Amy Grant "Legacy..Hymns & Faith"

Courtesy: Amazon

After 25 years of making albums, Amy Grant finally releases her first hymns albums!  This album is made mostly of hymns and a few songs of faith; hence the cd title Legacy...Hymns & Faith.
 The album has a nice organic feel to it.  The music is a mix of contemporary and perhaps a little country as well.

The highlights of this cd:

1. My Jesus I Love Thee- This is my favorite hymn on this cd! Amy sings this beautifully!  I love this verse from this hymn: "I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,/And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree./I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;/If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

2. What You Already Own- My favorite "faith" song on here. I love the verse: "I give you my life/Precious and rare/Knowing wherever I've been, you were there/Sometimes I'm faithful/
Sometimes I'm strong/Will you protect what you already own?"

This album was definitely worth the wait!  Go buy it..now!  You'll be glad that you did!  You can buy the cd at a very cheap price (and mp3s too for a little higher) at: Amazon

 

Clay Crosse "The Clay Crosse Collection"

Courtesy: Amazon

Before Clay's life changing year (1998), Clay put out a few CCM albums including: My Place Is With You (1994), Time To Believe (1995), and Stained Glass (1997). This 1998 collection chronicles the best hits from each album, and it also includes 2 new songs.  Clay Crosse has a unique Memphis-influenced voice that is enjoyable to listen to! 

Some of the highlights on the cd:

1. I Will Follow Christ- One of the new songs.  It is sung from the 12 disciples point of view about their devotion and at the end our devotion to follow Christ.

2. When In Rome-  One of the other new songs.  I love this song!  It's about standing up for what you believe in even though everyone is against you!

3. I Surrender All- This song is about surrendering everything to Jesus!  It's a very beautiful and moving song!

4. His Love Is Strong- This is a very upbeat encouraging song about Jesus' love being strong enough to win the fight!

5. Time To Believe- A song that encourages people despite what's going on around them that "people it's time to believe".

You can buy this cd and mp3s at really affordable prices at Amazon.

Michael W. Smith "Live The Life"

Courtesy: Amazon

Released in the spring of 1998, this is by far one of Michael's best cd!!!  It is very pop-oriented and fun to listen to!  Some of the themes Michael sings about are: never being unloved, the craziness of life and the need to be loved good, God knowing our name, etc...He even wrote a song for the Titanic soundtrack that didn't get accepted but made it on here called "In My Arms Again".

Here are the highlights of the album:

1. Love Me Good: A song about the craziness of everyday life and the uncertainty of it all! One of the most unique and perhaps strangest lyrics written by Michael's co-writer Wayne Kirkpatrick : "But I could never live in a yurt/on a diet of mongolian barbeque/I conquer the world for a moment, then the moment is gone" (Maxi Lyrics).

2. Live The Life: A great song about living the life for Christ by our actions not just by words. "For the world to know the truth/There can be no greater proof/Than to live the life, live the life/There's no love that's quite as pure/There's no pain we can't endure/If we live the life, live the life/Be a light for all to see/For every act of love will set you free" (Maxi Lyrics).

You can buy this cd at Amazon

Clay Crosse "A Different Man"

Courtesy: Amazon

In 1998, while on a plane ride, God showed Clay Crosse how far away Clay had travelled from God.  Clay had hid from the world but not from God his addiction to pornography.  On that plane, Clay suddenly felt how much of a fake he was to God. This spurred a process of repentance and turning his life around. His journey through that process comes out in this album called "A Different Man".  Three of the 10 songs that are on here is about his journey back to God and about his repentance. This is a really good cd!  however, if you don't want to download or buy the whole cd, atleast, download the following songs:

1. Arms of Jesus- Talks about how when we fall in our journey, we fall into the arms of Jesus. I like the phrase: "Let me fall/Into the arms of Jesus/Let me come into His kingdom/and kneel at His cross/When I stand beneath His mercy/I will give up my all/Let me fall into the arms of Jesus". Lyrics Courtesy of: Maxi Lyrics

2. 98- Clay's testimony about his life changing year in 1998.  Very good song! Here's a sample: "Come on and gather round/And listen to my story/About a fall from grace/A change of heart/A rise to glory/A lesson learned/A doorway I went thru" (Maxi Lyrics).

3. Sinner's Prayer- This is THE song to play to someone who is lost if you want to lead them to Christ or if you want to tell them how to get saved.  It is so good!!! ( Click here for the lyrics: Sinner's Prayer )

You can get a used copy of this cd or purchase the songs singly via mp3 at: Amazon

FFH "Voice From Home"

Courtesy: Amazon

I've said this before, but I just love albums that is full of God's grace and love! Imagine if God created an album as a love letter to you---- this would be it!  This album is saturated with the love and Spirit of God!  You could play this album as a soundtrack to either Max Lucado's or Charles Stanley's books on eternal security. 

The highlights of this album are:

1. The Only Hand You Need- It talks about how God's hand is the only hand we need.  And how we originally let go of His hand and broke the fellowship with Him.

2. Great Big Problem - This song talks about how even when we turn away from God, He won't let us go.  He is there patiently waiting for us to come back.

3. Well Pleased-  It talks about He is well pleased with us because we are His children!

This is a cd you simply have to have in your collection!  It's a great cd to listen to when you are feeling down or harsh on yourself and/or on bad days when you are feeling stressed!  It's a great cd to listen to while laying down in your bed with your eyes closed in the dark.

So go and buy this cd at: Amazon and be blessed!!!!



FFH "Ready To Fly"

Courtesy: Amazon

Ready To Fly was released in 2003. This album is by far one of the best FFH albums ever! The cd is a mix of worship and modern Contemporary Christian music.  Listening to this cd always puts me in a good and worshipful mood!

Some of the highlights are:

• You Found Me- This song talks about the joys of being found in and by Jesus!
  
• Good To Be Free -  This song rejoices in the freedom that is provided by Christ.  I love the lines that say: "Things of this world are overdone/Things like theology and philosophy-oh yeah/Through Jesus I know I've overcome/My insecurities and insincerity/Now You've placed in me/A hope for things I cannot see, now" (from: ELyrics).
• It's A Good Day- This song is one of my absolute favorites on this album.  It talk about even if things aren't going our way, as long as, Jesus is our Lord and we are saved then "it's a good day".
• Never Gonna Be Alone- This song rejoices in the fact that we will never be alone since Jesus is around!  Love it!
  Do yourself a favor and buy this cd!  You can get it extremely cheap (as a used cd) at: Amazon    

Somewhere Down The Road

Courtesy: amygrant.com

 Life is a journey.  During the journey, we take different roads, make mistakes, and learn some valuable lessons...sometimes the hard way.  This album is a picture of Amy Grant looking back on her life's journey so far.  Put out on March  26, 2010, this album is made up of six new songs, two previously unreleased concert favorites ("What Is The Chance of That"/"Come Into My World"), one remake ("Arms of Love"), and three previously released songs ("Every Road", "Somewhere Down The Road", and "Imagine/Sing The Wondrous Love of Jesus").

During the making of the album, I was at first offended that after 7 years of waiting for a new pop cd from Amy that she would include 3 previously released songs. However, the more I have listened to the album, the more those songs seem to fit with the theme of life's journey.  Listening to the cd now is a pure joy to me!

My favorite songs on here that are the highlights of the album are:

• "Better Than A Hallelujah"- One of the new songs to appear on the album is a very beautiful picture of how God values our honesty in prayer over rituals. Part of the lyric says: "We pour out our miseries/God just hears a melody/Beautiful, the mess we are/the honest cries of breaking hearts/are better than a hallelujah" (Metro Lyrics ).
•   "What Is The Chance of That"- This is such a great "tongue-in-cheek" type song! It's one of the songs she recorded for her cd Behind The Eyes (1997) that didn't make it on the album.  I can totally relate when Amy sings: "Why do I feel restless inside?/Maybe I'm part of a wandering tribe/I want to check my family tree/I think there's a little nomad in me/What is the chance of that?/What is the chance of that?" (Metro Lyrics )
• "Find What You're Looking For"- This brand new song is one of the most heartfelt on the album.  It's so easy to find fault in other people to make us feel better.  Instead of condemning other people, we should look at own lives.  If we do, we may end up finding that we too have the same faults that other people have. Do any of us really have the right to condemn anyone else in the light of God's love?  I love the verses that says: "What would they find if they uncovered all of my tracks/Of roads I'd snuck down and darkness and never turn back/Well they'd find what they're looking for/Secrets and so much more.../What would I find if I turned back the time on your face/Could I piece together the memories that have made you this way/I might find what I'm looking for/Understanding and so much more" (Metro Lyrics )
• "Every Road"- This song originally appeared on Behind The Eyes (1997).  It's great to know no matter what road we take (as Christians) even if they are a misstep, the road will end winding its way back to God!  Remember, the  Bible says that God will not allow any that Jesus has found to be lost.

Thoughts To Ponder: What has your life journey been like?  If you were to write a similar album as Amy Grant's what would it sound like?  What would it look like? How do you feel about your journey so far?  When you look at the future, how do you see your journey taking shape?  What do you want to do better?

You can find the cd to purchase at: Amazon.com



Jason Gray cd Recommendation

Courtesy: Amazon.com

I love albums that are about grace and freedom!   Such is  Jason Gray's newest album:  A Way To See In The Dark that was released September 13, 2011.  Jason Gray approached making this album with a huge amount of gratitude and freedom which comes from not having his identity wrapped up in the record itself.  This time around he didn't worry about being rejected nor having this album prove his worth to the world (Jason Gray Music ).  This definitely shows through out the whole album! 

I simply can't get enough of this cd!  I have been checking out this cd numerous times from the library!  I will eventually breakdown and buy a copy of the cd for myself!  

There is not a single bad track on the album!  Here are some of the highlights and my favorite songs on the album:

• "Remind Me Who I Am" : This is a catchy, addictive opening song on the album!  It is a prayer to God (and a reminder) that ask Him to remind us who we are in Christ during times we are doubting ourselves.  One of the most heartfelt phrases from the song are: "If I am your beloved can You help me believe it" (Song Lyrics.com ). 
• "No Thief Like Fear" : Another really catchy song!  It is also my oldest's sons favorite song on the album!  This song gives a very accurate description of what fear is and does. ("Fear will take the best of us/Then come back for the rest of us/Its raging hunger never satisfied...let down your guard/it will steal your heart [Song Lyrics.com]).   It is also a prayer to God to set us free from fear! It's a great song to sing along to!
  

You can find this cd at: Amazon.com.  Feel free to also see if your local library has it as well!

Cd Recommendation

courtesy of: New Release Tuesday

Margaret Becker is one of my favorite Contemporary Christian singers!  The majority of her albums were released in the '90s, including this one--- Soul.  Soul, which was released in 1993, is by far my favorite Margaret Becker cd of all time! What I really love about this cd is that: it's fun to listen to,  it's great Christian dance music, it get me in a worshipful mood, and it helps me keep my focus on Christ!

There's NOT a bad song on this album!  Some of my favorites are:

• Say The Name--- It's a great song for me to listen to when my soul is going through a desert experience or I feel my focus on Christ is "off". 
• The World I See In You--- A very fun song to sing along to! 
• All That I Am--- A great worship song that I enjoy singing to God!
• I Wouldn't Know---  It's scarey to think where I would be without Christ!  Like the song says, "I wouldn't know what love is without You, without You"---the You being Jesus!

Go by this cd---NOW! :)  You'll be glad that you did! You can find this cd at: Amazon.com