why hello there.

she lives!

yes, hello dear reader. i have emerged--and what better time to emerge than alongside the tulips, the baby birds, and our blessed Lord in this Easter season.

it will be a slow start and a tentative journey back into blogging. but i have missed it. it's been too long, and therefore the obvious solution is simply to start anew. 

so much has happened since last i set finger to keyboard (so not as romantic as pen to paper, but we do what we can). i am 23 weeks pregnant with number 3 (gasp, Gasp, GASP!) - and boy is it still challenging some days to wrap my head around that fact. much food for ponderation in there, about accepting God's will, making the conscious choice not to rebel, seeking peace, and it goes on. 

my music ministry abounds--but with some changes: less of my original stuff this year, and more straight up performances and expanding my church base. twill be interesting to see where the Lord takes this. i'm just thankful that for the current time, i've been able to do both motherhood and music with slim-to-none juggling (thank you Jonathan, world's best, most patient, and most supportive hubby). 

lucky to be in love with him.

my two boys are thriving, both because of and in spite of myself. i am growing as a mama, and am delighted to see that our family has settled nicely into the flow of having two underfoot. 

matthew at nearly 4 is a super champ of energy, enthusiasm, and excitement. the kid has been in school this past year, is loving the thought of the "new baby in mama's belly," and introduces himself to everyone by announcing, "hi new best friend! let's play!" oh to be young and vigorous and accepting of all once again. 

 

happy easter from us to you!

daniel, no longer the one and only baby, is 14 months, climbing everything, running everywhere, and causing mayhem to ensue all around him. the little one is a blast. he is full of sweet and slobbery baby kisses, joyful belly laughs, and just about adores his big brother to pieces. he loves his mama alright, too. 

i will leave you with this one meditation from this past sunday, which was one of my absolute favorite kickass feasts of the Church, Divine Mercy Sunday. i mean, how much more incredible a feast can we celebrate a week after remembering the absolute and perfect love of our Lord on the cross, than a celebration of his total and complete mercy, compassion, and welcoming? awesome. 

while at mass, while shuddering under the shame of my two boys' misbehavior and quivering under the supposed judgment i imagined was being flung in our direction, the priest let loose a cannonball upon my heart: do not be locked up in fear any longer. come out and bask in the love and freedom the Lord offers. do not be like the disciples huddled up in the upper room, anxiously awaiting their doom. be free and be at peace. know the Lord is risen. know he is pure and total love, total authority, total freedom. embrace it, embrace him, embrace his will, and experience life as he intended it to be: 

free. 

of babies and rejuvenation

ah, i know. it's been quite the long time. but i feel somewhat refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to once again lay bear my heart and my journey with Jesus, hoping that some little blessing finds its way to your own heart, dear reader.

so much has changed since june. so. much.

if you were traipsing along with me back then, you know my family suffered a terrible loss in march, and i am so grateful for all the love and support during my miscarriage.

God was so faithful to our family though, and blessed us with another pregnancy shortly afterwards. i'm now 30 weeks pregnant (!!!!) with another little boy. our little daniel is due february 2nd (though this mama's hoping and praying that maybe he'll be enticed into an early appearance in january). regardless, i'm so grateful. it's an unbelievable experience, carrying life in your womb. for those that cannot share in this joy, my heart breaks for you. it's such a tremendous cross to bear. for those that have not yet tasted of motherhood, hold on to your seats, because life is never predictable again.

sometimes, my heart trembles a little at the thought of two. two boys. oh my goodness. what's a mama to do, outnumbered in such a fashion? but my matthew is such a lover, so enthusiastic about life, so ready to taste of all life's joys, how could i not be excited to give him a brother to wrestle and explore and live with. clearly, God knows what he is doing. so i will brace myself and enjoy the ride.

my music is continuing to flourish in his time. i have expanded my ministry to several new churches, both in fort myers and naples. i have also been asked to reprise my role as "baby speaker" for the women of faith, women of action conference next march. i say "baby" because i shared the spotlight with such awesome speakers as colleen carroll campbell and brenda sharman this past february, and will join johnette benkovic and mary jo anderson this coming march. email me (gabriela@gabrielafrei.com) if you'd like more info on this fabulous conference as it progresses. we women need this occasional refreshment. i know i'm so looking forward to it already.

i'm re-learning too, how to balance life as mother and musician. that's been such a theme for this blog, and i seriously thought i had it all under control. all my balls were nicely rotating in midair, and i felt in control and on top of things. then God threw another baby into the mix, and all of a sudden, i felt somewhat precarious in my comfort zone. my hubby has been both my strength and sometimes my voice of reason, helping me through the occasional meltdown when i fear i can't do it all perfectly. and we sure know how gabi loves to do things perfectly.

but God doesn't demand perfection, as we know so well in our heads but grapple so much with in our hearts. at least i do. amazing how much he has taught me about that in this year. i have a lot to share, especially in regards to healing from my loss and moving forward from emptiness into the fullness of his love. i think that might be what i speak about at the conference in march, so i'll use this blog as a sort of dry run to collect and organize my thoughts. (you all should definitely still come though. johnette benkovic + mary jo anderson will be phenomenal!).

thanks for your patience. thanks for your prayers. i am where i am today because of the love and support of so many of you, who held my hand during a difficult time.

At dusk weeping comes for the night;

but at dawn there is rejoicing. (psalm 30:6b)

come along for the ride. the dawn has been marvelous, and it's looking to be a beautiful, beautiful day. 

ps: a taste of pregnant me :)

photo credit: http://pregnancyoutreach.org/

some music for your monday

no, not my original music...  but pretty awesome none-the-less.

today is my "day off." since i work a lot of weekends doing the music thing (SO happy i get to have a career doing something i adore that blesses people too), i find that weekends tend not to be relaxing for me. and then i have a full time job watching the kiddo.

so mondays have become my official day to relax and unwind. i spend matthew's naptime lounging and bath-tubbing and reading... sometimes... other times, even though i know this is supposed to be my day off, i sneak in some work before i catch myself and force myself to sit down and drink a cup of tea with a good book.

so today, i wanted to share two songs with you by some terrific musicians. i discovered these songs in our choose christ hymnal, the one we use for the teen mass at my church. i lead the music, so i often discover golden nugget songs that really hit my heart in all the right and needed places.

these are two such musical treats.

this first one is by tom booth, and it's called you stand knocking. per his introduction, it's a meditation on the divine mercy (ah, SO good). it's truly a powerful song.

You Stand Knocking


this second one is by charlie hall, performed by chris tomlins. we actually just sang this for the final teen mass of the year. if you went to mass this sunday, you heard the second reading from i peter which proclaimed:
You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises” of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

this song echoes that last line. it's called marvelous light. enjoy. 
  
marvelous light 

photo credit to fotolia - http://de.fotolia.com/id/5643987

composer for hire.

i wanted to throw something out there: for all you poets, creatives, and all around imaginative types, if you have poems or writings that you always thought would make a most excellent song, but you just don't know how quite to put a melody to them, send them my way.

i've been working on a bunch of different people's lyrics of late, and i find it comes easily to me to make beautiful music from other people's words. you never know what might be born from a collaborative effort.

much love.

new song lyrics - empty

It never ceases to amaze me, the stack of work-in-progress songs I have just sitting around. Some I feel could be excellent songs, some are meh-okay, and some definitely need a lot of work. But I decided to work on one today, and it's starting to come together. I want to start using this blog as a platform to get your thoughts on songs as part of my creative process. Feel free to comment if you like. I always appreciate the input, especially at this early stage. I hope to have a rough draft of the audio soon. 

much love. 

Empty

VERSE 1

It’s been a long day.

I look in the mirror, surprised by what I see:

I’m so tired, I’m so empty.

Lord, I’ve got nothing left,

Nothing to give You

But my weakness and my failings.

I’m so tired, I’m so empty.

But I hear You call out my name.

You want me, not what I bring.

CHORUS

Empty I come, empty I stand,

Empty I raise my hands to You.

All that I am, all that I have is Yours.

Please take it all.

I give it to You, humble and small as it may be.

I long to be wholly free, I long to be wholly Yours.

VERSE2

I’m crushed by the pressure

To perform, to excel, to be number one.

I’m so tired, I’m so empty.

The world tells me that this, this is the way

To be happy, to be fulfilled

This can’t be all there is.

I’m so tired, I’m so empty.

But I hear You, tugging my heart

Saying, “Child, you are searching for Me.”

BRIDGE

This world demands perfection

How I look, how I act, it demands I conform

To this idea of what is perfect, what is beautiful.

But it leaves me empty inside. I long for something more.

I long to hear You say, “Beautiful, you are beautiful just as you are.”

I long to hear You say, “Beautiful, you are beautiful just as you are.”

So Lord, if you’ll have me,

I will come and be yours,

And You will fill my heart.

Buy My CD!

My new CD is now available for purchase in two mediums!

I know, I know, you say, "Where the heck have you been??? We were about to send out a rescue operation!" Well, I've been in many places, doing many things, but the important one right now is the production of this new and professional CD!

I'm truly excited about and happy with this new CD. It's been a work in progress for a while now. Some of the songs will be familiar, but will be updated. My last CD was recorded just after high school, so I've grown a lot musically since then. This CD also includes a bonus recording of Franz Schubert's Ave Maria, a classic and beloved favorite.

If you are old school and like to have a physical copy of CDs, you can visit my sales page at kunaki.com here. Kunaki is a great company that I have used to professionally produce this new CD. You'll have it delivered to you promptly.

If you just want the mp3 files for your music player, you can purchase the entire CD or any songs you like on iTunes. Just search gabriela frei and you'll find me!

 The entire playlist is as follows:
1+ Fiat
2+ Present Moment
3+ Transfigure
4+ He Is Come (my Christmas song)
5+ Surrender
6+ Let Me Live (my prolife song)
7+ Leap of Faith (brand new recording!)
8+ What Love is This/Peace In Jesus (brand new recording!)
9+ Love Song (brand new recording!)
Bonus+ Ave Maria  (Schubert)


I am blessed to be able to share with you a piece of my heart through this album, a glimpse into my spiritual journey with the Lord. I pray it is a blessing for you as well. If you decide to purchase one, thank you with all my heart. I am honored and grateful.

All glory be to God, forever and ever Amen. 

Need to Focus & Surrender (+ more new music stuff!)

I've been working on a music project for the past couple of weeks (hence, the sporadic blog posts). Not quite ready to announce what it is just yet (SOON I PROMISE), but I was reminded once again of how all my music is and must be Christ-centered. I was feeling rather frustrated in my efforts. Things were good, and maybe even really good, but they weren't right or perfect or just so.  

I couldn't figure out why I wasn't having the success that I thought I should be having. After all, I was trying my best to get it done. And then I realized that, with all my effort, I had forgotten to seek the Lord, to ask for His blessing and seek His guidance in accomplishing what is after all something devoted to His praise and glory.

It's so easy to forget sometimes the simple act of placing ourselves solidly in His hands, truly surrendering all our actions to His holy will. Even though the thing I was trying to do was something for His glory, I had forgotten to pray for His guidance, so that what eventually was accomplished would be according to His plan.

Lord Jesus, help me never to forget You. You have been so good and so gracious to me, that sometimes, because things are good, I forget to thank You, and I forget to ask for Your direction. You are my strength. You are my truth. You are the reason things are so blessed. You are all that matters. Please give me that grace never to forget You, even for just a second. I want You always to be front and center, the first one I think of when I wake and the last Name on my lips when I go to sleep. You are my everything. Amen.



Music Website Update
New videos are up on my website as well as new audio. There's a new video featuring the song "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" by Josh Groban - this is one of my favorite songs of his (See it here). Also I've added a 3rd audio playlist, featuring praise and worship anthems (the 1st player is all original songs of mine, and the 2nd is wedding specific). God bless you and to Him be all the glory.

Longing for More (+ More Music Videos!)

I got to see one of my favorite priests in the world today, as well as benefit from his extensive wisdom and beautiful sermons. He is the pastor of one of the local churches for which I provide music for funerals. It never ceases to amaze me how beautifully and perfectly he captures the fragility of our existence, and yet our profound tie to eternity, to God. Thank God for him and all the work he does for the glory of God.

His sermon today focused on the fact that we are made for more than this earth can offer. He made the observation that no longing or desire exists without an objective and logical satisfaction for that urge. For example, man feels the desire for food, and such a thing as food exists. A duck has the inclination to swim, and there exists such a thing as water. Birds have the tendency to fly south for the winter, and there exists such a thing as air to hold them up.

In the same way, as St. Augustine puts it, our hearts are restless, ever searching for something higher, greater, more perfect. Our hearts long for that Higher Being, and there exists a God who created us to love Him and only Him. He does not leave us in the absurd position of desiring the impossible.  Rather, He places within our hearts a need for Him, and waits with open arms for us to find our way to Him. He alone is the satisfaction we seek, the answer to our deepest questions, the fulfillment of our most basic desire: our desire to live. He is Life, He is Love, He is God.

I'm so grateful to be alive. I'm so grateful for life, for blessings big and small, for unexpected grace and unplanned hope. God is so good and merciful. Never forget to be grateful to be alive, and to tell the people in your life how very much you love them. For you don't know the day or hour when God will call you or someone you love home. Don't miss a chance to tell them how much they mean to you.

On a music note, I'm happy to announce that I have a few more new videos up on my website, as well as new audio in my song players. I hope you enjoy them all.

 + Shout To The Lord Video - a note about this one, I actually composed a second verse for this song specifically for weddings. This is another of my all-time favorites.

 + Breathe -  Another powerful praise and worship anthem, very dear to my heart.

Check back soon to www.gabrielafrei.com as I'll be adding new audio tracks as well as announcing some cool news. 

To God be the glory.

From This Day Forward and TWO NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

I love weddings. More than that, I love singing for weddings. I can't tell you how my heart simply exults to see a man and a woman stand before God, before family and friends, and profess to all how very much they are in love with and committed to each other.

I remember my own wedding, the excited flurry of preparation, the nervous waiting in the rear of the church, the timid glance up the aisle to meet the eye of my beloved. Ah, to live that day again and again... well, thank goodness for 2000 photographs and 8 hours of videotape to help jog my memory!

I had the blessing on Saturday past to sing for a wedding in a town not too far from my own here in Florida. The church was simply stunning. There was a gorgeous mural of Christ offering His Heart in love to the world towering over the altar.

He remains there in open invitation, beckoning all to come as they are, and leave better, stronger (to quote Glenn Beck). I fell in love all over again.

And then weeks of preparation and practice came to fruition. 20 minutes of prelude and 3 processional hymns later, the bride and groom stood before the altar of God and confessed to the world that yes, they had fallen deeply in love, enough to say "forever" to each other. Enough to profess in holy sacrament that through God's grace, they'd stand together through sickness, health, wealth, poverty, even monotony and especially child-raising (an arduous task, believe me!).

It makes my heart revel in the beauty of love, of life, of finding that person who makes your heart beat a little faster. As Emily Bronte put it, "Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same." 

I have the best job in the world. I get to be there, somewhat behind the scenes, a fly on the wall observing the happiest day of your life. Sometimes I know you, sometimes I don't, but I'm always tremendously happy and excited for you to begin this wonderful new chapter, this journey of companionship, growth, and deepened love.

Sam Keene puts it aptly: "We come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." Perfectly, as in through the eyes of the only Perfect One, the Lord, who alone loves us fully and without our deserving it.

We must follow His example and look at our loved one not with rose-colored glasses, but with eyes wide open, a gaze purified by love and refined by grace, able to see past the imperfection, to the beauty within (and if you're lucky, without!).

I wanted to share with you two songs (and hopefully, more as I finish editing them) from this wedding. I hope you enjoy hearing something a little different from me, namely, praise and worship songs as opposed to my originals.

Here are Blessed Be Your Name and How Great Is Our God. Click on the name to link through to my videos. Enjoy!!

To God be the glory.

New Song: Come (A Prayer of Hope)

I'm happy to introduce my newest song here to you all: Come (A Prayer of Hope).

This is a rough, live cut of the song from a funeral I sang for today. Hence the random looking over to my right. I was making sure that I kept the song to an appropriate length to cover Communion.

I wrote this song specifically for funerals, to be a song of consolation, of encouragement, of return to the Lord. Through His love and strength alone do we conquer adversity and emerge from trial.

I welcome your thoughts. It's a brand new song, still "under construction." This is actually a short version, as there were only a few people at this funeral. I hope you enjoy it. I also have a brand new audio recording on my website of "Lord, When You Came To The Seashore." Listen here.

Lyrics:

Come (A Prayer Of Hope)
June 25, 2010

~*verse one*~
There is no pain He has not felt,
No sadness He doesn’t know; He holds all your tears in His hand.
Your cross, He carries with you, the heavy load you bear.
Give it all to Him. Give it all to Him. Give it all to Him:
You do not walk alone.

~*chorus*~
Come to Him, you who labor and are tired.
Come to Him, you with sorrows you can’t bear.
Come into His presence, feel His tender love.
Come, His love will carry you.

~*bridge*~
He lifts us from the flood that threatens us.
He shelters us from the weapons of our foe.
He heals us with His tender touch of mercy.

He loves us more than we could ever know.
He loves us more than we could ever know.
He loves us more than we could ever know.

~*chorus*~
Come to Him. Come to Him.
Come to Him, you who labor and are tired.
Come to Him, you with sorrows you can’t bear.
Come into His presence, feel His love. Come, His love will carry you.

© Gabriela Frei 2010

Watch Me on TV!

Well, to be honest, you're really watching the Lord Jesus on TV, as this is a televised Mass. But I'm providing the music, which is pretty awesome in my book.

I got the opportunity to share my gift of music with two local parishes as well as with the people in Southwest Florida who suffer the incredible burden of being limited to their homes. The shut-in community is extensive here in this area, as Florida is Retirement Central for much of America. I considered it a real honor to play a role in making the Mass more special for their viewing, even though it is the reception of Our Lord's most precious Body that is the true gift.

I wanted to share that link with you all, just in case you wanted to see me live in action. This particular video is of the Mass from this past Sunday, July 11th, at St. Raphael's Parish in Lehigh Acres, Florida. The pastor, Father Dennis Cooney, actually concelebrated my marriage ceremony in 2008, as well as led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that my family was so blessed to go on. He is very special to me.

Enjoy!
Click Here to Watch!

New Song: Come (A Prayer of Hope)

Yes, dear readers. You get not one, but two posts today... basically because I'm super excited to announce that I've finally finished a new song!

Wow, has it been a long time since I was able to announce that! The last song I completely finished was back in 2008. Graduation from the university, getting married, having a baby, life just somehow happens in the blink of an eye.

But I knew that in His time, another one would come. I have to admit, I do have 6 or 7 sheets of paper with lyrical works in progress on them... a verse or two here, a chorus and bridge there. Works in progress that I will someday return to, when the winds change and inspiration beckons.

The back story for this new song is unlike any of my others. I wrote it specifically for a funeral. Not for a specific funeral, mind you, but specifically for a funeral.

That has lately been a large part of how I contribute to my little family's financial stability. I play piano and sing for funerals. Dreary, you say? Somber and altogether unpleasant? Ah, but I beg to differ.

I have the distinct and unique privilege of being a fly on the wall on two of the most momentous days in a person's life: their wedding and the funeral of a loved one, be it husband, wife, mother, father. I am very humbled to offer what I can to make these days as beautiful and appropriate as possible.

I in a small way contribute to their joy on their wedding day, and I hope I alleviate a small portion of their sorrow on that funeral day, when they say their earthly farewell to someone well loved.

And so I got to thinking that I would like to write a song of hope, of comfort, and of compassion specifically intended for people in mourning. The Lord knows our every sorrow, and carries our cross with us. He holds every tear in his Hand, and counts them precious. We must give to Him our sorrow, our heavy burdens. We must come to Him with our weariness. Coming into His presence, feeling His tender love, our crosses become a bit easier to shoulder, knowing that we do not walk alone.

For His joy is our strength; His peace is our shelter; His love is our guide. He lifts us from the threatening flood and shields us from the weapons of our foe. His tender touch floods us with mercy and healing. He loves us more than we could ever know.

So we must always come to Him.

I hope to have a recording of this new song done soon. Jonathan always tells me that it's so good to get things done while they are fresh, while you are still riding the wave of excitement and adrenaline that inspiration provides. Thank you all for your love and support.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

+amdg+

New Lease on Life

I'm excited to launch a new template for this lovely blog. It had to be done.

I feel as though every few months, I get this urge to change. Usually it bursts forth in a crazier-than-normal cleaning frenzy, that usually lasts late into the night and produces bags of garbage and/or donations for Goodwill. I call it my need to de-clutter. Definitely not a bad thing (although Jonathan sometimes runs for cover as I break out the 409, Windex, and my hardcore cleaning gloves...).

Well, this time that urge evinces itself in the need for renevatio, or rebirth of this blog into a new creation. So Behold... THE NEW TEMPLATE FOR 3M (that is, Music, Ministry, and Motherhood)!

So refreshing to have something new to look at. Amazing how a simple change can launch a whole new spurt of creativity... still waiting for the spurt... ok, I'll just have to make do with what I've got.

But I do have some creative progress to report: a MUSIC UPDATE at long last!

For the past few weeks, I've been hard at work with a previous un-tackled musical challenge. A gentleman contacted me and asked if I'd consider putting music to some words he'd written. The song was about the Sign of the Cross, and he wanted a light and catchy melody for 5th/6th graders to learn and be able to sing along.

I rose to the occasion and accepted the challenge. I thought to myself, I'm fun, I can do light and catchy... and thus the St. Andrew's project began.

I must say, I'm pleased with the outcome, and as I sat in the St. Andrew's parish office yesterday, observing 3 cute ladies tapping their feet and humming along, I knew that I'd hit a musical home run. The gentleman too was pleased with the musical adaptation of his words (and being a lyrical composer myself, I know that lyrics are like children - you want to give them the best appearance possibility to present to the world). I was grateful that he was happy.

But it was a new and challenging experience to work with someone else's words. I have an organic process for writing music: it involves a flash of divine inspiration, furious scribbling down of lyrics, humming melodies in my head as I write, and then sitting at the piano for a few hours banging out the finished product. It's quite another thing entirely to put a melody to someone else's creation.

But I was excited to try something new, something different. I have my own style of playing the piano and of writing lyrics, and working with Dr. Macedonio's words gave me insight into a different lyrical style. I enjoyed it tremendously.

He was so pleased, he gave me a second set of lyrics to start working on, a Christmas lullaby!

I feel as though I've ascended to a new level of artist - one that involves paid commission work not unlike Michelangelo or Raphael... ah, but I have still so far to climb to reach those heights!

But it's an honor just the same, to be asked to give new life to words, to give them rhythm and movement.

Feel free to listen here, on my music website. On the right side, there's a music player titled "Let It Be Done To Me," and the track is titled "We Love To Sing."

God bless you all, and thank you for your support!

+amdg+

NEW CD!

At last, at last, at last!!!

Since I graduated from high school, I've been selling and/or giving out copies of a CD that I recorded that summer before college. I was never 100% happy with it, and always yearned for the time/$$$ to record a new one that I could really be proud of.

HERE IT IS.
With new and improved recordings of Fiat, Let Me Live, Transfigure, and other favorites, I present to you my new CD: Let It Be Done Unto Me.

I am so proud of this new CD. My wonderful husband Jonathan got me a terrific digital piano for my birthday/Christmas this past year, and is it ever awesome! It's a Kawai ES1, and I couldn't be happier with it. Best of all, I can hook it up to my computer, along with a microphone, and voila: a new CD recorded in under a week, just in time for the Women of Faith, Women of Action conference. At which I sold a LOT of CDs!

If you would like to order a copy of this new CD, sample the songs here on my website, then contact me and I'll be happy to get you a copy.

Not My Will But Yours

Hello to all. 

It's been a while since I posted. I credit the encouragement of a dear friend for spurring me back to pen and paper, or really, to keyboard and screen.

Welcome back to the joyful chaos that is my life. Thanks for coming along for the ride, for the prayers and support.

IT'S FINALLY HERE! Voice of An Angel 2009 HAS BEGUN!!!

Hello all!

 It's been a very exciting couple of weeks here in the Frei family house. First Thanksgiving break and an excursion into the chilliness of Wisconsin, couple with baby Matthew in tow! He actually did very well with the plane rides (he slept during takeoffs and landings!), and even acclimated nicely to the well below normal temperatures he experienced. But I am SO glad to be home!

 BUT ON TO THE IMPORTANT NEWS:

 Voice of An Angel has finally started!

 I am so excited to be in this stage of the competition, and I need your help. We taped the Semifinal competition this past Saturday for my diocese, the Diocese of Venice, and you can now view it here on the Voice of An Angel website. I had so much fun singing my heart out and glorifying God in the process.

 So the next step is up to you and your VOTES! It's fast, it's simple, and best of all, it's FREE. If you like what you hear in the video, all you have to do is click on the "Vote" tab at the top of the page, or on the "Who Is Your Favorite: VOTE" link. You will be directed to register with the website.

 Here's where it MIGHT get a little tricky: the website will send you a confirmation email after you register. That email MIGHT end up in your SPAM folder. So if you don't see the email in your inbox, check that SPAM folder.

 After you confirm, go back to the website, and click the "Vote Now" link after you sign in. THEN THE FUN PART: scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, and VOTE FOR ME, Gabriela Frei.

 Everyone gets one free vote. If you would like to vote more than once (and I would very much love it if you did!), each additional vote is $1. HERE'S THE GREAT PART: 50% of that will go to my sponsored charity, the Collier Pregnancy Center. Check out their website here. This ministry does INCREDIBLE work helping out young women who find themselves pregnant and with no one else to turn to, saving hundreds and hundreds of unborn babies every year. Please prayerfully consider giving them support. God bless you abundantly for your generosity!

 I can't tell you how much I appreciate the support. If I get enough votes, as well as the judges stamp of approval, I will represent my diocese as one of the 7 finalists from the entire state. I would then go to Miami December 21-23 and compete to be the winner of Voice of An Angel 2009!!!

 So PLEASE go and vote for me right now. You have to vote by Sunday night, and then they will reveal the 7 finalists sometime on Monday on the Voice of An Angel website. I'm honored to be a part of this "singing competition with a higher purpose," and I'm hopeful that God's will is for me to move forward, and continue to glorify Him with a gift He so generously gave me.

 God bless you all!

Meditations on Music and Worry-Free Life

I have been pondering two topics today that I would like to blog about. They are not necessarily related, but they have been on my mind lately. Firstly, the tremendous gift we have in music. And secondly, the necessity for peace in our lives.

Look Who's Back :)

It's been a while since I wrote. Lots of excitement around these parts, what with friends I haven't seen in a long time coming to visit, new developments with Jonathan and work, taking on the music for the Teen Mass at my church, and other such happenings.

But I'm back, and ready to write again. Here are some updates with the goings-on in this mommy's life:

Let The People Rejoice!

And God's providing for my musical creativity continues!

Wednesday of last week, I had a very unexpected and intriguing phone call. The music director of my church, who happens to be a very dear friend I've known for years, conference called me and asked if I'd consider taking over the music for the Teen Mass recently started at my church.

Oh, joy!

"God Is Her Songwriting Partner" Article

This article was written a few months before I graduated from Franciscan University. It was featured in the National Catholic Register. Joseph Pronechen is a wonderful man and a terrific interviewer. It was a pleasure working with him and communicating something that is such a part of who I am - my passion and love for uplifting and Christ-centered music.

Original article located here.

God Is Her Songwriting Partner

BY JOSEPH PRONECHEN

April 6-12, 2008 Issue | Posted 4/1/08 at 12:11 PM

Not once during the 13 years she studied piano in Fort Myers, Fla., did she think of composing a song — but when a friend suggested she try, Gabriela Martinez wrote a whole CD’s worth. That led to the recording of “Light Unto the World,” a set of original religious songs available at GabrielaFrei.com.

Today, as a 22-year-old senior at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio), from where she will graduate this spring with a degree in Humanities and Catholic culture, Martinez is putting together her second album.
Martinez composes in a meditative, lyrical style and sings in a clear soprano. She has given concerts in Florida and on-campus coffeehouses, and acts as student group leader of the music ministry at Steubenville. She spoke about her songs, music ministry and goals with Register staff writer Joseph Pronechen.

When did your interest in music begin?

For as long as I can remember I always had a passion for music. My mom tells me I was singing before I was speaking. I studied piano for 13 years. That grew out of being homeschooled. My mother was very good about plugging us into a lot of different things that we all excelled in. For me this was not only classical piano but also singing.

Do you have any help in composing your songs?

If I think "I’m going to write a song today," I can’t do it. It’s a humbling thing because I have to be present to the Lord. It’s really his work. He sits down with me and we write the song together. It’s cooperation on my part. I share with the Lord in this active writing of a song and creating a piece of music.

How did your first songs come to you?

I had a car accident when I was 16, and one of the songs stemmed from that experience. It’s called “Why God?” I was asking, “Why did you let this happen? Why do I experience all this pain and sorrow?” — and then realizing in the midst of the pain He’s right there with me, carrying the burden and sharing the pain, showing nothing is too hard to handle. A lot of my music has grown from the experiences through which the Lord has taught me something. And a lot has stemmed from experiences I have had on my walk with the Lord and the words that he has spoken to my heart that have been a grace and blessing to me.

Your songs are quite personal in their details yet universal in their themes.

They spring from my heart and the encounter with the Lord in the depths there. It’s a vulnerable thing because I share the deepest parts of my heart with others. In a lot of ways, these are the words He has spoken to my heart, and I can’t keep them to myself. They’ve been a blessing to me, but I have to share them with the world, to keep speaking the good news of peace and joy. For example, I wrote “Transfigure Me” on the feast of the Transfiguration. Sometimes I wonder, “How could I have written this?” The Lord stepped in and wrote the song along with me, knowing exactly what I needed to hear and continue to need to hear. He’s doing the work of perfection and transfiguration with me every day.

What are your favorite subjects and themes?

Trust, surrender, abandonment to his love. “The Present Moment” grew out of my experiences studying in Austria. It was a semester in learning how to surrender, especially from my need to have a plan with all the ducks in a row. The Lord used that semester to teach me how to abandon myself entirely into his hands. We can make plans for five years down the road, but the gift the Lord has given us is this moment right now. We have to surrender the need to have it all figured out. We have to trust in the Lord and know whatever He has planned for the future is perfectly suited for us.

Your two Marian songs bring this out, too. What’s the story behind “Fiat”?

I wrote that song after my family had the blessing of going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While I was there I meditated mainly on the union between the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart — “Not my will but yours be done” in the Garden of Gethsemane, and “Let it be done to me according to your word” at the Annunciation.

In the last part of the song I’m asking both Our Lord and Our Lady to help me have the ability for that same Yes, embrace it and accept that mission or role, whatever it is, because nobody else can do the work only I can do. That applies to everyone.

Tell me about your pro-life song that has moved listeners.

I wrote “Let Me Live” specifically for my first pro-life concert two Christmases ago. It is a conversation between the unborn baby in its mother’s womb and the young mother herself. Both are crying out to the Lord in fear and desperation: “Is there anyone listening to me? Do you hear the cry of the brokenhearted? … Please, Lord, let me live.” The mother doesn’t want to give up her child, and the little one is crying out, too. We live in such a culture of death that more and more is ready to hear this message of hope and life.

Tell me about your music leadership at Franciscan University.

There’s no more beautiful use of music than in the liturgy of the Mass. I try to do a blend of the traditional hymns and the more contemporary praise-and-worship songs. I came from a more traditional church back home, but I also fit into the praise-and-worship [category] because my family has had a charismatic prayer group for as long as I remember.

What are your plans after graduation?

I would like to see what opportunities and doors the Lord has for me to walk through. I would love to sing full-time and keep writing and recording and develop a ministry to hurting hearts to let them know the Lord is waiting to shower his love on them.

There can be no greater blessing than doing what you love for who you love.

Staff writer Joseph Pronechen

writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.