Naomi Carroll

I don't know if you have ever heard of Naomi Carroll or not. For a long time, she only had one single out - "Enjoy the Journey", which is one of my all time favorite songs. It is deeply personal to me because it is a song that greatly ministered to my mother and to me during her final weeks of battling head/neck cancer. We heard it together for the first time just 6 weeks before she passed away, when Jonathan Martin (of The Martins) gave a free concert at our church on a Sunday night in May of 08. Apparently another church had cancelled out, so he had an opening in our area. He contacted our church and offered to come, free of charge. (that was a God thing) Mother really wanted to go, so I took her and we spent the evening together - listening to Jonathan's testimony and to his wonderful voice singing these beautiful worship songs, savoring each and every moment, as we each silently knew this would be among our last memories together. Jonathan began to share a story about his family and some of the difficult things they had encountered with one of his young twin boys...a journey that they never expected, but had been blessed by nonetheless. He then sang "Enjoy the Journey", and it immediately touched us both very deeply. It became our "comfort" song during the darkest of days. I still listen to it almost every day. Once you hear it, you will understand why.

My sweet mother was such a remarkable woman with an unbelievable will to live, more moxie than most of us put together, a wicked sense of humor, an amazing outlook during her journey, and more courage than most of us could only hope for. She was such an inspiration to me! I pray that I can become only half the woman she was. I will forever listen to this song with the memories of her courage and strength...courage and strength that I know runs through my veins...and Sarah's veins.

So anyway, after the concert, I began searching for the lyrics to "Enjoy the Journey" and discovered that Naomi Carroll had written the song and had a recording of it. Thus...my discovery of Naomi Carroll!

I've tried every way in the world to add this song to my Playlist, but I can't get it on here. I'm sure there is a way, but I haven't figured it out yet.

In the meantime, I will do this the "old school" way. I'm going to send you to Naomi's My Space. Naomi has come out with a new CD, "Becoming." I love all the songs, but especially the title song, "Becoming." (duh) I can relate so much to the words in this song! Enjoy the Journey and Becoming actually go together so well, as we all are changed by the journeys we go through. I can't help but think of all of you out there too...who have been on, gone through, or are in the middle of your own journey. What/who will you become as you face and go through your journey? How will God use you? What will you learn? Will you become bitter, numb, afraid...or will you become more like HIM?

Here you go. Please listen to both "Enjoy the Journey" and "Becoming"...in that order. I hope they both minister to your heart as much as they have, do and always will mine.

http://www.myspace.com/naomicarroll

Lord, help me "become".

p.s. If you get her new CD, "Enjoy the Journey" is on there, but it is a re-mix version, which is good too, but personally, I like the original better. Itunes has the original Single.