We had a great day in the studio yesterday. This being my first time making a "real" record, I was blown away by all that is really done in the mixing process. When we initially worked out the deal to mix down at Lifeword, we had only 12 songs, and many of those did not have a full band behind them. At lunch Mark (doing the mixing) asked me how quickly I thought we could get everything done. I realized just how short sighted I had been in my original estimate, as it became apparent very quickly that to get everything done by Saturday, we would all pretty much have to kill ourselves with a ridiculous work load.

If there is anything I have learned during all of this, it is that you come up with your best work in a calm environment and when you are in a good frame of mind. So we decided to extend our timeframe out to next week. This is not a bad thing in any means, as it will allow Mark more time to be creative. It will also let us bring in two more electric guitarists to really solidify things. (Not to mention this was our original plan).

Another positive is that I will be able to spend a few more days with Lendell fine tuning the strings work, as well as my vocals. So I am very pleased with easier pace to finish this all. Lendell is being so helpful in working his schedule around the completion of the project. I am so thankful for this, as well as everyone else who is helping make this the best thing we have ever done! You all rock!

Just thought I would post a quick little update. Lendell and I just arrived at the "Days Inn" where we will be seeking much needed rest over the next few days. In just 7 hours, we will be back at Lifeword recording. We finished most of the string work tonight at Lendell's, all the while keeping an eye on the weather. Hannah called me from home to let me know a tornado had touched down within a few miles of our house. Fortunately things calmed down (after the house lost power for a couple of hours) and all seems to be well. Thankfully after a bit of rain, the drive was uneventful. Now for some rest for the big day(s).

This last week has been one of the most amazing weeks of the project, if not THE most amazing. Lendell and I spent a good portion of our time working on the orchestral arrangements, and they are absolutely breathtaking. We also finished the final guitar recordings and have everything prepared to take down to Conway.

We will leave tomorrow evening for Lifeword after doing a few final things at Lendell's studio. Tuesday through Saturday we will be overhauling all of the vocals, adding electric guitar, and mixing everything. This means that in less than a week, the album will be completed!

It just seems so unreal that we are finally at this stage of the game. When Lendell and I began this about a year ago, neither of us figured it would turn into such a huge project. I can honestly say that I never imagined I would get to work with such talented individuals for my first major record! Maybe down the line, but definitely not now. I am just so excited to share with all of you the final recording.

I will be posting regular updates about our progress next week, so make sure to stop by.

Yesterday Lendell and I began working again on the project. We have decided to go down to Lifeword Studios next week to finish the mixing, as opposed to the following week. That means that in less than two weeks the album will be completed! Of course we still have to complete the album art, will need to get it mastered, and then will need to get it replicated. But this will be the biggest milestone in the project.

We do need your prayer, as we still need a little bit more money to complete this final step. We are confident it will come together, but this is still a factor. Thanks for your support this last year. There is absolutely no way we would be at this point without all of you! We are so excited to see what 2008 brings.

Right now Hannah and I are waiting in the terminal at Tulsa International Airport to fly out to Chicago, hoping that our flight will not be cancelled. We have had quite a crazy couple of weeks, and are looking forward to somewhat of a break.

I will be returning to Bentonville next weekend, and will resume the recording project on Monday, December 31st. It is our goal to have most of the work done by the end of the week (January 4th). We will then have one more week to tie up loose ends, and finally will head down to Conway on the 14th for a week of mixing at Lifeword. If everything goes as planned, we will have the mixing finished! For those of you who might not know, mixing is where we take every individual recorded track (guitar, vocals, piano, etc) and "mix" them together. This will take a considerable amount of time, as one of our songs may use over 50 tracks!

The final process on the audio side will be to send this final mix to be mastered. The mastering process will help the CD flow from song to song, and will help finalize the sound. I know this is a bit of a vague overview of everything involved, but I hope it will help give you an idea of how it all works.

Of course after this, we will send the final master to be duplicated along with the CD artwork. This will put the final copies in our hands! I look forward to posting some updates along the way as we finish this out. Thanks for stopping by, and make sure to follow these final steps, we cannot wait to get this finished and in your hands!

From all of us here, we hope that you have a safe and restful Christmas, and we would once again like to thank you for all of your support this year. It is truly a blessing for which we are incredibly thankful!

I know it has been some time since a substantial recording update. Hannah and I have been working hard at Starbucks over the last few months to get by while we wait for answers and direction. It has been a time where our faith has been tested, and we wondered whether or not we were really headed in the right direction. At the same time, it has been a wonderful opportunity to help us regain our focus, and be reminded of the whole reason we are pursuing this: people. While this time has been difficult, it has been invaluable, and we feel much better prepared for the next steps and what is to come.

With that said, I am excited to share what exactly is to come! This last week we have had some incredible answers to prayer. We now have everything needed to finish the project, plus the addition of lots of help on the business end. (Help with setting up a tour, financial guidance, etc).

One week from today I will head back to the studio with Lendell to begin finishing everything. We will spend the time up until Christmas working each day. After Christmas, we will tie up the loose ends, and in early January head down to Lifeword Studios for a week of mixing. Once the mixing is completed, we will send off the final version for mastering, and then send that off with the album artwork to be replicated. This should put the CD in our hands sometime in February!

Instead of being focused on how hard the last six months have been, we are grateful for all of the lessons that we have and are learning. Had we completed everything in early May, we would not have had the opportunity to work with everyone that we have. Plus, these six months have allowed me to really listen over everything and improve. I know when this is all done, it will be so rewarding, and a great story.

None of this would have been possible without the support of you! This project is much bigger than Hannah, Lendell, and myself. You are all a part of it, and we are so thankful for your prayer, support, and sticking with us even though this has taken substantially longer than we had originally anticipated. We are also thankful to those of you who have helped provide advice, and affirmation. It has meant so much to Hannah and I that so many people care, and feel we truly are following the Lord’s leading. Look forward to continual updates as we finish this out. We can certainly use quite a bit of prayer, as this will definitely be the busiest month of the project, but we are so excited to finish it. Thank you for being such an integral part of this, we are so thankful!