| The Story |
| Singer-Songwriter Tanya Godsey knows a good story when she hears one. But she never dreamed she would become the subject of one as compelling as the story that began to unfold in the Winter of 2010. |
| 2010 began with ease. She slipped right into it like an old college sweat-shirt. Husband and wife-check, busy toddler-check, two dogs-check, a white picket fence...But the glow of predictable comfort was about to transform into unexpected change along the horizon of time. |
| In retrospect, a tiny seed was planted in the Fall of 2009 after she and her husband Jake read Donald Miller's book "A Thousand Miles in A Million Years." In essence, the book suggests that the same elements that make a great story are also the makings of a great life. |
| At one point in the book this simple definition is given: "A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it." |
| As Tanya recalls, “I remember reading this definition and being grateful to have no impending conflicts at the time while simultaneously feeling convicted that it was uncommon for me to pray for challenges. So we began to pray for opportunities to live a better story fully aware that we were entering the realm of the unknown.” |
| Days passed, weeks and months went by and eventually the stealthy grey skies of comfort and ease reappeared over head once again. |
| But the cycle of life never ceases to amaze. Roots stay warm and dry underneath inches of winter snow and later transform into glorious displays of life...a process mastered only by mystery. Without notice Tanya found herself inside this process as it began to unfold from the tiny little seed cast to sow a better story. Because in spite of the cold and bitter air of inconsistency, in spite of days and weeks when the seed had been forgotten...it survived. |
| And it was a cold day at the end of January 2010 when the first tiny trace of a shoot just barely began to break ground. |
| Frederick Buechner states "Coincidences are God's way of getting our attention." — and through a divine series of chance encounters, meetings and correspondence and in the confirmation place of Tanya's soul it was abundantly clear that the tiny seed was clearly the rebirth of her music. |
| While she was no stranger to the world of music, life dictated the artist's torch be exchanged for a seat at the table of home life after several years of supporting her 2005 release: Nothing Less Than Everything. The local church became the recipient of her creative gifting, in opportunities to lead worship, play retreats and write and record on compilation records. |
| Yet the growth of this seed had become unmistakable. Springtime revealed the tender shoot had risen up even further. Producer meetings were arranged and the world of songwriting re-opened its doors and made room again. The skies seemed clear and accommodating until the reality of recording budgets became clear. |
| Without knowledge of exactly how the funding would be met, she faithfully set out on several personal writing retreats and traveled into the soul mines. There, new songs became fruitful confirmations. “The experience of writing these songs was similar to the experience of following this story..I felt 'written on', on both accounts” The beauty of having something to say was strength to continue on the journey even further. |
| No words can succinctly and adequately depict what happened next. In a series of unexpected provision 75% of the funds needed for the album miraculously surfaced! The funds came from unexpected places at mysterious times in unlikely ways. This provision dispelled any lingering doubts about where God was leading. |
| Armed with new songs and new provision "A Story in Bloom" was held. The event gave friends and supporters a sneak peek of the music and a chance to partner financially toward the new record. The event was successful in solidifying a community who believed enough to give and to send Tanya into the next chapter of the story. After the encouraging success of this event a recording date was set and excitement was at its highest. |
| “I started to think back to the simple definition of what makes a great story: "A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it" Everything at this point seemed to come fairly easily I thought. This is great!” |
| But a darker chapter was yet to come. Three days after "A Story In Bloom" Tanya became ill. “I went into the Dr. and a few days later was diagnosed with Mononucleosis. I assumed it would run its normal 6-7 week course and all would be well. I was deeply discouraged to find that in the months to follow the mono would stay much longer than expected and a compromised immune system would lead to the contraction of several other viruses including a dangerous case of Salmonella poisoning that caused internal complications. |
| The tender bud started to bend underneath the hard rain of black storms. As if the downpour of compromised health wasn't enough loss followed. Tanya's grandparents passed away in late October/early November 2010 within 28 days of each other. So with the changing seasons came heavier winds blowing against an already weakened shoot. Tanya grieved loss of health, loss of life, and a seemingly indefinite delayed opportunity to see the story actually bloom that year. |
| Excerpt from Tanya's December 2010 newsletter “As we look back at this story...from the very first page He wrote on us to this very page that refuses to turn...we are more thankful today than ever. Here we stand with a collection of songs we believe in, our financial goal fully met (and miraculously exceeded)...Here we stand looking at our full grown, beautifully mysterious bud sitting and waiting to bloom in God's divine timing. Yet we give thanks in all these things because His faithfulness stands outside of time and circumstance.” |
| "A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it" |
| The character overcame the conflict in February of 2011 when after six months of illness Tanya regained her health and began recording her new album Telling Time with Ken Lewis & Scott Dente of Global Genius Productions. The making of the album ushered in a new season of hope perhaps best described in her own lyrics: |
| "As plans pass through Your hands/ they scatter like secrets we don't understand/ but seeds that You sow will break ground and rise up/ and Hope is all beauty a bloom has begun/for what has been, what will be glories in Your kingdom come" (Tanya Godsey, from “You Make Everything Beautiful”) |
| Tanya knows a good story when she hears one. It's a story of steep falls and beautiful rises, devastating losses and climactic victories. She can tell you that in redemption's story, hope wins, grace prevails and the truth sets us free. We learn “How to be Thankful” in all things. We learn how to leave space in our lives “for the hand of a writing God.” |