MEET KATIE CREWS

Throughout all the ups and downs in my life, of which there have been many, music is the one thing that has kept me going, but not just any music; music that flows from my heart to God's.

I was born in England, 31st March 1979, and I can't remember a time when I didn't sing or write songs. I think the first time I sang any of my songs in public was when I was 10 years old. I sang in church with no accompaniment. I started to play piano shortly after that, and after a few failed attempts at playing traditionally, I decided to branch out on my own. By playing chords and singing I managed, at age 16, to start writing songs with accompaniment. I have been writing ever since.

There is nothing I love more than to sit at my piano (unfortunately at the moment it is a keyboard!) and pray. The prayer of my heart echoes that of David's, "give me a new song, Lord." Then I start to play and sing, and after much scribbling in my notebook, a song starts to form on the page. I feel like I only co-write the songs; God is and continues to be my writing partner. He provides my inspiration and guides my words. Any talent I have is from Him and Him alone.

For years I never sang any of the songs I had written anywhere but in the privacy of my home. Then one day I was reading my Bible and I started to read the story of the talents, Matthew 25:14-30. I realized that I was taking the gift that God had given me and was burying it in the ground. Even though there may be people out there who have more talent than I do, I still have a responsibility to use what God has given me. So I prayed about it, and slowly but surely God opened up opportunities for me to sing my songs publicly.

In 2001 I met a great guy, Mike, online through mutual friends. After spending a year as a volunteer in Australia and chatting with him online, we finally met in person. We married in June 2002. We made the decision to make our life in Canada, which meant I had to leave all my family behind in England. I became a permanent resident of Canada in October 2003. In January 2004, halfway through recording Not My Words I found out that I was pregnant. After a difficult pregnancy, my daughter was born in August 2004.

At the moment, our small family resides on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. I am part of a worship team in my local church and am learning more and more about what worship really means. My hope is that God will continue to teach me what it means to come to Him with praise and how He would like me to worship Him, as I continue to write songs for God's glory.

When I was 16 years old God gave me a promise. He told me that within 10 years I would record a CD of the songs I have written. I turned 26 this year, and my CD was completed almost to the month of God's promise. All praise goes to Him for this CD. Without God I have no reason to sing, no inspiration to write songs; I am nothing.