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A Simple Life With God

An Exclusive Interview With Premier Singer/Songwriter Ginny Owens

A simple life that glorifies God is what Ginny Owens desires to reveal. Not being shaken from losing her sight at the early age of two ("it didn't slow me down-just ask my mother!"), Owens is an extraordinary singer/songwriter/pianist whose sweet voice and moving lyrics never cease to captivate her audience. Author of chart-toppers including "If you want me to" and "Free," (Without Condition, 1999) Owens continues to develop and mature in her song-writing, especially in her latest album, "Beautiful," which she is currently on tour promoting.

In a recent interview with the San Francisco-based BREATHEcast media agency, Ginny Owens spoke of her latest plans, songwriting, leading worship, and more.

Through this touring experience, interacting with fans, do you feel they have received the message you're trying to give out through your album?

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It's been really sweet. I think that people, when they listen to lyrics, they find something in the lyrics... and when they can relate to, it makes them like the music better. I think people finding whatever it is that they find in the lyrics, it helps them to respond to it overall.

Many of your listeners receive so much strength from your songs, and one listener in particular shared that after listening to your songs, she felt that she could face the world again after all the trauma that occurred in her life. What is your response to these fans who have receive so much?

It used to be really hard to hear things like that. I didn't know how to respond. Because it certainly wasn't me. It was almost embarrassing. I don't know what to say. I think what the Lord has taught me in the past two years is that we all have a job in the body of Christ. I think it's just cool to know that my job in this moment is that the Lord takes my life experiences and causes my heart to want to make them into songs. Because of that, it's simple to know that my job in the body of Christ is to write songs to encourage people and cause them to think about God in a way they never had. I feel that God is using my life experiences to cause me to write songs and using those songs in other people's lives.

Out of all of your life experiences, is there a basic message that you wish to communicate to your fans?

The thing I've learned over the course of my life is that the only best friend, constant friend we'll ever have is Jesus. He is the only one we'll ever depend on. He is the only one that can offer unconditional love even when we don't love ourselves. The only one that reaches out to us even when no body else in the world understands us. His love is something so real. His love is active, it moves us, and changes us. His desire is to get closer to us everyday.

It is not the kind of love that is an arms' length to us. It's real and it wants to move in our lives. The most important that I can do, that anyone can do is to dive in that love. To know what it means, to understand about Jesus, who He was. How his love has always played itself out for us. That is the most important thing to me.

I was deeply touched by the new song that you performed at the show in Fairfield, California about living each day to the fullest to have "something to sing about" at the end of each day. Your lyrics are simple yet deep.

I love the idea of living simply. I love the idea of writing simply. I personally love songs that are obscure and abstract that takes you on a journey. What I learned about writing songs is... that it's really important for me that if I'm going to sing to an audience and that most of my audience won't listen to abstract songs that musicians listen to, then it's really important for my lyrics to be really clear. I want to make them simple and as honest. Because life should be that way. I try to break things to the bare fact. To least complicated answers. How I live, how I speak almost most songs in the new record are like Proverbs to live life by.

Your dream was to become an educator/teacher of music, but God had revealed a greater dream to use you to touch so many more people.

In the long run, teaching music is really valuable. Making music, I think that goes back to God putting me to places.

I was searching jobs for teaching... so excited to prove myself. It was hard for me to give that up. In reality, I wanted to spend my time with same people everyday. I like being where I can watch people grow and have long-term relationships.

God took me out of that and into situation. Meeting new people everyday; that wouldn't have been my personal preference everyday.

The amazing thing is not where he placed me, but how he gave me peace... How He is raising me up in this position. How he challenge me to meet Him more.

How do your family and friends play a role in your new life?

They are prayer warriors for me, they're very supportive. Keeping me grounded. Accountability partners, they speak when they need to. Challenge me and call me to be in the Word. To be in community with people. Family also the same way.

What is some advice that you would you give to worship leaders or people who lead others to worship?

First of all, realizing that you can't know where everyone is in their walk and in their struggles in life. When you stand in a room in front of people, you can't know where they're at. You have to trust and pray that the Holy Spirit will use you and touch the people.

For me, I don't go into a concert with an agenda. I always pray that He will use what I have to give. He will use that for His glory and His way. Just to touch people in different ways. Also, one thing that is so important when I lead worship... The art of listening. Not only to the God. Listening to the audience. I think it's so important that the community worship together rather than me doing a concert. I feel like my job is to facilitate worship and lead people into it. Let the Lord lead His will and listen to people and listen to Him.

I didn't feel this way when I first started. Now when I wake up, I thank God I get to do this. I get excited ... what He teaches me and how He develops me.

I have a whole lot to learn and it's really exciting. I consider it to be a gift...that He gives us the opportunity. I think that is why we try to convey that.

You've been with Rocketown for 5 years, can you tell us about your experience working with the artists there?

It's been really great. I love all the folks in Rocketown. The fun thing working with Rocketown is that we've been doing tours together, which means we all know our music really well. It's like a camp reunion hang out. Everyone is similar. That's what bonds us together. We're all real individuals and have strong convictions about different things. Crazy personalities and having fun. Getting to be on a label where artists are great pals and hang out and going on the road together, that has been a neat addition.

Working in the Christian music industry for some time, what is something that you have you learned? How do you think God is using Christian artists to make a difference?

I learned a lot about human nature. That we are fallen people and the only difference in believers and non-believers is that we've been allowed to know God's grace and its saved us and made us different in many ways. There are many ways we're still not so different. There are a lot of egos and challenging times. I guess what I've learned is probably similar to what I would have learned in any business. That faith is important. Living out what you believe and living what you say that you believe.

You have a lot of plans coming up; can you share more about them?

The live CD and live DVD, recorded over period of time, have a lot of footage of us being on road. We did a concert recording at New Orleans House of Blues. Lots of cool fun things and a Q&A section. Different elements. The CD is primarily based on the concert at House of Blues. CD will come out in the beginning of May. The DVD will come in April some time.

The book, I'm still working on. It will be a collection of essays based on experiences that I have had in life.

You commented during the concert that you are sure what the future holds for you...but you know that God is leading you... do you feel that God is leading you in a new direction? Where do you think God is taking you next?

I feel like He is always teaching me about trusting more in Him. He's trying to take my understanding deeper. Sometimes what I find is that I don't know about the new direction He's taken me until I've gotten there. So I look back and see "ah ha..." So it's an element of surprise, not knowing where He is leading. He is always challenging me more to know about Him. To dig deeper. To really try to understand more of who He is and what He's doing. He also is encouraging me to know what's important. To find His values to make them mine.

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