Hi friends! I eluded to this post in my Facebook status this weekend so I’m finally coming through with it! ha! If you follow me on instagram, you got the sneak peek to what happened this weekend, but I’ll go ahead and let the rest of you in who don’t have instagram. Heehee. And before you think it, I’ll admit to it. I’m name dropping all through this post. Yes, I am. 🙂 If you don’t like that or lots of pics, I encourage you to exit now! 🙂
This weekend I had whirlwind trip to Nashville for a girls fun weekend which included the K-Love Fan Awards! My friend, Candace Cameron Bure was the host with Matthew West, so we met up there for all the fun! Get ready for a picture overload!
Excited…so what should I do? Take a selfie! #airportselfie
But first, I burnt my bicep with my curling iron that morning. Ouch. That was fun with luggage on my arm.
After arriving to the Opryland hotel (or should I say MANSION?!), we freshened up a bit and walked around all the K-Love Fan stuff while Candace did some interviews for K-Love and her read-through with Matthew West.
(Stacy, Mandy, Me, Candace)
Dinner time was next! (Always my favorite!) We had a great time talking about Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) and asking her all the questions we hadn’t been able to yet! Etch in downtown Nashville did not disappoint!
After dinner Saturday night we went back to our rooms and got ready for bed. It had been a long day for everyone but that didn’t keep Candace and I from staying awake another hour or so chatting. It was so good to catch up with her. I have only physically *seen* her during 3 different trips in our almost 3 year friendship even though we keep in touch via texts, emails, and phone through the year, but there’s nothing quite like getting down to your pjs, laying in bed and talking away. We pick up right where we left off and I always leave our visits together thinking that we would probably spend a lot of time together if we actually lived near each other!
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If you’ve followed any of my trips with Candace before (my trip to LA here, her trip to Ohio here), you know that we ALWAYS work out when we are together. Nashville was no different! I got to experience Barry’s Bootcamp on Sunday morning and the class definitely delivered! We got a great workout which included treadmill intervals and sprints, and a chest/tricep focus, but honestly we worked everything and enjoyed a protein smoothie afterwards!
(Seem like we are in a dance club? That’s because it seemed like we were! LOL! The lights go down, these red ones come on, and they blast music. I’m surprised I didn’t trip! 🙂 )
Our instructor, Devin and us!
After class we boogied back to the hotel for some pool time. Someone forget her bathing suit (oops) but I made do.
Candace had to get back to get ready for the show, so Mandy, Stacy and I went to lunch. Stacy wrote the devotional I had on my site a couple months ago about the purpose in her pain, and Mandy is my sweet friend who travels and speaks about how God has worked through her life being an amputee! I had never met Mandy real life before (although we have had a great social media relationship for about 3 years) and Stacy (a fellow Buckeye) and I had met once! It was so good to connect with both of them face to face!
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Time for the big show! For those of you who might not know, K-Love is a Christian radio station played throughout the world! I listen to their app on my iPhone all the time. These were the K-Love Fan Awards–which it’s only been their 2nd year of having them. In short–the night was AMAZING as you’ll see in my pics below. Hang on!
When you have one of these babies, it’s amazing the stuff you’ll see!
Candace and Matthew right before the show running through some things.
We hung in the hallway for a bit before they opened the doors for everyone to come in. We were surrounded by the top names in Christian music–some I could name, others I only recognized by look. I may or may not have wigged out a couple times.
Clearly the Grand Ole Opry hallway had the same lighting as Barry’s Bootcamp. Wish this pic with Mark Hall from Casting Crowns was better! (This pic was for my mom who LOVES them!)
Group 1 Crew, Britt Nicole, and Danny Gokey. I wanted to go up to Group 1 Crew, Britt Nichole, and Capital Kings to tell them I kick my rear to their songs every day, but figured that would be a little weird. 🙂
Bathroom break! This is where I chatted with Ann Voskamp. Didn’t get a picture with her because I figured it was odd enough that I said hi to her at the sink. (I have actually met her before)
If you like full body shots of shoes etc (like I do!) here’s one!
Here we are before the show started with Shelene Bryan! She is the founder of the organization Skip1 and just recently came out with her book, “Love. Skip.Jump: Start living the adventure of yes”. I encourage you to get the book and watch the inspiring TEDx talk on her site!
And then there’s that moment when you are sitting down the row from Steven Curtis Chapman and David Crowder.
And when TobyMac and his wife sit in the row in front of you. (Switchfoot playing!)
When Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) comes in the crowd and walks, unsteadily, on the row beside you. My pensive look is wondering how I was going to catch him when he fell. 🙂 You can see TobyMac and Shane Harper in this shot. (Thanks Christina for taking this shot online. 🙂 )
And when Mandisa is singing her hit song, “Overcomer” with the lyric….”t-mac on the radioooo…” And TobyMac jamming to it right in front of you. I DIE.
There were something like 27 acts that night. It was more like an extended concert than an awards show! It was AMAZING! I really don’t do it any justice explaining it all. This link here gives a great summary of it though! Matthew West and Candace were amazing as hosts! They were funny and kept the night moving! (I don’t have any great pics of them because the lighting was weird from my seat!)
Oh look. Chris Tomlin. The guy with his hand raised–Louie Giglio from Passion. Love him!
A view behind me. I spy Kari Jobe in yellow!
And view beside me. Casting Crowns taking up that whole row!
The final song performed last night at the K-Love Fan Awards was “Oceans” by Hillsong. I mean–it’s emotional enough to sing that song in the car, but it’s a whole other thing to sing it live 2 rows away from them. Not to mention we were surrounded by Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Crowder and others worshipping right along with you. Talk about a mountain-top experience.
Finally, after nearly 4 hours. Yes, 4 hours, the show was over. Matthew and Candace threw out GooGoo Clusters to the crowd, joking that we might need it towards the end of the night. Guess who needed to have a few bites? It had been 5 hours since I’d eaten last–who could blame me?!
Shane Harper, better known as Josh from the movie, “God’s Not Dead”, OR as some of you parents out there may know him (which is how I first knew him!) from “Good Luck Charlie”! Fun fact: he loves “Full House”!
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After Candace did her press it was time (finally!) to eat! We met up with some friends who live in Nashville so it was great to reconnect. You may remember Harris from my trip to LA! If you are leery about a Christian who is a master illusionist, then I’d ask you to think again! Here is a video he just put out with a great message. My 7 year old is intrigued by Harris and the illusions he does, but the beauty of it is that I have an easy spiritual teaching opportunity right there. (Actually, Harris does a great job of doing the teaching!)
“Clare, what do you look like with only 3 hours of sleep?” Glad you asked because here is Mandy and I bright and early at the airport. The weekend flew by and we enjoyed every minute! Thanks for re-living the trip with me!
Oh Clare that was fabulous. I can’t wait to go back and read the posts of your friends that you met up with for the weekend. Thank you for keeping life real and sharing all the girly excitement. I would have flipped out and had to have a pic in the bathroom with Ann Voskamp. WOW!!
Love from your sister in Christ,
Bonnie
North Carolina
I had so much fun following your trip via all the pics!! Thanks for sharing!!
I had listened to the advertisements and invites through K-Love for MONTHS and wanted to attend this event so bad. I was just in Nashville the month before and could not do it again. Thank you SO much for sharing this. I know that it was an amazing, hill-top experience.
Love love love all of it!! Thanks for sharing all of the fun details.
What a fabulous weekend!Thanks for sharing.
What an awesome life experience! I LOVE that you got to do this!
Thanks for sharing and introducing me to K-Love. By the way love your dress, it’s beautiful.
That was awesome, thanks for sharing!!
Oh that was fantastic! Beside Louie was his wife Shelley and Kristian Stanfield. My husband would have peed his pants to be that close to David Crowder and Chris Tomlin though! haha!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh Alyson! I am SO GLAD you said something! We were sitting there trying to figure out who that was. He looked so familiar but I totally know his music!
Thanks!
Clare
Bah!!! So amazing – so awesome – so fun!! Loved the pics and play by play!
Love ya,
Courtney
This looks like a joyful time!
Praise God could go Claire how fun! 🙂
Opps typo on your *Clare
That was awesome! And all of those great singers surrounding you! Ha! I would have died.
SO great!!! SO jealous! 😉 Memories to last a lifetime!
Love, Traci Michele @Ordinary Inspirations
http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com