Two weeks ago my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to spend a week in a cabin outside of Asheville. Our daily routine revolved solely around cups of coffee, endless games of Candyland {heads up for anyone who might be persuaded to play with Clare...as Shakespeare said, “though she be little, she be fierce”} and going for a daily hike.  At 5,300 feet in mid October, the leaves were at their peak beauty and the air was just a little chilly...perfect for a light jacket.  In the evenings a fog would roll in that made everything sort of mysterious and deer lept this way and that, likely to avoid the wild turkey that also were patrolling the woods.  The Appalachian trail snaked through the community where our cabin stood so daily we'd head out on this iconic path and explore for a few miles this direction or that.  If I had a nickel for every time I said, "wow, I just can't believe how beautiful it is here" I'd have enough money to build my own cabin.  The views were absolutely breathtaking.  The Lord certainly created the earth as a thing of beauty and being surrounded by such a majestic setting, it was easy to bring to mind His glory.

Psalm 63 has long been a favorite passage of Scripture for me.  While this Psalm was likely written while David was in the wilderness of Judah, running away from either Saul or Absalom, the passage has a hopeful tone.  Verse two notes "I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and glory."  Not exactly the words we'd expect from someone on the lam.  I'm not going to pretend to be a Bible scholar, so I'm not going to be able to give you any insight as to what the word "Sanctuary" means in the original text, but when I read this sentence I find that instead of picturing some large room with pews and perhaps a pulpit and a baptistry at the front, I see nature.  I see the waves crashing against the beach.  The fog rolling down the mountain.  Animals scurrying to and fro as I walk through the woods.  And when I consider that David was a shepherd as a boy, I think maybe similar scenes were on his heart as well.  

I think we can all safely agree that 2020 has been a "wilderness year."  David was trying to outrun a number of people who wanted him dead while present day we are trying to navigate a virus, numerous natural disasters, and widespread unrest on a number of issues made all the more volatile by the election.  But amidst his personal danger David remembers that he has seen the Lord and beheld his power and his glory.  I too, no matter the current circumstance have seen the Lord and beheld his power and glory, including in the vast splendor of His Creation.  

Although not a traditional hymn, this tune was written by composer Travis Patton and named after Cade's Cove, a remote valley in the Great Smoky Mountains once a hunting ground for the Cherokee people and later home to settlers before its current status as a national park.  Taken with the beauty of his surroundings, Patton titled this instrumental composition in its honor.  When I first approached our mutual friend Andrew Greer this summer about doing a Hymns From Home episode, he asked if I was open to not-a-traditional-hymn and suggested this tune of Travis' that had recently been included on his own Dove-Award-nominated instrumental hymns album, "Tune My Heart." (which I HIGHLY recommend you download HERE!).  As you listen, I encourage you to read Psalm 63 and reflect on the times you have seen God and experienced wonder.  May it make your wilderness a less lonely place.
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Today I'm beyond excited to have 3 very special guests joining me and I'll give you a little background on each of them.

​Andrew Greer {piano} and I first met through the music community in Nashville and since then I've had the honor of playing with him whenever the stars align.  We've played a few concerts, a wedding on the side of a mountain, a women's retreat on a friend's front porch and a retirement party in a church basement.  A fabulous keyboard player, vocalist and songwriter, Andrew has also dipped his toe in several other creative pools including his new podcast venture "Bridges" with co-host Patsy Clairmont.  When my first record released in 2013, Andrew graciously gave it the kindest review in CCM magazine and thoughtfully included my husband's story in his Winds Of Heaven book on Rich Mullins.  But that is exactly the kind of community-oriented human Andrew is...selflessly celebrating others at every turn.

Travis Patton {violin} is an incredibly talented violinist, composer, arranger, conductor...the list goes on and on for quite some time.  He has a bachelor’s degree in violin performance and a master’s degree in composition and arranging, both from Belmont University. He currently works as an adjunct professor of orchestration at Trevecca University and as the Worship Instrumental Associate Minister at Brentwood Baptist Church where he leads the Student and Young String orchestras.  I've had the pleasure of doing live performances, sessions and such with Travis over the years including playing on three music videos for worship leader Travis Cottrell.  I'm grateful that he was willing to lend both his song and his talent to this project.

Justin Saunders {cello} and I first met through a mutual friend at a pickup soccer game in a local park...the way all good friendships begin.  Upon realizing we were both string players, our friend made it a point for us to connect and we alternated between cheering her on and talking shop.  Our friendship took a bizarre turn at lunch a few years ago when it came up in conversation that we were both from Texas originally.  I mentioned the large company my father had worked for and he remarked that his grandfather had worked for the same large company. I called my dad to see if they had ever crossed paths and his response was, "Of course I know him.  He was my boss for years." Some coincidences are all too crazy...just a couple of kids from Ft. Worth taking on the Nashville string scene.  Justin has played too many amazing things to name and we've gotten to play stages, videos and sessions alike over the span of 14 years of friendship.  He and his wife Abby have 4 of the cutest kiddos I know.

A special thanks to David Madeira and Meg Settle for their hard work editing video and audio mixing respectively.  There's no way this quartet video would have been possible without them.

Thought I would hop on and bring you all a little update from day one of tracking fiddle in the studio!  We had an amazing first day and got three tunes done (plus the It Is Well that we had tracked back in June.)  Below you can catch a peek of what it's like to be in the booth with me while we work.  Lots of playing the same thing over and over trying to get a good take!  What you can't hear is Stephen Leiweke talking to me through my headphones, but still a fun behind the scenes look!  

​Super excited to head back over tomorrow and Friday and watch this record come to life!