In Summary
Laura Breece is a Christian recording artist, songwriter, and worship leader who is passionate about abiding in Christ and walking alongside others in that same journey. She often writes melodies for Bible verses as a way to hear, read, study, meditate on, memorize, pray, and sing God’s Word—rhythms of faith that she regularly leads others in practicing together as the body of Christ.

Where It All Began
Born in Philadelphia then raised in the suburbs, I began singing and writing little songs on the playground as a child. I started piano lessons before I learned to read and was basically a music nerd throughout my schooling and church ministry—singing, clarinet, piano, handbells, musical theater, and later guitar. Music was in my blood, so to speak. Our lives were constantly filled with it—whether it was my mom singing at church or around the house, her mom playing violin in a professional orchestra, or my dad filling our home, church, and many weddings with organ and piano. His dad played those too, as well as sax and clarinet in a jazz band, encouraging my dad to take up clarinet in his younger years.

A Missionary to Africa?
As a teen, my heart’s desire was to become a missionary nurse. Later, my husband, Michael Breece, and I planned to be missionaries together—possibly in Africa. He earned his master's degree and teaching certification so he could teach English as a second language (preparing for the field) while I finished high school (Michael is six years older). We were married the fall after I graduated in 1996. I worked for my dad at the business he started in the 1970s, while my husband began teaching at Edison Technical High School in North Philadelphia. Church ministry and music were still constants in my life.

Children of Light Album, 1999
I got to know Bob Shennett, a member of our church, Crossing Community Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania. We and our spouses began meeting regularly to write music and prepare for ministering with our songs on Sunday mornings and wherever else God led us. Eventually, in 1999, the songs became the project Children of Light. We called ourselves “Stand”—the support Christians can give each other to shine as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16).

My Children & Mission Field Change
In 1997 and 1998, our two sons, Jeremy and Nathan, were born. One morning, when Jeremy was nine months old,  he wasn’t quite his usual active, happy self. Long story short, Jeremy was diagnosed with a brain tumor and was paralyzed on the right side of his body. This began our journey into the medical world. It was as if God said, “I am not sending you to Africa to be a nurse. I am sending you right here to Philadelphia and surrounding areas. You will be my mouthpiece and encouragement in many waiting rooms, doctor and therapy offices, with medical staff, other parents, and many others.” And so, by God’s grace, it was.

As a side note, I need to share one miracle God worked. They had waited to do surgery on the lesion in Jeremy’s brain. At a follow-up appointment, the neurosurgeon looked at the MRI films with astonishment and said the tumor was gone! “I’m glad I didn’t do surgery!” he exclaimed. We were too! Since then, Jeremy has had other episodes of seizures and paralysis, but God has been gracious, giving continual healing and recovery. We didn’t know if he would ever walk, run, jump, or play and though he struggles daily with some fine motor skills and sensory issues, he has surpassed all our hopes and now lives an active life as a missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship. God be praised!

Our son Nathan has taken over the family business I mentioned earlier—America Insurance Agency, currently located in Newtown and Langhorne, Pennsylvania. He is the husband to our beautiful daughter-in-law, Rachael, and father to our precious grandchildren. Nathan is highly involved in numerous local organizations including our church worship team where he sings and plays guitar, piano and cajon (I love it when we get to be on the schedule together!).

Freedom Walkers Album, 2008
We had an effervescent season of years when Michael led worship at our church and I was by his side. We led a small group, were involved in student ministry, directed a couple musicals for a local middle school, and I led worship and student worship teams for chapel services at Calvary Christian School, where our boys attended. The songs from this album came from deep relationships during these years and from profound growth in abiding in God’s Word. The song “Free” came out of learning how not to live as a victim while dealing with sexual abuse as a child, learning to trust God more and more, learning to trust others in Christ in a healthy way, and learning not to walk in self-condemnation—but rather to walk in the freedom of Christ, to be a Freedom Walker.

Abide
Singing and songwriting have been a solace through trials and an outlet to share my heart and the joys of how God has carried me. These days, my heart is drawn to putting Scripture to melody to savor God’s Word, as well as to meditate, pray, and memorize (I pray my blog will help foster this). It’s one of my favorite things. I’ve dealt with chronic illness since my early twenties (which is why I haven’t recorded professionally for years at a time). I have a terrible memory and battle brain fog frequently. But these songs have helped hold me together in His Word . . . to abide.