If you look up "All American Girl" in the dictionary, chances are the definition will be accompanied by a picture of Sommer Floyd. Growing up in the Texas Hill Country, Sommer was an honor roll student, gifted athlete, beauty queen, and genuinely nice person. Voted "Class Favorite" and "Most Talented" by her high school classmates, she was the quintessential cheerleader, earning four individual high school All American designations, and three "All Star" team National Championships. Attending college on a cheerleading scholarship, Sommer was designated a college All American as a freshman, an almost unheard of accomplishment. She ran on the varsity track team, played tennis, showed livestock, participated in rodeos, earned her Deep Sea Diving certification...

Oh, and she is a singer/songwriter.

While Sommer certainly has all the credentials for the All American that she became, she is also 100 percent human. And she is the first to admit, in addition to all the accolades, she has made her share of mistakes.

"As a teenage girl, I made some poor choices that changed my life's direction dramatically," she confesses. One of those choices resulted in Sommer becoming a single mother at a young age. Broken-hearted and at the lowest point of her life, Sommer returned home to her loving, supportive family. She began to dig deep into God's faithfulness, and discovered a fountain of acceptance and blessings she never expected. 

"Heidi is the greatest blessing I could have ever received," Sommer declares. "God knew exactly what I needed when He allowed me to be her mother. I had to let go of my own selfishness and learn to love unconditionally, while choosing smarter paths for the both of us. Heidi brings so much laughter and joy to my life. Heidi is my constant reminder of how God can create something so beautiful out of brokenness."

As Sommer reconnected with the God of her youth, songs began to pour forth. Already a skilled vocalist, she honed her songwriting craft by pressing into music theory classes with Phil Holt, the retired worship leader at Hill Country Fellowship. "Putting my brokenness on paper helped to get me through the hard times," she says, "and the lyrics started to turn into worship."

When God turned Sommer's brokenness into restoration and worship, it resonated strongly throughout her community, opening doors for her to share her music and lead worship at churches and charity events throughout the Texas Hill Country. But the music didn't stop there. Her fetching vocals, ear-pleasing melodies and spiritually mature lyrics caught the ear of multi-Dove Award winning producer, Steven V. Taylor (Michael W. Smith, Matt Redman, Veggie Tales), and Sommer soon found herself in Franklin, Tennessee with some of Nashville's finest musicians, recording her debut CD at the legendary Dark Horse Studios.

While Sommer is ready to embrace a fresh season of ministry, including opportunities for extensive concert touring in support of her new CD, she recalls her initial resistance to the whole concept of being a worship artist. "The songs were flowing so easily, and I felt like God was telling me that He wanted to use my music," she remembers. "I kept pushing that notion away. I didn't feel like I was good enough. I wasn't your typical worship leader. I was a single mom. But I had a love for broken people, especially sick and hurting children. I argued with God. I prayed, 'If music is what you want me to do, make it loud and clear.  God gave me His answer that very morning to put in my 2 weeks' notice at work and make the decision to pursue my music whole-heartedly.  God has stayed constant in providing and pouring out His favor, showing me that music and my testimony, is all a part of His greater plan.