Anybody who's ever gone through a hard time - any outsider's perception, no matter how much information they're given, they have no idea what the person's life is like.
But my experience is that people who have been through painful, difficult times are filled with compassion.
But none of us, face-to-face with a wounded human being, often chooses to be cruel. Do I think I've been the emotional pinata at a few parties? Maybe, but they were never parties that I was invited to.
But now it's kind of a given that a 15-year-old would have a record deal and sell a quarter of a million records. No one's expecting her to answer any deep theological questions. And I'll tell you, I was asked some deep theological questions from the git-go.
But to make a holiday record that involves favorite American songs and then also get to sing about Jesus birth, it just seemed like a real easy, subtle way to combine a couple of things that I love.
Come Christmas Eve, we usually go to my mom and dad's. Everybody brings one gift and then we play that game when we all steal it from each other. Some are really cool, others are useful and some are a bit out there.
Depending on what day of the week it is and what time of the month it is, I'm a good friend or not a good friend. I'm more or less a good mom or not a good mom, more or less a good mate or not a good mate. That's just life, whether or not you're public.
Do I think all contemporary Christian music is good? No.
Every good relationship, especially marriage, is based on respect. If it's not based on respect, nothing that appears to be good will last very long.
Everybody's entitled to think whatever they want and to express that, but my personal day-to-day experience does not come into contact with any of those people.
For me, the backdrop of half the experiences of life includes music.
I can look at the future with anticipation. And it's comforting to know that someday, as Christians, we'll be able to look back and have a little more clarity on why certain things in life happened.
I can look back at different times in my life when I felt I could not find my way out of whatever it was. I'm not necessarily talking about marriage, but I wanted to pack it in. I wanted to disappear. A lot of that has to do with being in the public eye.
I did the best I could, and in some arenas, my best was not good enough. I've made some bad choices.
I feel a part of the congregation. I've never had to do special music. The kids sing in the choir. It's just normal. We're treated like everybody else.
I had the great advantage of a mother who used to tell me the most beautiful years of a woman's life are ages 35 to 45.
I just think people should find the music that helps them through the day and enjoy that. I've never felt like, if somebody does or doesn't like what I'm doing, it's a morality issue.
I know how it feels to go into a studio to start a record, and eight weeks later it's finished. I know how an intense schedule feels.
I love being with my children. They're fascinating people.
I think for a woman, the hardest thing about growing old is becoming invisible. There's something very front and center about being young.
I think that if my kids are completely convinced of God's unfailing love for them, whether they fail or not, they'll have confidence to persevere in life.
I was taught a lot of Bible at home and had a voracious appetite for reading the Bible.
I'm frustrated by something, it's my fault for exposing myself to it in the first place. The rumor mill always seemed like a grass fire to me. Why walk out in the middle of the field, it's just going to flame out and go away just like everything else does?
I'm not anxious to be anywhere other than where I am right now.
I've found that music allows years to fold like an accordion over each other, so I guess you don't feel the passage of time as much.
If you went to your closet today, would you pull out the same outfit you wore 10 or 15 years ago? You wear feelings and faith differently as well.
In the past, when I'd recorded during a break in a tour, it was so easy to sing, because I felt strong. Also, like so many new mothers, I wasn't getting a lot of sleep, and sleeping is such a huge part of being able to sing.
It's human nature to be curious about people, and to be more curious about young people than old people. We want to cheer something on at the same time we want to tear it down. That's just so normal.
Life goes by really fast, and it seems that there are times when you're burying a lot of friends and family. And then there are times that feel really precious and everybody is doing okay. This is one of those times.
Since I travel so much, it's always great to be home. There's nothing like getting to raid my own refrigerator at two in the morning.
The fact of the matter is, when I'm on tour, I'm juggling so hard to keep all the balls in the air that I don't often get to really enjoy what I'm out there doing.
The hard times are several years behind me now. This is probably the most peaceful stretch of life I've known as an adult.
The people I've been exposed to have been people of amazing integrity.
The world my children are growing up in is so much more sophisticated and exposed - emotionally, intellectually, sexually.
There's a beauty to wisdom and experience that cannot be faked. It's impossible to be mature without having lived.
To me, the human experience does involve a great deal of anguish. It's joyful, but it's bittersweet. I just think that's life.
Without black, no color has any depth. But if you mix black with everything, suddenly there's shadow - no, not just shadow, but fullness. You've got to be willing to mix black into your palette if you want to create something that's real.
You do your best, you do all this stuff, but the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
You have to treat people gently because we're all in a process. What might seem like a good idea to somebody at 21 is probably not going to seem like a good idea at 50, but you don't know that until you get there.
Amy was on Headin' Home for the Holidays: in 1986 as Herself ... aka Amy Grant's Old Fashioned Christmas .
Amy was on CMT Greatest Moments: Dolly Parton: in 2006 as Herself.
Amy was on Snowden on Ice: in 1997 (TV) voice.
Amy was on Intimate Portrait: Amy Grant: in 2004 (TV).
Amy was in On the Farm: The Prodigal Pig: in (2005) (V) (voice)of .... Jenny.
Amy was in the film Lost: A Sheep Story: in 2006
Amy Grant Building the House of Love: 1994 (TV) (songs "Helping Hand", "Children of the World", "Love Has a Hold on Me", "Lucky One" and "Say You'll Be Mine").
Amy was on the soundtrack The Karate Kid, Part II: in 1986.
Amy was on the soundtrack A Moment in Time: in 1988.
Amy was on the show "Beavis and Butt-Head: in 1993.
Amy was on the soundtrack Mr. Wrong in 1996.
Amy was in the movie Half a Dozen Babies: in 1999.
Amy was in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith: in 2005.
Amy's Age To Age video came out in 1984.
Amy's House of Love video came out in 1994.
A 2002 episode of the sitcom "Still Standing" (titled "Still Reading") references Amy Grant.
The cover for the comic book Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #15 (March 1990) featured an unauthorized image of Grant, leading to a lawsuit against publisher Marvel Comics ("Amy Grant Sues Marvel" The Comics Journal, No. 136, July 1990.
The 2004 film, "Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle" features "Baby Baby" as part of its diegetic soundtrack.
The Young Fresh Fellows wrote a comical song about the singer titled "Amy Grant", which went #1 on College Radio and remains The Young Fresh Fellows' biggest hit.
Grant has also released a CD, Time Again in 2006.
Grant has been a spokesperson for Target and Land O'Lakes Butter, among others.
Hollywood often recognizes Grant's exceptional philanthropy.
In 1999, CBS aired a primetime Christmas special starring Grant, entitled "Amy Grant: A Christmas To Remember". Artists Tony Bennett, 98 Degrees, and CeCe Winans also appeared to perform with Grant.
Grant's managers reportedly turned down an offer for Grant to play the female lead in a 1990s Tom Hanks film (rumored to be "Sleepless in Seattle").
In 2005, Grant released one of the first and most popular iTunes Originals albums.
Grant was the first Christian music artist to have a #1 pop song, the first to sell a Platinum record, the first to perform live at the Grammys, and the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
A platform at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center is named in her honor. Amy raised and/or donated one million US dollars to support the center in Nashville, TN.
MercyMe's "I Can Only Imagine" was originally written for Grant, who revised the lyrics and recorded it as "Imagine". Grant decided to delay her release of the song (which later appeared on "Legacy...Hymns and Faith") to allow MercyMe to release it as their own single.
Michael W. Smith and MercyMe are among the artists who credit Amy at least in part for helping to launch their careers.
Amy's Genre(s) of music are Christian, pop, Adult contemporary.
Amy was on A&M label from 1985–2004.
Amy was on the Myrrh label from 1977–1997.
The song Grown-Up Christmas List, did not chart in 1992.
The song Good For Me was # 8 in the U.S. Hot 100charts, was # 4 in the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts, and # 60 in the U.K. Top 75 charts in 1992.
The song Every Heartbeat was # 2 in the U.S. Hot 100 charts, was #2 in the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts, and # 25 in the U.K. Top 75 charts , in 1991.
The song 1974 We Were Young was # 34 In the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart, in 1988.
The song Saved by Love , was # 32 in the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart in 1988.
The song Stay For Awhile was # 18 in the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts in 1986.
The song Find a Way, was # 29 in the U.S. Hot 100, and # 7 in the U.S. Adult Contemporary in 1985.
The album Greatest Hits 1986-2004 came out October 12, 2004.On the Christian chart it went #3,on the Pop chart it went #48; and on the Internet chart it went #48.
The album Her Greatest Inspirational Songs came out March 19, 2002.On the Christian charts it went #37.
The album Time Again...Amy Grant Live came out September 26, 2006.On the Christian charts it went #6, On the Pop charts it went # 87.
The album Amy Grant In Concert came out May 29, 1981.On the Christian chart it went #38.
The album Simple Things came out August 19, 2003.On the Christian chart it went #1, on the Pop chart it went #23.
The album A Christmas To Remember came out in 1999.On the Christian chart it went #1, on the Pop chart it went #36.And RIAA Certification it Gold.
The album House Of Love came out August 26, 1994. On the Christian chart in went #1, on the Pop chart it went #13. And RIAA Certification it 2x Platinum.
The album Heart In Motion came out March 5, 1991.On the Christian chart in went #1, on the Pop chart it went #10. And RIAA Certification: 5x Platinum
The album Unguarded came out May 15,1985. On the Christian chart in went #1, on the Pop chart in went #35. And RIAA Certification it Platinum.
The album A Christmas Album came out September 27, 1983. On the Christian charts it went #9, and RIAA Certification it Platinum.
The album Never Alone came out in 1980.
The album Amy Grant came out in 1977.
Amy is the first Christian music artist, to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Amy gave birth to Corrina Grant Gill, on March 12, 2001.
Amy Grant is The first lady of Contemporary Christian music.
Amy Grant was the first Christian recording artist to have a record reach platinum status (meaning 1 million copies were sold). This happened in 1982 with her AGE TO AGE record.
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