Off to Russia... What?

It does seem a little random since I've never mentioned the possibility of going.

It's a Music and Missionary Journey

Calvary Chapel Church Planting Missions is hosting a women's conference in Moscow of which I am able to be a part of this year. This is a trip women from all over the country take every year to serve our Christian sisters and orphans, and I would dare to say widows. God cares so much for the orphans and the widows so much so that he stresses how important it is to care for them.

Speaking at the Conference
I have the great joy of speaking at one of the workshops. It is very special to share how God is working in our lives and teaching us so much and have the opportunity to share from His Word how He has walked us through so much and how we practically do that.

Orphans & a Concert
So pumped that we get to do a concert at the orphanage for ages 10-18. My greatest hope and prayer is that these children know how important and loved they are by God who created them and that they understand their worth and importance to Him and us, as people who follow Jesus.
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This is just an overview of the trip. So I'm keeping track of the details from now on.

What brought me to Russia? Simply Jesus. I have been asking for Him to send me whenever and wherever and yet, there were steps I wasn't taking that would prepare me to go.

It wasn't until I we're obedient that every step becomes a jump which becomes a leap across a giant canyon which becomes a larger-than-life adventure for which we hope and trust only Jesus for the outcome.

I'll post more as I experience more.
Thus far, we left New York six hours late after we arrived from LA which gave us an opportunity to sit around in a circle of 28 or so women, share a scripture that confirmed why each of us were to come on this trip, and just had a moment to bond. It was sweet.

Mine Bible verse is:
(Titus 3:4-8 NLT)But—"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Cd release: Thank you It was an awesome night!

I had an amazing night reuniting with so many people and meeting new friends. The band was awesome, the food was great, though some of you had never heard of Mellon wrapped prosciutto. :).

The most important thing was that Jesus was lifted up and we were reminded of the Call he has on our lives.

Please don't live another day without responding to Him and His purpose for you. You are too important and so is His Salvation of the world. He doesn't need us, but He wants to include us because He wants to reward us and draw us in even though it is He who does the work.

Respond! Have the conversation with Him today: Here I am, Send Me!

The Latest on the CD Release Party DEC 8

I am thrilled for this CD Release Party! We have such wonderful people who have come out of the proverbial wood work and become answers to my prayer before God. Quite a few of willing souls will be using the gifts and talents God gave them to help make this night a wonderful and special night!

What has been provided!

1. Gifts for silent auction (Kreative Haus - Lindy)(if you have something to donate, please contact me!) Proceeds will go to FACE of Harvest.
2. Photography (Shelly Young) - The more the merrier :) Amateurs welcome!
3. Event Planning (Jennifer Wallace)
4. Catering (John, Matt, and Lily!)
5. Helpers for CD Table and Auction Table (Brandi Bender all the way from Arizona! - there are others who offered, and still waiting to hear they are certain to come.)
6. Press Release/Communications Kreative Haus - Lindy)
7. Kenyan Tea - (Nancy of FACE of Harvest)
8. Sound System - Armor of Light
9. Graphic Design - Melissa Diaz and Karla!
10. FACE of Harvest Team coming out from Washington DC!

Still Needed

1. Videos of the event - videographers and smartphone amateurs!
2. Helpers still needed: Food, Silent Auction Table, Greeters, Spreading the word (anyone can do that) via your social networks and grabbing some invites from me to share with your friends.
3. Anyone with awesome lighting equipment for event night... :)
4. Printing Services
5. Silent Auction Gifts for FACE of Harvest Silent Auction


There are lots of other things I can't think of right now, but you may have a gift you can share that I haven't yet thought of!
This is going to be an AWESOME night. I really am thrilled to be sharing this night with so many of you who might come and bless us with your presence and time.
Lots of love, prayers, and music,
e

Dec. 8, 2011 - 7:00pm - Five O'Clock CD Release Party

I Asked

Lord, please send me help. I need people willing to share YOUR hands and feet in organizing this. Show me what YOU want for this CD Release Party. Where do you want to have it?

He Answered With People

Along came Jennifer Wallace, Event Planner, by recommendation of Massage Therapist RBODY Cassandra, who donated her gifts to help me run the Half-Marathon to raise money for the Medical Clinic with FACE of Harvest.

A handful of folks have also volunteered their gifts and abilities too.

With a Venue The Cove at Vanguard Univesity (Next to the Bookstore in the CENTER of Campus) Volunteers to make Desserts Desserts:My dear friends, the Brutlags, are amazing Foodies and volunteered to make delectable desserts! Kenyan Tea:My dear friend and sister who traveled with me to Kenya with FACE of Harvest is making KENYAN TEA!!!!! YAY! She ALSO is Kenyan, so this is LEGIT! I am STILL Asking for Help So HERE GOES

1. Photographers

2. Videographers

3. Set-Up

4. Clean-Up

5. Flash Mob (Singers/Drama) -- You come up with a "drama set to the music" and we'll hash it out at my house! :) Contact me with your video to one of my songs, and I'll let you know! :) Use your talents!

6. Sound Equipment and Sound person

7. Service napkins, plates, utensils

8. Gifts to Silent Auction off to raise money for the ongoing needs of the Medical Clinic in Kenya.

Other Foodies who are willing to contribute Hot drinks or appetizers for the evening.

Really excited about the opportunity to spend time with any and ALL of you whom God intends on being there! If you have a gift or talent and want to use it, this will be an amazing opportunity to do so. Lots of Love in Jesus and music, Elva

Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills Womens Retreat

This is the photo story I kept of my visit at Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills women's retreat. It was a beautiful time. There were so many amazing women that I was able to meet and talk with. My only regret is that I did not get to meet and sit and talk with everyone.

Love the time we spent as a group worshiping God. It was so sweet. It occurred to me, that though I was in front on the Piano leading, I was actually sitting in the audience to an amazing choir. This was all for God, and he let me sit in the front row. I felt very honored.

I stayed up late both nights talking and sharing, laughing and crying, but it was worth no sleep for what beautiful conversations and fellowship we had.

Sweet times.

A CD release party for 5 O'Clock!

I come to you now vocally by my iPhone. So if any of this looks a little weird, it's not me, it's me talking to my phone. My phone doesn't always know what I mean, but I'm not typing so I'm just speaking. It's a lot harder to do. But I digress.

I'm throwing a CD release party December 8, 2011. It will take place at Vanguard University of Southern California in The Cove. I am so excited and the event planner, Jennifer Wallace, is helping me to plan the event.

I have a few volunteers who have volunteered to help. I am hoping to find others who are willing to do the same. People who can get the word & invitations out, and bring a friend or two or three. I'll keep you posted on all that happens.

If you would like to help, yes you reading this blog right now, please send me an email. You can visit me on my Facebook music page, and let me know there too.

Www.Facebook.com/Elva Frye.

Not only will I be sharing some of the songs, but I will also talk about Face of Harvest and all that's happening there too. It's going to be a really fun night with a lot of fun people and great music, yummy desserts, and a lot of love to go around. I hope to see you there.

It's also close enough to Christmas, so if you want to pick up a few CDs for Christmas presents, you can do it there! We'll even have wrapping paper and bows for you to wrap your purchased CDs with.

I will be posting pictures of our last cd release party. It was a blast. So, put the date on your calendar December 8, 2011, at 7 PM in Southern California. Love, Elva

PS
I couldn't help myself. I went back and made a few corrections that my iPhone didn't catch.

Scheduling a Northeast 2012 Summer Tour! The DO-IT-Yourself Step by Step way.

If you are following along with me in this blog, then you may want to know how one would schedule a tour.  This is provided you are not using a Booking Agency.  I definitely enjoy the interaction I have with people before the event, so for now, I am reaching out prayerfully on my own.  

If you have any contacts or wonderful places for me to share the music and ministry entrusted to me, please feel free to share and I will prayerfully consider and reach out!!!

Booking a Tour  (Not a complete list, I am sure.)

  Step 1: Pray

  Step 2: Keep Praying and have others do the same.  (continue reading for hands-on practical steps)

  Step 3: Determine a few base nights with people and/or church families who have the a similar heart and mission as you do.  

  Step 4: Start filling in other nights/dates and try to schedule them so you are not back tracking between cities within 1 to 3 hours.  Contact churches, cafes, ministries you would like to come alongside and join for an evening or even a morning.

  Step 5: Request a host family or accommodations in the area so that you can get to know the people and community and share in their work.  (Unless you are able to accommodate yourself in a hotel or with people you know.) and  request a healthy MEAL possibly for before or after the event.

Step 6: Determine what kind of transportation you will need - car, bus, suv.

Step 7: If possible, carry most of your own gear and instruments.  Whatever you don't need, just leave in the vehicle.  Better safe than sorry.

Step 8: Have a press kit available for the Venue/Church/Group 2 months in advance for each venue or ministry night, so that public service announcements can be made.

Step 9: You haven't stopped praying.

Step 10: Purchase any airline tickets to far destinations.  (Preferably not with money you don't have.)

Step 11:  Be ready for changes, cancellations, broken sound equipment, break downs (Get AAA), difficulties, joys, confusion, clarity, and most of all, be ready to be used by God wherever He leads you.

Step 12: Make sure you have enough CDs, merchandise, a portable table, CD Sales Table Decor, Credit Card swiper (or SQUARE - free, and only 2.75% fee),  Change, Means of collecting emails and CONTACT info with people you are kindred with!, rules for selling in other locales (i.e. taxes), and anything else you can think of (i.e. water, granola bars, hand soap for laundry!)

Nothing happens in a vacuum, so trust that God is guiding your steps no matter what the circumstances are or become.  

Prayer will keep you remembering you can TRUST the Lord with all of this. 

Prayer is the WORK!  Oswald Chambers

So, I'll keep you posted on how the scheduling goes for the Five O'Clock 2012 Northeast Summer Concert Tour!  :)  Please help me pray!

e

Free Song Download: I Will Follow & Story behind the song.

I posed the question to "fans" of my Facebook Music Page: Which song would you like to receive as a free download?  The winner, I Will Follow.  So, for a limited time you can get a free download of the song.  I hope you'll take this opportunity to upload the download.  :)  As, the free download will disappear soon.  :)

All you need to do is visit my Facebook Music Page, click on the "Like" button while on that page, and you can get the free download.  :)



 I wrote "I Will Follow" in the midst of some very difficult and dark circumstances.  It seemed as though there might be no end to the trouble and heartache.  However, I remembered a promise the Lord made to me in the quiet of my heart when I committed to following Him where ever He led me.  This song was THAT reminder to myself of His promise that if I honored Him with my gifts, he would take care of me in doing so.  I know I am being a bit vague, however, if you and I ever have the chance to speak on a one on one basis, I'd be so happy to share the story.

Danny Donnelly is singing background vocals here, Sean Holt is playing saxes, and of course, everything by piano, is Danny D.  :)  

Anyway, I hope you'll download the song and that it too, will remind you that if you TRUST God, no matter what the circumstances say... if you feel like you will never get out of this, remember, trusting in God means you will follow Him, and He may not always pull us OUT of pain or a painful situation, but He will guide us through it, and through all of it, we will learn to TRUST Him because He alone is truly trustworthy.  He's God, He knows the beginning and the end.  Nothing is a surprise to Him.  Don't fear.  This is not cliche', it's truth and you'll know it once you walk in it. 

CD's Are HERE!

They are shrink wrapped and beautiful!  Five O'Clock is here, but not officially released yet.  We're working on the Official Release Party.  You can check out the CD Artwork here!  You can get the Digital Version right now.  We are doing a Soft-Release at the concert this weekend outside Baltimore, MD.

9/11 Rememberance and Memorial

I was at work in downtown San Francisco. My husband called me to let me know that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I logged onto the internet. Then came the second phone call and news of the second tower hit. All I wanted to do was go home and be with my husband. My work, however, would insist we press on and continue to work. Then tower 2 collapsed. Then tower 1. "Oh God, save them."

The shock I felt, sadness...prayers lifted up... when the horror of the news and pictures on the internet reached my eyes was inexplicable. I prayed that every single person in those towers would be met by Jesus and comforted by Him. Then the news of the Pentagon and Pennsylvania plane crash.

Then the news of my mother on an airplane coming back from Florida to Arizona, where she was helping her sister, rerouted to Texas early in the day when the President ordered all aircraft out of the sky.

In Arizona, at my mother's home, 1130pm, my younger brother, Richard, slept. He heard frantic knocking and screaming at the front door. It was a man warning the household that the carport, car in the carport, and outdoor laundry room were on fire. My brother, unsure if this were true, neared the carport from inside when he felt the heat of the fire. In his pajamas, he hurriedly picked up his car keys and ran out the front door. Just seconds after that, the car in the carport exploded shooting flames through the attic and engulfing most of the house.

Then came the phone call from my little brother. Alarmed at the late night phone call, calmly and uncharacteristically monotone, "Elva, the house is burning down." "What?" I was confused. We were still reeling from events of the day. My mother's mom had just passed away. My parents were recently divorced. Terrorism struck us that day, and NOW? NOW? The house is on fire?

When I spoke to my mother early that morning, her response, in a shakey voice that carried the sound of sadness and loss, "Elva, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

My mother has always shown EXTREME strength in the Lord because of her TRUST in the Lord. Even in spite of all she had lost. Emotions in my family ran high for our family on 9/11. Even though we did not know ONE NAME of the people in that tower, we felt like we had lost over 3000 of our own family. And the fire on that day brought the tragedy home, even closer to us.

Then, in the days that followed, people who had never walked into a church, began walking into churches to find comfort and solice in God.
People who didn't pray, began to pray.
Then, most cars on the road donned the American Flag.
Then, time passed.
People woke up later and later and stopped seeking comfort and solice from God.
Flags didn't don cars anymore.
Politics divided the country.
People who didn't know anyone in the towers began to forget.
Then, 10 Years Later... here we are again. Commemorating the 10th Year After this tragedy.

The Bible says in Isaiah 55:
6Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.

I wrote a song when my friends, the Hasenbalgs, were met by their own tragedy in losing their child. My prayer is that this song will be one to remind you that in whatever sorrow or loss, trial or difficulty, there is ONE who is NEAR to you. I am posting it on my FACEbook Music Page Band Profile. There is healing in tears, when you allow the savior and Light of the world to comfort you.

Dedicating this song to all those today, who are remembering 9/11. Praying for comfort for all.
Love, e