For husband-and-wife duo Alabaster Grace, music has become part of a much broader calling encompassing education, faith and science, preaching, and pastoral ministry. Brad and Joanie share how God brought their contrasting professional backgrounds together, how they navigate marriage and music, and how personal uncertainty inspired "You Are Faithful." They also speak candidly about unanswered prayers, the pressures Christian artists face, and the conviction that keeps them moving forward in ministry.
Q: Joanie and Brad, you come from fascinatingly different professional backgrounds-Brad as a former NASA rocket scientist and Joanie as an educator. How did the two of you make the journey from those careers into creating Christian music together, and when did you realize Alabaster Grace was becoming a ministry rather than simply a musical project?
Brad: We do indeed have very different backgrounds that we are using in serving God by sharing the gospel through teaching and song, drawing them closer to Jesus Christ. When God brought us together in 2012, we had no idea of His inclusive plan for us to serve Him as we are doing today. At first, we focused only on the music He gave us. But as we faithfully served Him in our music ministry, He progressively showed us that His plan also includes teaching, and specifically a focus on faith and science that draws on my NASA background as an engineer and scientist.
Joanie: This expansion of Alabaster Grace's service began in 2019 with Brad's lay preaching, and after his ordination in 2021, it expanded to include pulpit supply preaching. In 2024, Brad was called to serve as the associate pastor at Historic White Marsh Church, and after the pastor retired later that year, as the pastor. God calls all believers to faithfully step forward in serving Him, even when we cannot see the whole plan, and this is certainly true for Alabaster Grace. His plans are always superior to our plans, as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:28,"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."
Brad: Our ministry is all about using the complementary talents that God has given us to glorify Him. God has continually shown us how to serve Him by combining Joanie's teaching career with my science and engineering career. We are excited to see where He will lead us in the future as we embrace the opportunities He gives us to serve and expand His kingdom on earth.
Q: Being married and making music together can be both rewarding and challenging. How do you navigate disagreements over lyrics, arrangements, or ministry decisions, and what have you learned about each other through creating music together?
Brad: We serve God as a married couple, and in doing so, we strive to look beyond ourselves and work together as the married couple He created us to be. In doing this, we recognize that we each have unique skills and experience to bring to Alabaster Grace. We look to serve God by combining our individual perspectives and allowing God to show us the path forward that He has established for us-loving and trusting God to work His Romans 8:28 promise through our ministry.
Joanie: When we are working together on a new song, our ideas are going to be different. Still, it's amazing to see how God can bring our ideas together to form a beautiful masterpiece inspired by Him!
Q: "You Are Faithful" emerged from a season of personal difficulty and prayer. Without sharing anything you would rather keep private, what were some of the challenges behind the song, and were there moments when trusting in God's faithfulness was especially difficult for you?
Joanie: I first received this song, melody, and words before I met Brad. It was during a time of uncertainty when life was difficult. What began as a personal cry to God, "You Are Faithful," became an anthem of God's people trusting Him through the journey of faith. The apostle Paul's perspective on the Christian walk influenced this song-we are in a constant spiritual battle, especially in these last days, and God calls us to walk in faith, even knowing we will encounter trials-but He is faithful!
Q: The song declares, "You are faithful / You are wonderful / You are God." It is easy to sing about God's faithfulness after a breakthrough, but much harder while you are still waiting for one. How has your understanding of God's faithfulness changed through seasons when prayers were not answered in the way or timing you hoped?
Brad: When facing a difficult situation, we try to let go and let God lead us forward. In doing so, He shows us the path He has designed for us, and it is always superior to our own. He brings beauty out of ashes, victory out of defeat, always teaching us to trust Him in every circumstance, even when the path forward may not be clearly defined.
Joanie: It's always interesting seeing God working His faithfulness in our lives. Sometimes the best way to learn to trust God and His promises is through the difficulties we experience. The more we learn to trust Him, the more faith He gives us. When the difficulties arise, and they will, we can build upon the faithfulness He has shown us in the past, trusting Him every step of the way.
Q: Christian artists often face pressures that listeners never see-financial challenges, closed doors, disappointments, comparison, and the difficulty of balancing ministry with everyday life. What has been the hardest part of the Alabaster Grace journey so far, and what has kept the two of you moving forward when it might have been easier to stop?
Brad: Our biggest struggle this far has been managing our time efficiently to accomplish everything God is calling us to do in serving Him. In addition to the music ministry and all its demands, we have expanded Alabaster Grace Ministries to include teaching on faith and science-seeing God in science-and serving as the pastoral team at our church, with me moving forward with his Doctor of Ministry studies in theology and apologetics.
Both: It's a full plate, but God shows us, step by step, how we are to embrace and accomplish everything inclusively. It's an exciting and very busy time in our lives, as we look to serve God faithfully in everything He is giving us to do. Our goal is to reach as many people as possible with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The music God gives us touches individuals in ways words alone cannot, drawing them closer to Christ and His plan for their lives. And we won't stop until He tells us our mission is complete. To God be all the glory!
Watch the Lyric Video (full length):
Listen to the Radio Version of the song:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0Npes77axQCYQmqhFjT38B
Connect with Alabaster Grace:
https://alabastergraceministries.org/
https://www.facebook.com/alabastergraceministries/
https://www.instagram.com/alabaster_grace_ministries
![At The Meeting (Live) [Official Lyric Video] --- Kelontae Gavin](https://jubileecast-29b4.kxcdn.com/data/videos/thumbnail/1227/at-the-meeting-live-official-lyric-video-kelontae-gavin.jpg?w=436&h=265&l=50&t=10)
