In considering how to write about this journey, I simply could not write it any other way but straight from my heart. I figure who to tell the story best but the little girl from Southwest Virginia who’s lived it. God has been so good to me and I just want to share it with the whole world!

I began this journey in the summer month of August on the 27th day in 1981. Born to the precious parents of William and Betty Greene in the small town of Riner Virginia; a truly great place to live and grow up. I graduated from Auburn High School in 1999 at the top of my class! Just kidding, but I thought it sounded good anyway! I must admit I was quite the social lite and enjoyed most of my school career in cheerleading and of course Swing Choir. So really that’s where the singing comes in to play. It started in my early years of school and in church. I know you’ve heard that said so many times, “I began singing in church”, but it’s true! I really did. I’m thankful for people who pushed me very early on to get in front of large groups so that way stage fright would not be an issue in the future!

When I graduated from High School, I wanted to pursue the whole “singing” thing, but it just was not practical. I needed to continue my education. So I enrolled at a local community college in general studies because I really did not know what I wanted to do. All that I really knew was that I wanted to become a professional singer but, of course, they were not offering courses at the college on “How to become an overnight sensation”. I plugged along with school for a bit but it really was not my thing. So I decided to take that big move to Nashville TN! Woo Hoo! Okay, so that really didn’t work out either. I got home sick and weathered that storm for only about 10 months. I came crying home to Mom and Dad and said I can’t do this, I miss everyone WAY TOO MUCH! (Really it wasn’t about me, God just had different plans, and it just wasn’t His timing)

Six years later I’m sitting at my kitchen table writing out Christmas Cards when I get a call from Nashville to try this thing again. I was like, ‘Lord, if then wasn’t the time, then now is for sure not the time; I’m married and have a 3 year old. I couldn’t possibly pursue this again’. But He guided, directed and opened doors like I NEVER could have imagined. All those doors had been slammed 6 years earlier, but now was the time.

So here I am, after a lifelong dream of wanting to pursue a music career. The Lord has allowed me to not only do just one CD, but two; a gospel project and a country project. Quite frankly, I’m believing without a doubt that both projects will be a blessing to people b/c of the fabulous songs that are on there. I have not written even one of the songs, but have been so blessed to record them, and every single song I can proudly say has a ‘lot of meat’ in them.

That’s 27 years in a nutshell! I am a happy wife, mother, daughter, granddaughter and sister and couldn’t be happier with where the Lord has brought me. If the journey ended today, I’d still feel like the most blessed person in the world! Hope you enjoy a little peace from Abi Green Bean. (That’s an inside joke that as you get to know me, I’ll share with the world)!!

God Bless,
Abi Greene Lester