Who We Are
Daniel and Nicole Hisey
Creatives with a heart for community
Nicole’s Story
Nicole’s heart for creative expression began at a young age - some of her earliest memories are of sitting at her mother’s feet as she sewed, playing with scraps of fabric and making “quilts” with fabric and glue. During a tumultuous adolescence, the arts moved from a hobby to an escape. It was where Nicole could get lost, forgetting the cares of the world. In full pursuit of this passion, she attended Maine College of Art, where she was introduced to printmaking. This shifted Nicole’s view of art from being a highly individual, introspective process to one that could be collaborative, community-based, and world-changing. She continued to explore personal themes in her own art, but couldn’t shake the roots of her practice.
Although Nicole had grown up in a Christian family, attending Bible school, church, and youth group, many negative experiences with Christians left her at an arm’s length from God. She had been hurt before and knew keeping her distance was a way to prevent being hurt again. Even as Nicole continued to walk out life on her own, God continued to pursue her, continually showing her His provision and direction for her life. Nicole doesn’t have a story of a radical come-to-Jesus moment that forever defined who she was. She is a story of how the Father continually pursues, loves regardless of circumstance, and never gives up. Despite all of her ups and downs, doubts, fears, and trepidation, The Father continued to meet her with open arms. This relentless pursuit has continued to break down barriers as God reveals Himself. This is the environment Nicole hopes to cultivate at Ember Acres - a place where you can come as you are, wherever you are at in your faith journey, and encounter the Father’s love.
Daniel’s Story
Music has been a constant for Daniel since he was young. When he was eight years old his parents enrolled him in piano lessons. Throughout his early childhood education Daniel was always involved with music, and eventually it became his main form of expression for his thoughts and emotions. A big shift occurred when he was 13 and he received his first guitar. Daniel fell in love with the instrument and God used it to take him down a path of media, technical, and worship ministry.
Over the next seventeen years Daniel has been involved with various media ministries, worship teams, and churches. But some unfortunate situations occurred that left Daniel with wounds from the “big church” that are all too common today. Music became less of an expression and more of an escape. Eventually Daniel’s musical pursuits became his prayer, something he dared not share with anyone but the Father. But there was more to come.
After being stationed in Southwest Harbor Maine with the United States Coast Guard; God placed Daniel in a loving, Holy Spirit filled church that became his family. Slowly he began to see that using his music as a love language to the Father wasn’t something to be ashamed of. He learned the authenticity of heart will trump performance in worship every time. Daniel’s goal for Ember Acres is to create a home for musicians and artists seeking to share their heart for worship; a place to write and record the heart’s cry of Christians in the area. Daniel hopes to cultivate a place where a never ending stream of worship to the Father becomes the norm, without restriction, qualification, or shame - a place where worshiping God is the ember that lights every fire.