Mary Brizard

Biography

At the early age of 12, Mary became intrigued with the guitar. There was an old, warped guitar in her attic previously abandoned, but newly embraced by her. Falling in love with the music her guitar could create, she began writing songs at 13. Over the next few years, her love and passion for music and her guitar grew. By 14, her family moved to London, England. After graduating, she had the privilege of working with Common Stock Theatre in the evenings. Not only was she asked to compose music for the touring company and play the guitar in their band, but she also had the opportunity to learn about theatre from the ground up learning everything from lights to sound to being the stage manager. During the day, she worked at Hammersmith Community Theatre where they primarily developed workshops in music, drama and the arts and then took these workshops to hospitals, schools, shelters and day care centers once again using her guitar skills.

In 1987, Mary moved back to the USA residing on the East Coast. Still feeling drawn to music, she used her writing and guitar playing skills at such places as The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Newport Cabaret Theatre and Cable Car Theatre. But as the years went on, her health started deteriorating until finally her doctor said there was nothing more he could do for her. She was discontent with her life, with where she lived, with what she was doing and even with herself.

Mary started working at a health food store. As she worked there, she had many conversations with one of the owners. She heard about other people discontent with their lives and how they’d realized they had not be living their lives pleasing in the sight of the Lord. This was a new concept to Mary. She’d never been able to understand anything the Bible was trying to teach before. Going home that day, Mary found a Bible and prayed for the Lord to forgive her of her sins. “For the first time I could read and understand what the words in the Bible meant. I felt like I was finally standing on solid ground!”

Mary’s conversion wasn’t just words. It was also action. She felt she needed to give up everything in order to follow Christ – all of her belongings, her apartment, her dreams, and yes, even her guitar. But she had hope…Hope that the one, true God who could put her feet on solid ground would actually make something out of her life. Mary immersed herself in ministry. She started working for Daniel Chapter One Ministries in various capacities. She started working with the disabled and with court-appointed youth cases. Here she learned to live a life of faith, worship and obedience to the Lord's will. The Lord brought back her passion and gift of music and she’s used it on worship teams and coffeehouses playing for His glory. Over the years as Mary has been lifting up His name with her music, she has slowly been garnering some notice. In 2010, four of her songs were up for Grammy ballot nomination. Her song, “Habakkuk” was in the Top 20 on Arise Radio.

Mary continues to honor God through her music participating on her home church Worship Team playing acoustic and electric guitars as well as mandolin. She loves taking her music wherever she can from coffeehouses to churches telling others about the faithfulness of the Lord. She doesn’t know what the future holds, but she knows the same God that saved her from a life of sin, is the same God who will continue to keep her on solid ground.