Francesca's blog

Well, my oh my. It's been quite a busy summer so far, and it hasn't even officially started yet! So far this summer I've started recording my next album, had a "really-amazing-oh-my-gosh-is-this-photographer-and-styling-team-for-real" photo shoot, begun work on our house in Georgia, started to feel the baby move, and been traveling on the weekends. Okay, I'm tired just looking at that list! But it's been such a blast, and I can't even believe how much is going on right now. It's amazing to see God working in our lives, and we are so blessed and thankful!

I can't believe it's almost Mother's Day! Time truly flies when you're on the road. This year holds special meaning for me for several reasons. Not only is my mom amazing (I love you, Mom!), but I've also inherited an incredible mother-in-law this year! It's a blessing to have two superb women in my life who can offer wisdom and encouragement in good and bad times. As if that weren't blessing enough, as many of you know, my husband and I are expecting our first baby this Fall! That means I get to celebrate Mother's Day this year for the first time.

Wow! What an amazing experience the Dove Awards were! I am beyond thrilled and honored to have been part of such a special night. I knew from the first rehearsal with Michael O'Martian (piano player) and the string quartet that the performance was going to be so much fun. They made "Beautiful Beautiful" sound, well…beautiful! Everything went smoothly from start to finish--even the quick change between the award and the performance! Winning two Dove Awards was truly an unforgettable experience.

Hey friends!

Hey friends!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the experience of a lifetime traveling to Los Angeles for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards! My song “Free To Be Me” was nominated in the “Best Gospel Performance” category. Even though I didn’t take home an award, it was an honor just to be nominated and included among such fine company. What a day it was!

Well well well. There is so much I want to say about the recent events in my life. I don't even know where to begin! Matthew Goodwin came into my life last September, though I didn't know then that he would become the man I'd marry. In late summer, he will be my husband! I am beyond thrilled and so incredibly excited about what God has in store. It's funny--things don't typically turn out exactly as planned, but if you live a life of obedience to God and trust Him even when you can't see the promise being fulfilled, He will fulfill it in due season.

Well, my second GMA week is officially behind me. Phew. What a whirlwind! Last year at GMA I couldn’t get arrested, as they say, but this year was a much different story. Back to back interviews with radio and media folks, showcases, lunch meetings, and plenty of catching up with people that I only see once in a blue moon kept me very busy. But what would GMA be if it weren’t a week’s worth of running around? Let’s just say that Starbucks was my friend. And I wasn’t even there for the whole week! I had a show in Minneapolis on Tuesday night, so I missed a good portion of it.