Singer – Songwriter – Counselor
We worked hard last night at our first rehearsal for the CD Release Concert! It’s going to be a very cool event! Friday, May 9 @ 7 p.m. Sequim Community Church, 950 N 5th Ave, Sequim, WA. FREE ($5 suggested donation).
8 more days… (well, as I write…almost 7)…
This is the title track to the project. It was a no brainer, however, it took us a while to figure it out, as we went through all the songs and lyrics while doing vocals out at Dark Horse in Franklin. We realized I had used the words “where I am” in two songs on the project…well, at least we thought. Then, as I was singing through the bridge of another song, we found yet a 3rd reference to “where I am”. So, that is how the title came to be for the album. I guess I have been thinking a lot over the past couple of years about where I am.
Honestly, I am not sure where I am (so many unknowns), but I know whose hands I am in, and I guess that is good enough for me. With all the uncertainty that I am surrounded in, I know for sure that I am not alone. My God is leading and directing my life and every day is a journey discovering where He is taking me along the way. I know that as I wrote these lyrics I was thinking often about how inviting it is when one is outside on a cold and gray rainy day, to find a home beckoning you closer to the warmth that exudes beyond the window panes. I think of the fire that might be burning inside and how I would love to just go right up to the door and be welcomed in: to sit down in a comfortable chair and be warmed up.
That’s how I feel God is. He is always right there…waiting for me to open that door and come right in and visit with Him in front of the warmth of His presence. It is a peaceful place where I can find rest from the rainy days of life. Sometimes I just get so busy with life and keep walking around the block, yet one more time. I think I have to get just one more thing done, when I really know I ought to stop what I am doing and just go inside and spend the time with Him. It’s what I really need anyway to keep me going each and every day.
I think it makes God sad when I don’t come sooner than later, but I know that He always rejoices when I finally do come to spend time with Him away from all the distractions. He takes me where I am. I don’t have to pretend to have it all together. He knows me and so the facade can fade away; it doesn’t help me get any closer to Him anyway. But when I just go on in and just be who I am (who He made me to be…ME) and say, “I’m here, God!”, He loves it and He takes me right where I am. Even if I’m at a loss for words.
I just wish I would get in the habit of going inside much quicker instead of fiddling around with going around the block so many times. And stop in more often. I do love my Savior so much. He is who I am living for.
V1
I’m a little late, broke Your heart again
I’m at Your door, will You let me in
It’s cold outside, seems I’ve lost my way
Been around this block, many times today
PC
Your light is shining bright
And it’s a welcomed sight
Ch
You take me where I am
Any time of night or day
Even rainy days when
I haven’t got the words to say
Oh, You take me, You take me
Where I am
V2
Here’s my famed façade, didn’t serve me well
Only kept me far from Your love until
I saw my heart, it was all alone
An empty void only You could fill
PC
Chorus
9 more days til the release of Where I Am!
I started working on this song in the Fall of 2012 with Cindy Wilt-Colville. I had hired her to work with me on writer development and I really had a desire to dig deeper into myself and pull out the thoughts and experiences of my heart in the hidden places. In the beginning of this early writing career and in developing this music ministry, I was beginning to get a grasp of the unknowns (if that makes any sense), and started to realize that it really was okay to not know what tomorrow brings, but that I could be sure of the here and now, the in-between, where yesterday and tomorrow meet. This is where I am sure that grace has found me and where God speaks to me.
Cindy and I reflected on how people have to make hard decisions in life of which road to go down when life throws us curve balls with such things as a terminal diagnosis, loss of job, divorce, uncertain futures, etc. Sometimes it seems so hard to hear God’s voice and we doubt, and then fear that He must have abandoned us. But then we are reminded of His Word, of a truth that He will never leave us or forsake us. He is very near to us and He knows what we need before we even ask. And so, in faith, we call out to Him and trust that He is here, even when we can’t hear His voice. He loves us so very much. Jesus is our evidence!
Today is where I am, and I’m forever in His hands.
The unknowns are now an adventure for me, even if they are unpleasant. Mainly because I realize I am not in control of what a day brings. But I am in control of how I respond to it. I know that my days are the days that He has planned for me and they are numbered. It’s so much easier to follow Him when I stay with today.
And which of us by being anxious, can add a single hour to our lifespan? He will take care of every need that we have… It is better to keep our focus on Him with a treasure in the Heavens that doesn’t fail. Where a thief doesn’t approach or a moth destroys. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. (See Luke 12: 25-34)
I am learning to be comfortable with the “uncomfortableness” of the unknowns. Where yesterday and tomorrow meet is a good place to be!
V1
So many roads that I could take
There are choices I must make
Which way will they lead
I wish I could see the forest ‘for the trees
But life’s just not that way
One step every day
Ch
You will meet me in the in-between
Where I’m not sure of many things
But Your love and Your grace
And how they carry me to this place
You will meet me in the in-between
Where yesterday and tomorrow meet
Oh speak to me, speak to me, You speak to me
In the in-between
V2
When I cry out Your name, and I can’t hear
I still sense that You are near
And you know what I need
I’m always amazed that You’ll never leave
Your love, it has no end
A faithful friend
Ch
Bridge
My past is gone I can’t return
The future I have yet to learn
But today is where I am
And I’m forever in Your hands
Ch
Session Players
Steve Baldwin (guitar)
Mark Hill (bass)
Jeff Roach (keys)
Steve Brewster (drums)
Steve Dady (engineer)
Sunset Blvd Studios, Brentwood, TN
Plans have been underway for a great release concert here in our little community of Sequim! I am so excited and proud to introduce this new release to you straight from the heart of music city and the Christian music industry! It’s been a labor of love, sacrifice and placing a lot of trust in my Savior to see this project come to completion. So all of you who live close or happen to be attending the Sequim Irrigation Festival the weekend of May 9, you are hereby personally invited to my release concert!! It’s also Mother’s Day weekend, so come on and bring your momma in (or wife) for a fun free evening (I promise, you will score points with her on this!).
Jeremy Cays of Jeremy Cays Productions, is overseeing the production of the concert and is doing an incredible job lining things up for me. I will be backed by talented, local musicians: Dillan Witherow, Jonathan Simonson, Jason Taylor, Kirk Thomas, Steven Mangiameli, and Mike Madison. Also being featured will be local singer-songwriter Tom Taylor who will also share 3 of his songs he has written.
Where I Am is proudly produced and co-written with my producer, Eric Copeland, President of Creative Soul Records, Nashville, TN. I have worked very hard with Eric over the past 16 months with this project and it has really paid off as you listen to the final product. We are both very proud of how it turned out and we had a lot of fun creating it! We left a lot of room for the songs to grow: between my scratch demos, to Eric’s creative imagination with the composing, arranging and production, to the stellar skill and talent of the Nashville session players doing what they do best.
“After working through Creative Soul’s Artist Development program, Copeland saw promise in several of Jen’s new songs. They began tracking on the new songs, and then co-writing on several new songs. It was soon very obvious, a special collection of songs were forming.
Working with some of the top musicians in the Christian music business (Dave Cleveland, Mark Hill, Jason Webb, Mark Baldwin and more) and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Ronnie Brookshire, the new album is a unique blend of contemporary pop and rock, mixed with some out of the box arrangements.
This album is like an onion,” says producer Eric Copeland. “It starts with current sounding pop, but then you just start peeling away the layers. With each song, the album takes on new dimensions. It’s been a pleasure to create and now to listen to!”
Additionally, Loretta Sassaman of Spin That 45 had this to say in her recent review: “…this 11-track album is an impressive project of music that should not be ignored. Well crafted and thought out, it has the ingredients to be considered timeless.” (read the rest of her review on Spin That 45).
Looking forward to seeing you there! It’s going to be a lot of fun! We will have fresh baked cookies, coffee, tea, and water waiting for you and a couple of other surprises! See the attached poster for all the details!
God bless you and see you soon!
Love,
Jen
Today is 10 days before the release of my first full album project, Where I Am, produced and co-written with Eric Copeland of Creative Soul Records, Nashville, TN. I can’t think of a more creative way to do a countdown to one of the most exciting times for me personally (besides marriage, babies and baptisms), than to do an official countdown with what was behind every song that I wrote on the album. 10 song (11 tracks due to an instrumental) in 10 days! Wish it had been that simple in real life!
I’ll start off in order to keep the consistency and flow of the tracks!
This is my very first song that I decided to be brave on and write with a guitar. Since most of my writing is done on the piano, and I had heard that if you want to change up your writing, try a different instrument, I thought why not. And thus was born…a secular song. I must have been thinking I should try and write a cool rock star song, since I was playing it on my guitar. But it didn’t really fit with my inspirational Christian genre, so I decided I needed to give it a holy transformation. I thought (and said to myself), “self, what if you were writing this song to God? How would you show others all that He is for you?” And so the challenge was before me.
The lyrics were about 2/3rds finished when we tracked in session with the guys at Steve Dady’s. The day of tracking, I was actually en route from Seattle to Pittsburgh with a layover in Chicago with a puppy in tow.
So, here I am, listening to my first two songs being tracked in Nashville, TN on an app streaming live from Steve’s studio, while I’m trying to potty my puppy on a pee pad at Midway airport in the handicap stall. It was so surreal! I mean, magic was happening on the other side of this amazing technology of my iPad and MacBook Pro with the most talented and skilled session players Nashville has to offer in the CCM music industry; and here I am in a stall, begging a silly little puppy to please go potty so I can focus on hearing my song. Geez, didn’t all the women in the bathroom know how cool my stall was? (I think I should take this important moment to clarify to you, I was not using the bathroom, myself – neither did the puppy for that matter).
After the guys finished their tracking of my second song and I had just finished texting my producer about how surreal things where based on the above antics, he proceeds to tell the players (and I can hear him saying this over the app), “Hey guys, check this out…she’s in a handicapped stall in the women’s bathroom at Midway airport pottying a puppy on a pee pad while listening to her song get tracked!” Laughter erupts in studio. Bass player Mark Hill says, “Now that’s something I haven’t heard before!” How embarrassingly funny. I was both mortified and immortalized. I had to laugh. I guess one always wants a way to stand out, when making a first impression…Yeah, some session players now know me as the artist that was pottying a puppy on a pee pad in a handicap stall at Midway airport. Say that 10 times fast!
After puppy and I finished in the bathroom, I received a “ruff” (not a dog ruff, but a music track rough) of Deep Into You by Steve. So here I am now, walking to my next gate and listening to Dave Cleveland totally rock out my song in a crazy screaming e. guitar instrumental in the middle of the song (well, sort of seemed like it, it was so awesome). All of the sudden, I had a serious rhythm in my step, my heart was pounding and I was feeling a Sylvester Stallone, Rocky moment. I wanted to shout out “Stella!” I was near tears to hear my scratch demo so magically transformed. People at my gate would have been worried had they seen me crying, so I attempted to tough it out…with a cute puppy to keep me company!
Getting back to the lyrics, the focus of the song was reflecting desert wandering. You know how there is this easier way of life if you just obey and follow God’s lead (not that His ways are always easy)? Or there is the “hey, let’s go down this path, it looks more exciting and dangerous!” (and stupid).
Anyway, traveling down roads that bankrupt your soul and leave you parched, can make you very thirsty for truth and a living water that never ends. What’s even more cool (besides a cold glass if water) is the fact that no matter how awful and treacherous your path has been, God doesn’t waste a thing and helps you take that story and turn it into a testament of His goodness in your life! So, if you must go through the desert (and here is my disclaimer: I really don’t recommend it), bring water…
V1
Like a thirsty soul in a desert land
I was desperate at my core
Every other path had kept me wandering and
I was needing something more
Ch
I’m falling deep into You
Away from everything that I’ve been through
I’m falling deep into You
It’s the best thing I’ll ever do
V2
Find the meaning in every day of life
There’s a reason why I’m here
As my struggles shape and redefine me
They’re drawing me so near
Ch
Session Players
Dave Cleveland (e.guitar)
Mark Hill (bass)
Jason Webb (keys)
Ken Lewis (drums)
Steve Dady (engineer)
Sunset Blvd Studios, Brentwood, TN
So honored to have this incredible review of my album, Where I Am, from Loretta Sassaman at Spin That 45
—
After much soul searching, singer / songwriter Jen Haugland proves that she has grown up in her writing skills and matured with her new LP, “Where I Am.”
Working with producer, Eric Copeland of Creative Soul Records, this 11-track album is an impressive project of music that should not be ignored. Well crafted and thought out, it has the ingredients to be considered timeless.
Not every song is going to bring you to tears, tho. There are some bouncy tunes, like Little Bit Crazy which has that kind of “spring in your step” kind of feel. Love “So Hard to Find” with it’s smooth jazzy feel to it. And Jen sounds so cool on this track. Really love her groovy vocals! I detect Bossa Nova artist “Basia” in her tone.
Critics might consider this a Contemporary Christian release. But with the genre of music ranging from soft pop to contemporary to maybe a little smooth jazz, it would be, in my opinion a shame to place this in the CCM category.
The messages may fall under the realm of Christian, but in listening to every song, the lyrics talk about real life . . . relationships, from intimate to spiritual. And who hasn’t heard those types of lyrics in songs heard on today’s radio stations? I have.
I just checked the tracking of my CDs and they are now in Seattle! They arrive tomorrow evening! FINALLY!!! (Can you see me trying to jump up and down?)
My producer and I are busy working on the new website, marketing plan and materials, bookings, etc.
SAVE THE DATES:
WHERE I AM – RELEASE DATE set for May 6.
RELEASE CONCERT for WHERE I AM was approved for May 9, 2014 @ 7 p.m., SEQUIM COMMUNITY CHURCH! My friend Jeremy Cays will be helping me with the production of the concert. We are going to have a live band backing me, so we are looking forward to a great evening of a lot of fun!
I have also just confirmed a small concert at The LIVING ROOM LODGE-Calvary Chapel Eastside in Bellevue, WA, Friday – May 2, 2014! So if you live in the Seattle Area and want to come hear a pre-release of my new album in an intimate setting… SAVE THE DATE! The night will begin at 7 p.m. and I will be the featured artist on-stage at 8:15!
So as you can see, I am busy working on booking concerts and coming up with a marketing plan for the album! And now it’s going to get REALLY busy!
On top of it all, a couple of visits to the ER and a night’s stay in the hospital, just a week after getting back from my Nashville trip, revealed a diagnosis of another blood clot a couple of weeks ago. This time in my cerebral venous sinus and the vein is severely restricted, but fortunately the blood is still able to flow through the center of it. There is also some blockage in a vertebral artery in my neck.
9 years ago I had a couple of TIA’s and a small stroke from a clot in the Left Atrial Appendage of my heart and I have been on anti-coagulant therapy ever since (with no answers why my blood clots like this), so we are pretty baffled as to why this is still happening.
But thankfully, God isn’t surprised by any of this, and I know He is still very good and in control. He has a plan with all of this! I do tend to worry a bit, so I really appreciate all your prayers to cover me as the doctors and specialists work on trying to figure this out as I continue to step out in faith with the release of this project…it’s WHERE I AM!
Many blessings and love to you all!
Jen
I have recently been blessed to be able to assist with worship leading at a local church in my community. The way we were even introduced to each other was really a God-thing. It was through a mutual friend and something I was definitely NOT looking for. When I first met with the pastor and his wife and heard about their needs, I could easily see where I might be able to help them. With my role at Worship Team Training, I thought for sure I could just come alongside them, assess the situation with their music program and advise them on some possible solutions and continue on with my journey…Right!
Then the pastor, who has no problem being direct and to the point (totally my way to communicate, saves on words and no second guessing), asked me if I would be willing to come be a part of their team there by leading their music ministry. I laughed; that was so funny to me. I was actually looking for a job to try and support my music ministry, but I was not looking for a Worship Leader position. It would tie me down too much and inhibit my ability to travel with the ministry work I had planned. I told the pastor I needed flexibility with my music ministry and traveling, that’s why a worship lead position wouldn’t work for me. The pastor didn’t balk. He said he said he had nothing BUT flexibility and would be willing to support my music ministry and travel schedule. What? I laughed some more and said, “I don’t want to hear you say that you are flexible. Thank you.”
Seriously, what was God thinking? He knew that my need for flexibility would be my only concern in considering something like this. I was fairly content with where I was at with another church in my community. It’s obvious to me that the pastor and God must have had some kind of conversation before we even met in person. I really did ask God in my mind, at that moment there in Starbucks (with the pastor and his wife across the table from me), “Uh, what are you doing here, God? This wasn’t what I was envisioning. Care to fill me in?” I literally was speechless. So I did the next best thing. Yes, I could consult!
I settled with the pastor and his wife that I would come visit their church after returning from my grandfather’s Memorial in Atlanta to assess their needs to see what I could do to help. And I did just that. Let me tell you how much I wanted to get out of my seat that Sunday and go up there and help the pastor’s sweet 14 year-old daughter, who was bravely leading worship all by herself (with her Dad singing). I REALLY wanted to help! I know God was so blessed by what they were doing to help lead the congregation out of the pureness and genuineness of their hearts. I wanted to be a part of that kind of heart. I looked around and looked at the members of the church. Could I leave the current church where I was at and start all over again? I answered in my heart with a resounding, “Yes!” I could sense His heart and what He was calling me to do for this church. I knew He had equipped me with all the skills I needed. I needed to go and follow in obedience.
A big challenge has been set before me (literally right into my lap). But God knows what He is doing, and I know He can do it. He will lead me. And I know I am up for the challenge. I led for my first time with the church, last Sunday. It’s not easy jumping into something that you are unfamiliar with and I am sure the congregation might have felt the same way, not knowing what I might bring to their church. We both had to trust that we were concerned about the same things without knowing each other yet. It takes a lot of hard work to ease into something to make sure everyone feels safe about where you are going.
The big picture for me was that I could go out of my comfort zone for something difficult, instead of making my life comfortable sitting in a chair in the back of a church (well, not all the way in the back, but close enough). My eyes are wide open as I go into this, but they will be half-closed as I look beyond the challenges and trust in God’s goodness to provide for every need as I follow His leading. God sees us for who we are in Him and He is not content to leave us where we are at, but to continue to grow and shape us into His image. The image that we were created in to begin with.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
I am choosing to love and embrace what is difficult, because there are greater rewards ahead than this earth can ever give us, and I know my life is not my own (even though I still battle with my own selfish desires). After all, didn’t God choose to love me and embrace me in my “difficultness”?
Jen Haugland 
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