Taunya Todd

possesses many skills and gifts that she uses to help women connect: songwriting, singing, fashion knowledge, and speaking abilities. The challenge for this multi-talented woman is to juggle her drive, gifting and calling while simultaneously living with a chronic and debilitating disease called Crohn’s.

Todd and her band friends recently recorded a group of songs. Five of which are her original work. "The music will be released this winter," Todd said. "It will be available on my website and also when I do speaking engagements and concerts. It started because people were always asking us for a CD. So we decided to make one!" Todd's original songs include Follow Me, Take it All, Picking up the Pieces, I'll Follow You Still, and Down the Road.

Follow Me

"This song is about where I came from, my history," Todd said. "It's about my dad and dancing. Dance partners used to compliment me when I danced and said I was a good follower. My dad taught me how to follow, not learn the exact dance step, but to follow him. You have to loosen up and keep your knees bent to be a good follower. My life is like that, too."

Todd grew up in Iowa and was involved in 4-H programs and rode horses. The 4-H programs involving sewing, designing clothing and modeling what she had sewn created a lifelong interest in fashion and color. "I learned a lot from 4-H. I learned life skills, connected to fashion, and public speaking. I went to state fair fashion shows and modeled what I had made."

Todd said, "Some of my friends invited me to go to church with them. Their friendships drew me in. At first it was social and just fun to be with friends and a few cute boys, plus I got to sing! The people at church were like another family for me." As Todd grew, her dreams to sing became more specific. She wanted to become a country singer. After high school Todd moved to N.W. Missouri State University wanting a de - gree in Fashion and Interior Design along with a minor in music. "My plan was to finish college and then go to Nashville. I'd moved from Iowa to Missouri. I'd just keep moving south."

Instead of her plans being fulfilled, Todd became overwhelmed by college and life. "I was over involved with everything! A real people pleaser. I'd do anything to feel accepted. I wanted to feel loved." Todd ended up taking a year off and moving back home where she worked at a Godfather's Pizza and began singing in clubs. "I could get into the clubs and bars at age 18, but I couldn't drink."

When one of the bands, Froggy Dawg & Roper, asked her to be their lead singer, she readily accepted. Todd traveled and sang full time for two years. She also joined another band, Marshall Star, where she sang and recorded a CD. "We had the White Horse Saloon booked in Nashville, a big dance show place," Todd said, "But at that same time I met my future husband, Steve. He didn't know if it would work for us to be married while I was on the road singing." With a lot of great bookings lined up and opening for many national acts, it proved a very difficult decision for Todd.

"I really wanted to sing, but it was a hard, immoral life on the road. Not what I expected. The guys in the band told me you had to ‘pay your dues.’ But in the end those ‘dues’ were too high and I told the band I was quitting. It was a tough decision I had to make." Todd moved to the FM area and she and Steve were married in 1997.

Take it All

"This song is a kind of apology, a confession song about how I had been living."

Todd became a mother in 2000 when her son Tyler was born. Three years later the couple had twins, Shane and Kaitlyn. "We had moved to Rollag, MN, and it was quite lonely. I joined a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in Fargo. I came in to MOPS feeling uneasy being in a group of women. While singing in the bars, friendships with women had been difficult. Female friendship felt more like competition; at least I perceived it that way. I saw women being in competition with or fake with each other. Not true friends."

At MOPS Todd began to grow in her understanding of relationships, friendships and being authentic. "I didn't want to live without true friendships. I didn't want other women to live like that either. I also began to recognize God's presence and began a new journey. I wanted to learn how to sit in the passenger seat and let God drive."

Picking up the Pieces

"This is my depression song. It's about falling apart and starting to get help."

With three small children at home and a husband who worked nights at the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Todd suffered with post partum depression and sleep deprivation. "I was sick a lot," Todd said. "My life was a vicious cycle. So much felt shattered and I had to find out how to put the pieces together. I also went to Valley Christian Counseling Center. Counseling gave me the tools I needed to help me make it through. It was hard, but Steve and I still clung to our vows through that dark time. We have learned a lot about encouragement and supporting each other since then."

As Todd began to see her life coming back together, she continued to write songs. "I write about life and what I go through in my songs."

One Fine Day

This is the name of the acoustic band that Todd currently sings in.

As Todd's life pieced back together, she moved into what she'd always dreamed of: being in a country band. She joined "Hill Country" and began playing live music. But again, her life caught up with her. "I was so overwhelmed. I was way too busy and didn't say no to anything. It all caught up with me, and I ended up in the hospital for eleven days with extreme