My challenges have not been around music. My hardest thing in music was just sitting down and teaching myself how to play and believing in myself.

Even though I like looking good - don't get me wrong - but if I don't want to, I don't have to.

They're all personal and self-created challenges that I think I've overcome within myself. Being confident enough to get on stage and play, things like that.

I'm grateful that music has been a place where I've found freedom.

I am always excited about playing in front of live audiences because I really enjoy it, for the most part.

Sometimes when you're in a more fast-paced place, with more to see and do, you miss out on things like nature and beautiful, God-made things. They call it "God's country"!

Amalgamation is a good word that I like to use - musically and in every way.

I try to write down every song that comes to me, even though I know that every song that comes to me isnt a song that I need to sing.

As I try to get around with a guitar, a banjo and a suitcase of high heels and dresses, I treasure that little ukulele.

The point is to raise your voice and be heard to God. You really are just celebrating being in the presence of other people that believe the same things you believe.

I mean, roots musicians - we can get old, you know? We can get up there and wear overalls and deliver the songs, we don't have to look any certain way.

I despise the rituals of fake friendship. I wish we could just claw each other's eyes out and call it a day

The way Magnus’ breath had sounded, rattling in his chest, before he’d said his father’s name.

It had been my repeated experience that when you said to life calmly and firmly (but very firmly!) "I trust you do what you must " life had an uncanny way of responding to your need.

We as women, we have to understand that we know more, just even instinctively, than we think we do.

When I write for myself, I just get to be myself.

The building of America has had its fair share of mistakes, but it's a constitution that's the jewel of democracy, the envy of many, and it's the most generous nation in the world.

I don't want to force my politics on my readers.

When you get on base, holes open up and things happen and you're able to find a way to score runs.

You must read a lot of personal essays - you needn't reinvent the wheel.

Inside every believe, there's a lie.