Hello friends
About ready to jump into November 2025
The last blog I wrote, I was thinking a lot about “letting”.
This time, I’m thinking about Walking Alongside Others who need empathy or courage or companionship. One of the songs we shared at the Hurricane Benefit Concert last January was a song I’d written nearly 17 years ago. Back then I was processing just how much of myself I could give to a loved one in need. What I realized was, that I was committing for a “long haul”, and the lyrics were honest. That’s how it is when we love our loved ones, right? We don’t know what the future holds, but what we can commit to is the promise to love them unconditionally and to walk with them as best as we can, be present to them and to stay by their side in support as they may be walking an even more difficult road than our own.
Years back, I was curious to see “what Nashville” could do with this song. My sister, Esther even flew in to the ever-alluring Nashville to sing back up on the vocals. That was surely a special time with her which I cherish for always now. She has such a sweet voice, you can hear her on the phrase “I’ll Walk, step by step”. This is the Nashville recorded version you’ll see on my YouTube channel.
This time, I’m thinking about Walking Alongside Others who need empathy or courage or companionship. One of the songs we shared at the Hurricane Benefit Concert last January was a song I’d written nearly 17 years ago. Back then I was processing just how much of myself I could give to a loved one in need. What I realized was, that I was committing for a “long haul”, and the lyrics were honest. That’s how it is when we love our loved ones, right? We don’t know what the future holds, but what we can commit to is the promise to love them unconditionally and to walk with them as best as we can, be present to them and to stay by their side in support as they may be walking an even more difficult road than our own.
Years back, I was curious to see “what Nashville” could do with this song. My sister, Esther even flew in to the ever-alluring Nashville to sing back up on the vocals. That was surely a special time with her which I cherish for always now. She has such a sweet voice, you can hear her on the phrase “I’ll Walk, step by step”. This is the Nashville recorded version you’ll see on my YouTube channel.
Back then, I’d had this idea that I could make song cards (lovely cards with a CD of with lyrics included) I did sell a few at our church’s bookstore and a few here and there, but for the most part I lost money on this idea. I’d made a collection of 7 song cards but, that whole endeavor bombed. I ended up giving the remaining unsold song cards to Hospice Care, as they had a use for them. A sweet friend, Patti Billingsley took me out to lunch one day to help comfort me about this “loss”. She has family in the music business, so she had plenty of comfort and experienced perspective to afford me.
It was a “failure” I grieved, but lessons learned are never a true failure. What I learned was that I was meant to present this song “live” more often, and perhaps even, if folks liked the “online” version, I was merely to forward them the links and download information. That’s my weakness to this day, promoting my own music. Sigh…
Here, my “non-Nashville” version made for a good song to present in the program held in support last January for the victims of Hurricane Helene. It was a perfect message.
I am letting you hear both versions.
Please tell me which one you like the best, and please feel free to share, as my YouTube channel likes visitors.
It was a “failure” I grieved, but lessons learned are never a true failure. What I learned was that I was meant to present this song “live” more often, and perhaps even, if folks liked the “online” version, I was merely to forward them the links and download information. That’s my weakness to this day, promoting my own music. Sigh…
Here, my “non-Nashville” version made for a good song to present in the program held in support last January for the victims of Hurricane Helene. It was a perfect message.
I am letting you hear both versions.
Please tell me which one you like the best, and please feel free to share, as my YouTube channel likes visitors.
Much obliged, Rachel