Tuesday, January 11, 2011

1-11-11 (awesome!)

Have you ever relaxed just enough for your body to start to hurt? Sometimes I'll get so tense that with just one good night sleep my body will finally acknowledge that knot in my shoulders - or that my lower back needs a good deep tissue massage. This morning I woke up feeling like my shoulder was disconnected. I carry a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders. The shooting pain down my arm reminds me of where Jesus says "can your worrying change even the color of your hair?" It's not like I go out looking for things to stress over, but somehow I find them. And then my body points out that I was not made to worry.

NEW RELEASE TUESDAY
What's New In Christian Music?

Mountains Move
by Kristian Stanfill Genre: Praise & Worship

Heart of Worship V1
by Various Artists - Worship Genre: Praise & Worship

Acoustic Worship
by Various Artists - Worship Genre: Praise & Worship

Rehab: The Overdose
by Lecrae Genre: Rap

Want more? CLICK HERE

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Calling Levi



This full-time, traveling, vocal ministry is a family group of two sisters and their husbands. Last year alone the group traveled over 200 days! Their sole desire is to magnify Christ through heartfelt music and testimony.

The group met and began to take shape at Liberty University (where Rodney went!). After college, Rob and Stephanie (one half of the quartet) spent a year singing with World Help - a mission organization out of Forest, VA. In 2002 they all relocated to Delaware, where God fully formed Calling Levi.

Latest Album: The Pursuit

Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: Who is the only apostle we know was married?

A: Peter (Mark 1:30)
Congratulations Drew!

Monday, January 10, 2011

This weekend was a real challenge. I wanted to keep up the good eating habits and exercise - but it was cold and I'm so used to chowing down for the holidays, it was hard to say no to those donuts and chocolate milk! It could have been worse. I didn't eat out or dig in to fast food - but it could have gone better too.



If you found yourself working really hard to push yourself to be healthier in the new year - you are not alone! We'll keep encouraging each other into success, how's that sound?

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Jeremy Camp



Jeremy Camp has been a leader in Christian music for the past decade. He lives his life under public scrutiny, putting his struggles into songs that we can all relate to. Living out his faith through music and ministry, Jeremy tours with his family at his side - of course having an award winning singer-songwriter for a wife helps make that plan workable. (Check out Adie Camp to learn more about Mrs. Jeremy...)

“The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:13, ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’ But we live in such a distracted society; we let the world’s noise divide our focus and our hearts. Our generation is in desperate need of crying out to God.”

By The Numbers:
Sold over 3 Million Records
Nominated for a GRAMMY
won several major Dove Awards
19 No. 1 Hits
6 Full Length Albums
2 Live Albums
Featured on over a dozen Compilations!

Latest Album: We Cry Out

Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: Who was the "apostle to the Gentiles"?

A: Paul
Congrats Becky and Owen!

Friday, January 7, 2011

It's weird to have a weekend that isn't somehow a holiday. That has been the case for a few weeks - added to it, the snow we had after Christmas. This week was wholly normal, which is not normal for the last little while. Confused? Me too. But happy weekend!

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Jadon Lavik



When Jadon Lavik enrolled at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, he had two dreams for himself - a baseball career, and studies in business finance. All that changed, though, when Lavik began falling in love with music and the power it had to influence, encourage, and inspire people's lives.

Jadon was born in Redmond, Washington, where he was raised in a Christian home with his parents and two siblings. Although he had some experience with music early in life playing violin and guitar, he was most energized about sports and desired to pursue a baseball career. But after an internship at Saddleback church in Southern California, the calling on his life became glaringly obvious.

Now married with two kids, Jadon ministers in the local church and tours the country playing music whenever he can. He also has two Christmas records - which makes him even cooler in my eyes!
Latest Album: Art & Soul

Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: Name one of the two books of the Bible named after priests.

A: Ezra and Ezekiel are the answers! This was a hard one!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

I have several friends who are teachers. They dread this time of year. Students think they are the only ones who don't want to go back to school, but they are wrong! Teachers have to start brand new lesson plans, knowing full well that the two weeks off probably means no one remembers anything about what they were learning in December.

My teacher friends would much rather be reading paperback novels - not breaking down the Scarlet Letter for the umpteenth time with a group of rowdy teenagers that probably just rented the Demi Moore version on Netflix. (side note: that movie is nothing like the Hawthorne book!)

Perhaps instead of giving Christmas presents to teachers at the end of the year, we should give them "Thank you for coming back, my kids were driving me crazy at home" gifts in January...

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Charmaine



An only child of parents who immigrated to Australia from Chile, Charmaine was raised in Sydney, Australia. With music at the core of their family, her parents committed their lives to music ministry and traveled the world as part of a vocal group; Charmaine was born on tour in Los Angeles and raised out of a suitcase. At 16, her musical gift was discovered and she moved to the US and toured with notable artists such as Rebecca St.James, Jeremy Camp, Newsboys and more.

A former backup singer for Rebecca St. James in years past, she released one solo album eight years ago under the title All About Jesus on Elevate Records. Most folks don't remember this worship outing. Love Reality is almost a second debut.

Latest Album: Love Reality
Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: Name one of the two books in the Bible named after priests.

A: After Day 2 - STILL NO CORRECT ANSWER! Try again tomorrow!

Wednesday, January, 5, 2010

I'm not sure how I feel about music being used only as a tool. I firmly believe that making amazing music is an art. I think God has blessed people with the ability to create this art. Some performers claim that music is only a method for delivering the Gospel.
I respectfully disagree. I don't think that does justice to the gift God gave us in music. Can music be used to proclaim God's greatness? Of course! It should. But I don't think that is its only purpose.
All of God's creations somehow showcase His glory, but the also do a host of other things.
They were Designed to.
And now I step off the soapbox...

ARTIST OF THE DAY
The Sonflowerz



The Sonflowerz began in 1999 when Elissa Leander began writing original worship songs at the age of 14. Encouraged by her youth pastor to form a band with her sister, Becca, they began performing at various venues across Colorado. The act’s first album, You Remain, and single, Crazy Love, were released in 2002. Their sophomore effort, Alive in You, was released in 2005.

The Sonflowerz have shared the stage with artists such as Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Kutless, BarlowGirl, Needtobreathe, Sanctus Real and Phil Wickham. 6-time Dove Award-winner Don Koch produced their new record, “All Over The World”.

Latest Album: All Over The World
Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: Name one of the two books in the Bible named after priests.

A: No correct answer today ... try again tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 4, 2010

I'm enamored by my dead grass. My yard looks the best it has looked all of last year simply because all of the weeds are finally dead. It's cut short, edged and trimmed. The bushes are cut back. Everything is in its place - and barren. I'm not complaining. I love yard work. Something about getting all sweaty and dirty for hours in the sun - after spending a week inside sitting - is incredibly liberating to me.

I've been researching how to prep my yard for the spring. I want to kill weeds and grow grass. In fact, one of my New Years Resolutions is to grow actual grass in the back yard, not just manage the height of my weeds. I feel close to God when I do yard work. I imagine when God was creating grass and sculpting earth. I love how He was so satisfied with his work in Genesis. He called it all "good." I relate when I get my little swathe of land looking the way I want.
I'm proud of my hard work. I want God to be proud of His work in me.
But I think He's still got some weeding to do.

New Release Tuesday:

Nothing new in the first week of 2011.
But get ready for an explosion of new over the next few weeks!

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Caleb Rowden



Caleb Rowden is a husband, worship pastor, and musician. He's traveled the United States to tell the story of how messed up his life was before he met Jesus - and how amazing life is now because of our loving God. Hey debuted with Free From Ordinary in 2005 and toured with Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Skillet, David Crowder Band, and many more.

Then, in 2007, Caleb accepted a worship position at his home church in Columbia, MO. For a couple of years he plugged away in the local church, but felt his passion was leaving him. He missed the stage and traveling to share his story. Now he splits his time between touring and ministering at home.

Influential Quote: "If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less." - United States General Eric Shinseki

Latest Album: Until Everyone is Free

Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: What Hebrew married the daughter of an Egyptian priest?

A: Joseph (Genesis 41:45)
Congratulations Nikki on the win!

Monday, January 3, 2011

A new day, a new year.

More than anything, I think it is the sunshine that is making me hopeful today! Hope is such a powerful emotion. Hope is the opposite of guilt. Instead of dwelling on the past, Hope looks forward, while still fully present. To live a Hope filled life you don't just dream about the future - you work towards it!

So here's to a HOPE-full 2011!

ARTIST OF THE DAY
Hillsong



Hillsong Live, Hillsong United, Hillsong Kids, Hillsong London, Hillsong Chapel ...

An entire worship movement was born out of the Hillsong mega-church in Australia! Dozens of worship leaders and bands have come into being through this one ministry.
The Mission Statement: Hillsong LIVE is the global expression of praise and worship from Hillsong Church with a commitment to resourcing the wider church, and a passion for seeing people connect with God in a real and personal way. Led by worship leaders Reuben Morgan, Ben Fielding, Joel Houston, Darlene Zschech and Hillsong UNITED the team record a live album each year.

Since 1992, Hillsong LIVE has resourced the local church and received gold and platinum album status multiple times, writing such well known worship songs as "Shout To The Lord", "Inside Out", "Hosanna", "The Stand" and “Mighty to Save”, awarded the 2009 Dove for Worship Song of the Year!

Latest Album: Hillsong Chapel: Yahweh

DVD: We're All In This Together

Want More? CLICK HERE

Scriptural Pursuit

Q: What holy object did the Philistines take into the Temple of Dagon, causing the statue of Dagon to fall down?

A: The Ark Of the Covenant (1 Samuel 5:2-4)