THANK YOU!!

MANY MANY thanks to everyone who came out to the cd release party....
THANK YOU for coming & sharing this with me! I hope you were inspired to love deeply & had the chance to buy something COLORFUL! hahaha!! Your support & love is overwhelming! I love you all : )

I'm so grateful for everyone who helped set up & and break down for this event! Thank YOU for giving of your self, time, creativity and heart to serve in such a beautiful, excellent way! I want to try to list everyone but I know I'll miss names so please forgive me if I leave you out....I promise it's totally by mistake!!

Brad: Thank you so much for getting the sound needs together for the night. I thought the sound was so amazing and you did fantastic at setting up, running it, and even giving some sound nuggets to Katie : ) You made the night relaxing & and fun! Thank you so much for everything & I love you!

Kent Morris with Cornerstone Media: Thank you for proving the sound equipment for the night! You are so wonderful to work with and we really appreciate your heart to serve in this capacity!

Pastor Joey & Mia:
Thank you for hosting this special night at our church. It was welcoming & warm because of YOU. Your influence and heart to reach marriages, couples & families is evident in your own life & ministry. It's a pleasure serving here at MCOG with you both! I love you and I am honored to be a part of the team! Thank you for believing in me and letting me be the dreamer I am : )

To all the band: You had rehearsals and set up & breakdown times....thanks for helping do it all! We couldn't have done it without you guys/gals! You played so great and it just felt really good to the heart! I'm so proud of you all! Can't wait to do it again!

The YesIAm Team:
Kelli Melton, Meagan Lambert, Kimberly Bailey, Ashley White, Wendy Duncan, Renee Odum, Carolyn Odum, Debbie Adkinson, Kennedy Melton, Katie Melton
You ladies are awesome! Thank you for your help...from baking cupcakes to making decorations to selling merchandise to media, to making bracelets to recruiting others to help you!! AWESOME JOB!! I'm so glad to be a part of a group of people who desire to make a difference with the giftings God has placed in your heart to share love & hope....you help make it possible so that when any merchandise is sold, we are able to give a % back to help dig wells for villages with unclean water & help with rescuing girls from human trafficking. THANK YOU!!

Richard & Scott Thurmond: Thank you so much fellas for setting up the tables & chairs for the night! You did awesome & I really appreciate your heart to serve! I love you and your family dearly!

Kristi Crowe & Hospitality Team - Thank you for providing the hospitality for the night! You were so great & sweet! You did GOOD! I love you and appreciate your help! Kristi, for ALL the MANY times you have encouraged me....you'll never know how timely your words have been! I love you!
Nathan & Kimberly - thank you for your willingness to MC the night! You both were so funny and a joy to be around & watch!
Thanks for going the extra mile with the give aways and presentation! LOVED IT! You guys ROCK!
Emily Adkinson - you rocked out those origami birds! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy school schedule to work on these amazing creations with such excellence and skill. AND for helping with cupcakes, decorating, stealing lamps, etc.!
Eva Adkinson - thank you for helping decorate!! You're a bit dangerous with a hammer but oh so fun!
Tasha Mendeza - thank you for helping decorate with such a willingness to learn! I'm so glad you're a part of the church family even if you are a pilgrim! hahahahahaa
Grace Bolton - thank you for your cupcake baking skills! they were delish sista! however, I didn't see you at the release so you just missed out chick! ahahaaahhhaaa
Tracey Sperrey - thanks for getting the posters out in town! I really appreciate you doing that because it takes lots of time! I love you!
Daddy - thanks for being willing & ready to get whatever I need...like tree limbs (30 to be exact)....i think you like these little project-adventures : ) you're the best! Next time though, we'll involve the chickens somehow!
Stephen, Keith, Taylor, Clayton, Maisey: thank you for helping break down....even late at night : ) You did great!

IF I LEFT YOU OUT, I'M SO SORRY! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Carrie ~

Be sure to check out the new videos the youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CarrieBowenYesIAm

THANK YOU***

It's Wednesday morning and I just had my first cup of coffee in several weeks and I'm really enjoying it. Slurp. This week has flown by so fast and before I headed out, I just wanted to take a few moments minutes to say thanks....

I'm so grateful for so many who helped out in making COLOR so colorful....There is no way I could have done this without the help of so many precious people....to God be the glory for all HE HAS DONE in YOU and THROUGH YOU!

SO this morning I'm gonna focus on the BAND....

John Johnson of Johnson Bros. Studio - you are so great to work with and everyone I know who knows you agrees! You make the studio experience so warm & welcoming & so FUN! Thank you for always starting each session with prayer and encouragement because it really does matter. You are incredibly gifted in so many ways and I can't begin to thank you enough for all you've done to help me as a singer/songwriter & with both albums. Thank you for singing on "It's Your Turn". You made that song so much better! It was and is a pleasure to work with you!

Meagan Lambert - there were times you just came to support with ideas and didn't sing a note but your presence made a difference. I really appreciate how you get music and how you think. Your vocals are so great & unique! I love how God has grown your creativity & how you love to serve others dreams...it's quite beautiful. I cannot wait to see your dreams unfold on this side of eternity. I love you & your sweet family!

James Patrick Morgan - thank you for lending your guitar skills for this album. You did an amazing job and it is so neat to work with you and watching/hearing all God has gifted you with come alive through those strings. Thank you so much!

George Sandler - It was so nice to have met you George! You blew me away with how FAST you came in and knocked it out! I really enjoyed watching you enjoy playing the drums and you did a fantastic job! Thank you again!

Ken Courtney - Pastor Ken, you really amaze all of us. You can play just about every instrument and your heart to serve is just astounding. I know I say this alot, but your chord charts are off the chain and I really appreciate EVERYTHING you have done to make the songs flow so well. I cannot wait for everyone to hear you play..... all 3 of the surprise instruments! I love you Pastor Ken & CC!!

Keith Murray - you shined brother on that song! I love how you captured the emotion of the song with the sax and made it melt. I just love having you a part because we go WAY back and not having you on an album doing something wouldn't be right! You played sax in mine & Brad's wedding too!!! I love you, Holly & the boys so much and I am praying for you guys constantly! Thank you Keith for everything!

Todd Childers - thank you Todd for singing on Covenant Keeper! I really appreciate you taking the time out of your crazy, busy schedule to lend those pipes out!! You did a great job!! You, Kathy & Gavin are so wonderful and I'm gonna miss having you part of the team. Please come back and visit!

I would like to introduce you to the people who will be playing Friday night at the release: COLOR BAND

Phillip Gentry - we go way back to early band days and you have always wanted to be a part of this musical journey. I really appreciate you taking time out from work to play. You are so great at bass and you make it FUN for us all! I love you and Tammy & the girls and I'm so honored to have you all in my life!

Ryan White - you are one crazy drummer! I love playing with you because you really LOVE what you do and it goes beyond music...it's contagious. You always know how to make us laugh - leaving NO DULL MOMENTS! Thanks Ryan for all you do even when you come straight from working the night shift. I love you and Ashley & the boys!

Mike Senquiez - Hey newbie! It's great having you play with us and I love the way you play electric guitar! Thanks for coming all the way from Emmanuel College to give of yourself & time. You're a cool kid! Let it rip like a potato chip!

Nathan Bailey - you are one the funniest people I know and it's so great playing with you every week at church! Thank you for singing with me on the duets...you have some sweet vocals...is that how you swooned Kimberly? I love you both and baby Katelyn!!

Christopher Mobley - you are one the sweetest 16 year old kids I know! Thank you Christopher for making this album a big deal. Your encouragement is so refreshing and I really appreciate you & all you bring to the table every week. I love you and your precious family. You are a jewel! Thanks for helping out with the acoustic guitar, knee slaps, hand claps, whistles : )

Scott Krowe - Thanks Pastor Scott for playing the sax for us! You are truly gifted on this instrument and every time you play, God uses you profoundly. You and Kristi are just amazing and I love you guys & your sweet girls so much!

If I left anyone out, I'm so sorry. The coffee hasn't kicked in yet I guess : )

Thanks again for everything you guys! See ya in a few!

Love,

Carrie

Song Story Part 10

Okay, so here's the last song story for the last song on the album...

Only to Be...

But before I begin, don't forget if you become the 40th blog follower, you win a COLOR CD!! And be sure to order your tickets online at www.carriebowen.com for the CD release party on Friday, Oct. 7th, at 7pm. (only 15 more days)

Okay....

Only to Be...

I would describe this song as the one I literally had to wait on...in more ways than one. I knew I wanted to write one more song to "complete" the album because it just didn't feel, well, complete. With the help of Kennedy and Katie, we were able to give the song some wings. Thank you gals~

The last line of the song references love as a fairlead. In nautical terms, a fairlead is the ring in which 2 ropes pass together to prevent friction for the directional purposes of the sail. We all know that without a sail, the ship wouldn't move across the water. I'm learning more and more everyday that in order for a marriage to thrive in forward motion, the two must allow the Holy Spirit to shape the fairlead in which the two pass through to not only prevent friction but create oneness and harmony - going in the same direction all for His glory.

Only to Be
by Carrie Bowen, Kennedy Melton & Katie Melton

I tried real hard to forget all the things that were said
The moments of thinking that we wouldn't make it - all the regrets
Everything was broken
We were left holding shattered pieces of our heart
Only to be

What would we do with out eachother now I understand
I'm finding my way, your finding your way
Two drifters on the map
Even though like islands
We found our consolation
underneath the messes that were made
Only to be

But I'm still holding my breath
A little in disbelief if I'm honest
If you had one question
I'd do it all again

So here we are together one foot in front of the other
Standing on the edge
Let's take the leap before us and see where it lands us
I know that we can do this
I'd rather have our story and now its new beginning
And live this life with you
Only to be

I'm still holding my breath
A little in disbelief if I'm honest
If you have one question
The answer is still yes

You take my breath away
With every single risk you take
The fairlead of our love is saved
Only to be

Song Story Part 7

Song Story Part 7.... Covenant Keeper ....

I was honored to be asked to sing in a dear friend's wedding a few short years ago. The sweet Barnett's tied the knot and I was trusted to write them a song for this holy ceremony of love & commitment. Their wedding & their story is and was so darling and special. Thanks David & Christan for trusting me with this on your day of making God your Covenant Keeper. I love you and I'm proud of you.



When we recorded this song on the color album, I really wanted to use the ukulele because it's just fantastic and makes me want to rush to a tropical island and eat coconut. Thankfully, Pastor Ken Courtney, the musical wizard, can totally play the punk out of one and lent his gift on over to us! You're gonna love it I'm sure! Also, I'm excited to say that my worship leading friend, Todd Childers, is singing on it too! Yeah!!

Covenant Keeper is a prayer-song to God - acknowledging that not only are we making the vows to one another, but to the God of the Covenant. He keeps those vows for us and we are forever bound to the vow and to Him. It's a beautiful thing to think about really. God invented the marriage covenant and because He loves the union so much and will defend it. What a great God we can trust in! If you would like use this song in your wedding, please let me know because I'd love to hear your story! Thank you!

Covenant Keeper
W&M by Carrie Bowen

Verse 1
Covenant Keeper, our Lord of love
You gave us this day to join our hearts
In celebration, we gather in Your name
Oh how we’ve waited for this day
Loving each other we long to say

We promise and hold true to the vows we render before You

Verse 2
Our lifetime journey, committed to Your hands
Surrendered to Your faithful plan
Your love unites our way
We know you will see us through
We are forever bound in You
We are forever bound in You

We promise and hold true to the vows we render before You

Chorus:
May Your grace abound between us
Let Your everlasting love surround us
As our lives announce Your wonder
May our lips speak of You so tender
May our hope always be found in You

Bridge:
We embrace this union
Committing our love to You
So whatever may come our way help us stay near
Near to You

Story Behind the Song Part 5

Song #5 is "Sticks with Me"...

One Friday afternoon last summer, Meagan & I came back to the house after a pretty long day at the studio. I wanted to show her some ideas I had been working on about love being sticky. We sat on the swing and the song just came together instantly. We had SO much fun writing this together and I cannot wait for you to hear it! I'm so thankful that out of this hilarious collaboration of ideas, words, melodies & watching Maisey run around shouting out sticky things, we were able to capture something really fun and special. I'm a firm believer that music should make you feel better & bring some hope to your heart. I hope this song does that for every listener. I feel like this song could be a key for those who wouldn't normally listen to Christan music to open their hearts to other songs on the album as well as songs from Nightlight.

There is a line in the 2nd verse that says "I've been studying us". Well it's true. Over the last few years, I've had loads of time to study about marriage & relationships and I want to encourage you for a second if I can. The one thing I know for sure is that God will FIGHT for your marriage even when on the days you can't. The covenant is with Him and He loves this holy union more than we can ever comprehend. This doesn't mean we get off the hook though in being indifferent with our love. We should still do our part in loving & respecting our treasured spouses & strive to grow as the word prescribes. We should also guard our hearts from the enemy because "family" is on the front-line of the battlefield. It's a real war! Yet, we should rest in the fact that God is fighting for us and He gets the glory for keeping marriages together. Through Christ, marriages can survive any storm and thrive. Let's rest in that today and lift each other up in prayer - for our marriages & families. Thanks for reading ya'll!! Love you!

"Sticks With Me"
By Carrie Bowen, Meagan Lambert & Maisey Bowen

I've been waiting, waiting here for you
by the door of the frig
it's getting late
(hey)
rearranging letters to spell out
simple reminders of the little things

see these ABC's and 123's
not everything is so easy
like maisey's glue i'm stuck on you
and it's plain to see
your love sticks with me

while they're learning, learning all they're books
I've been studying us and i realize
(ohhh)
it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out
the how's and the why's

it's like honeysuckle syrup
mud pies in the afternoon
candy corn while trick or treating
snicker doodle cinnamon
frantic family holidays
make sure all the bills get paid
holding hands in summer time
fingerprints on window panes

Story Behind the Song Part 4

Song story #4..."Love, the Kind that Never Fades"...

Wow, this song is SOOOO old!! I wrote it at least 10 years ago...at least! I have always wanted to record this song because of the simplicity & truth. When I decided to put it on the album, I knew I needed to give it a fresh-lift for sure. I have to say, Meagan Lambert, in all her brilliance, came up with some really cool ideas for this song. You'll have to wait & hear but it's a bit 3-D....and I LOVE it! You'll also get to hear Keith Murray swooning us with some beautiful music from the sax! We had fun stepping back in the past and bringing this song back to remind us of just how BIG God's love is for us. He pursues us and loves us unconditionally and having His love as this firm foundation is why we can love. Thanks Meagan for your amazing, creative ideas & Keith for your sax skillz...You both are so musically talented and it's a joy having your heart wrapped up in this album! Love you both and I can't wait to sing this one LIVE!

"Love, the Kind that Never Fades"
by Carrie Bowen

If I swam to the bottom of the sea
Somehow you're love would rescue me
If I climbed to the highest point of view
Your love would be there too

Love, the kind that never fades away
That's how you love me with your love
Your love

I could never run far away from you
I could never fly high away from you
There's no place to hide from you
Your love will see me through

I see you standing there with arms stretched out wide
with love in your eyes

Story Behind the Song Part 3

Okay, so now to the title track, #3, COLOR...(this song is just yummy to me)...if I could eat it I would - believe me!! HA!! I wrote this song June of 2010. It came fairly quickly one night and finished it up the next day.

Color is all about seeing God's mercy & promises breaking through the bleak of brokenness. Over the last few years, I felt like I was walking through a valley of death. The death of my marriage, the death of friendships, the death of dreams, the death of ministry...it was like death touched every area of our world. I had never experienced anything like it before. I have never walked in a season like this and wondererd many times if I could survive. Just when I thought I was about to die inside, Jesus would shine His light of love- through His word; through my family; my church family; my pastors; my friends- to wash away the gray of hopelessness once again. I'm learning to trust Him even when I can't see. I am learning to glady put on the blindfold of trust and take His hand. I learning to PUT my hope in an amazing, wonderful, loving God who has always been with me. He has picked me up from the the floor, time & time again, dusted me off and kissed away my fears - just like a good parent would do. Color is about "SEEING" Jesus in those around you and letting His love bring hope, correction, help to adjust the areas that He is perfecting inside. I just love Him so much and I'm so grateful for the COLOR He is to me.

(photo was from Easter Sunday on the way to lead worship that morning)

Color
By Carrie Bowen

Love drops like rain all around my feet
I'm soaking it up, it's infecting me
Everywhere I go I'm blinded by disease

I hear You say my name
Means more to me than simple letters connecting
You're giving life to what's been deceased

Take me away from here
Take me far into the light
Where the warmth of Your smile
Bleeds through the gray

I see You now clearer than before
We can figure this out, our love
You are to me my half-time harmony

I see color, color
a multitude of red
I see rainbows, rainbows above my head
I see you


(here is a little snipit of the COLOR shirt - designed by Jessica Preskit)

Story Behind the Song Part 2

Hey guys,
Here is song #2 on the album, "I Choose You". This song came very quickly one afternoon while I was playing guitar. It's simple and tender in melody & lyric...not complicated.

What little bit of knowledge I do know about love is that when you choose to love someone, that decision becomes the stake in the ground that holds the line so that when the water rages and the earth quakes, you can look back and know the truth. Choosing is powerful & essential to loving someone the way Christ loves. I'm so grateful He chose you and me - even with all our flaws & failures - it's only by His love can we even begin to choose and scratch the surface to loving our spouses the way He desires.

I Choose You
By Carrie Bowen

I've been wearing you
Everywhere I go
The necklace from India
All the colors sing
Reminding me of how we used to dream

I've been wearing you
Even though I know promises can be broken
But the gold shines through in full belief that our love is unending

Beads on a string
This diamond ring
Means nothing
If you're not beside me
When it's said and done
You're the only one
I choose to love

I've been seeing you in the eyes of her
You're miniture replica
Do you hear me too in her "I love you's"?
Cause they're coming
They're gonna get ya!

I love you and I aways have
I love you and I aways will

Story Behind the Song Part 1

Hey everyone...thanks for stopping by for a quick read...

I'm super excited because I just got the final mix today for my 2nd album COLOR and I'm so thrilled with how it all turned out! John Johnson of Johnson Brothers Studio is amazing! If you ever need to record, please go there! He's got the skillz to pay the billz!!! Thanks John for taking this project on and making it something really special. You helped me see the possibilities and believe again. I'm forever grateful.

I've decided to blog everyday for the next 9 days to give you the story behind each song from the album. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day/schedule to read this. I hope these songs encourage you - deeply. I'd love to hear your comments, feedback, etc.

Don't forget the release party is Friday, Oct. 7th, at 7pm. The album will be avaliable on iTunes, Amazon, CDbaby too!
(tell your friends to tell their friends)

I would love to give a huge shout out to a few of my sponsors: Utopia Hair Salon, Trinity Lawn Care & Elite Carpentry Inc. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!!

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, go to my website to purchase them for $5 at www.carriebowen.com

If you would like to pre-order your copy of the album for $12 and a chance to win a cool color prize, please send a check or cash to my address:
2592 Tom Odum Rd
Monroe, GA 30656
Memo: Color Pre-Order

THANK YOU!!

So, here's the first song story....

When Love Comes Back
By Carrie Bowen & Katie Melton

I woke up one morning with these words "little fingers reaching upward, pulling down realities covers, with 'good morning' kisses, 'I love you' whispers". I immediately grabbed a piece of scratch paper and used my pillow to brace the lyrics as they began to flow. I had been following one of my friends blogs who had recently lost his wife. His story impacted my life on so many levels. His words were emotional and ever so transparent. I would literally read his grief-stricken words and sob. How will he and his little girl recover from this emptiness? How? My heart broke for him & his daughter and all I could do was pray.

I didn't lose my husband to death, but our marriage was dead so a part of my heart could relate just a tiny bit to what my friend was feeling. I wondered how we could ever recover from this brokenness? How?

As the song came together, I knew this was a song of "working through" the process of the fact that one day, love would come back. Deep inside, despite how I felt, I believed love would return. Today my friend has been found by love again and he is about to be married. I'm so thankful that God is good and He really does care for us. His word says that He will not forsake us. This means He will not FORGET us. Even in the most painful, broken, wounded places of our hearts, God is restoration and in Him our love and hope remains secure.

My sweet niece Katie helped me write this song and she was a great sounding board for the grammatical challenges I still face with writing. She better be good at writing since she is at Emmanuel College studying to be an English teacher! Ha! So proud of you Katie! Thank you for pounding through this with me. The looks you gave me were priceless! AND thanks for going to the studio with me on that first day!

This was the first song I wrote when I moved back home to Monroe and was the first song I recorded at Johnson Brothers Studio. I played it on piano and cried. From that day forward, I knew this was the rebirth of purpose and a resurrecting of a dream that had died. I'm now on a musical journey that has been so fun and full of life. So, I had to make this the first song on the album because it's the right thing to do. I hope you'll let the song inspire you to believe in LOVE again and put your hope in a God who will walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death to the other side where love is.

Thanks for reading...

When Love Comes Back
By Carrie Bowen & Katie Melton

Vs. 1
Little fingers reaching upward
Pulling down realities covers
With "Good morning" kisses, "I love you" whispers

Our stories become dream-like sequences
Waiting for response
Just a glimpse, a flicker of you

PRE-CHORUS
My light, my love
Suspended between here and up

CHORUS
When love comes back again
I'll hear our song again
A distant lulaby over the clouds
I'll see your smile again
I'm lost in love again
My heart will beat again somehow
My heart will beat again somehow

VS. 2
Unlocked tears water the earth
I shout, I scream my prayers cresendo
Do you hear this cry?
You will not stay silent I know

BRIDGE
I hold tight to the song of You
Every memory brings me back to truth
The song of You is the song of love
Heavenly melodies are joining us


(me & katie)

Color Countdown & Don't forget your tickets!

Event Registration Online for Carrie Bowen "COLOR" CD Release Party

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