The Eric Metaxas Show - Jenn Gotzon & Jim Chandler and Melanie Penn

Episode Date: December 10, 2020

Jenn Gotzon and Jim Chandler talk about their new fun-filled Christmas movie, "Farmer and the Belle"; then, Eric celebrates the uplifting holiday music of singer/songwriter Melanie Penn.  

You know, they say it's a thin line between love and hate, but we're working every day to thicken that line, or at least make it a double, even triple line. Now here's your line jumping host, Eric Mataxis. Hey, folks, welcome to the Eric Mataxis show. Guess what? We're talking about hot news today right after this segment. In this segment, we're talking about news so hot. I wouldn't even describe it merely as hot news. We're describing, we're talking about what,

we can do to combat, let's call it, evil in the world. Imagine I tell you with all the problems we have, there are people genuinely enslaved in places like South Sudan. They are being enslaved by people who believe slavery is a good thing. These are radical Muslims who think enslaving Christians is a good thing. and they enslave them and treat them like slaves. We can do something about it. If there's a possibility of doing something about it,

I don't know how you don't do something about it. So I wanted to talk to my friend Kevin McCullough because he knows more about this than I do. Kevin, welcome. Hey, Eric, it's good to talk to you. And yes, I love the work of our partner, Christian Solidarity International. I've been working with them now for, I don't know, more than a dozen years. And when I first heard what you just described for the first time to me, it kind of got past me.

It was one of those things where there's no way that can be real. This is 21st century globes. We don't, we don't, this doesn't happen on planet Earth anymore. And it turned out it is. And in fact, there are more people enslaved on planet Earth today than at any point in time in human history. And so we have to talk about this. and more than that, we have to do something about it. Well, just because we in the West, we with a Judeo-Christian background, have settled the question

whether slavery is evil and whether people who believe in a God who loves everyone equally can participate in slavery, we've settled that. The answer is no, we cannot, we must not. My hero Wilberforce led the battle to end the slave trade. We abolished the slave trade and slavery. you know, in the mid-19th century. And yet, you know and I know that there are many, many parts of the world where they don't have our worldview and where they are willing to use and abuse people despicably, the good news is that we in the

West, particularly in America, we can do something about it. So we have to say we're working with Christian Solidarity International, that's CSI. folks, you're going to want to go to my website, metaxis talk.com. That's my radio website, mataxis talk.com. And you'll see the information there. I want everyone to participate in this. When we hear the details from Kevin, you will see there is no reason not to participate. You don't have to give $250 to free a slave, which is what it costs. You can give any amount. So, Kevin, what are we dealing with? Well, let me just give you a broad overview of what CSI does.

They are involved in all areas of persecution of people groups by governments, by other tribal entities, by other people groups that are based exclusively on what they believe, specifically Christians, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, that are being persecuted, oppressed, and in some places, tortured and killed because they are, in fact, believers. And CSI is one of the only organizations that's doing this on kind of a two-tiered level. They have Dr. John Ivner, who's been a guest on your show many times. He is actually interfacing with government leaders, with judiciaries across the globe, with groups of nation states when they come together at places like NATO and the UN. And he's trying to raise awareness about this issue.

But then on the ground, there's this other kind of really cool part of what they do, which is they don't just argue philosophically in the halls of government about what needs to be done. They've actually got their sleeves rolled up. And that's why if you search John Ibner on the internet, you'll see far more pictures of him carrying a big bag of grain with CSI written on the side of it from one place to another than you will, interfacing with the, you know, Secretary Pompeo or somebody else that he's had a conversation with within the last year. So this is, this is really one of the, I think, the nitty gritty ministries that they do, and they do it, and to my knowledge, no one else is doing it. In Sudan, a number of years ago, you had, of course, the Civil War.

I think it lasted in excess of something like 15 years from the first conflicts till the time it was settled. And when it was settled, it was Western governments that had come in and kind of negotiated the peace and said, okay, we're going to found South Sudan. That'll be the first, the newest nation on planet Earth. It's the youngest nation. And that's going to be a safe haven for the Christian Sudanese population. And in the north, the Arab and the pro-Muslim forces, you guys have that section. So you stay separated. Everybody stay safe.

The problem was when that armistice went through, you didn't have anyone, not the U.S., not anybody else, that raised a hand and said, hey, wait a minute, what about all the slaves that were taken? And there were tens of thousands of women and children that had been brutally kidnapped from their region in the south of Sudan and taken north. And so they began, even before the war was finished, CSI began liberating slaves that were in captivity. It's similar. People ask what's the process like.

It's very similar to what we've read about in the Underground Railroad of our own Civil War era. You had people, Arab retrievers that were very sympathetic and friendly to the Christian forces in the South. They have a passion to help have a good relationship with them. maybe they have economic interests or other things that they want to do with South Sudan. They go up. They very quietly and very covertly find where slaves are being held. They enter into negotiations with the slave masters. They don't trade money for lives.

That would indeed set up some sort of like reciprocal slave program. You don't want to do that. But they do realize that these slave owners in the north have cattle that sometimes get sick due to the very, very oppressive weather that they have there. and there's this vaccine that they can't get a hold of called Navidium that's quite expensive. It's about $50 for an application of it. And they have found that the slave traders will trade the life of a slave for a dose of the vaccine. And when they do that, they have what are called retrieval campaigns where they go in and they get as many of them out.

They walk them back on foot, usually overnight, to the South Sudanese border. when they are there, they are then allowed for the first time to really find a sense of rest, relaxation, recuperation that they've not known for the entire time that they were enslaved. When these women and children are taken, they are brutally beaten. They are brutally sexually abused. They are repetitively called things, words that we can't say on the radio or on television, and we shouldn't even say it in the language that they are called. called it because it's so, it's so vile, but they're just constantly inundated with this abuse.

And they've not had anybody that has allowed them any reprieve from that. In fact, most of them have had their names changed from their Christian names, birth names, to some name that means something in Islam. When they are brought back to that camp, when they hit that, that kind of border and they're allowed to just kind of exhale for the first time, they weep, they tell their stories. CSI tries to capture their stories. They try to capture information. Do you remember where you came from? We've just got about a minute left. So I want my audience to understand all this,

that there's a season where they need to recuperate from the hell they've been through. And then CSI sets them up with all kinds of stuff so they can live their lives. They're not just there with nothing. They get a goat. This is the most touching thing to me and funny as a Western or living in New York City.

they get a female goat so they can have milk so they can so CSI sets them up they're not just freed which is itself miraculous folks I want you to understand how miraculous it is that CSI is able to do this but they need our money so I'm asking you with Kevin go to metaxis talk dot com click on the banner give what you can do this in the name of a relative I mean does your does your grand or your uncle need another tie. How about if you give $50 or $100 or $250 to free a human being in your uncle's name or your grandfathers or grandmothers name? That is an unbelievable witness to people in your family who really don't know what you think

or what you care about. We're at a time. Kevin, this is so important. I'm so grateful to you for breaking this down. Thank you. Sure thing. Folks, please go to Metaxus Talk.com. Do anything you can.

God bless you. Hey, folks. This is the Eric Mataxis show. Typically, I don't just talk. I talk two people to guests. Today, I have two guests. It's a merry couple. Jen Gotson, I think, and Jim Chandler.

Jen and Jim, are you there? We are. Merry Christmas. Eric. Merry Christmas. Thanks for now. Merry Christmas to use guys. I'm from the New York area. Aren't you guys from the New York area too? You're pretending to be from the heartland, but you're from New York or something like that. We are. You know what? I always say that we are the extension borough, because we're literally right across from the Upper West Side on the Hudson River. I just don't get that because you've made such a heartwarming movie. The movie I want to talk to you about is called The Farmer and the Bell. And I think that's a typo. It's supposed to be the farmer in the Del, correct? No, but that was the inspiration behind the title. Bell is the play onwards. Really?

I knew that, I think. No, of course I knew that. The farmer and the bell, I immediately thought that's very clever. And I thought I'd like to talk to this fabulous young couple. They can't be married because she has not taken his name. What's with that? Well, she has taken my name, but she has a stage name. So the state's name is what she's known for.

So we decided that for her to keep to keep that. And then her ID says Chandler. So we're all good. Okay. I just want to know. I asked the nasty judgmental questions up front. It gets easier from here on end. I just want you not just, you know, I'm your elder in the faith.

I'm just here to just make sure everything's straight. Okay. So we've checked that out. So you guys, how is it that a couple like you finds themselves produce? and starring in a movie. How did you get into this? First of all, where are you each from? And how do you get into making a movie

that we're all going to watch this Christmas? You're going to go first? Sure, I will. Well, I actually was born in Kansas, which is really exciting. No, I would love this day to Kansas. My dad was in the military, so I grew up all over the country

and even spent some time in Jakarta, and we eventually settled in the D.C. area, and that's where I began studying acting more fervently. I went to college and studied it at Radford University in Virginia. And then about 10, 10, 12 years ago, I started to pursue it professionally. I met her along the way. We met on a film set. And then a year and a half into the relationship, she had the idea for the farmer and the

bell because of the, my family has property in Georgia. And she's never been on a pig farm before. So she was a fish out of water in real life. And from there, it took four years. Like, we're four years on this journey. And we couldn't be happier to have done it. it together and it's been quite a joy and a learning experience for us. But that's, that's my quick, nice short answer for you. I love it. I was born Eric in Bethlehem.

Not in a major, but in Pennsylvania. Correct. I love Bethlehem, PA. Listen, when I went there for the first time, a few years ago, I was blown away by the history of that town. I had no idea that the famous Count Zunzendorf was looking to do missions. He's in Europe. And he comes to this weird part of Pennsylvania. And he builds his home. And now there's this historic hotel built where it's. I mean, it's unbelievable.

And you grew up there? Yeah. I didn't know that the count was originally or came on over. That's really fascinating. We always feel of Bethlehend-During-Ravian time. You're kind of like responsible for that information since you sit at your point there. I'm just, see, I'm, I'm a harsh. But I grew up in a trip away from there.

Oh, all right. Then, you know what? I'm going to let it go. I'm going to let it go. All right. You guys, seriously, though, like anybody, the idea that you, that a married couple would work on something like this together, most people, of course, like it would drive a horrible wedge in the relationship. You guys, it doesn't seem to have done that. It seems to have actually perhaps drawn you closer.

What would you say? I really think that during this process it helped us grow as a couple. It helped us learn where our strengths and where our weaknesses are. And one of the most amazing things I love about working with Jim is that he executes all of the wild creative visions that God has given me. Like in the movie The Farmer and the Bell, saving Santa Land, I had this idea of having a horse dressed up in a pink onesie wearing heels in front of the flowers. in front of the flat iron building during a commercial shoot that's gone bad for my character. And Jim, he jumped through how many hoops to make that happen? I'm still jumping through them, actually.

Perfect, the flat iron building, the district. That sounds to me like the perfect marriage. Like one person that has like insane ideas and then someone to execute. I always joke around with my wife of 24 years. I always say to her, like, you know, I just want you to know, my second wife is going to be executor, okay? That's a harsh joke, but I so believe in marriage that I get to joke like that. But that is kind of amazing when God does that. And of course, we do compliment each other in our marriage. But when you hear stuff like this that a creative couple does that, let's get into the movie because we're, you know, I can go on and on.

I'm fascinated with everything. But it's kind of exciting. It's coming out. It's out now. It's called The Farmer and the Bell. So we know nothing about it. Tell us what's the plot. Without big a way, like who murdered whom and stuff at the end. Copy that. Absolutely. Well, Eric, it is a fun family Christmas tradition.

And it follows this little girl who receives this bracelet from her Grammy. It has inscriptions on it that are biblically based, telling her that beauty is on the inside. Well, she goes to this farm Christmas festival. called Santa Land and meets his character when he was a young chap and then falls in the pig mud is embarrassed, goes home and loses her bracelet. As an adult, she becomes this famous fashion model and she believes that her value is based in the world's value about beauty. Her career has come to an... You're telling me that's not true?

Eric, 90% of girls starting at age young, very young, like around four to six, start to look to magazines and billboards thinking that if they could be pretty, then they're worthy to be liked and loved. And so our entire mission with the franchise, the farmer, and the bell is to destroy that lie and provide a biblical pathway. And so we've created this movie, this bracelet, a children's story book by Mike Narwocky, a devotional book. by Michelle Cox, who writes for Hallmark, all as a gift to be able to help girls, teens, and women to be able to understand that our value is inherent from Jesus. And the plot. Continue with the plot.

Well, actually, hang on one second, because there's a couple of beautiful things in here. Did you say, who wrote the children's book? Mike Narwaki. Do you want to show it? Mike Naraki? You don't need to tell me. He's my buddy.

Mike Naraki. wrote that book? Ladies and gentlemen, forget about the movie. Get the book. No, seriously, that is so cool. Mike Naraki, look, I love him. We have to tell the audience, Mike Naraki, he's not just

the co-creator of Veggie Tales. No, no, no. Much more importantly, he is Larry the cucumber. The cucumber. I'm not kidding. That's Mike. That's Mike is Larry the cucumber. That's his voice. That's his thing. Whatever I get it. So you're telling me, Mike

Naraki, wrote the book to go along with the movie. Now, there's a website, right? The Farmer and the Bell, if people want to go to the website right now, they just say, I don't want to watch this program. I want to see the website. Where they go? Yeah, they can go to the Farmer and the Bell.

Dot net and they can find all of the stuff that we have available, including the DVD, a devotional book. The Farmer and the Bell. This is key. The Farmer and the Bell. And Bell is with an E at the end. Correct. That is correct.

Yeah, like the name Bell. Now, before I give you guys a chance to finish the plot of the movie here, you're telling me that my value is not in looking pretty. Because if you had any idea how much effort I put into looking this pretty, you'd understand this is maybe not good news for me. Your hair is amazing. Eric, so many of us struggle with how we look and feel uncomfortable. Do you know what this cost? No, look, look. No, this is we know.

I have to, the more serious the issue is the more I have to joke. This is obviously a hugely important message, especially we know for young women. We know that. And so continue telling the plot of the movie because I don't want my audience to step. Okay, certainly. So my character becomes this model,

and she is at the end of her career. Robert Amaya from Courageous is the agent, and he tells her that she is aging out. So she remembers this bracelet, and she goes, I need the inscriptions of this bracelet. It will help me. So she says, I now need to face the chickens, the pigs, the goats, and the cows, and her childhood pen pal and go back to Santalan to find this bracelet. And doing so, she has to make the decision. If she doesn't find it, do I look to that spark of divinity for my value? Are back to the glitz and glam.

And people have been calling it one of their new favorite Christmas movies. Well, look, this is exciting. The Farmer and the Bell, the Farmer and the Bell. Dot net. And you guys, Jen and Jim, God bless you. It just blesses me to know that you got this done. You had this idea and you got it done. So God bless you.

And folks, go see The Farmer and The Bell. Thank you, guys. Investors seeking steady cash flow, ready to diversify. NRIA has grown to be one of the nation's leading specialists and offers 10% annualized monthly payouts with bonuses targeted at 18 to 21%. That's right. You could receive steady 10% return monthly payments with bonuses. As their slogan says, they specialize in realty investing done right. You can even use your 401K or IRA to invest.

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Here's the issue. Mike Lindell with My Pillow. You may notice that I have a Bobblehead of him near me. He's here to remind all of us that when you go to MyPillow.com, you get whopping discounts if you use the code Eric. Okay. Now, there are a lot of people who haven't done that, and we have your names here. and Chris Heim's and Albin pointed out to me that there's like three pages of you whose first name is Eric.

You yourself, I mean, that's humiliating for me that even though your name is Eric, you're still not willing to use the code Eric. I mean, if you don't want to use it because it's my name, use it because it's your name. But the point is that I see who you are and I just feel humiliated by this. Please go to go to mypillar.com. It's okay, Mike. It's going to be okay. Go to my pillow.com. Use the code, Eric.

You're going to get whopping savings and really high quality products. Did I mention that? Thank you. Magnify him on my soul, where he be. Folks, it's the Eric Mattaxas show. I can play the role of Eric Mataxis, but I have these guests. For example, today I have a musical guest, her name, her stage name, It's obviously not a real name is Melanie Penn.

Melanie, welcome to the program. Hello, Eric. It's such a fake name. What's your real name? Oh, well, my real name is Margaret Peninsky. It's just really long and hard to explain, so I shortened it to Melanie Penn. I hear you. I hear you.

No, actually, because we're friends, I know that your real name actually is Melanie Penn. But it's wonderful to be born with a name that sounds. like you should be famous. Oh, cool. And you should be famous, not just because like you're pretty and talented, but because you're my friend and all my friends should be famous. But I'm so excited, Melanie, you, I took my parents, my old, wonderful parents to hear you sing your Christmas album Last Christmas.

And it was just one of the sweetest evenings because at the beginning of the evening before you performed, my parents didn't like you. And at the end of the evening, they were open to liking you a little bit. I won them right over. It was that wonderful. I'm smiling so wide because I remember that so well that night with you guys and that you came and saw a show in Connecticut.

It was, well, because my parents live in Connecticut and I was born in Connecticut. But seriously, Melanie, that night, I'm not making this up, and you know this because I emailed you about it. What your performance did for me as an artist, speaking as an artist myself, is it made me realize you really are a very, I'm going to embarrass you, but you're a tremendously gifted artists.

Sometimes we take our friends for granted and we go, yeah, Melanie, she's a singer and she's great, she's my friend. But I mean, that night I saw that what you had done in writing this Christmas music, it was amazing. So I get to brag on you because it's my show. But you are in my Christmas special on TBN, which is airing, I think, December 19th, I think. So people get to see you perform in my Christmas special. Some of them already know you from that.

But tell us, Melanie, how did you come up with this idea to write this Christmas album? I mean, I just love this so much. Tell us. Well, for those watching, the Christmas album is called Emmanuel. well, and it's an original singer-songwriter album that tells the Christmas story from the Bible in the first person. So the first song is written and sung from the perspective of Isaiah, and then the angel Gabriel sings a song, and the Virgin Mary sings a song, and we basically hear from all of the characters in the Christmas story through to the end. And I can't really say where the idea came from.

The songs just kind of dropped in my lap. And I consider the whole Emmanuel album, a gift from the Lord, and one of those like miracles that happens as an artist where you're like, wow, this all kind of came from another place. And I feel that God trusted me with the songs to bring them to life. So that's what I did.

I always like to say that it had to be the Lord, because I know you're just not that talented, right? I'm really not. Right. Exactly. No, you, you are talented, but what I love, seriously, Melanie, I just can't help joking with my friends, but you're, you know, you're not just talented as a performer and a singer, but as a songwriter. And that's what touched me because I am obviously a writer. And what you do in some of these songs artistically, giving the perspective of different characters from the Christmas story in scripture, you know, it's just, It is a glorious idea. And so now, I guess I should ask you, if people want to get the album, Immanuel, I'm already confused. How do we spell Emmanuel?

It's 2Ms, 1L, 2Ls. Like, where do we get it? With an I, starts with an I. They can get it. The album's available on my website, Melaniepin.com. And really anywhere someone wants to listen to music. So Spotify, Apple Music, like any of the online platforms, they can find it there. And I promise you'll love it.

Emmanuel. No, I know they'll love it. All they have to do is go there. If they go there, they'll love it. Because trust me, everybody knows. Like, I'm cynical and heart-bitten. I don't like anything. So if I say I like something, trust me, folks.

You're talking quality. Melanie, I'm not just saying this because you're my friend. I wouldn't, you know I wouldn't do that. But you and I share a passion to bring excellence to, you know, Christian messages and things, not just to have it say, well, it's Christian, therefore you should listen to it, but that it reflects the beauty and the goodness and the truth of God. And I think that's why I get so excited about this stuff, because not everything does that. I'm not going to name names, but your stuff does that. And I know you have a vision as an artist that transcends just, you know, I'm trying to have a career or something.

You're on a mission. Yes. Yes, it's really important. I mean, sometimes what I love about the Christmas, what I love about the album, Emmanuel, and when I get to tour it every year, like I can't this year, obviously, because of COVID and the quarantine. But many people will go to a concert, but they won't go to a church service. So if during the Christmas season, someone walks into an Emmanuel concert, and many people do, they can hear the Christmas story for the first time. So that was kind of built into the vision of writing it. That happened to me last year.

I brought a friend who, you know, is not a very. not on the same theological page as we are, and he loved it. Oh, that's part of the magic of Christmas, is you can bring people and it's Christmas, and then they're like, oh, yeah, Jesus. Yeah, yeah, didn't think about that. Yeah, there's an openness, just the Christmas season. I mean, people will talk about Jesus during the Christmas season, and they wouldn't necessarily talk about or think about Jesus any other time during the year.

So it really is an opening to communicate with people. Okay, well, we're done with this segment. Melanie, we love you. It's Emmanuel with an eye, Melanie Penn. Folks, you got to check it out. You must. Thank you, Mother. So welcome back.

I get to talk to Melanie Penn, the recording artist, the singer-songwriter, Melanie Penn. And you get to listen. And Melanie, welcome back. Hello, Eric. It's so good to see you. Were you always this talented, or did you just switch your meds? at some point. No, I was

born this way. I was born this talented. It's a weight to bear, but somehow I do it. It is a weight to bear. And a lot of people hate you because you're talented and beautiful. They just hate your guts.

And it's just something you have to live with. I know. You just have to walk through life with this burden. It's true. I joke around, but as I was saying before, you really are committed to your art and you are really committed to your faith.

And you're one of these rare people. who is able to wed them in a way that I think speaks beyond the Christian world. And that's called evangelism, and I'm all for it. So I just want to ask you for our audience, how did you get into this? Like, where did you grow up and when did you begin to discover that this is what you wanted to do? That's a good question. The short version is I grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and I grew up singing, singing in church as a young child. and eventually I grew up and moved to New York,

and I did musical theater for a long time, and then I transitioned to writing songs. So I've had kind of a circuitous path in music, but the thing that I've always wanted to do is sing. And I think singers can sometimes reach into the human heart in a way that other people just can't, or for whatever reason someone will listen to the human singing voice when they won't necessarily listen to something else.

So I consider a great honor to be able to sing. It is a joy. As you know, in my Christmas special, I also sing. But, like, I didn't write the songs or anything. It's kind of goofy with Victoria Jackson and stuff. But you and I have sung together. Yeah, we've, like, sung hanging out in your apartment in New York. I don't know if people watching know that, like, we have jammed before.

Oh, totally, man. We've totally liked, man, we've rocked out. I want to talk to you about 2020, the most loathsome year in memory. This has been weird. You normally are in New York. Suzanne and I miss our friend Melanie because like you're now, like you're in COVID land where everybody like goes to their to their homeland for the census or something. And everybody's like where they started or with their parents or something like that.

But this has been a truly weird season for all of us. Have you been dealing with this? Well, for musicians, especially, it's been weird because live music really has been taken out of our culture completely. And, I mean, we know why. I mean, gathering all around has been taken out of our culture. But when I look back on the year, it actually really makes me sad because there aren't many things in the culture that, like, bring everyone together. I mean, think about it. In a normal year, you can go to a concert and be sitting next to someone who is nothing like you.

you, you know, isn't from the same place as you, doesn't look at the world the same way as you, but you can focus on the same thing and love it at the same time. So I regret that that common thread, those common threads of live music and the arts have been silenced this year. And again, like, we understand why, but I think... I don't. I don't understand why. I think it's a lot of garbage. Excuse me. This is my show. I think a lot of it is just ridiculous and it's a free country. and if people want to go someplace and catch the flu or not, whatever. Like, we have to be, you know, in a free country, you allow adults to take responsibility for themselves. So I think it's gotten out of hand, frankly.

I mean, I get it. But come on. So you, though, seriously, every Christmas, you do this big tour and it's amazing. And Suzanne and I go to several performances. And this year, you're not doing that. So you're forced to be on TV now. Yeah, I guess I've had my television debut. I actually have one Christmas concert in Houston, Texas.

So I like to joke around that it will be my best Christmas show, but also my worst, because it's the only one. And gosh, I just hope by this time next year we're a thriving society again and able to gather and sing together and celebrate together. So I am really just praying and hoping for that. And you know, Melanie, again, because it's my show, I get to embarrass you and say that you're a woman of profound faith. There are a lot of people that they're, you know, they say, well, I'm a Christian artist. I'm a Christian artist. But it's, you know, when you really get talking to them, you realize it was kind of like a cultural. Like they grew up in the church or something like that.

But for you, your faith really is central. And so I guess that's why your songs seem powerful to me, because. because they're not sort of just about Christmas, but they're coming, you know, from your soul. You write them, and they're beautiful. And I guess I want to remind people that they can get your album, Emmanuel. It's I-M-M-A.

That's right. Emmanuel with an I. And you can get Emmanuel or any of my albums, actually, on my website, Melanie. or anywhere that people like to listen to music, like Spotify, Apple Music, all the places. pen.com. Melanieepen.com. Melanieepen.com. I'll remember that. Since you're my friend, I'll remember Melanieepen.com. Melanie, you've done a lot of albums and a lot of music. If people want to see your music videos, or are they, like, on YouTube and stuff, or are you? Yeah. You put

my name in the search bar on YouTube and there's lots of goodies. Goodies there. So, while people are at home in quarantine, check me out on YouTube, find the songs, sing along. You've made some really fun music videos. Oh, I thought you think so. You know that I have like a fantasy on my bucket list. I want to sing like a duet with you at the Riemann. Oh, we got to do it. Surely we can make that happen.

No, no, no, we're going to make this happen. I want to say, I already told you this. A lot of times you look like Lynn Anderson, especially when you put your hair a certain way. And I thought she sang a duet with Johnny Cash, which now I'm forgetting the title of it. But it is so great. And I thought, oh, my gosh, we're going to sing that at the rhyme. That's my bucket list. You're speaking it into being.

I can go to glory right after that. Like, I don't even have to go into the wings. I'm just going to be translated right into glory. No, but really, it's just, it is fun to sing. And it's fun to sing with somebody who is. You know, you're living it. This is your life. You're writing songs.

You're putting out albums. And what's the name in the album that you did besides this Christmas one, the most recent album? Yeah, I released an album in September, and it's called More Alive, Volume 1. It's 10 songs that were really, they came out of 2020. They came out of the quarantine. And so. Listen, we have to go to a break. We're going to be right back with Melanie Penn.

Don't go away. I could show you how a carpenter... Melanie, your website is Melaniepen.com. And it's not com like C-A-L-M, right? It's like C-O-M. It is C-O-M. People need to write that down. Melanie-Pen.C-O-M.

Now, Melanie, the Christmas album is called Emmanuel with an eye. but the other album that you released, you released, I believe the word is released, in September. Now, what kind of an idea is that to release an album, like in the middle of COVID, like, you know, death quarantine? What is the story with that? Yeah, it felt a little risky for sure,

but I went ahead and released More Live, Volume 1, in September, primarily because the songs were written in the quarantine and I recorded them with my producer, Ben Shive, during the quarantine. We were able to socially distanced, make a great album. And I thought, I want to get these songs out to people while we're still going through, like, all the trauma and trial of this year and the COVID era. It's really songs written for people for this time. I think they'll live on beyond. But wait, more alive, volume one?

What's that all about? Is this like Kill Bill? What do you mean volume one? Well, I mean, there's a volume, too. There's going to be a volume, too. Multi-volume. But why did you, why don't, why did you know that in advance? Like, it's just funny to me.

What, like, what's the concept that you knew this is, like, officially volume one? I mean, it just felt right in the way that artists, you know, you have this too. Like, things just feel right. But the fact is, by the time, by the time this collection of songs was done, I had already started another batch of songs that really felt, birthed out of this time. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to release More Alive Volume 1 in September and Moralive Volume 2 is coming to everybody

in 2021. I'm sorry, what? Just kidding. I heard you. You're in my Christmas special on TBN, which I think is airing December 19th. They told me that they would air

it before that, but they lied to me. They broke my heart. But my faith is still strong. It's so fun. It's so fun. It is so much fun. But the fact that we got you to sing two songs, two songs, it is, I feel like it gave legitimacy to our kooky Christmas special. You gave, really. You gave legitimacy to me by inviting me to be on it. It was. No, you gave legitimacy. No, you. No, you. You. You. Um, But really, it's kind of, no, the Christmas special is so nuts because some of it is just like wacko humor. Like with me singing on the top of a double-decker bus. True. Lip-thinking to my own version of Elton John's step into Christmas on a double-decker bus. Like, did I make that up? No, it really happened.

And so there's all kinds of wacky stuff. And then we get serious and we have real professional musicians. Is that the word musicians? And you're one of them. And so it's great. What are the two songs that you do? I forgot. Yeah, I did, all things are possible.

It's a song that I wrote speaking from the perspective of the angel Gabriel, when the angel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary, all things are possible with God. So I sing that song. And then I think the first Noel, a rendition of the first Noel. Right, that's right. But all things are possible. I don't remember, I just remember how good. It goes like, all things are possible.

Possible. Yeah. Nothing's impossible. Yeah. Yeah. We need that song this year. Gosh, we need that song this year. I like the way you say, possible.

Possible. It's my favorite part of the song. Melanie, you're fun. I'm glad you're our friend. I'm glad this album, Emmanuel, is out, and everybody can get it everywhere, wherever fine tobacconists sell their tobacco.

Bacco products and on Spotify and everywhere and mostly at Melanie pen.com. Melanie, God bless you. Merry Christmas. God bless you, too. So good to see you.