Where God Leads, I Will Follow

http://soundcloud.com/jenniferdemoss/grandpa

I discovered at an early age that I had a voice.
I could sing.
I could mimic other artists, too.
My favorite's (listening to my parent's music at a young age, of course) were The Judds, Dolly Parton and Crystal Gale.
I still carry a soft spot in my heart for 80's country music, and especially for these three (well, four since the Judds are two people) artists.
I wanted so badly to do what they were doing.

In high school, I didn't have the confidence to stand up in front of people and sing.
I'd always been told I was fat.
I'd been told I was ugly.
Singers couldn't be fat and ugly so I just didn't even try.

Then when I got out of high school, I moved away. I still wanted to sing, but had no opportunity to do so.
When, after a long hard year, I came home, the dream still burned inside of me.
But it wasn't until I was 25 years old that I sang semi-professionally.
That was ten years ago.
The venue was Johnnie High's Country Music Review in Arlington, TX.
I sang "Fancy" by Reba McEntyre and, according to Johnnie High himself, I "sang the hell out of that song".
I was bitten.

I recorded a demo.
I traveled North Texas from Mesquite to Ft. Worth to Turkey, TX (home of Bob Wills) and everywhere in between.
There was something about being on stage.
Something about closing my eyes and letting the deepest part of me flow out of my heart through song.
Something about the lights, the sets, the applause.
My goodness . . . The applause was intoxicating.
Then . . . I quit.
I found out I was pregnant and I quit to raise my child.
For a while I did a few Karaoke shows here and there, but never had the glory I did on stage.
Then I got married.
And had another baby.
I decided that my marriage, my children, and my education would take a backseat to my music.
But I missed it.
For ten long years, I've missed it.

I've been praying about it, and I feel that God is leading me to do this again.
So I'm going to make a comeback.
Well, as much of a comeback as a non-famous person CAN make.
I may never be famous, or have a recording contract with RCA.
But that really doesn't bother me.
But I want my children to be proud of me.
I want them to look at me and say: Momma followed her dream.
So, I'm going to go for it.
And wherever God leads me, I will follow.