Story behind "Worth More"

Before I share some encouraging thoughts behind the music, I thought I'd share with you 10 little-known "fun facts" that make me unique. :)

1. I like writing in calligraphy
2. I hate wearing makeup (so I don't, unless I'm required to)
3. I'm a really good tap dancer
4. I have a fear of fish... all fish. Dead or alive. Big or small.
5. My parents bought me my first guitar when I was 6
6. My first song was about loving my mommy, daddy, and God (age 6)
7. I'm an introvert, and wrote a fun song about it (which I perform as I'm functioning in an extroverted world... I'm always exhausted after concerts! haha)
8. I studied philosophy, ministry, and social work in college (so basically I like thinking well, to help people)
9. For my sense of humor, I love puns, and I'm fluent in Yankee Sarcasm (which makes living in the South fun!)
10. My first song on local radio was first heard by a friend on a boombox in WalMart

What makes you unique?  As silly as some of these things are, it is a good reminder that we are valuable simply because God made us, and we each have a unique purpose.  We need to have the same compassion and reminder of value for ourselves that we try to encourage others with!Sometimes I feel a lack of hope as a result of apparent rejection or being undervalued by others. But my own lyrics often come to mind to help fight the lies with truth: "You are worth more than they say. You are worth more than they pay." (Worth More, on "Shifting Winds" EP.).

This song was originally written out of frustration of working extremely hard, yet still being undervalued at a previous job.  My fields of work (social work, ministry, music) typically lend themselves to...

• low pay
• hard work and/or long hours
• varied amount of evidence of impact (sometimes the impact we make only manifests after we lose contact with the people we serve. Also, change is hard, so as much as we try, we can't change everything we want to.)
• only some expressions of appreciation from others.

This is why I can't evaluate my worth based on what I see, hear, or earn.  During this time, I was reminded that even if I stopped striving to do all this good in the world, I would still be loved.  I would still have immeasurable worth as a person.Remember, God gave you value when He made you, and He made you just the way you are on purpose!