In the book of Leviticus, when God gave instructions about the duties of the High Priest, the Lord told Moses, "He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony."

This sacrifice – for the purpose of intercession – is known in the Hebrew as Pagá. Listening to many praise & worship songs sung today, one might think sacrifice is an easy thing. Our modern songs about sacrifices of praise are generally upbeat and joyful. But sacrifice is difficult and painful, and a true sacrifice of praise comes when praising is the last thing you want to do. When life itself is grueling, when getting up in the morning, taking that next step, taking that next breath, is itself a battle.

Singer/songwriter Kelly Willard knows what it is to offer a sacrifice of praise. People who were part of the "Jesus Movement" of the late '60s and early '70s know Kelly Willard's music. She was a featured soloist on over two dozen praise projects from Integrity, Vineyard Music and Maranatha! Music, including 16 of the Maranatha! Music Praise albums, which were precursors to the resurgence in popularity of worship albums today. She sang duets and background vocals with artists like Twila Paris, Steve Fry and the late Keith Green, and she cut nine of her own solo projects. So, why did Kelly walk away from a vibrant career and ministry? It was her commitment to family. "I couldn’t travel, be there for my marriage and children and be everything the public wanted me to be for them, as far as ministry,” Kelly states. "I was being pulled in too many different directions."

Caring for her family included caring for her mother, who suffered for 10 years with Alzheimer's. If that wasn't enough, it was during this time that Kelly was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Then in 2004, life quickly unraveled for Kelly. In less than one year, her marriage failed, both her parents died and her teenage daughter, Haylie Grace Willard, who also struggled with bipolar disorder, took her own life. Many people would give up after a year like this – and few would fault them – but Kelly never did. "The last two and a half years have been an uphill climb. The fact that I am alive and still functioning after my daughter took her own life says something."

Kelly leaned not only on the Lord, but she was blessed with loving friends. One in particular was Jamie Wellington, whom Kelly would later marry. "Jamie was my rock, and I leaned very hard upon him. He just did what the Lord told him, which was to love me and hold me. He did a perfect job of being there for me, and he still is." During all of this, Willard never stopped writing songs and released her new album, Pagá, on September 4, 2007 on Autumn Records. Despite what she has been through, her music shows no evidence of bitterness, no "Why me, Lord?" There is just a sense of leaning into and trusting the loving hand of God woven throughout her music. From start to finish, the arrangements on Pagá are simple and clear, yet never simplistic, much like the Gospel itself. Irish pipes, harps and strings accent the beauty of her pure, uncomplicated melodies. "A lot of my songs are a heartfelt cry to walk with Him through it all and experience some kind of joy, peace and comfort. For a closer walk with the Lord, for a sense of His presence," Kelly explains. She points to the prayer-song, Until I Am In Love With You: Cause me to thirst for You, Lord/ Cause me to hunger for Your Word/ Cause me to require you as my vital need/ until I am in Love with You.

Kelly admits that Charity has been one of her favorite songs for a long time. Written by Ken Gulliksen during the Jesus Movement, it is an adaptation of 1 Corinthians 13, with the heart of the scripture in the chorus: Jesus, reduce me to Love. The arrangement Kelly adopted for this song utilizes Celtic orchestration, complete with Irish pipes and harp, resulting in a haunting, evocative sound that is at once emotionally charged and spiritually soothing. The folk rocker, Take Up Your Bed and Walk, is a challenge to people who are down or whose relationship with God is stale to get up from that place and walk with Jesus again. Most artists have one song on their albums that has a special meaning to them and the worship song, Beautiful Jesus is that song on Pagá. "When I first heard this song written by Kalani Glegler, my knees gave out, and I went down on my knees in worship to the Lord," Kelly relates. However, Kelly’s love for this song goes beyond worship as her daughter Haylie sang with her on it. "Haylie sang the second verse and harmonized with me on the choruses. I can't listen to it yet, as her spirit is there in the song, but it is one of the most precious things."

Now, as a result of all she's been through, Willard feels called to minister and intercede for the brokenhearted. "Those are the people I can identify with the most," she relates. "I don't know what is going to happen, how the Lord will use this, but I am willing to share openly. I have nothing to hide."