When I was a kid, I used to love seeing fancy tour buses driving by on the highway. I'm talking about custom ones, airbrushed on the side with the names of famous singers: "Dolly Parton." "Loretta Lynn." My sister and I used to wonder what kind of luxuries they had in there. Watching from our vinyl, fold-down seats, we sort of envied them, while we fought over the Fritos.

    So when I got the chance to interview Denise Jones of the hit vocal group Point of Grace, I couldn't resist asking what life was like inside the tour bus. I was expecting to hear that, actually, life on the road is more exhausting than fans could ever imagine—waking up in a different city every morning, dragging two young sons from hotel to hotel, and having just minutes a day for calls to her husband.

    Instead, Denise surprised me. She said life on the bus can actually seem easier than a normal routine. "Home to me is a lot harder a lot of the time."

    During the tour, the Point of Grace ladies and their entourage follow a strict schedule dictated by their show calendar. They eat breakfast on the bus; other meals are often catered. While Denise doesn't have much free time on tour, she doesn't have quite so much to juggle, either. "I'm not doing laundry while I'm out there!" she laughed.

    Back home, though, there's lots of behind-the-scenes work for the band and their Girls of Grace conferences—interviews, meetings, logistics—besides day-to-day family responsibilities.

    A Point of Grace member's life has to be stressful. But by all accounts, Denise handles responsibilities both at home and on tour with a great deal of, well, grace. I asked how she does it. Hemming and hawing, she claimed she wasn't always as together as she seems, but she finally shared a few secrets.

1. Realize God Calls Us Each to Our Own Gifts. Denise tries to remember God hasn't called her to do everything. She admits if left to her own devices, she would agree to too many projects out of guilt. Therefore, she reminds herself that God has a customized plan for each of us and wants us to "stay alert to know where He's moving us . . . You can't do that if you don't spend time with Him." And before taking on any new project, she asks Him,
"Is this something You want me to do?"

2. Spend Time in Prayer and Study. As a child, Denise didn't fully understand why her mother read Scripture daily. Now she does. She says, "The more time I spend with Him, the more I miss it when I don't have time with Him." Her advice? Since God is the one who really helps us set priorities, seek Him first.

3. Honor Your Husband. Denise puts her relationship with her husband second only to her relationship with God. She says that "if your relationship with your husband is right, your kids feel secure." And if it isn't, they'll sense it. She and her husband try to have a date—even if it's just lunch alone together—at least once a week.

4. Seek Christian Counsel. The Lord calls us to surround ourselves with godly associates. Friends from her Tuesday Bible study help Denise stay focused on God. "Those women hold me accountable to what's really important to me," she says.

5. Persevere. Keep the faith—it's that simple. Maybe you're a preacher's wife or a school board president. Perhaps a relative is sick, or your family runs a small business. It might be that you're widowed or divorced, supporting children alone. Or possibly you're single, trying to balance work, church, and a social life. All of us, as women, sometimes feel taxed by our many obligations.

    I understand why Denise says that life on the road is sometimes less stressful. Wouldn't it be great to be a Point of Grace girl and have your own tour bus with a driver, catered meals, TVs, and a set itinerary?

    But in a way, we are all passengers in a fabulous vehicle with "Point of Grace" airbrushed on the side. After all, isn't the point of grace that, though we don't deserve it, Christ came to save us? When we go with Him, He provides us with protection, just as God taught Noah to build His ark.

    The Lord promises to guide our steps. He gives us family and friends and provides us with food, clothing, and a roof over our heads. He is moving us forward according to His plan. As long as we trust Him, we are His travelers, riding shotgun beside Him, carried in his everlasting arms.

    Whether Denise Jones is on the road or at home, she's following Christ. She says, "The older I get, the more I realize how much I need the Lord every day of my life."

—Jane Shippen