Update from Jen

June 4, 2010 — it seems impossible to believe that spring is nearly over and summer is on almost here. The days are indeed longer and the heat is on! I love summer for all of its weekend get togethers with friends and family, fresh fruit and veggies, and great music blasting from the stereo speakers.

As you know, the Flood of 2010 that occurred in Nashville and surrounding communities was a devastating natural disaster. So many people lost their homes and belongings. Some lost loved ones and pets. Having grown up in Southern California I have lived through several big earthquakes, but nothing prepared me for the impact and damage of the flood. Although my home was unscathed, several of my friends and their families lost almost everything. It has been heartbreaking to experience and yet at the same time it has been so inspiring to see people pull together and help loved ones and strangers. I can not remember a time I have ever been as proud to live in Tennessee as I have been in the past month — the “volunteer spirit” runs deep in our veins and it has made all the difference in the world.

Amy has done several benefits for flood relief. She participated in both our local Channel 2 and Channel 4 flood telethons. She and Vince donated a total of $150,000 to the telethons to go to flood relief offered through The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Feed America. (Although Amy has always been very private about her personal giving, she allowed us to publicize this particular gift because she was hopeful that other individuals would be inspired to give as much as they could afford) She also participated in Brandon Heath’s “Love Your Neighbor” benefit which raised over $60,000 to help rebuild the “El Shaddai Church” of Nolensville. She also volunteered to help try to salvage and clean the belongings of some dear friends whose house was lost in the flood. As I watched her do so much I was reminded of the lyric from “Find What You’re Looking For” that says:

“what would they find
if they searched for a heart of gold?
they’d find sacrifices of
time and of money never told.”

But the work continues. On June 22, Amy will be joining Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and several others for the “Nashville Rising” concert at the Bridgestone Arena. All proceeds from that evening will be designated for flood relief through the Community Fund of Middle Tennessee. Tickets sold out in about 15 minutes. It promises to be a great night of music and inspiration for our community.

The weekend after the flood, Amy’s “I Do” daughter, Jenny Gill, married her longtime companion, Josh VanValkenburg, got married in Amy and Vince’s backyard. The weather was perfect and the setting was something out of a fairy tale. Jenny was a stunning bride and Vince was beaming from ear to ear as he walked her down the aisle. It was a night of friends, family and celebration.

Amy only has a handful of concert dates in the next few months, but August through December are going to be very busy. We are very excited about the “Pieces Of Our Lives” tour with Compassion International. It promises to be a very special and intimate night of music in very special venues. Amy was so inspired by her trip to Africa last summer and asked to partner with Compassion in a new and unique way.

“Better Than A Hallelujah” is continuing to climb the Christian charts. We are so excited with the response of this song and believe there is still a lot of upward momentum for the song. Last week Amy shot a video of the song that should be premiered in the next couple of weeks. The director took a very unique approach to crafting a “film like” storyline for the video and we are excited to see the final results.

Again, as always, I say thank you to all of you for continuing to support Amy’s music. She often says that this is the sweetest stretch of life she has ever known and she loves the balance she is discovering of making new music, touring with dear friends, and also spending focused time at home.

Blessings to you and yours…

Jen

June 4, 2010   12 Comments   Posted in Blog What's Cooken
  • Debbie Drumheller

    Jen, thanks for the update on your blog! I think about Amy everytime I hear “Find What You’re Looking For”! I’m looking forward to seeing Amy at “Pieces of Our Liive” with Compassional Int’l in September at the Austin, Tx show. Kurt and I have had 2 compassion kids for the past 9 years! What a blessing that has been! Just to know that the little you give makes such a big impact on someones life. Reminds me of “Third World Woman”! :) My prayers and thoughts remain with the people of middle Tennesse that were so affected by the floods.

    Looking forward to a great year of music, restortation, and health for all!

    Blessings and Love,
    Debbie

  • Michelle Ball

    Jen,
    Thank you for the update. It is always wonderful to know what is going on – just thoughts that you and Amy are having are so interesting to read.

    I continue to pray for the Tennessee flood victims as well as Will Owsley’s family.

    Thank you again,
    Michelle

  • http://www.cfloryance.com Cheryl Floryance

    Thank you for the update. The power of music & prayer is unbelievable.

  • Jay

    Thanks for the update… did Amy’s vocals end up on the “World Of Color” show released this past weekend at Disneyland? Haven’t heard any details recently…

  • Jen Cooke

    Jay,

    Unfortunately, Amy spent two full days in the studio recording her vocal parts for the Disney “World of Color” but the Disney executives decided they wanted to go in a different direction vocally. Amy was very disappointed to get bumped from the project but it all happened the same week her dear friend Ruth McGinnis passed away and Amy was not in the emotional place to try to regroup and take another run at it in the studio with Disney.

    Jennifer

  • Darlene Murphy

    OMG!!! Just bought & listened to Somewhere Down The Road… I cried, I smiled, and I thanked my Lord for such a powerful & beautiful collection of love’s words. Love has a name and He knows it’s AlWAYS been his chlld, Amy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  • Sharlotte Epps

    Amy,
    I have heard your song “Better Than A Hallelujah” on the radio station several times and I really do like it. It makes me cry, of course. You did a wonderful job.

  • Conrad

    Amy,
    I believe that all gifts come from God and the lyrics in “Better Than a Hallelujah” are no exception. It’s hard for me to get my head and heart around that kind of love. That despite the way we pour out all our pain and misery, our Father in Heaven, through it all, He hears Worship and Praise.
    Equally, the lyrics say He calls us His Beautiful Mess. What a loving and tender way to have the God of the universe, our Abba, our Father describe us. It reminds me of the metaphor Jesus often used in describing us as lost sheep.
    During my quite time as I looked at those three words, “His Beautiful Mess” I could see Him right there looking back at me. I mean, it’s the word “Messiah” it’s right there in the letters. I don’t know if you planned that but, you can spell “Messiah” from the letters of “His Beautiful Mess”.
    It made me think about how He’s there in my mess, He there in my pain, He’s there in the way He sees me, He sees me though His son, our Messiah. What an incredible thing.

    But Amy, that wasn’t the whole lesson He had for me in your lyrics. As I looked a little longer I saw that the problem is not that He’s not there, it’s what’s muddled up in there too. It’s the other letters that I can’t seem to let go of, that I hang on to that make the mess.
    You see these are the letters that are left over after taking “Messiah” out of “His Beautiful Mess”. “I”, “Self”, “But” and “U”.
    And don’t we use each and every one, “I”, “Self”, my favorite “But” and when all else fails “U”.
    Amy, thank you for reminding me that God sees each of us as His Beautiful Mess and has provided Jesus our Messiah as the solution to all our problems if we can just let go of the rest…. “I”, “Self”, “But” and “U”.
    Thank you for sharing God’s gift to you with this world.

  • David Wiltshire

    I heard recently that Amy & Vince are going to be doing another Christmas tour. I live in VA and will be interested in buying tickets.
    God Bless,
    Dave

  • http://www.seldomherd.com Janet Cobus

    Hi,

    We are big fans of Amy’s Legacy…Hymns of Faith CD. I am desparate to buy the songbook, but everywhere I go online says it is out of print. Can you make any suggestions on where to find this or sheet music. We want to play several of these at a wedding and would love to have the songbook. Thanks for your help!

    Janet

  • tim

    “Better Than A Hallelujah” touched me allot. I have lived now 50 years and have traveled extensively and experienced much but it has been a solo journey. Recently, like a sudden unexpected storm, tradgedy has hit others close to me. But because of my distance I could only participate with my heart and prayers from a distance. The song is like a tuning fork, tuned to the frequency of my life and my relationship with my God. I still can easily say hallelujah or praise God but often it is that slow rock like a baby to the tune that means so much.

  • Chad

    Just heard “A Christmas to Remember” for the first time. Wow, where have I been? Couldn’t believe this has been out since 1999? Absolutely love this song – so refreshing. Everything fits so nicely together. The melody, especially the part “and I have a dream or two” is just beautiful.