Artist Interview: Lawanda "Precious" Jones

In Austin, Texas, there are many worthy causes,, amazing praise groups, and no shortage of fine musicians. I recently had the privilege of interviewing one of them, Lawanda "Precious" Jones, from Pflugerville.

1. Tell us a little about your musical style. Who is your musical inspiration?

These types of questions are always so funny to me, because I never really know how to answer them.  I write a little of everything.  I grew up listening to blues, Motown, r&b, rap, jazz, country, classical, rock, and even opera.  So, I find myself listening to contemporary and alternative Christian & Gospel, urban Gospel including rap, and every once in a while blue grass Christian.  The people that stand out in my head that I listen to would be Lisa McClendon, Debra Killings, V. Rose, Canton Jones, Mr. Del, The Anointed Pace Sisters, The Arrows (a South African group), Flame, Mark Schultz, Salvador, Sheri Jones-Moffett, and Jennifer Strickland.  I know that is a mouthful, but I like music that is ministering not just praise and worship.  If I had to put myself in a box, then I would say that I am a lyrical urban gospel singer.  I enjoy the rhythms of gospel and write more lyrically like Christian music.

2. What led you to your ministry?

It had to be God, because I didn't choose my ministry from the beginning to sing for God.  I always wanted to be a doctor until I realized that you needed to be good with science.  My mom made me do choir in middle school.  From there, I wanted to be a choir director with a Doctorate Degree until God changed my path with becoming married and having children which interrupted my college education at the time.  I always wrote music, but I never thought or wanted to share it.  I basically kind of stumbled into realizing that I felt fulfilled when singing for God and it seemed to minister to people.  Since, I have been singing the songs that God has given me, God has shown me that others experience the same thing.  The songs were meant to help people through their transitions in life.  My ministry isn't so much about praise and worshipping God as it is about God is there to get people through their situations.  The music is ministering to people and that is praise and worship to God!


3. Tell us about your home church. What makes it awesome?

My family goes to Bridge Community Church in Pflugerville, TX.  It is a quaint little church with a lot of friendly and loving people who cares for their community.  The part we enjoy the most of BCC is when the pastor gives the Word, you know that it is the Word that God has put on his heart.  Our family needed a pastor that wasn't put on such a high pedestal that he couldn't share his testimonies of fear of the thoughts of man.  The pastor at BCC is a real man that goes through real situations and cares for people (not all in the church) who have real issues, and he is not scared to share his testimony with people.  I think that at the Bridge Community Church people have room to be themselves.

4. Having lived in the Austin/Pflugerville/Round Rock area before myself, I know what a fertile ground there is for ministry. How do you look for and find daily opportunities to "be the church?"

I knew that God had called me to minister, but a long time ago I would run from it.  I thought "ministering to people" amounted to those who called people out on their sins and told people that they were going to go to hell if they didn't change right now.  However, God had to teach me who I was and to embrace who He made me to be so that I could minister the way He wanted me to minister.  Well, I am capable of talking openly and lovingly to anyone.  People joke on me for being able to talk a lot and about nothing at all.  However, God has shown me that I am capable of making people comfortable in communicating with them; they drop their guards and tell me things that is on their minds and hearts.  God tends to give me opportunities like these often to minister to people of all forms.  People like neighbors, my children's friends and family, people I go to school with, people that are looked at as different, or even workers that come to serve my home.  I am more comfortable knowing that God calls me to minister to people in my everyday life through my conversations and my walk than being fiery and telling people all the things that they have done wrong.  There are times that He has me step out of my boundaries like lately going to my neighbors that I don't know and asking them if they want prayer.  In everything I do, I let God lead me through my time that I spend with Him, and if I don't hear Him, I will catch myself seizing an opportunity that I didn't even realize as one.  (Colossians 3: 23-24)


5. What is your favorite Scripture?

I don't have a great memory, so memorizing scriptures has been really hard for me to do.  I know the Word is hidden in my heart to be used at necessary times, but in my past, I have felt condemned because I have a hard time remembering word for word and the address of scriptures and other things as well.  I prayed to God one time about my memory, and the Holy Spirit led me to Luke 12:12 "For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say."  This scripture is one of the first scriptures that I have been able to remember no matter what time of day it is.  It gives me comfort if I begin to compare myself to others who seem "to know scriptures".  I may not know their relationship with God, but I do know my application of the Bible and my relationship with God.  He is my foundation!  And this scripture has been proven true for me in many situations that I have faced.

6. With whom do you identify most from the Bible?

Wow, getting personal... In the past, I have identified myself with the servant who received money from his master and buried it out of fear, but I believe that God has been dealing with the fear within me and transforming me into someone more like Joshua or Jonathon.  Someone who trusts God to be God and be willing to attack situations and not wait for them to attack me.  For example, I wrote songs for over ten years and never shared the music that God had given me out of fear of being rejected.  I still face those types of fears, but now I refuse to let those fears dictate what God is going to do in my life.

7. Android or iPhone (or something else)?

I have an Android, but I also have an iPod Touch that I like to use as well.  My favorite part of either is that I can have a bible on it.  Because of my Android/ iPod Touch and the encouragement from God, I have been able to read all the way through the bible this year!

8. What are your hobbies/interests outside of your ministry?

I like to swim, hang-out with friends, watch movies, travel, go on adventures with my family, and most of all TALK.  I still sing or hum no matter what I do.

9. Tell us about your family (spouse, children, pets, houseplants lol).

My husband's name is James.  We became high school sweethearts and married at a young age.  My husband loves to coach football and track, and I love music.  Together we now have five kids (17, 16, 12, 10, and 6 years old).  Each one of them are different as can be and keeps us on our feet.  They have interests from simply serving people to planning to be a top U.S.A. Track Olympian.   If that isn't enough, we have a Yorkie pup named Prince.

10. What empassions you in the world? That is to say, what causes/charities/social justice issues drive you?

There are causes and issues that drive me due to the things that I have observed in my lifetime.  For instance, I want to donate money towards the Epilepsy Foundation to help find cures or better medicine for people who have epilepsy.  My mom has it and it was a focal point in my life that introduced me to miracles for my family when I was growing up.  I know the stigmas that people have about it, and I would love to be a part of changing the stigmas to the point that people can be seen as people and not the medical issue.
My heart cries out for children and people that have been sexually abused.  I want to be able to support an organization that is willing to help children to see that they are worth more than what was done to them.  This sad situation tends to happen pretty often, but it is very hard trying to find an organization that serves this area in creative ways.
We believe we should be serving our homeless in whatever ways that we can.  That is a mission in itself!

11. Anything else you'd like us to know?

We love mission trips...near and far.  Everything that we do in state and out of state should be considered a mission trip.  My family and I have served the homeless, supported single parents, gave rides to those that walk, funded missionaries, supplied children for school, prayed for others, and so many other things.  We want to go on a mission trip out of the country as a family to serve children and families that are less fortunate like we have done here.  We have looked at going to Tanzania, Africa or El Salvador.  However, since we have such a big family, we have talked about going to Mexico, but don't know any ministry or organizations to help there.  I am sure in time, God will send us.

Why do I change my hair styles so often?
I like to change my hair styles.  After God set me free from fearing other people's thoughts of my appearance, I have been free to do my hair however I like to do it.  I have even had a blue streak in it.  My motto for my hair is... It's just hair, it will grow back.  The funny thing is, I have gotten to talk and pray with people of all ages that have approached me about my hair.  Who knows...maybe it is a ministry tool!  LOL

Why do I go by "Precious"?
When I was younger, I would go to the churches and want prayer from the big evangelists and pastors who were known as prophets.  Of course, I would be back towards the end of the line, and as they prayed the things the people that they prayed over were told big things like:  "You're going to be teacher that touches many children. You're going to be a known political body.  The Lord is going to bless you financially.  You will be a millionaire..."  When they would get to me the excitement would be so high.  They would place their hands on me and then immediately quite the room and look confusingly at me to say, "You're Precious" and walk away.  I remember being so angry, because I didn't get some BIG prophetic thing prayed over me.  It always happened.  When I was getting ready to graduate from high school, my Great Grandmother died, and I even received a golden necklace that was one of her necklaces that she wore all of the time.  By that time, I realized that God was calling me "Precious" like He called Abram Abraham.  Since then I have researched why He would call me that... To make it short, we look at Him as our treasure, but He really looks at us as His.  Even when we are dirty, He is willing to clean us up.  We are still worth much to Him because He knows everything about us.  Psalm 139 best explains how He created us, knows us, and sees our worth.

You can find Lawanda online ait her website, Facebook, and YouTube.

Just Between You, Me, & God 11/5/2012

As a kid I loved going to Six Flags Over Texas. They had a great variety of rides, from things that went round and round and then the bottom fell out, to river rides where you never knew what was around the next bend, to roller coasters that went fast and slow and up and down while taking hair pin corners. There was also rides like the carousel that went around and around but nothing exciting ever happened or the Spelunker Cave that lazily floated along a relaxing stream in cool comfort with no surprises. I was thinking about my Christian walk over my lifetime the other day and couldn't help but notice the similarity at different times between that and the rides at an amusement park. There have been times when it seemed like I was in a whirl wind being swept around in circles and the ground was falling away from under my feet. That was when I felt far from God and there seemed to be no answer to my prayers and pleas. There were times of excitement when I couldn't wait to see what God was going to do next in my life. There are times when I seem to be struggling just to get up the hill and then God makes things move so quickly and change direction in an instant and you get so excited you can't catch your breath. Sometimes I feel kind of stuck, just going around and around in a circle, not making any real progress and I know that I need to spend more study time with God in His Word. Then there is always worship time when I feel so relaxed and open. It is a time of comfort, like being held by my Savior as I tell Him how much I love Him and appreciate everything He has done for me. No matter what is going on, how long it last, or how up or down I feel, I know that I am not alone and that whatever happens, it is God’s perfect will that counts and not my own finite expectations. Philippians 4:4-7 tells it like it should be, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What is your walk like and are you willing to let go and let God?
God bless, Dean Hanssen

Just Between You, Me, & God 9/4/2012

Well the political table has been set, the hors d’ oeuvres have been served, (the primaries), the first course is being served up, (the conventions), and before you can say I’m full of this, it will be time for the main course, the election. Before you throw your napkin down and storm away from the table let me tell you that I am not going to tell you who to vote for. That choice is yours, in fact, choice is one of those amazing gifts that God has given us and that we have not quite perfected yet. Adam and Eve had choices, the Jews under Moses had choices, Daniel had choices, the Disciples and Paul had choices, and yes we have choices. For all of us, some of our choices are good and some of them are not so good. I wish I had chosen to be a better student in school but I have been delighted with my choice for a wife for over 40 years now. There are consequences or rewards for our choices and they affect our lives and often times the lives of others. In order to make better decisions, whether voting or other issues in your life, it is important to get all the facts that you can. Important decisions require knowledge of the issues and truth about the outcome. God talks about the results of the lack of knowledge in Hosea 4:6, “…My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” Our knowledge comes from the Word of God, the scripture of the Bible. If we are not listening, reading, studying, and following God’s Word then we have no right to complain about the outcome. The Church has decided to take a role of competing with, instead of standing apart from the rest of the world. We worry more about the bottom line than the line outside the door. We’ve become more about entertainment than enlightenment. Some churches look more like playgrounds, gymnasiums, or amusement parks than churches. We have turned the sharing of the Gospel into an exclusive club instead of benevolent movement giving the message of hope with not just a hand out, but also a help up. The government is not our Messiah, no matter who is in office, Jesus is our Savior and He is waiting for His Church to stand up and pick up where He left off, sharing the Gospel with love and authority. Before you open your ballot to vote this year, open your Bible and take a look at what we have given up to the government that we the Church should be doing. God selects our officials through the choice He has given us. Let’s get some Bible knowledge and make some informed choices and get the Church back on the right track of serving God by serving others instead of serving ourselves at whatever cost to the Gospel. Pastor Dean

Review: Gospel of Yes by Mike Glenn

Publisher/Date: Waterbrook Multnomah, 2012


Too often in church we hear the word “no.” We are told what’s not okay, what we shouldn’t do, what’s not “right.” We are reminded of what we as Christians and the church oppose, but rarely is the word “yes” used regularly In The Gospel of Yes, Mike Glenn (pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church in the Nashville area of Tennessee) discusses why this is a shame and directly contradictory to the Gospel. He shares the stories of people who have accepted their “yes” from God (which is roughly defined, the gifts that God has for you, a culmination of your talents, your purpose, and the beauty you possess because of Christ).


There is not enough blogspace to fully explain how much I enjoyed this book. I found it eye-opening, humbling, and yet uplifting as I read. I realized that although I had accepted my “yes” from God, I all too frequently allow the world try to drown it out with many a “no.”


Beautifully illustrating basic truths such as our worth being in what God gave to save us, our glory in being made in His image, and why Jesus gave the Great Commandments of faith, Glenn explains how one simple word can carry such magnitude. The language is simple, easy to understand, and well-founded in Scripture.


While I believe that every Christian should read this book, leaders should especially because it reveals to us not only how to find our own “yes,” but how to help others find theirs, and encourage them in it. He speaks about the uniqueness of each believer and that in truth, one “yes” does NOT fit all. It is a great read all around and I encourage you to pick it up. 

I could go on and on about how fantastic this book is, but I don't want to give away too many spoilers; besides, there is little I could say to add or better interpret what has already been written within its pages.. Suffice it to say, if you don't read it, you're missing out. Mike Glenn is a gifted writer and this is truly a God-inspired, Scripture-centered work that will change the way you look at yourself, your life, your ministry, your heart, and God's heart.

(This video is a very rough cut. Please be patient with me.)

Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF. This book was provided as part of Waterbrook Multnomah's Blogging for Books Program, though her opinions are all her own.

Just Between You, Me, & God 3/19/2012

We just finished our annual inventory at work. It is time consuming and requires a lot of man hours but it is necessary for businesses to stop from time to time and look at what’s come in and what’s gone out and if it balances. It is a measure of our ability to maintain proper controls and to adjust what we are doing in order to do it better. Without these periodic checks our business vision would be clouded, we would spend much more time trying to figure out where we are what we are doing and which direction we need to be headed in. It’s like having a great car ready and waiting at your disposal but if you can’t find the keys it’s not doing you any good and you’re not going anywhere unless you walk. So what about our spiritual life? What would it look like if we took a little spiritual inventory of our own, a little check up from the neck up, a little heart tune up, some soul balancing? First, you would need to consult with someone reputable and honest to guide us on our inventory. How about, oh, let’s say, God. Psalm 139: 23- 24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Who knows us better than our Creator, the one that knows our very thoughts before we speak them? Let’s take a look at the balance sheet. What are the pluses and the minuses? Let’s start with the minuses and make a list of all of our sins. WOAH!! My calculator doesn’t have that many digits. Do I have to count even the little stuff? Any good inventory auditor will tell you that everything counts. OK, that took some time, now let’s move into the pluses; let’s look at our good works. Hmm, something seems to be missing, this can’t be right, I know there was more than this. I must have been robbed. How can I balance this? How can I bring back some control in my life? How did I get so far off and not even know it? I don’t see how I can make this right. I can’t, no one can. We need a loss prevention expert. His name is Jesus. He’s not in the yellow pages. He’s actually been there by your side the whole time just waiting for you to ask Him into your business, to take control, to balance the debt we’ve incurred. Romans 10:13 tells us, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Don’t get me wrong here, the guide lines for maintaining our spiritual inventory demand change in our lives so pick up your manual, the Bible, and get together with your loss prevention expert on a more regular basis and start making some changes so that your final inventory will balance. God bless for all you do, Pastor Dean.

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Outreach & Ministries Pastor for LHF.