We have been sharing the hope of Jesus in song since 1982. It has been far from easy, and we didn’t even know music would be a part of our journey.
My husband Bob has the ability to push things forward as a visionary, and one day he said to me, “Learn how to paint so I can sell your pictures. I want to sell something I believe in.” After that, we sold artwork for years.
Later, when tragedy struck, we had to overcome fires and felt threatened as our character weaknesses were being exposed. A lack of profit margin at wholesale shows in the 1990’s crippled us with debt, all while dealing with multiple deaths in the family, tests of our marriage, and inter-family relationship difficulties as the children entered their teen years.
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16 is what we think of when we look back at that part of our lives.
It was a time when we knew we couldn’t just live on ideals anymore. We had to actually practice faith, forgiveness, and patience. Jesus was leading us to better embrace living his Word so we could share it with others.
Then, in the early 2000’s, the devastation of 9/11 made it especially apparent how difficult it was to let go of control and of our fears. Yet, God delivered the investments needed to switch from artwork to music and to pursue a family band, The Balyeats.
God had literally shifted our travel directions from West to East with a purpose to take us around people we had not been around before. The Lord was teaching us to trust, obey, and follow guidance despite changes our minds wanted to argue with.
Today, we have been sharing our influential music at a variety of venues for around 42 years. In representing Jesus, we continue to use our music and art as a light in giving hope, courage and strength.
We are forever grateful for Christ as he helped us learn to trust through tough times and that we were meant to be blessed with both endings and beginnings for His higher plan.
(Photo credit: Charis Tenney)
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