[Brent]:  How do you continue to manage your relationship with Jesus with all the music venues and travel in your schedule?

[April]:  Well, I grew up in church. My Dad was the Assoc. Pastor at our church. This brought certain pressures as a pastor’s kid (PK) that other kids don’t experience. My walk with Jesus has gone through its highs and lows. I think most of us can relate to that at some level. I’ve really had to pause and focus in on God’s purpose for this vocal gift over the past two years after allowing myself to get lost in all the craziness that comes with building a music career. For me, journaling is what keeps me connected and growing with Jesus. I write what I’m feeling to God. I also speak to him throughout the day. Kind of my way of ‘praying without ceasing.’ Simply being out in nature reminds me to thank him. It reminds me of his creation and his endless goodness. 

[Brent]:  What is one of the most helpful pieces of life advice (outside of family) anyone has ever offered to you?

[April]:  Someone on my team once told me, “The person who will work hardest for you is yourself.” And I’ve really found this to be true. People in your personal and professional life will come and go. Some will disappoint and leave you with unfulfilled promises. So, I’ve come to fully rely on nobody other than God and myself.

[Brent]:  If you were to pass on to heaven tomorrow and all but one of your songs ceased to exist, which one would you want to remain for people to hear and why?

[April]:  Oh boy! Wow…I love this question. It’s a toss-up between a couple songs. I think ‘Perfectly Imperfect‘ has really helped a lot of people. I want to try to inspire, challenge, and encourage people. And I have a lot of young female listeners so I try to reach them the best I can.

[Brent]:  What does April Kry’s personal quiet time look like?

[April]:  I think all of us have high seasons and low seasons, right? Journaling is usually my go-to in my high season. Writing my feelings and questions is my form of prayer and connecting with God in a very personal way.

[Brent]:  We all experience constant hills and valleys, and the seasons in between. Regarding your most recent valley, can you describe how you weathered it? Prayer, scripture, wise counsel, music?

[April]:  I really got caught up in social media for a while. We compare ourselves to other artists online. I had to take a break from social media for roughly a week. This helped me get back to the core of why I’m doing this. I also volunteer for a not-for-profit called Musicians On Call, serving those in hospitals who can really use encouragement. This helped me get outside of my own head and reset my world filter. Social media is only a highlight reel of our lives, it’s not reality!

[Brent]:  What would you say is the single most challenging part for young country music artists to stay strong in their faith?

[April]:  That would be the enemy of comparison. Jealousy is not a good look!

[Brent]:  Looking back, if you could give 18 year old April any advice for the years ahead of her, what would it be?

[April]:  Enjoy the ride. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Don’t compromise on who you are. Don’t forget why you are doing this.

[Brent]:   Do you have any personal boundaries for accountability with so much available to you in the industry?

[April]:  It’s difficult to navigate that. Now that I’m married, I put my marriage first even before my music. Jeremy tries to travel with me as much as possible. We have a huge element of trust. The biggest real key is communication. I feel like boundaries will develop over time the longer we are married.

We talked faith and life challenges for about an hour. I found April to be a soft-spirited, compassionate, and insightful young lady. She’s also incredibly authentic. We had not officially ever met before, outside of Instagram. And yet she seemed to not have a problem sharing about her own spiritual journey (the highs and lows) for the readers of this blog.

April and her husband, Jeremy, will celebrate their first wedding Anniversary this coming September. If you’re in the habit of prayer, consider praying for them. If you’ve been married for any length of time like me, you know that marriage is not always a walk in the park. And I would imagine working in the music industry can bring challenges of its own as well.

BONUS INFO / You heard it first right hear on LeadRight, folks. April Kry will be touring seven cities in Switzerland soon! Continue checking her official website for a full list of locations, dates, and ticket information.

April Kry is most active today on Instagram, but you can also connect with her music on Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to give her a listen.

Comment below if you are enjoying this ‘Faith and Entertainment’ series. Next week, I’ll be talking with Lucas Hoge!