CHORD CHARTS!

Just wanted to let you all know that I posted chords charts to some of my songs on my MySpace Blog (www.myspace.com/haleymontgomery), where they are easy to copy and print off! I want my music to be as accessible as possible, so let me know if you would like to see the chords to a song that isn't already posted... I will do my best to get them up as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy learning and playing these songs and are blessed! Please feel free to share them with your friends, family, worship team, etc...

You can find all my music on iTunes :)

LOVE.

Not About Something New

Working on this album project has taken me to all kinds of places in my walk with Christ. It has been a crazy time on lots of levels: emotionally, spiritually, and physically. If you ever want to redefine "Who You Are" (no pun intended ;) and be reminded of where your identity truly lies, record an album! ha ha. This thought has been brewing in my mind and heart now for a couple of weeks. This idea that life, music, the songs we write with our story really aren't about something NEW.

Ecclesiastes 3 talks about how God has set eternity in the hearts of men.

This true statement is crazy, but at the same time makes so much sense. Everything that is happening now is all pointing to a future with Him. Everything that is a product of our existence, a fruit of our life now, effects the Kingdom that we will see and be apart of someday. This is something that I can't fully grasp, but it is what I want to align myself with and submit to as TRUTH.

As an artist, there is this struggle I am facing in wanting (feeling like I need) to create something new. Something fresh and never been heard. I have concluded this is a struggle of my flesh. Maybe myself just wanting attention. As I have been coming to terms with this, a few things come to mind:

The only thing "glorious" about me as a being is Christ who lives in me. That He, who has called me out by name, chooses to inhabit and rein in my flesh- making it a temple of the Holy Spirit. This alone is praise worthy. Anything I am wanting to say, a sound I am wanting to make, an image I am wanting to portray on my own, apart from THIS beauty... doesn't compare.

There is legitimacy in wanting to bring a message in a fresh way... especially if the message is thousands and thousands on years old. The beauty of the Gospel and that makes it different from any other story in history, is that is has life on its own- apart from you and me. It doesn't need us to ring through the earth, it chooses us. The mystery of God is infinite. We can babble forever to try and describe who He is, who He has been, who He will be forever and never come close to encompassing those things... let alone in a single song.

When people ask me about my songwriting, I am always stumped over giving them a straight answer. "How did you write this?" "How did the song come about?" "What inspired this message?" "What came first: the melody, the lyrics...?" -are all examples of common questions that I have been asked. Sometimes there is a distinct point of inspiration I can talk about, but most of time I feel like I’m simply sharing a song I have heard before. Maybe in dream. In silence before God. In moments of worship. It is as if these songs I'm writing and getting to share with you all are songs that the angles have been singing for eternity. My time with God has become so precious. My songwriting is contingent on it. With out tuning in, I don't know what to say... I don't know what the melodies sound like... there is a sense of lost purpose.

So, the task is laid out. If the song on my lips and the song of life reflect even just a small part of eternity... it is good. Facing feelings and the pressure of 'I need to create something new' has been an inspiring thing to reflect on. This misconception has taken on a new skin and become an empowering statement and reality for me. 'I am continually discovering truths about a God who has always been and I am responsible to shine and share this light before men.'

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually
be in my mouth."
Psalm 34:1

<3

Summer 2009- What's happening?

Hey all.

First I just want to say, Happy Summer. I have loved it so far and I hope you have too. There are a few things going on that I would like to share… So this Saturday, July 11th I am off to a worship conference in Nashville, TN. To check out where I will be, you can go to: http://www.pureworshipinst..itute.com/home.html
I am so stoked. It should be a good week to experience right before... drum role please… I go into the studio! That’s right!!!!

July 20th is my first day recording the new album! I am so so so excited. Words can not express... well I guess these are words. :) I will take pics in Nash and have some video updates for you from the studio when I get back. It has been and is going to continue to be a crazy July, but when summer is all said and done- I will have lots of stories and a boo-ya recording to share with all of you <3

That’s all for now.
Grace and Peace lovely folks.

h

Photoshoot with Stephen Knuth!

A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of doing a photo shoot with a friend named Stephen Knuth (stephenknuth.com). We had such a good time! We hit up the streets of downtown little Italy and found so many good spots. To view these photos, go to Stephen’s blog:

http://www.stephenknuthblog.com/

Stephen is a really talented, upcoming photographer. If you are in need of some new portraits of any kind… he is your guy!

GMA's Adventure - SO Airport.

DAY #1

So I find myself heading back out here... Good ol' NASHVILLE, TN. Or as soon people call it, "Nashvegas". I’m sitting in the Denver airport totally snowed in. Outside is a blizzard, absolute craziness. I don’t think I have never been snowed in anywhere, kinda cool…. ish.  Let me just tell you how good God is…

Hold the phone. Before I do that I just want to let you know that I have faithfully been up for 45 hours straight! The world looks different at this point…. Kinda fuzzy and everything is really funny. Everything makes me laugh at this point. 

Ok………….
Alright. I didn’t sleep at all last night… pulling a Haley, doing EVERYTHING at the last minute. What was I doing? Making copies of GMA demo (3 new songs…. Will be up on the myspace ASAP!), packing, copywriting new songs… from totally important BIG things - to the small stuff, I had once again found myself pulling an all nighter’ getting it all together. BUT I finished!!! Should not have happened…

*In case you don’t already know this about me I feel like I need to confess: I do not have the best time management skills and procrastinate far to often. I think it’s because deep down I enjoy the excitement of being spontaneous, not being bound by a schedule. Truly a dumb reason to lack structure. Structure and balance I know bring us freedom…. some how. It is becoming more and more obvious that my life won’t function well if I continue this pattern. Hehe. Learning…. Oh, growth.

The week leading up to last night and this moment has just been ridiculous. So busy and difficult. Anytime God is about the do some thing cool in my world things always get tough before they get better. I think that is how it is for most. All that said, I felt the enemy near this last week… but God was closer. I found rest and comfort in knowing God’s hand was on my life. Man, even when we feel like the world and everything gross in it is swallowing us whole it is refreshing to remember: He who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. All things work together for GOOD for those who are in Christ Jesus…. And no matter how much I fight for control of things, God is smarter than giving me control. What a bad idea! He is sovereign in any and all of my circumstances.

I almost missed my flight. It was a work out sprinting to the gate. The door to the plane was closing when we got there. By WE I mean myself and my friend Chris (lead singer for Relentless Pursuit), my trusted travel buddy for GMA’s this year. BUT again, God is good and we made it when we should NOT have.

We get to Vegas and had some good God time in the word. I had no idea you could fit soooo many slot machines in the airport. It was truly and airport/casino. Then we were of for Sacramento. I know what you’re thinking… “Wait, you’re going back to California?” Yeah. We did. From Sac we flew into Denver, the crazy blizzard A.K.A.- Vortex of Death. Landing was intense. So here I am- writing to you, waiting for our next flight, and remembering how good God has been and will continue to be. His thoughts and ways are higher than mine. Totes.

On the Radio: "Homegrown Praise" on wsradio.com

HEY FRIENDS!!!

http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio.cfm/shows/Homegrown-Praise/archives/date/selected/03-28-2009.html

In the 4th Segment:

Interview with Caz and Bill... and Steve Arthur :)

I hope you enjoy it! I'm excited to share this with you all....
love love love.

-h-

April Edition of the "Good News Etc."

Hey friends.

GOOD NEWS about the GOOD NEWS!
In April's edition of the GOOD NEW'S ETC. you will find an article featuring my most recent trip to Nashville... Ohhh what good times it was. I am excited to go back mid April for the Gospel Music Awards -AND- I'm excited for you to read the article!!! Shoot, I'm excited to read the article! So go ahead and pick up your copy at your local christian book store.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.
And that's His nature. :)


That's all for now.
love love love.

-h-

"Merry Go Round"

Here I am. Sitting at the fire place. My back is pretty warm and my feet a little cold. Dilemma. But hey, things could be much worse... much. I'm sure I am the only one that feels this way ;), but this last week I have just been restless.

Yesterday, I took a day off and it was ridiculous how crazy rest was making me feel. It was like I wasn't OK with standing still for a second. Part of my "day of rest" was laying on the beach with a dear friend. Sounds great right? Well I couldn't sit still. I could not, would turn off my brain and to take in the moment... it was like I forgot how. All I could think about was the emails that were waiting for me, the phone calls I had to make, that song I needed to finish, that show I had to get ready for.
My flesh was screaming at me, "Get your butt up and MOVE! The world is going to stop rotating if you don't take control of all these thing and DO it all. You are letting everyone down by not doing your part... your failing right now."
And then, there was a still small whisper from my spirit saying, "Just BE STILL." That was truly the place I wanted to be. I DID want to turn it all off and just BE in communion with God, with the crazy beautiful place I was in, with my friend.

"What is keeping me from stillness God? Why can't I get to this place?"
I was taken back to a sermon I heard on Sunday about idols. The things we fear become idols. Our idols condemn us. As we bow down and worship an idol that is not God, we feel trapped and bound. All these thoughts were popping up in my head.

"What am I worshiping more than you God?"
So I began to identify my idols: Everything I have been holding on to, has just been a reflection of my desire to maintain control. The truth is- my schedule, my conscious (where all my standards and expectations make themselves at home), my fear, this Marry Go Round I'm spinning on are only temporary securities. It will only fill me with peace for a moment and then IT WILL all slip through my fingers again. It's crazy how I can convince myself that I am doing all the right things by running as fast I can. It makes me feel productive, proud, admirable, worthy of attention, like I'M doing something with my life. A big LIE.

So whats the truth?
My fastest will never be fast enough.
My best will never be good enough.
My voice will never be loud enough.
My day will only have 24hrs.
My life will end someday.

The truth is I am in desperate need of help, of a Savior... in need of someone who's love isn't going to be dictated by how much I get done. The list (most of the time) looks ridiculous, booked minute to minute... leaving me with an empty gas tank and an empty spirit because I avoided stillness, I ignored God's pursuit. I can get through everything on my list today, but that doesn't change how much God loves me.

Go back to the last time you were on a carousel. Let's note some Truths: Carousels are eye catching and grab your attention- most of the time they are loud, have blinky lights, bright colors, a sort of draw to them. The horse you mount isn't real. You are staying in one place even though you're moving. If you focus on something inside the carousel, like the horse your riding, your OK... BUT if you try and look anywhere out side the carousel, it's almost impossible to focus. The world out side that spinning circle is a blur.
When you or I are in need of an eternal perspective, we need to remember we can't get it until we make the choice to get off the ride.

I want to see straight again so I can respond truthfully to the world around me.
So here I am at my fire place, taking a much need break from the Merry Go Round. :)

"Worth It"

Worth It

"I want to be the man that my father couldn't be. I want to be the role model that our children rarely get to see/ I want to be the husband that my mother looked for but settled for less so her heart broke more/ I watched this with clinched fist and my heart tore/ therefore I want to make my wife secure and reassured that I will never love any one more/ in times of happiness I will cherish, in hard times we will endure/ If my wife happens to be the type that's been hurt in life it is my job to restore/ if she is more insecure then usual everyday I will reinforce her worth and not just tell her but show her that she's beautiful/ Heavenly Father make me so far away from usual/ I want to be there in the classification of rare/ to prepare a generation that make's MEN and transforms them form a rare occasion to the expectation/ Now ladies let me ask you a question. Are you humble enough to take a rebuke or would you dispute?/ I don't care either way cause I'm going to tell you the truth/ if you are continually mistreated and you refuse to give him the boot that's on you/ you need to be smart about it. next time a dude comes your way with some rico suave game to say, before he gets to talkin' stop him/ ask him for a resume tell him you need references. if good character isn't evident and integrity prevalent don't except it/ they say they are a Christian. that could be fiction. / you need to quiz them pertaining to the Word and biblical wisdom/ to see if they are mature or a novice/ how can they know what love is if they don't know who God is/ Because that's what God is "LOVE"/ In your life time you will come a cross a multitude of dudes that say they love you but it's not true/ other will subdue the fraze manipulate it in was were only part of the characteristic is portrayed that kind of love will fade/when you are looking for love do not settle for anything less then that ride or die love/ that always going to try love/ that no matter if you gain a little weight. not quite that same shape as our first date but make no mistake i love you a hundred time more this date then that date kind of love/ that 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 kind of love that John 15:13 kind of love/ that i will die for you. lay down my life for you kind of love/ that Love like Jesus does/ if a man cannot present you pure and holy with out blemish before the Father you shouldn't bother/ Your heart you should cherish. make them work for it because your worth it."

-Clister (SD, California)

Oh Nashville... "The City of Music."

So here it is.

I leave for Nashville in less than 4 days (this Saturday to be specific.) "The City of Music". More and more I am coming to realize I am just another fish in this fat fish bowl. Questions to ponder: What kind of fish am I? Hand down there are bigger fish, but how much bigger? Is a shark a fish? :)

I'm a little nervous, but more than nervous- excited. I love people and I know I'm going to be meeting lots of them. I get to play 3 or maybe more times while I'm out there, which is super sweet. My new found friend Art, who is a sound engineer in Nashville, is going to be showing me the city and be doing most of the introducing. He is a pretty cool guy.
I don't own any cowboy boats...whoops, hehe. I meant boots. I don't think I want to. My Van's will do. I think it’s more about being you and sticking out, than trying to blend in. Some other things I have been thinking about as I get ready to go.

"...You belong to God and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

I love this verse. It lifts my spirit. There is nothing in this world that has a hold on me. God has THE hold on me and nothing, no one is this world can take me from that place. No matter how intense or crazy the battle gets, He has ultimately won my victory. And that's it.

"In quietness and trust is your strength." It's TRUTH- whether I get it or not. In my everyday thinking, spinning and doing always seems to be the answer. I want God to change my way of thinking and give me His way of thinking. A God centered perspective, and eternal perspective. It is just so easy to get caught up in the logistics and details the world throws at you. I'm ineffective when I am living in this place. When I am living in this, it becomes about my kingdom and THE KINGDOM. In the stillness, God meets me and reminds me of these things. I'm not a big deal, I'm apart of a big deal.

So I'm thankful that this is where my heart is right before I go. I can't wait to see what God does in and out of my time in Nashville... because the TRUTH is, "He is Faithful to complete every good work He has begun..." Philippians 1:6
Thanks for reading and being apart of my journey :)

"Westmont Song..." FREE Concert: Jan 12, 2009

So this last month, fires blazed there way through nor. cal hitting the Santa Barbara area...

One of my best friends attends Westmont, a Christian College in the area. 1 day prior to the fire hitting, I was actually visiting her on campus. In that time I got to see the campus grounds and all the beauty this campus hosted. The people I got to meet that were in here dorm were wonderful. It was a great couple of days.

The next evening I had heard about the fires on campus. My heart right away began to grieve the loss with all those faces I had just so recently met. Weird. This had never happened to me before. As a matter of fact, the very room I slept in the night before had been burned. That whole building went up in flames. So many things lost. My heart was in communion with my brothers and sisters in such a real way- a song was born.

In that next few days I was reminded that this world has nothing for us in comparison to all that is waiting for us in eternity; but at the same time, there is this very real struggle our flesh endures as we live out our days here on earth... we feel tied and bound to worldly things, possessions. It's difficult. I was reminded of HOPE.

Here are the lyrics to "Invisible Solid" (c) 2008
I pray you are reminded of hope through this song:

Verse 1:
Lord I'm tired of playing all these empty games
Won't you take me out so I can start again
Lord I'm growing weary as my legs keep moving
Faster to keep up with the room that's spinning

Chorus:
So wont you speak a word
Into my broken world
I am desperate for truth
So wont you speak a word
Into my broken world
I am desperate for truth

Verse 2:
The earth has fallen beneath my feet, but I
Am standing on and invisible solid
A firm foundation, I'm held up by you
Into Your hands I commit my spirit

Chorus

Bridge:
There is a Life, there is a Hope, there Joy that can't be broken
There is Peace, there is a Love, that can not be taken
No matter what comes today
Your blood has paved my way to eternity
Where I will be home and know freedom


And that's it.

IF YOU ARE A WESTMONT STUDENT (and if your not...)-
I look forward to sharing this song with you. I will he hosting a free concert:

WHEN: Jan 12, 2009 (First day back at school!)
WHERE: Montecito Covenant
671 Cold Springs Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
TIME: 7 pm

Anyone and everyone is WELCOME! Please bring a friend! It is going to be a special night of worship, a time where we get to respond to who God is, has been, and will be in this next year. Lets bring in the new year the right way! Yay!

All my love,

haley