News from Bob

Picture of Bob
Bob Rawleigh

Winter  2011

The months since my last newsletter have been quite eventful and I wanted to give you an update on what’s been happening.  As many of you know from my fall newsletter, the opportunities to share my music with other churches and ministries have been few and far between. Recently, I have been blessed to share with Calvary Chapel of the Foothills and will be doing a Christmas concert for Cold Springs Community Church.  I have also had the opportunity to sing for the Love Them Both Fundraiser at Arcade Church and will be sharing Christmas music at AGLOW International in Placerville.  I am also doing a Christmas program at Gold Country Assisted Care Center and will be singing at the ADDCOE Christmas banquet for developmentally delayed adults.  I am  so grateful to those churches,  ministries and community organizations who have invited me to share and I will continue to pursue any opportunity that arises to share my music with the church  community and service organizations.  While these are all blessed events, they are sporadic at best, and the truth is we must bring in more income to meet our bills every month.  So with our love strong, our creativity and integrity intact, Kathy and I have stepped outside the walls of the church by faith, and are now taking our love affair as husband and wife to venues here in Northern California with our “Celebrate Romance” tour, sharing the romantic music of Classic Love Songs.  This idea was hatched in my mind as an anniversary gift for Kathy that would last not just for our anniversary, but for a lifetime.

 We have a Biblical mandate to be “salt and light’ to a hurting world and we feel that by venturing out into these new venues our lives will be “living letters” that the whole world can read.  In a culture that has reinvented the meaning of love, we feel honored to represent romantic love between a husband and wife as God intended it to be.  I have also learned from one of my spiritual mentors, Dr. Daniel Henderson, that “example is one of the most powerful models there is in life.”  I’m not bragging, but I have an amazing permission giving wife who has, with her love and encouragement, set me free to be all I can be in Christ.  I am a blessed man.  The Lord has reminded us that romance had its origins in His heart and mind for us in Heaven and just because the world has messed it up, doesn’t mean it isn’t wonderful and ordained by God.  He is now letting Kathy and me be examples of Holy matrimony to the world through music.  It’s crazy!  We are touching hearts outside the walls of the church!  This is a new chapter in our evolution and ministry as a loving married couple representing the Biblical example of love ordained by God. 

The response to this new venture has been truly amazing.  We have had several opportunities to share our “Celebrate Romance” program and have received a wonderfully positive response.  We are beginning to get  repeat “bookings” and anticipate a busy schedule in the months ahead.  We have sung at several wineries and are continuing to pursue other venues. I will be participating in the Gold Country Bridal Fair in February with the hopes of getting booked for weddings and receptions.   Clearly the gift God gave me to sing is blessing people outside the church.  All l I laid down for the Lord 30 years ago to give Him glory, He is giving back to me now at 58 years old to bring Him greater glory with my wife by my side.  Many of you have come to see us at these venues and have testified that our musical choices and example are indeed impactful.  Thank you and bless you for that.  We are so grateful for your support.  We are still ministry minded and are representing Jesus and His reconciling message. We are just covering new ground and expanding our territory.

Because of the response to my last newsletter, we were able to purchase a portable sound system that is perfect for smaller venues.  I’m also excited to share that  I have finished recording the vocals for my upcoming love song CD and it is on track to release for Valentine’s Day 2012.   My producer, Rick Balentine, has graciously offered to complete the project without prepayment, so we are moving forward in faith that we will earn enough money from my music bookings and CD sales to finance the completion of this project for the February release.  It is crucial that we have this CD available for purchase at our new venues.  This is the music I’m singing and this is what they want to buy!

2012 holds many challenges for us.  We recently incurred over $4,000 in car repair expenses which wiped out our savings and we are now facing some medical expenses that will involve significant out of pocket costs.  We have also learned that Kathy’s income will be cut in half by this summer.  Rather than look for another part time job, Kathy would like to place her efforts in managing my music career full time and investing more time in our worship ministry at church.  It is our hope and prayer that my music bookings and CD sales will generate enough income to pay our bills and allow us both to continue full time in ministry and music.  All we can do is trust the Lord with the wisdom He’s given us for the circumstances and choices we’re faced with from day to day. 

You can help me in this journey by:

As always, to all of you who have and continue to support me in my ministry through your prayers, words of encouragement, financial gifts, CD purchases or by attending my concerts,  I am eternally grateful.

Bob