Prophetic Worship, Holy Spirit Fire & Songs of Victory with Brigitte Donoho

Worship leader & songwriter Brigitte Donoho joins Kristin Kurtz on the Hope Unlocked podcast to share her testimony of deliverance, freedom from legalism, and saying yes to Holy Spirit–led ministry. A wife, homeschool mom, and prophetic worshiper, Brigitte talks family-on-mission, starting home worship nights, and her creative process. Hear the story behind her EP This Is That, her victory anthem “Blow the Shofar,” and grief-to-hope single “Keep On” (which later went viral). Be encouraged to take imperfect action, trust God’s timing, and keep going.

Brigitte's Contact Info:

Websites - www.brigittedonoho.com & https://linktr.ee/BrigitteDonohoMusic

🎙️Hope Unlocked Listener Exclusive! Feeling stirred but not sure what to do next? Book a 45-minute Holy Spirit-led 1:1 coaching session w/ Hope Unlocked host Kristin Kurtz, founder of New Wings Coaching. This powerful conversation will help you move from stirred to activated—with peace, clarity, & a Spirit-led next step. Book your call HERE now–special pricing to listeners!

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Hope Unlocked Podcast
• 1:19 Bridget's Journey of Faith
• 6:07 Breaking Free From Legalism
• 10:47 Finding a Church by Living Waters
• 16:02 Music Ministry and Songwriting Process
• 24:49 Worship Song Performance: Blow the Shofar
• 29:24 The Story Behind "Keep On"
• 37:56 Building a Worship Barn
• 43:21 Encouragement and Closing Prayer

Transcript

Speaker 2: 0:16

Welcome to the Hope Unlocked Podcast. I'm your host, kristen Kurtz, and I'm also the founder of New Wings Coaching. I help and empower wildhearted and adventurous women of faith feeling caged and stuck, unlock their true purpose and potential, break free from limitations and thrive with confidence, courage and hope. If you're curious to learn more about coaching with me, head to newwingscoachingnet and be sure to explore the show notes for ways to connect with me further. Get ready to dive in as we uncover empowering keys and insights in this episode. So tune in and let's unlock hope together.

Speaker 2: 0:48

Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm Kristen Kurtz, your host. I pray this episode is like a holy IV of hope for your soul. Please help me. Welcome Bridget Donahoe to the show. I am very excited to have her here today. I got to know her just a little bit before we got started and I want to just say to Julie for the connection thank you. You know who you are, so I'm just thrilled to have you here today Just to get started. Could you just tell us a little bit about yourself before we get into your story?

Speaker 3: 1:16

Absolutely Well. Thank you so much for having me. I'm looking forward to seeing how Holy Spirit just moves today through this conversation. I'm a wife, a mom, a homeschool mom, so we're really busy throughout the school year and a worship leader, a songwriter and just whatever the Lord has me to do in each season.

Speaker 2: 1:38

Yes, and what is this season looking like for you right now?

Speaker 3: 1:43

This is a busy season, I feel like this. We travel a lot during the summer for ministry and we do a lot of different worship events. So I say yes, a lot more than I would during the school year. So we've got a lot of stuff going on. We're traveling for ministry and a lot of new ventures. So I'm just, I'm really thankful.

Speaker 2: 2:06

Yes, and are your kids involved as well? Do they get to? Oh yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 3: 2:11

They're super involved. So family is the first ministry always. So I try to include my kiddos in every aspect. Like my oldest son, he's really into tech so he does a lot of video editing and he does YouTube videos and he loves that whole world. So I had a TV performance this past Saturday out of state and my husband, like he was just. We had revival with Mario Morello all weekend long at our church and we were just like we were a little exhausted. So I was like you know, I was like why don't you stay back? And I'll bring the kiddo along, my 16-year-old, and let him just go behind the scenes and really just look into that world and get to tour the studio. And so that was like that was so amazing. So trying to find little pockets of things that my kids really love while we're incorporating them into ministry and so allowing them to serve as well.

Speaker 2: 3:09

Yes, I love that. And then they get to like see their gifts, like start to explore on the scene as well as they're with you and being around other people. I can imagine right Do you have a lot of support in that area, like when they're with you.

Speaker 3: 3:24

Well, when they're with me, their gifts. Like, my youngest is a really amazing artist, and so sometimes during worship or even during the message, he'll pull out a pen and paper and he's like okay, just like Lord, what do you want me to draw?

Speaker 3: 3:39

And so I'm really wanting to see that expounded as well, and especially when we're doing we're starting some worship nights on our property, and so I'm really wanting to see I'm envisioning like an easel and just him prophetically painting in the future, and he's done that before at home, but not like during an actual worship setting, so he's put on like Bethel music or different things like that, and then he's painting in the garage and just letting the Holy Spirit use him however he wants to. So, like I really just want to see their gifts fostered in whatever we're doing and just pulling out what God has for them and seeing them go farther than we ever could, because as parents and we just want to see, I want to see the younger generation do so much more for the Lord than I could and go even farther than I do.

Speaker 2: 4:29

Yeah, well, looking I mean even looking back in your own childhood, like what did that look like for you to be? I've been using the word bolstered a lot lately. Bolstered in, you know, drawing out, like, obviously, with your kids it sounds like they're very creative and with you you have this creative. We all are creative, right, right, you have this creative spark in your songwriting and the singing and everything, the worship. Like what did that look like for you to like? Even recognize that you had that gift?

Speaker 3: 5:02

Well, I want to say that I, like, came out of my mom's womb from singing from birth, but I did not want to sing for the Lord. I wanted to. You know I wanted to be like Whitney Houston or you know I wanted to do that and I, you know I was. I got saved at six years old and baptized around eight, but I fell away from the Lord. I really didn't want anything to do with Christianity and I did not recommit my life until I was 16.

Speaker 2: 5:35

Wow. So there was like a basically like a eight to 10 year gap there, like what, what? What was going on during that time?

Speaker 3: 5:45

I feel like it was a lot of hypocrisy. So I was raised briefly. My mom joined an organization that was extremely legalistic when I was around, I want to say 11. And so I saw a lot of things that did not line up with the Bible in general, and when you went to go and question anything, you were basically told that you were rebellious, that you shouldn't question your leaders, that you shouldn't you know that these things, that their interpretation was the correct interpretation, and so, even if you had a different lens and a different view of seeing something, you were basically looked at like you were rebellious, and so I was like, well, if I'm going to be rebellious, I'm going to be real rebellious.

Speaker 2: 6:30

I'm going to be going all in.

Speaker 3: 6:33

I'm like, okay, like if that's how it is, and so I just I knew that there was a God but I just wanted nothing to do with him.

Speaker 3: 6:41

And so I just remember him. My mom would still, you know she dragged me to church. She'd still be praying for me and believing that God was going to restore. But I, just, I didn't want anything to do with it. And I remember being at a youth convention that I was made to go to and just the Holy Spirit, just. And I want to say that I went through deliverance when I didn't even know what deliverance was.

Speaker 2: 7:06

Wow, and that was when you were 16?.

Speaker 3: 7:09

Just about to turn 16. So I was like at the tail end of 15.

Speaker 2: 7:14

Okay, wow, tell me more about that experience.

Speaker 3: 7:18

Well, I remember they did—and God can use the arts, like that's why I think the arts are so amazing. But they did this play and it was showing. It was like a rapture play, saying like where would you go? And it was very theatrical and very, you know, very convicting. And I remember just thinking like I don't want to go to hell, like I don't, you know, I know that I'm living this way, but I know that God has a plan for me and I know that he's real. And so I remember, you know, feeling the Lord just say if you just give me your yes, you know I'll take care of the rest. And so I said yes to the Lord and I just remember feeling something leaving me, like I was just, I started like travailing and then I felt just the Holy Spirit just wash over me and it was almost like after that that the sky was brighter, you know, like the colors were more vivid and I just was like wow, like I was in such demonic oppression.

Speaker 2: 8:18

And you were able to like, literally in that moment, just like that, it was like your eyes, the vision changed.

Speaker 3: 8:25

Yes, yeah, I remember, and I remember people who were friends of mine, you know, going back to school. They were like something's different about like what on earth has happened to you. And you know they're like did you stop doing drugs? Did you do that? I'm like, well, yes, I did that, but I said, you know, I've recommitted my life to the Lord and I'm allowing Him to just work on me and just seeing the overnight transformation for wanting the things of the world and darkness, because I was very gothic, very like I wore all black. I mean just a pretty scary individual to approach, yes, and so it was like overnight, like it was drastic day and night.

Speaker 2: 9:14

Oh my gosh. And at that time, like you were like doing drugs, kind of dabbling in that I was dabbling.

Speaker 3: 9:19

I wasn't I would never say I was, I was not addicted, but I was doing basically whatever I could get my hands on. As you know a young kid- yeah, yeah, wow.

Speaker 2: 9:31

so you have this experience and then like the next day, like what was your—how did you dress the next day? Like what did you look like the next day? Did you have that like realization of hmm I?

Speaker 3: 9:41

did so I stopped wearing like—and back. When I was a kid it was like the JNCO jeans, you know, with the chains and so I got rid of my JNCO jeans and I did start dressing different. But then that also led into the organization that I was a part of, which was extremely legalistic, and I'm like, okay, well, if God says that I have to, you know, only wear skirts or do this and this, I'm going to do it. Because it was like from dark to light, and so I'm like, okay, well, I'll do that. And then over the years, just researching and like really becoming familiar with Holy Spirit, you know that fell away. And so like it's freedom that God not that God doesn't care how you dress, but you know that fell away. And so like it's freedom that God not that God doesn't care how you dress, but you know you can, you don't have to be in bondage and you don't have to, you don't have to dress legalistically, you can be free in the Lord.

Speaker 3: 10:36

So it was quite a journey from I want to say multiple like points, you know, and I do want to say it was more like I would say it was like a cult, if that makes sense. So I believe God can save anyone anywhere and he can reach you. So I definitely had a genuine salvation experience but as I grew with Holy Spirit, he brought myself and my husband out of the cold.

Speaker 2: 11:06

Okay, and did you meet your husband there?

Speaker 3: 11:08

Yes, Yep, we met—we were high school sweethearts, so I moved—I recommitted my life to the Lord when I lived in Las Vegas, and then I moved at 16 to Michigan, and so that's where I met him and we went to school together and— Wow. Yeah, we've been married for 21 years now. Got married super young.

Speaker 2: 11:29

Thank you. I was going to say you've been married 21 years. That's amazing. So how did you break free from the cult? There had to be a moment that both of you were just like there's got to be more. What did that look like for you to to leave that place?

Speaker 3: 11:46

yeah, well, I want to like the church that we were going to I. They did break away from that line of thinking as far as they um, they said you know these aren't biblical things that they're teaching you know you don't have to. I mean, some of the beliefs were so so far out there that it was almost unbelievable to think. Like we were taught that we had magic hair, that if we cut our hair, that like we would bring doom on our family.

Speaker 2: 12:15

Really.

Speaker 3: 12:16

Yeah, so it was.

Speaker 2: 12:17

it was like very radical, the whole race on Samson kind of thing Almost.

Speaker 3: 12:22

It was a misrepresentation, like a distortion, a perversion of 1 Corinthians, and so it was just a lot of researching and so I had. I remember I was doing the research on my own and then we approached our former pastor and I said, you know, I don't think that these things are biblical. And he's like, oh, they're not. He's like we're not going to be teaching them anymore. And so there was a split, like a church split, so we moved away from that organization. But then some of the other dogma as far as doctrine was still there, and so it took us like a few years of just like crawling our way out saying, you know, I don't think that this is biblical, I don't think this is biblical, and just asking the Lord like where do you want us to go to church? Like where do you want us to fellowship, and that's like such a supernatural story in itself.

Speaker 3: 13:12

Where we were at a prophetic conference.

Speaker 3: 13:15

Yeah, I was at a prophetic conference and I was leading worship there and I remember like the Lord had told me, like probably four years prior to that, that we were supposed to leave our current church and we loved everybody, like they were super sweet people and like his family still goes to this day.

Speaker 3: 13:34

But we knew that we had to leave and I remember telling my husband I was like I think we're supposed to leave, but I don't know how, I don't know what you know what to do. And like I don't know how, I don't know what you know what to do. And we I didn't, like I didn't tell a soul. And we were at this conference and, like my youngest received his prayer language at eight years old at this conference and we got a word and I remember going into that and I'm like, lord, I don't want you telling this prophet to tell me to leave my church. I was like, don't do it. And that's exactly what he prophesied. He said and he doesn't prophesy that. Like we're really good friends with him now, but we did not know him at all then.

Speaker 3: 14:14

And so he said, you know, the Lord is leading you to a move, and at that time we had just moved homes. So I said, oh yeah, well, we already moved, like ha ha. He's like, no, it's like a spiritual move, like a church move. And it was so, it was so divine. And he said, you know, the Lord wants you to be at a church that's planted by living waters. And so we didn't even know. We told our former pastor like we got to go. We don't know where we're going, but we're going to, you know, we'll let you know and you know, god bless.

Speaker 3: 14:45

And we, when we were looking for different churches, we tried one that was like up the street and it was a great church, like we loved it. But I was like this isn't it. You know, this is not the church. And so we kept looking. And then my friend had invited us like a few years back to her church and I was like you know, it's a little farther, like we drive about 35 to 40 minutes to go to church. And I was like, but let's just, let's go try it. So we tried it and the church I kid you not was literally our old building, was on a stream, like there was like a little stream, like a little river right behind the church and I'm like, are you kidding me? Like what? And it's called Floodgate. So Of course it is, of course it is. I was like okay, I was like, so this is it. And we walked in and and I knew it, I like we both knew it.

Speaker 3: 15:36

We looked at each other. We're like, oh, this is it, this is it. And so, like we, we never stopped going, but it was so, it was so supernatural, and so the Lord is just so kind in his, in his patience for his kids, you know.

Speaker 2: 15:49

Yes.

Speaker 3: 15:50

I feel like somebody needs to know that the Lord is so kind with his patience towards his kids.

Speaker 2: 15:57

Yeah, yeah, tell us a little bit about that, like just expound on that a little bit, if you would. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 16:03

Sure. So I feel like sometimes I'm more like stubborn, like I'm like Lord. I need every single sign, I need every single like, like I need like almost a billboard in my face saying go this direction. You know, because I love, I love safety. And I feel like the Lord, like so many times, is just like come on, and I almost like when I'm talking to him, like I know that he sees me as like a little child who's sometimes really stubborn but we love our kids even when they're stubborn. He's like come on, like just take my hand, just walk with me, like I've got. I'm almost seeing that illustration where it's a teddy bear and she's got this little teddy bear and like Jesus has this giant stuffed teddy bear behind his back and he's like just give it to me. And I've got something so much better and so much bigger than you can imagine. But it's just trusting, like Holy Spirit to lead and guide and just know that he's not going to let you fall, like if he's called you to it, he's going to see you through it.

Speaker 2: 17:00

Absolutely. I love that illustration. It's so good. So, as you were saying that, you know I'm catching that picture and and the word that I'm hearing is like a great exchange. So, in in your time, since how long has it been since you, um started going to floodgate? Oh, it's almost. Almost been four years. Four years, okay. So you've had like a radical shift into a different realm of a church, correct? And in that time I can imagine that you've taken some maybe great steps of faith.

Speaker 2: 17:37

I would love to hear a recent great exchange that you have experienced, that you know I do talk a lot about the safety and a lot of us do want safety, we don't. I mean we have. Our body was created to like kind of go into fight or flight right. Right yeah, which is good, we need it for some things. But in this walk like I would love to hear maybe a recent you know you had this teddy bear and he exchanged it for a greater one and you're like I don't know Like what did that look like for you?

Speaker 3: 18:50

Is there one that you could share with us? Well, I have one, and I want to say it's recent, because it's only been like the past few years. I used to tour with like a full band. So I've been writing and recording and doing Christian music for 15 years now and so whenever we would go and you know, go to different churches, venues, whatever it is I would have like a full five piece band and it was basically my safety net. You know, I'm like, oh, like I can't do this without a band, like I have to be able to, you know, have that support.

Speaker 3: 19:23

And I remember my husband talking to me and he's like, you know, I feel like, and I remember my husband talking to me and he's like, you know, I feel like you're so hindered by that because, like what if you're called to go to an event tomorrow and like called to do something like right away, like are you going to be able to round up the people? And it's very hard, like keeping things together and saying, oh, this person's going to play this time and just the logistics of it. And so I remember him just saying, why don't you try to start doing like events on your own? And I'm like, oh no, oh no, no, no, no. I was like that's not the Lord, he's like, well, you know, just cue on it for a little bit. And then I remember we had this sweet church in Detroit, like a few years back, and they invited us to come and none of my band was able to make it and we weren't able to pay them anyway because it was such a small little church. And I'm like, well, I really feel like the Lord wants me to go. I feel like there's something there that I'm supposed to.

Speaker 3: 20:18

So we went and it was just me and my acoustic and we had some little bit of backing tracks, but it wasn't like a full production and I just it was just me and my acoustic and we had some little bit of backing tracks, but you know, it wasn't like a full production. And I just remember it like just the spirit of travail that fell in that place and just the heart for the city that came over me and it was. It was like such a radical time of worship that I could not deny that the Lord was doing something new and moving like in a different way, prophetically, so like and now I do, I mean almost all of my events are on my own. You know just a guitar and you know some backing things, but you know we're able to really be sent ones if that makes sense. So we don't have to have like the can you schedule in this time, can you do this, can you do that? But it's really like okay, lord, like you opened a door and like we can go like right now, you know.

Speaker 2: 21:15

Yeah Well, do you want to do that right now? So I'm going to back it up a second Sure. While I was praying, I did have a vision of Bridget singing on here with us and I asked her if she'd be open to that. I have not asked anybody to do this before, so now I can kind of see why. Amen, I can see it now. I can see clearly. Now I'm singing it in my head. But anyways, would you be open to sharing and releasing your sound over Sure? And I don't know if you have a song in mind, but I know that it's going to be powerful.

Speaker 3: 21:55

Amen. Well, I think I'm going to do. Let's see. I think I'm going to do Blow the Shofar. Actually and this is an original song that was released a few years ago, but I just remember when I wrote it I was just saying, lord, you have the victory, you have the victory. And I saw like this vision of somebody blowing the shofar and seeing the walls of Jericho crumble to the ground. So this song is just a declaration. It's super easy, but it's a song of victory and knowing that when we use our voices before the Lord, that we are able to see mountains move, that we are able to see the impossible.

Speaker 3: 22:31

So this is called Blow the Shofar All right, thank you. Oh, you know what? This is not tuned all the way.

Speaker 2: 22:47

You know what? This is not tuned all the way. And one thing too like we're believing zoom may not pick up the best you know acoustics, or you know I don't know a lot about music, but um, but we're just believing that, even though it may not be perfect, it's going to be beautiful and it's going to release just fire. Because it's going to release to the nations and how many nations need this word, right? Amen. And I have a fire truck going back right now.

Speaker 1: 23:08

It's like release the fire blow the chauffeur, circle the gates. The walls are coming down. The walls are coming down. Satan's defeated in Jesus' name. Oh, can you hear the sound? Can you hear the sound of victory, victory, victory, victory, victory, victory? Oh, can you hear the sound of victory, victory, victory, victory? Oh, there's victory, victory. Yes, there's victory in the name. There's healing in the name. There's healing in the name. There's salvation in the name Above every other name. Oh, victory in the name. There is healing in the name, there is salvation in the name Above every other name. There is salvation in the name above every other name. Jesus, oh, we thank you for your name today. Lord Jesus, jesus, blow the shofar, circle the gates. Oh, the walls are coming down. Yes, the walls are coming down In Jesus' name. Oh, can you hear the sound? Can you hear the sound of victory? Wow, thank you Lord.

Speaker 3: 25:45

wow, thank you, lord on my end.

Speaker 2: 25:49

That was fire praise, god. Wow, where can people like find the song if they want to hear it and it's like totality? Is it available on different music players? Youtube.

Speaker 3: 26:04

Yep, it's available on Spotify, apple, youtube, tiktok, instagram, like anywhere that music is. Well, instagram doesn't really have Well, no, it does have some music on there. So anywhere that music's available, it's on there. Okay, remind them what the name of the song is Blow the Shofar, and that is off of my EP called this. Is that? This Is that.

Speaker 2: 26:27

Ooh, I love that name. Tell me more about that.

Speaker 3: 26:31

That I released that 2021. And that EP is just like a really prophetic EP and the first, the title track on that song this Is that is basically talking about. This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel from Acts 2, verse 16 and 17. So it's really just straight from Scripture talking about in the last days that sons and daughters are going to prophesy and that we need to move out of the four walls of the building and into the streets and spread the gospel yes, and I see here, I'm just looking it up on spotify it looks like the spirit of elijah is on there as well too.

Speaker 2: 27:12

Yes, what? What is your? I know this might be, it might be hard to kind of narrow down, but what? What's your favorite song that you've released?

Speaker 3: 27:25

Oh man, okay, I want to say it's Keep On. And that's because that song has a really special meaning to me. I wrote it after my father passed, so it's basically about just when I was in a dark place and I was, you know, just really sad and missing him and not knowing, like, exactly what God's plan was with it all you know why there wasn't healing, and so this song was just about keeping on, even when you feel like you don't want to, that God will be your strength when all hope is gone. So that song I feel like it taps into where people who aren't believers can appreciate it as well, and then it makes them question like, oh okay, like why am I keeping on and saying that he will be your strength when there is none? So I love songs that cross aisles, and they cross bridges and invite people in.

Speaker 2: 28:22

Wow, and have you seen that happen a lot, like in real time, like when you're out doing live?

Speaker 3: 28:27

Oh, yes, Well, that song in particular, like that, went viral like two years ago, where it hit like 3 million on Facebook, and I remember, just like so many people who were not believers I mean there were a lot of believers on there who were commenting, but people who weren't believers were like, wow, this, this makes me feel really hopeful, this makes me feel really joyful, even though I was really sad, and so just knowing that it gives people hope is just everything.

Speaker 2: 28:59

Yes, absolutely, and I just looked up the disc. It's Carry you right, yeah, and if I'm seeing this right on Spotify, it looks like released February 25th of 2020.

Speaker 3: 29:11

Yes, and what's funny about that is it can, yeah, that song. Like I released that EP as kind of a not a declaration, a what is it called when you're devoting some things to someone? A, anyway, I just released it for my dad. You know they were all songs about heaven and about being buried by the Lord, and I remember it didn't really do too much when it first came out because it was right at the pandemic, like it had just hit, and so I was like, oh well, even if I just released it just as a comfort, like to me, then that's fine. And then a few years later it just like completely took off and I'm like, wow, lord, like your timing is not my timing.

Speaker 2: 29:58

Right, how did that like? How did that transpire, like a few years later, did somebody share it or did you like what happened? I'm just kind of curious on that.

Speaker 3: 30:06

I did a reel. So this is when reels were really like popping off on Facebook and Instagram. It had been more of like a TikTok thing where they had like the video, the reels, type of content. And then Facebook and Instagram followed suit and I was like, okay, well, I'm going to make you know, I'm going to do some reels. And I remember posting it because my former youth pastor's wife she had brain cancer and we had believing that she was going to be healed and you know that she and she was fairly young, like she was in her in her forties and you know it was. It was just so devastating when she passed and I was like, okay, well, I'm going to reshare this song that I had released, you know, prior. And I did like a short intro video and just said, if anyone's going through you know a hard time, I pray this blesses you. And I just remember, within like two days I was like what on earth with all the notifications, and then it like it hit three million within a week.

Speaker 2: 31:07

Oh my gosh. Yeah, that's wild right, and it was like you said. It was a few years later. It was, yeah, but it was for that particular time, and is it still continuing to kind of catch the wind as well?

Speaker 3: 31:23

Well, that particular reel, like it topped out at three million but people like are still listening to it. I still get testimonies like all the time from that song and that EP in general, where people are like, oh, like this really encouraged my heart and you know people are using it for different like funerals and different things like that, and so it's like it's, it's super encouraging.

Speaker 2: 31:48

Well, thank you for sharing your favorite song. I would love to hear, like, what is your, what is your process, like your songwriting process, to release these songs? Did it start? I know you said you started singing when you left the womb, but yeah, songs when you're younger. Like, what did this look like? Cause I know for some people who have like a writing gift, oftentimes they have a lot of like um, resistance in that area in writing. Yeah, yeah, Well.

Speaker 3: 32:17

I remember like I wrote my first song when I was I want to say 13, but it was like angsty. You know, I wanted to be Gwen Stefani when I was I want to say 13, but it was like angsty. You know, I wanted to be Gwen Stefani when I was a kid. You know I still love Gwen Stefani. I feel like she's like evolved with you know, grown up with me, but I remember just, you know I wanted.

Speaker 3: 32:40

I was super angsty, you know I wasn't in church and so the writing like sounds so much different than it does now. And I really just put down my guitar for years and years and didn't really do anything with it. I always sang, but I stopped songwriting and you know just kind of was living life. You know, and even my husband didn't like he knew that I played the guitar just a little bit, like not much, but like maybe took a few lessons when I was a kid, but he did not know like that I played. And we had a college and career night at my previous church and they needed a guitar player and you know I was just like, well, I'll play. You know I got up there and like leading worship and it was just continuous from that point.

Speaker 3: 33:30

But that was really I want to feel like that was like the starting point of it, and my husband was like what on earth? Like we've been married for like two years, like what happened? What's going on? So that was the process of just like oh, wow, you know, just running around and then sometimes I'm like really intentional because I think that, like so many things are divinely inspired, like Holy Spirit led, but when you're doing like sometimes you don't want to go to work in the morning, you know what I mean, but you got to go.

Speaker 3: 34:17

And so I really just have intentional times where I'm like okay, like I don't feel it right now, like okay, like I don't feel it right now, but I'm going to take some time and try to see what the Lord is inspiring and what he's doing. And so I have to make myself sometimes. And so sometimes it's a chord progression, sometimes it's a melody and sometimes it's like a download in my sleep, like my song Blood Stain Tears was completely downloaded during a dream. Like my song Blood Stain Tears was completely downloaded during a dream.

Speaker 2: 34:47

Wow, that's incredible. And did you wake up and like make a note of it.

Speaker 3: 34:51

We were out of town, we were playing at a festival up north, and I remember waking up and I'm like out of the way. I was like, excuse me, I got such a tear Right. I was like hold on, I was like nobody talk to me and I'm so not like, like, not in a mean way, but I'm just like. I was like hold on, hold on, no words, no words until I can go and write this down and record it real quick. Hold on, hold on. And then that's how it came out and I was like wow, lord, for like forgiving me that gift, that to give to others, because you know, when we're given gifts, we're supposed to give them away. Yes, say that again when we are given gifts, we give them away. The fruits of the spirit are not for us, they're for others.

Speaker 2: 35:38

Yes, amen. And I've always, like I love music, like I hear music in my sleep. I wake up with lyrics. I have like an alarm that goes off my head with songs. It's so fun.

Speaker 2: 35:50

I've always wondered like kind of that process of you know, I'm sure it's different for every songwriter like to to get a song, because I mean to me, like when I hear, when I hear songs, I just am so impacted. I always told people back when I was growing up I'm like if everything in school could have been written in song, I would be really smart. Yes, I remember lyrics. I'm so impacted by movies and just the way things all come together and I have no idea what the process is behind it. So thanks for kind of like bringing us into your process a little bit, absolutely yeah. So I for kind of like bringing us into your process a little bit, absolutely yeah. So I know you've, you have albums. You, um, you know are in that realm. What did that look like for you to, to, to move into that, um, realm of you know having albums and you know you were, you know, growing up. And then then what happened? Like how did you get into the music world, like to be able to have them?

Speaker 3: 36:46

out there. I have a very supportive, super special husband. So I remember after that first college and career night, my husband's just like you need to. This is like what you're supposed to do.

Speaker 3: 36:59

Oh, like like right away, oh my gosh, and I'm just like, oh, I don't know, I don't know, and you know, getting in my own head and he's like you know what we need to? You need to record some of these songs. We need to figure out how to do this. And we had some connections with some of our fellow friends and they're like oh, there's a producer who's locally here and let's get you hooked up with him. And so I was able to do it that way in studio and, you know, release my first batch of songs. It was awesome.

Speaker 3: 37:29

And now the songwriting, like the recording process, because we have so many things that are digital. So my last few projects, I was able to partner with people who were like my last producer One was in Guatemala, one was in Guatemala and then Elevation, like the guys from Elevation, produced my last project that I produced and released and I was able to do everything just here. You know, we have a local studio right down the street and you can record your vocals and then you're kind of bouncing things back and forth digitally, and so it's like a whole new world of possibilities with songwriting and with getting your music out there, Wow.

Speaker 2: 38:11

So if somebody is listening to you today and they're like I have a gift, I love singing Maybe a teenager is listening right now from China and they're like I don't even know where I would start, what would you?

Speaker 3: 38:21

say to them? I would say get curious and really just start researching what is available to you, not only in your area but online. Like there's so many, like even Fiverr, like there's so many different, there's so many different things that aren't going to cost an arm and a leg for you to do what you need to do. And imperfect action is better than no action. So, like I feel like sometimes we want everything perfect, but it's like you know, if you're never going to move on the small things, you're never going to see the big things. Like you have to be faithful with the little that God's put in your hand and then you know you're going to be trusted with more.

Speaker 2: 39:08

That's so good, so like you could literally be living in a rural area somewhere, and it sounds like you don't live in a big metropolitan area. Is that correct?

Speaker 3: 39:20

Ann Arbor is like I'm 45. It's pretty like lots of resources, but it's not Nashville, right, if that?

Speaker 2: 39:27

makes sense.

Speaker 3: 39:40

I mean, I think sometimes people think that they need to like go to these places to know doubt. But there's I mean there's so many resources, like right at your fingertips, where you can be a big fish in a small pond, if that makes sense. Like you don't have to go. You can go where you're, you can move where you're planted and where God has you. Like you don't have to go to an oversaturated market to see what the Lord has for you.

Speaker 2: 40:06

Absolutely Well, that's so good. I love that. I mean, I feel like you just unlocked something for somebody that maybe was just like I can't do that. I don't have resources, I don't have money. I can't do that. That's really one of the lies is like I can't, when it starts with I can't. The enemy's in that right? Oh, yes, For sure. So I would love to hear, like, what stretchy things are coming up for you in this season.

Speaker 3: 40:33

Oh, let's see Stretchy. Oh, tonight. Yes, I was hoping you'd say, well, we made a barn on our property and we built this in faith and you know it's taken about six months to get the whole thing. We had the Amish come and they built it on our property in the back and it's just now to the point where we're going to have our first worship night tonight and so that's really stretching, like inviting people into your, not that it's our home, but it is our home because it's on our property.

Speaker 3: 41:05

And so I was telling my husband I was like this just feels different, like it's exciting, but it feels like really different because and I mean, you still get a little bit of the jitters and a little butterfly when you go to different churches and we've like gone to every denomination, like so many different things. But I'm like this just feels totally different and so like really stretching and just so excited to see what the Lord is going to do through that. But it's definitely stretching because it's like getting, because you're the responsible one, if that makes sense, because like when you go to other places, other venues, like you show up and you know you have your things ready and you're you're good to go, but like when you're putting on the whole thing and getting everything set up and all that stuff, I'm like, oh, this is like a whole new, whole new game whole new way oh no way it's so beautiful.

Speaker 2: 41:57

Did he give you like a vision of like what to expect from from this tonight?

Speaker 3: 42:03

so I just feel like we have like a tentative set list and we have like a keyboard player coming and it like I'm so excited about it, but I just feel like throwing all of that out the window.

Speaker 3: 42:13

Like I even told the guy who's going to be helping tonight I said this is like the tentative one, but I really just, even if it's just like four chords, you know a progression, and just like having the Holy Spirit move through that spontaneously like through the whole night, like we don't have to have an actual set list.

Speaker 3: 42:30

And you know I love Sunday mornings, I love my local church, but sometimes you can't do that in those settings because there's so many different. You know we have programs, you have all these different things, but when it's just a night of worship and there's no agenda and there's no like only expectation is for the Lord to show up and to move. So that's what I'm seeing. And what's so funny is, when my husband had showed the pictures of the pole barn that we built to one of the prophetic people at our church, he's like wow, he's like that's literally what I saw, like I had a vision and I saw like the doors, like people being lined up outside to come in and I'm like holy moly, okay, you know, and our area, you know, our area needs it you know, yes, amen.

Speaker 2: 43:21

And is this something like? If any listeners are hearing you today, obviously they won't hear this today, unfortunately, but are you going to be doing this again?

Speaker 3: 43:31

Oh, yes, yep, we're planning on doing probably quarterly, I want to say once a month, but realistic expectations, I'm thinking probably every two to three months. Yeah, so we're definitely going to have another one and just see how the Lord moves.

Speaker 2: 43:48

Okay, and would they be able to find that information on your website? Do you have events on there?

Speaker 3: 43:53

Yes, but for these particular ones I don't post the address, Like I put it in my stories today but it's more of like, if you're coming and you want to come and you want to bring some people, everyone is invited. But I like have people private message me for the address just because it's on our property and it's our home.

Speaker 2: 44:11

A lot of sense. I love it. Well, as we close today, I would love to hear you know I do this podcast for the one and if you could just get a vision for the one that's listening in today if you could think of any words of encouragement or words of knowledge that you'd like to speak over to this person and then would you pray us out today as well.

Speaker 3: 44:34

Yes, Well, for the one I just feel like you were touching on earlier, that you may not know what your next steps are, that you may not know what the resources, where they're going to come from.

Speaker 3: 44:45

But when you open your hands and you just say, Lord, fill my hands, fill my mouth, lead my steps, that he is going to supernaturally draw you to the people who have the resources, to exactly what you need, in what timing, that you need it Because the Lord is not going to call you to something and he's not going to leave you he doesn't leave His children when he has something for you.

Speaker 3: 45:12

He's going to show you exactly the next steps of what to do, who to approach, and He'll even have people approach you to confirm what he is saying in this season. So, Father, I ask God that you would just touch whoever's listening to this right now, who may feel discouraged, who may feel like I don't know what to do, I don't have it all together. We know, Lord, that we don't have to have it all together because you do and because you hold us up and you see where we are going next, Lord. So I ask God that you would just begin to expand their faith, expand their hope, God, expand their horizon so that they can see beyond Lord, what the physical limitations of the present is, and they can see into the supernatural realm of what you have for them, God, because it's so good, because you are so good and you are so faithful and you are so kind. We thank you and we pray in your mighty name, Jesus, Amen.

Speaker 2: 46:09

Amen, amen. Well, I would love for you to share with us how can listeners contact you? You could share. Maybe your website link social media handles.

Speaker 3: 46:20

Absolutely BridgetDonahoecom. And then I'm also on Instagram, facebook, tiktok YouTube, all under Bridget Donahoecom. And then I'm also on Instagram, facebook, tiktok YouTube, all under Bridget.

Speaker 2: 46:37

Donahoe. And then all the streaming services Spotify, apple, itunes. All the places are listening in and you want to grab those links. They'll be there for you. I'm going to close with our Hope Unlocked anchoring verse. It's May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope, and that's Romans 15, 13. So thank you, bridget, for sharing today and thank you for being a brave voice.

Speaker 3: 47:04

who's setting so many free. Thank you so much for having me. This has been wonderful.

Speaker 2: 47:08

I'll be back with another episode next week.