In
1999, Margaret Becker went on a self-imposed, three-year sabbatical
of rediscovery. "After WHAT KIND OF LOVE, I had to take a
collective breath in every area of my life. "I was about
to turn 40 and I just thought, I have to take a breath and ask
myself what I want to do for the next 10, 20 years. Do I want
to use all my energy to focus on being an artist?"
Margaret
used this time off in very constructive ways, exploring other
areas of interest, that the Lord may want her to be involved with.
Instead of being on the road all the time, Margaret took time
to "invest in her friends and watch their families grow."
A group of her friends presented her with a dog, a golden retriever,
fulfilling her longed for wish to have a pet, which was something
she had to put on hold because of the life style required in being
on the road touring.
Becker
also wanted to do more writing. "Since I write out of my
personal experience, I had to HAVE some personal experience to
write from. As much as I love what I do, it is not who I am. Music
is not my identity. Being able to express - that's my identity."
Margaret
Becker used the time to write outside her comfort zone; co-writing
an entire children's series with a scriptwriter, acting as a guest
columnist for Campus Life Magazine, and writing articles for numerous
women's magazines. The editors at Harvest House, impressed by
her prose, approached her, with a curious question, "Do you
have a book in you?" Margaret had already been working on
some "real life essays about real life experiences."
This collection of essays soon became her first book, the poignant,
With New Eyes. Her
next book, Growing Up Together, a book featuring sibling stories,
was released in the summer of 2000.
During
this sabbatical, Margaret Becker also found herself involved in
composing/ song writing projects with other songwriters. Margaret
explains, "Since I was home, artists started coming out of
the woodwork saying, 'Hey, I heard you were writing a song with
someone. Would you write with me?' Before I knew it, I started
to get all these cuts on records. Again, that didn't happen much
when I was on the road."
Becker
also felt the strong pull to help other Christian music artists,
trying to improve their skills and their contacts in the business.
Margaret comments, "During that time, too, I realized I wanted
to be available to younger artists, to help mentor them to better
their skills. And it was like people started being highlighted
in my life, where I got a sense of, 'I need to invest in that
person.' All that takes time. You can't do that when you're on
the road."
At
the end of her sabbatical, she told Sparrow Records that she was
leaving. She said, "You've given me a great living. You gave
me my dream! But I think I have some new dreams."
After
leaving Sparrow Records on good terms, Margaret started working
on her new goals. "From there, I put a whole bunch of irons
in the fire, and I put out a whole bunch of fleeces. I just started
asking, So what would I do if I could do other things?"
Margaret
Becker found many activities to be involved with and people to
work with, signed with a new record company, Cross Driven Records
which allows her to record music the way she desires, and is happy
with the changes in her life style. She started a mentorship program
where she helps and mentors talented, promising artists, producing
albums to help promote their music.
On her future plans, Margaret Becker says this."I'm
still searching for what I'm supposed to be doing, but I do know
at this point I have a voice that's been granted to me that's
been granted to me that has more levity and authenticity than
it has in years prior. I need to use it wisely. I want to be a
good steward of that voice. That's my next challenge."
Margaret Becker's first studio release since WHAT KIND OF LOVE
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