The Long Family Singers

In early 2000, three little girls, of the ages,11, 8, and 4, were all in the kitchen doing the dishes. Normally this wouldn't be any problem except, the dishwasher was broken! There was no laughter, water splashes, or any fun happening during this little chore. Instead, bickering, scowling faces, and hateful remarks were flying back and forth between the girls. Mom was in the other room desperately trying to figure out what to do with these girls. Finally, after some thought, and after she had had enough of their arguing, she marched into the kitchen with a hymnal in her hand and a determined look on here face.

"Girls," She said "I am sick and tired of hearing your bickering and arguing. It is not glorifying to the Lord in any way shape or form. I want you girls to sing hymns while you do the dishes. You are not allowed to talk to each other just sing. " She placed the hymnal on the windowsill and left the kitchen.
The girls grudgingly started singing as their mother walked through the house with a satisfied smile on her face.

Those three little girls were my sisters and I; Stephanie, Emily, and me!

From left to right:
Emily, Amanda, Mackenzie (in the highchair) Stephanie, and me! 

     
After that life altering experience in the kitchen we kept on singing as we did the dishes. It was fun! We replaced splashing each other with rinse water, racing to see if we could keep the person who was drying the dishes (usually Emily) 'stocked up', with mountain loads of dishes, with singing hymns.

The more we sang, the better we got. Stephanie learned how to sing alto, and we began to harmonize with each other.

Two years later, we felt that God was laying it on our hearts to use our voices to minister to other people. Although we had never had professional voice lessons. To this day we have never had professional lessons. That really doesn't matter though. Through the years, with lots of practice, and picking up voice tidbits and such, we have improved a lot!

From left to right:
Corrie, Isaac, Mackenzie, Emily, me, and Stephanie
Singing at a neighboring church.

           
In 2004, Stephanie was given a guitar for her birthday. With excitement and enthusiasm she taught herself how to play the guitar. That's when we started singing for nursing homes, and churches.

In 2005, a good friend began teaching Emily the violin. Later that same year she started teaching me piano.

Emily competing in our 4-H talent show. 2010

   
As the years have passed by, we have expanded our ministry, recently began adding in the younger children, and this past Christmas made our first unofficial CD. God has greatly blessed our ministry.

Us three older girls singing at Stephanie's best friend's fundraiser back in October 2008.

Us three older girls singing in the mess hall at Camp Atterbury. 

All of us singing the background music at a restaurant last November.
From left to right:
Front row: Eric Samuel, Destiny
Middle Row: Corrie, Isaac, Stephanie
Back row: Michael, me, Emily, and Mackenzie.

 
Through all the years we have learned a most valuable lesson: When you think you are the least prepared in any area of your life, that's where God will work. :D