Girlz4Christ: Our issue theme is “Going for the Goals”. What are some goals that the two of you have?

Becca: I have a daily goal of reading through the Bible, in a year, but daily step-by-step using the app “Bible In One Year”!
Elissa: One of my goals is to learn to cook more healthy, tasty meals. Some of the members in my family are picky eaters, so though it can be difficult I am up for the challenge!

2. What winter activities do you enjoy?

Becca: I love to take walks when it’s cold outside while sipping a warm drink!
Elissa: Same here. My favorite warm drink is hot tea, but I also really enjoy apple cider and hot chocolate during the Holidays! For me, I love Christmas shopping and making gifts for my family. I love to make ornaments using family photos.

3. What can we expect from you in 2018?

Becca: I’m having my first baby in March!
Elissa: Yeah, it’s amazing to be a mom now! That is a huge undertaking and it’s growing my heart so much. You can expect new songs to come from all of the new experiences that arise with having a family. We are also writing a new book for teen girls about the awesome identity we have in Christ. That has been so much fun as we dig deeper in the Bible for the truth about who we are. It’s been life-changing for me to understand that I am a daughter of the King. How loved we are by Him!

4. You’re both coworkers and sisters! What are the upsides and downsides to working with family?

Becca: There are tons of upsides. I know my family well, so our communication is strong and we can sense what each other is feeling. That helps so much when it comes to working with a team. Another upside is shared experiences, and seeing things from a similar perspective.
Elissa: We definitely love working together! Becca and I have very different personalities. I like to poke fun at how organized she is, because I’m not as good at keeping things straight, but our differences really do make us stronger together.

5. Who else is in your family?

Becca: My husband, my parents, nephews and brother-in-law!
Elissa: Our family has been growing! Now I have two little boys under the age of three.

6. What is your favorite song to perform?

Becca: Made To Shine – I love to hear the crowd sing this anthem and really take it to heart – you were made to shine His glory.
Elissa: Okay, I have to echo Becca because Made To Shine is my favorite song to perform as well. It’s the most amazing thing when the crowd joins in.

7. How have your lives changed since starting The Sonflowerz? Has this affected your music?

Becca: We started this band at a young age, and have since seen God do so many things through it. Taking us to places we never thought we’d go, and serving in various ways. Being open to what God has, and stepping out in faith, has made me more courageous and grounded at the same time.
Elissa: Like Becca said, the band has taken us so many places. El Salvador stands out to me as a favorite. We played our music for kids at Compassion International schools. As kids danced and sang, my life was impacted by such joy in the midst of poverty. I have been changed by the people we have met on the road-seeing people from all different walks of life that love Jesus!

8. Tell us something about your career that nobody told you about ahead of time.

Becca: It takes a lot of work that’s not glamorous! Hours of calling up people at venues and introducing myself, Long nights of traveling by car or plane… practicing songs again and again. But if you don’t practice, you won’t have the confidence to do it on a stage.

Elissa: Nobody told me that my passion would change again and again as I matured and grew as an artist. I started out wanting to sing songs that I had written, but that evolved into wanting to impact lives, which led me to speaking and even writing a book. My heart expanded in ways I didn’t know were possible when I first started out.

9. What does your writing process look like (for both books and music)?

Becca: For our book, we each wrote several chapters and let each other edit those chapters, which really helped refine the thought. It’s similar when writing a song. It starts with a lyric or melody, and develops from there as we discuss the theme that’s emerging. What do we want to say, above everything else?

10. Are there any particular Bible verses or stories that inspire you?

Becca: The book of Esther! Even though the name of God is never mentioned in this book, He is involved in the detail and work to save Israel. In a similar way, sometimes we can wonder where God is working in our lives. What is He doing? Does He see me? Yet, God has a purpose and is always working – sometimes behind the scenes.

I love that Esther came from a humble, ordinary upbringing with its own challenges (being an orphan), but she allowed God to use her. It’s not about what we can bring to God, but surrendering to Him. Esther was all in.

Elissa: I am inspired by 2 Timothy 1:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Often times I need to remember that God has given us power, love and a sound mind to accomplish His will. I’m not doing this Christian life on my own – I have His Spirit inside of me. When fear arises as I try to do something new, or face an obstacle, I must remember that He is greater. I don’t have to shrink back in timidity, but I can be bold.

Subscribe to Girlz4Christ digital magazine here.