter, was really vulnerable about some doubts and questions she had been having about her faith, and how she wanted to hear a song about how God still loved her even in her doubts. I loved that idea, so we started writing a song about that. The main idea of the song is that no matter what changes around us, God remains the same. He is constant and loving always, even when we are struggling or changing. He created the universe and He created us; He knows every single detail about us and chooses to love us the same through all seasons of our lives. That message from “Same God” has given me so much comfort in the last few months, and I knew that I needed to share it with others too. The song was produced by my brother Josh, which was really special for me too. I loved getting to work with him on this song because we’ve been doing music together since we were kids!

6. Tell us about someone who you really respect and why?

I really respect the worship minister at my church, Michael Boggs. He has faithfully served our church for 15 years and does such a great job. He is amazingly talented musically, but even more so, he loves God with his whole heart and serves Him humbly. He has no arrogance or pride in his leadership; he just serves where he is needed, encourages his team well, and gives his absolute best effort to everything he does. He has been an important mentor in my life since I was in high school, and I have learned so much from his worship leading and also the way he leads his life. He is a husband and a dad and has such a sweet family too. He has also taken the time to mentor my husband, Jason as well. Jason and I both look up to him and respect him more than he knows!

7. What would surprise people most about you?

My new favorite fun fact is that my legal name in Scotland is Lady Hannah Elizabeth Earley! My dad thought it would be funny to buy Jason and me one square foot of land in Scotland as a wedding gift, because in Scotland, if you own land, your official title becomes “Lord” or “Lady.” So, forget “Hannah Kerr,” my new stage name is “Lady Hannah Elizabeth Earley!” Just kidding…

8. What’s on your nightstand?

It’s a little messier than I like right now so there are a lot of things! My Bible, my journal, cards and letters from loved ones from our wedding reception, Bluetooth headphones, my glasses case and my phone charger.

9. What are you most excited about this year?

Jason and I are looking for a house to buy right now, so we are very excited to start a new chapter in a new home this year! We’re also excited to get back out on the road and play new music! 2021 looks like a year of new beginnings, and I am so grateful for that.

10. What do you do for fun?

My favorite thing to do with friends is play board games and card games! When I’m alone I like to listen to music, read books, and drink tea. Really just anything that is restful! Jason and I are big TV watchers; we watched a lot of new shows during our free time in 2020! I just got a calligraphy set, so I’m going to try to learn calligraphy now! I think it would be cool to write out my song lyrics!