http://autumnashley.com/blog.cfm Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:28:27 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://autumnashley.com/blog.cfm?feature=2396796&postid=1060439 Suspended in the air between one world and another- it gives you a neutral space to breathe out and breathe in. It allows you the chance to step out of your own eyes and see things from a different perspective. And speaking of a different perspective, this day, yes this day, is different than all of the rest. A tumultuous crowd of months and years has carried me to this moment. To chronicle all of them would require much more than a casual conversation among acquaintances. I invite you, nevertheless, to walk with me through time as I revisit some mountains and valleys of particular importance. Have you ever had a life dream? You know, one that you found hidden up in the clouds? I had a dream like that once. It was to travel around, all over, and play for thousands of people and teach them that they all had their own life dreams hidden up in the clouds. I am a singer/songwriter, by the way, and I play a mean guitar. Have you ever had a life dream come true? Have you ever found yourself standing right smack in the midst of it, consumed by the overwhelming feeling that you are loved beyond all circumstances and that you must be doing something right to be granted this moment? I have. It was the day that I stood on a stage in an arena and played for 45,000 people. And everyday thereafter that I stood on many stages and played for many thousands of people. Have you ever held on too tightly to your dream, thinking that if you loosen your grip just for a brief moment it will slip right out of your hands and float off into the clouds where you first found it? I have. In each moment that I favored it over the closest and most dearly loved people in my life. And when my life was consumed with it and nothing else. That’s not a good place to be in, by the way. And have you ever lost a life dream? …..Me too. When it becomes your world and you wake up one morning and can’t find it anywhere, your world crumbles into a million broken pieces and you don’t know how to live like you were meant to live anymore. You’ve spent all of your time in this dream world that when you wake up and find yourself in the real world, you’re not familiar with it. Four years ago is when it happened. I watched my dream slip right out of my grasp and float away in freedom from the death grip I had on it. Four years was a journey of wrestling with this new and unfamiliar life of mine- one that I didn’t know how to live, and trying to chase after my lost dream to get it back again. And I lived those 4 years in a sea of questions. What did I do wrong? Was I not good enough? Was I not wanted? Did I go about this dream thing the wrong way? And I replayed that dream season over and over again in my head, trying to figure out where I went wrong. Four years have past and I find myself in a very different situation. I am married now to a man I absolutely love with all of my heart- A man who was there through all of these moments and who walked with me through every joy and every tear. I’m living in Connecticut now, just 12 hours east of my hometown in Indiana. I have a good job and a full life. And this brings me to today. I have learned some valuable lessons in this dessert valley I’ve journeyed through. Dreams are not intended to build you a kingdom and make you great. Dreams are given in the shape of fragile, clay jars. And they are meant to be filled with every bit of you, and then poured out on the people around you with all of the blessing that you can give. I have learned that the songs I write are an offering of all that I am for those who hear them to be touched, moved, and blessed in whatever way is needed. It’s not about proving myself or trying to “make it”. It’s about using what I have been given to love… and to love well. And when you find yourself back in the right place again, you find Joy and Life and a Peace that your mind can’t wrap around. I am so excited to share this album with you! It’s a glimpse- a snap shot of the last few years of my life, and it’s a gift for you. Be blessed by it, in whatever way you need to be. *Expected release date to be this fall!! Go to my website and sign up for updates to follow me. Suspended in the air between one world and another- it gives you a neutral space to breathe out and breathe in. It allows you the chance to step out of your own eyes and see things from a different perspective. And speaking of a different perspective, this day, yes this day, is different than all of the rest.

A tumultuous crowd of months and years has carried me to this moment. To chronicle all of them would require much more than a casual conversation among acquaintances. I invite you, nevertheless, to walk with me through time as I revisit some mountains and valleys of particular importance.

Have you ever had a life dream? You know, one that you found hidden up in the clouds? I had a dream like that once. It was to travel around, all over, and play for thousands of people and teach them that they all had their own life dreams hidden up in the clouds. I am a singer/songwriter, by the way, and I play a mean guitar.

Have you ever had a life dream come true? Have you ever found yourself standing right smack in the midst of it, consumed by the overwhelming feeling that you are loved beyond all circumstances and that you must be doing something right to be granted this moment? I have. It was the day that I stood on a stage in an arena and played for 45,000 people. And everyday thereafter that I stood on many stages and played for many thousands of people.

Have you ever held on too tightly to your dream, thinking that if you loosen your grip just for a brief moment it will slip right out of your hands and float off into the clouds where you first found it? I have. In each moment that I favored it over the closest and most dearly loved people in my life. And when my life was consumed with it and nothing else. That’s not a good place to be in, by the way.

And have you ever lost a life dream? …..Me too. When it becomes your world and you wake up one morning and can’t find it anywhere, your world crumbles into a million broken pieces and you don’t know how to live like you were meant to live anymore. You’ve spent all of your time in this dream world that when you wake up and find yourself in the real world, you’re not familiar with it.

Four years ago is when it happened. I watched my dream slip right out of my grasp and float away in freedom from the death grip I had on it. Four years was a journey of wrestling with this new and unfamiliar life of mine- one that I didn’t know how to live, and trying to chase after my lost dream to get it back again.

And I lived those 4 years in a sea of questions. What did I do wrong? Was I not good enough? Was I not wanted? Did I go about this dream thing the wrong way? And I replayed that dream season over and over again in my head, trying to figure out where I went wrong.

Four years have past and I find myself in a very different situation. I am married now to a man I absolutely love with all of my heart- A man who was there through all of these moments and who walked with me through every joy and every tear. I’m living in Connecticut now, just 12 hours east of my hometown in Indiana. I have a good job and a full life.

And this brings me to today.

I have learned some valuable lessons in this dessert valley I’ve journeyed through.

Dreams are not intended to build you a kingdom and make you great. Dreams are given in the shape of fragile, clay jars. And they are meant to be filled with every bit of you, and then poured out on the people around you with all of the blessing that you can give.

I have learned that the songs I write are an offering of all that I am for those who hear them to be touched, moved, and blessed in whatever way is needed. It’s not about proving myself or trying to “make it”. It’s about using what I have been given to love… and to love well.

And when you find yourself back in the right place again, you find Joy and Life and a Peace that your mind can’t wrap around.

I am so excited to share this album with you! It’s a glimpse- a snap shot of the last few years of my life, and it’s a gift for you. Be blessed by it, in whatever way you need to be.



*Expected release date to be this fall!! Go to my website and sign up for updates to follow me.



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