Me attempting to zumba at the back of the room - no place is safe from Donna's camera!

In the semi - very good view from up there!

My Sunday morning alarm clocks

This weekend I got to go to Freeport, Illinois, the hometown of my scheduling manager, Donna. Donna came with me for these events since she was obviously excited to get to go back to her hometown, and the events were hosted by her good friends, Steve and Kim Fricke. I know why they are her good friends now, because they were absolutely lovely. We stayed out on their farm for the weekend.

Saturday night I did a women’s event with their church, Grace Valley Christian Reformed Church, acting as host and several other local church also attending. What a warm and wonderful church! There are several people in this congregation dealing with very difficult situations, including ALS and special needs children – two issues about which we know more than we wish we did – and they were doing it with such courage and trust in God. And the way their church was rallying to their support really touched me!

We had a great time that night, and there was even a part in the middle where we all did zumba (and no, I wasn’t leading it!) which gave Donna a lovely opportunity to take embarrassing pictures of me. Thanks, Donna.

The next morning I led worship for the morning service at Grace Valley and again was just struck by the warmth and faith of this congregation. Especially moving was a moment where a little boy in their church who is in a wheelchair was asking for prayer before he went in for yet another surgery. He was saying that he really didn’t want to go to the hospital again and that he just wanted to be “a regular kid.” It almost broke my heart. I have a new song on the album called “Your Child” that I almost feel was written for him even though I wrote it before I met him. To see the love and compassion on the faces of the people around him was wonderful – they obviously loved this boy. That is what the family of God is meant to be.

On a lighter note, I also got to do another first for me – ride in a semi. Yep, never done that before, but Steve took me. And on Sunday, I was awoken by some sound I couldn’t identify. I often forget where I am when I wake up and I was thinking, “what in the world is that? Oh yeah, I’m in Illinois. What is that sound?” and when I opened my window, there were about 30 cows looking in a me. Also a first. 🙂

In an irony, my husband and I crossed in the Chicago airport – he has to be out here this week for work, so I was trying to beat my kids home from school. With a delayed flight, I didn’t quite make it, but my mom filled in the gap – thanks mom! Back to trying to get the color right on the artwork for the new album – it’s been one thing after another, but I think we may get this album done yet!

Picnic with the Pops in downtown Columbus with the fam

The Ohio State Fair from the skyride

My daughter, Rachel, helps to run the table at Faith Covenant Church in Farmington Hills, MI

Ever since ICRS, I’ve been working like crazy on getting the artwork and layout for the new CD done while also listening and giving feedback on the mixing and mastering of the new songs. I really can’t express fully how grateful I am to God for these songs, and I am really getting excited about this album and about what God is going to do with it! I can’t wait to share it with you all!

On August 1st I did a radio interview for a radio show out of New York, NY called Life Lessons Radio Show. This was a new one for me, and I really enjoyed getting to know the host a bit and sharing about my book.

We also did a few family traditions like going to hear Picnic with the Pops with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra downtown and also going to the Ohio State Fair. Every year my whole family goes to the pops and the cousins all dance together and we have a big picnic – it’s a ton of fun. This year, the music selection was amazing, lots of my old favorites, so I really enjoyed it. And no summer is complete without the fair! You have to see the butter sculpture (this year it was 1900 pounds of butter turned into two cows and a birthday cake for our bicentennial – you can’t beat that!) and eat that elephant ear and ride the giant slide. It’s non-negotiable.

Then we headed up north with the family and visited Nathan’s family before stopping at another annual event for us now – guest worship at Faith Covenant Church in Farmington Hills, MI just outside of Detroit. I’ve been coming every year for several years now and leading their services and sharing some of my music. This church has become like family to me, and it’s always fun to see them! This was the first time my whole family got to be there with me, though, and they had fun meeting everyone.

Before I knew it, back to school was upon us and we had a wild rush to get the kids ready to go! Next weekend, onto Illinois.

In the control room at Wildwood Studio with Phillip Keveren, Brendon Harkin, and Paul Marino

Phillip conducting a string take

At my oh-so-comfortable photo shoot

Aaron Crisler and I - he actually let someone else take his picture!!

Shooting the segments for a music video show called Control Track at ICRS

Recording a radio interview with Bob Crittendon of Faith Radio Network at ICRS

Doing a book signing during ICRS

It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I’ve been home for a bit, so I’ve spent a lot of time cleaning my kids’ rooms with them. That sounds not much fun, but I actually really like being with them, even though we were cleaning. One afternoon, a little storm blew up, and had, um, 80 mile an hour winds and knocked down a whole lot of trees. We lost power for about 48 hours which made things interesting. And very, very hot. It was about 100 degrees that week. We were lucky, though. There were a lot of people in our area who lost power for more than a week, some for ten days.

I was very happy for power, and happy that I could get ready for my next trip. I’ve spent the last week in Nashville finishing the final vocals for the new album, doing the photo shoot for the cover, and also doing the recording sessions for the string players. Recording vocals can be kind of tedious since you usually end up singing the same song for several hours, but I’m happy with the takes. I also kind of loathe photo shoots since I feel stupid most of the time. Who wants to have a bunch of pictures taken of them, anyway? But even that went well – the photographer, Aaron Crisler, is really good at putting me at ease. He did the photography for my last album as well.

But the string session. Oh, the string session! Can I take a minute to gush? These are the same players who did my last album as well. They are all in the Nashville Symphony and they all record pretty continuously. They are absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen anything like them – no one should be able to read like they do, it’s just incredible. And the string arrangements for this album were done by Phillip Keveren (also from the last album) and they were just stunning. A few of them actually brought me to tears. One in particular sounds like a movie score, one with Liam Neeson running through moors somewhere in Scotland. Do you think the IRS would believe that I had to write off a trip to Scotland to record a video of me running through moors because, well, listen to those strings!! Clearly there was no choice!! 🙂 Phillip’s just an amazing arranger and pianist, and he also recorded a few of the piano tracks on the album.

My producer, Paul Marino, is doing an outstanding job, and after hearing those string arrangements, I am just beyond thrilled to share this album with you all! The songs are written to the glory of God, and I can’t wait to see where He will take them and how He will use them! Lifeway has already asked for the publishing on them, and I think several will be used on other projects, so that is really fun.

We’ve named the album “Someday,” and the release is now officially set for October 2nd to coincide with Sensory Awareness Month in October. I will have them before then, though, and you will be able to pre-order and get them before the official date AND have them signed, so make sure you join my email list if you haven’t already done that since that is where I’ll announce that! Here’s the link to sign up for my email.

After Nashville, I flew back to Florida – again! I’m making a habit of this. This time I came to do the ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) convention. I had a book signing for the book stores on Monday, and since so many different media outlets come to cover the convention, I had several interviews for magazines and radio shows as well, and even did one TV show in the lobby!

I also had a great book review come out this week. You can check it out here.

It’s been so fun to see how God has already been using the book, and I was very encouraged to hear about all the ways He may send it out after this conference! I’m ready to be home again with my family, and I’m also watching to see where God may send us next.

Just a quick hurray! This week Autism Speaks picked up my book as a resource. I am so excited! I hope it helps so many parents, and I am praising God for all the doors He is opening!

My kids checking out the animals at the Animal Kingdom at Disney

Toby on the Lyra and Rinnah and Rachel learning the silks from my cousin Matt - your typical day in the Shaw family

Your unexpected photo - at the Florida Aquarium. Yikes.

Rinnah and I with Sheila Hofmeister at WAFT in Valdosta

Well, I’ve been off frolicking with the family, so I freely confess I have not kept up, and this blog may well be a hodge-podge. I will try to make up for it by including a picture not often thought of for a Christian singer/speaker’s blog. Just to keep things interesting.

After the crazy spring we’d had, Nathan and I took the kids to Florida for some time at Disney and then with my family in Tampa. We had a blast. I just loved having nothing on my plate other than hanging out with my kids and Nathan! Nathan had to work for part of it which was a bummer, but it was still nice to be together. And the kids and I got to see lots of things in Tampa we’d never gone to before like the aquarium and the zoo. We really had fun!

One of the coolest days we spent with my cousin, Matt. Just so you understand, our family is a little odd. None of us know how to have regular jobs, it seems. Matt is the technical director of Arabian Nights, a big dinner theater show in Orlando with lot of horses. He rooms with one of the trick riders on the show who also happens to run a circus school with his wife out of their house. So when you go visit Matt, you can also learn how to do aerial silks or the lyra bar, or attach yourself to bungee cords and practice flips on the trampoline they’ve built into the floor. Let’s be clear – this is their garage. The coolest garage EVER. My kids were in heaven. In the interest of preserving my marriage, I am not including the pictures of Nathan on the trampoline. In the interest of my own self-image, I am not including the pictures of me trying to figure out aerial silks.

On the way home, we stopped in Valdosta, GA at WAFT, a station that has been supporting my music and ministry for years. I so appreciate them! And I am so glad that it wasn’t my first stop since no GPS seems to think their address exists. I always associate them with my first visit which involved a lot of wandering at night in the dark, panicking, and eventually running across a giant sign in the middle of nowhere which saved our bacon. But of course, NOW I totally know where it is. No problem. So Nathan kept the younger two at the hotel to swim while Rinnah, my oldest daughter, came with me to record an interview and see the station. Weirdly enough, none of my kids have ever been in a radio station even though I visit them all the time. Sheila, who was doing the interview, even put Rinnah on the mic for part of it which made her nervous, but she did a great job. What a way to end your vacation as a middle-schooler – with your first radio interview. 🙂

This week we’re in the middle of Adventure Week at our church (VBS for the rest of you out there!) and it’s been a real switch for me. I’ve produced a play for it every year for as long as we’ve lived here, but since I left the church position, it wasn’t my job this year. Instead, I helped with a fourth grade class. They still did one of my plays and used my music, and I have to say, the new director did an outstanding job! It was nice to sit back a bit! If you can call watching a whole class of fourth graders sitting back. 😉

Tuesday I also did an interview on WPOS with Denise Wylie for her Light Line show on the book. What a sweet woman, and afterward we talked about possibly putting together a women’s retreat with the station, so I’ll let you all know if that comes about if you’re up in their listening area.

My dear friends Bob and Scott up at WTGN

Doing Scripture songs with the kindergartners in Patti's class

The most awesome fan mail ever!

I walked into this bookstore, and look whose book was featured on the counter??

The rest of this May has been all prepping for the new CD and radio stuff. I had a great time with Dan Hutchins on WLQV. I did his “God 3-2-1” show up in the Detroit area, and it was the first time I’ve been on. We talked about the music and about my new book, and it was great to get to know him and his ministry up there.

The next day I went up to Lima, OH, and visited my old friends at WTGN. I’ve spent quite a lot of time on air with Scott and Bob! In the morning, I sat in with them for their show “Rise and Shine” and then taped a series of interviews with Bob for “The Christian Home” which will air over a few weeks in July. The people at this station have been so kind to me over the years – I truly appreciate them! And now they tease me mercilessly – it’s like being part of the family.

I also had one pretty fun and funny day when I stopped into my friend Patti’s kindergarten class and taught the kids how to write a song. They use my kid’s music for Scripture memory, so we did that too. We had such a good time, and the song they wrote was pretty great! Plus, they write me the nicest letters. 🙂

Then today I did one more interview on Faith Radio with Michelle Strombeck. This was another new one for me, and I loved getting to talk with Michelle! This station airs in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin which is right where I was last year, and am hoping to go back again, so I appreciated her help in spreading the word about the new book!

And speaking of the new book, I just had to include one more picture. I walked into a Christian bookstore at the end of my trip to Florida a couple of weeks ago and my book was featured right there on their counter! It was so funny. My mom said to the college guy working there, “Wow, I’ve heard that’s an amazing book!” and he said, “Oh yeah?” and she said, “Yeah, she wrote it” and he laughed and then looked at the back cover at my picture and did a double take and never really recovered. Good times.

Now, back to prepping on the new album. I’ve spent several weeks over the past several months down in Nashville writing with my producer Paul Marino. I am so excited about the songs God has given us! We’ve already started some of the production, and I will go down to Nashville again in July for the main push on recording. It will be out sometime in the fall – we’ll get you all the title and the release date as soon as it’s all set!

Right now, though, I am just in the whirlwind of all my kids finishing up the school year and then we are taking off on vacation to, where else, Florida! I just can’t seem to get enough of that heat. 🙂 I’m just anticipating spending all that time with my husband and kiddos. It’s going to be great.

With Chris and Ruth at WEEC

Sitting in with Ron and Kate on the morning show at Moody Radio Florida

Girlfriends in God event at First Baptist Indian Rocks

At Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Orange Park

Back to First Baptist Indian Rocks

First strawberries of the season from my garden when I got back!

Just got back from Florida (again!) for the third time this year. I’ll be back in June and July as well! Good thing I like it down there – I think I sing more there than anywhere in the country.

The day before I left I spent the afternoon over at WEEC in Springfield, OH. They’ve been great to me over there, and Chris, the program director, asked me to come do a live show with them. I sang a song acoustically (they have a piano in one of their studios which is very rare!) and then we talked about the book and the new single, which, by the way, is now in the Top 40 for Billboard. “Life Not Typical” is somewhere in the 20’s now, and we’re hoping it will get on the Top 20 chart soon! Had a great time with Chris and Ruth, and also taped an interview about the book to air later.

The next day I flew down to Florida and did a more intensive interview with Kate Bruington at Moody Radio Florida on the book, and also hung out a bit with Ron and Kate on the morning show. It was great to see them both again!

That night I went to do a Girlfriends in God event at First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks in Largo, Florida. This is an annual event on Mother’s Day weekend, and we had a great concert that night – really enjoyed getting to know some of the women and also working with the Women’s Ministry director, Teresa. It was also nice because I’m doing a few more events with them next week, so I got to meet some of the women I will be working with then.

Afterwards, my mom and I drove about halfway to Jacksonville and spent the night. The next morning we drove the rest of the way because I had a women’s event at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Orange Park. This was a really interesting church, as it is redesigned mall space. They did a beautiful job, and the coordinator of the Mother’s Day event, Dina, was just lovely. The women’s event went well, and the next morning they had me back to do their service.

On this service, I was about half of it. They gave me the sermon time. They had their worship band do the congregational worship, though, and I am so glad because they were so much fun! I had a great time worshiping with them. There was also an incredibly sweet moment when a woman was called up on stage, and her husband who was in the Army and had been deployed for months surprised her by Skypping into the service and asking her to renew her vows. They put him up on the big screen, and she was just so surprised and touched – it was a beautiful moment for Mother’s Day. I was also touched because so many people at this church sponsored World Vision children. This was a blue collar church, and I am always blown away by people’s sacrificial generosity when a church steps up like that. Thank you!

After that we headed back across the state, stopping to hike a bit in Ocala National Forest as my mom’s Mother’s Day gift. The next morning I did a mom’s event back at First Baptist Indian Rocks, and it was so sweet to get to know those women! Everything that could go wrong on the tech side did – the sound wasn’t working, the video wasn’t working – but God was working. We just rolled with the punches, and the Lord really used the time.

That afternoon my mom and I drove across the state again to visit friends in Vero Beach for a few days before heading back to Largo to do a last women’s event at First Baptist Indian Rocks. We had better luck with the tech this time, and all in all, I had a great time with this church and will look forward to seeing them again! And when I got home, I picked an entire bowl of strawberries from my garden – in May! Who would’ve thought? I had to share.

Prepping for the first session of the retreat at Cherry Valley Lodge

The picture in the hallway outside my door

I’ve had a little down time since the last trip which has been very nice. I did an interview with WLBF, the flagship station on Faith Radio Network with Bob Crittendon when I got home. They are a great station in Montgomery, AL, and the network broadcasts across several states in the South. I’ve visited them before, and Bob is a great guy. I really appreciated his help in getting the word out about my new book, and we hope it will help so many families dealing with special needs, SPD, and autism.

This past weekend I spoke and led worship for the women’s retreat for Grace Point Community Church in Lewis Center, OH. This has been a great church to work with, and they had the retreat at Cherry Valley Lodge which was great for me – it’s only 45 minutes from my house! It’s a rare treat to get to do local things, and finishing up a date and then going home is an amazing luxury! And, in a weird twist, the picture in the hallway outside my door was pretty much exactly my two dogs – had to share. I have two miniature schnauzers, one black and one light grey. Guess they were trying to make me feel at home. I had a wonderful time with the women. We talked about Esther and God was really moving and present there.

The thing that touched me the most, though, were how many women sponsored World Vision children that weekend. Almost 40% of the women there sponsored a World Vision child, and I was just blown away! This was not a particularly large retreat, and to have them step up that way just touched my heart. Helping children is such a passion for me, and I so appreciate these ladies!!! Thank you for being the hands of Jesus in the world. And, by the way, if any of you would ever like to sponsor a child through World Vision, there’s a link on my home page, or you can always email us for more information – info@jennifershaw.com – and we would love to answer any questions and set you up! You can save a life in Jesus’ name. Thanks!

I just wanted to drop a quick link here. I loved this review, especially since this review site is not known for mincing words! I hope you enjoy this article on my new book!

Sound check at the new sanctuary at Covenant Church PCA in Naples, FL

Concert at Sanibel Community Church

On the set of The Good Life waiting to begin the taping

Somehow the creamer for my coffee on the plane was so ironic to me

After L.A., my mom flew home and I flew on to Tampa and then drove down to Bonita Springs. We have dear friends down here, and I hadn’t seen them in a while, so I wanted to come a little early to spend some time with them.

While there, I got the great news that my song “Life Not Typical” is on the Most Added Chart for Billboard once again! This is great news, and the Lord just keeps opening doors! I’m praying that the song just keeps on moving up. 🙂

On Sunday, I sang for the services at Covenant Church PCA in Naples. They’ve just opened their new building, so even though I’ve sung there a few times before, it was fun to see their new facility. Oddly enough, the man who took over my studio when I left teaching at Cedarville University, has actually also left CU and just became the music director at this church. Such a small world! I had met him several times, but it was fun to meet his wife and daughter, they were such a sweet family. I hope I see them again soon!

That afternoon I drove up to Sanibel Island to do a concert at Sanibel Community Church. I’ve also been here a few times before, and I was so happy to be back! This church and especially their pastor is so warm and inviting – I’ve just loved it every time I’ve come! It’s also fun to return to a place and see the people singing along with my songs. They are building a new sanctuary right now, so I hope to get to see the new one next year.

In the morning, I drove back up to St. Petersburg to tape the show “The Good Life” at Christian Television Network. I’ve been on their show before, so it was fun to be back at the studios to talk about “Life Not Typical” and sing a few songs. This show will air on May 4th.

After that I headed home. I just had to include a picture of the creamer for my coffee on the plane. The brand was “Dairy Fresh.” The product was “non-dairy creamer.” Ha!!