2013!

Really? 2013?? How did that happen? Time really does fly SO DARN FAST. Tomorrow, I’m headed back to Corban for Spring term…wish me luck! I’m taking 16 credits there and 4 at PCC. It’ll challenge my time management skills…but I’ll survive. Anyways, as it is the first Monday of the month, here are my top music picks:

1. It Is Well – The Ember Days (We sing this song in chapel…I LOVE the words!)

2. One Thing Remains – Kristian Stanfill (Great lyrics, and a great reminder of how AWESOME the God we serve is…)

3. Right Back Home (feat. Peter Frampton & Charles Jones) – Lifehouse (Love this collaboration!)

4. Jerusalem – Matisyahu (I just got back from Hawaii…this brings me back. 🙂 )

5. Marry Me – Dolly Parton (Sweet Home Alabama is one of my favorite movies…and who doesn’t love Dolly?)

6. Let It Shine – All Sons & Daughters (LOVING this duo right now!)

7. Manifesto – The City Harmonic (Again…very worshipful song. Love it!)

8. Wash Away – Joe Purdy (From LOST…good mood song.)

9. When Mercy Found Me – Rhett Walker Band (Love the southern rock feel!)

Have an oh-so-lovely week, friends!

New Year, New Music!

HAPPY 2012!!!!!!! I can’t believe 2011 is over…but do you know what that means?? Summer Olympics!! They are so awesome…my favorite events were always the swimming and the gymnastics…but I love anything and everything I can watch! The new year also means new beginnings for a lot of people…but I’m so thankful that the Lord’s mercies are new EVERY morning, and not just once a year! Lamentations 3:21-24 says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.” Good word from Jeremiah.

Well, another thing about the new year is that we can all expect more music from artists we love, and artists we…well…don’t really love. In 2011, iTunes sold its 16 billionth download…that is a lot of music. My goal with this monthly post is to try to separate the gems from the pebbles. And by “gems”, I mean music that is happy, uplifting, nostalgic, lacking in inappropriate language, etc.  So I hope you continue to enjoy it and find it somewhat helpful! Here are my picks for my very first post of 2012!

1. Second Chance – Rend Collective Experiment (See two posts below…from their upcoming project, “Homemade Worship by Handmade People”…I’m SO EXCITED for this album to be released!! All of their music is very worshipful, and very different, which is something I greatly appreciate.)
2. Safe & Sound (From “The Hunger Games” Soundtrack) [Featuring The Civil Wars] – Taylor Swift (Don’t know how I feel about all of the hype surrounding the movie, but the song is great!)
3. Hello (feat. Suzy Rock) – KB (I love this song because the chorus is catchy, but it has a wonderful, beautiful message as well. It fits in with my verse I referenced, earlier, too!)
4. A Place Only You Can Go – NEEDTOBREATHE (LOVING the bagpipes…quite lovely.)
5. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – Brandon Musser (His whole album, “Piano Meets Hymn”, is excellent for studying!)
6. You Remain – Tim Timmons (This guy was one of the people that came to Athey for “A Christmas Together”…he is an awesome guy, and this song is very encouraging!)
7. Make Me Whole – PawnShop Kings (Scott and Joel Owen’s harmonies are perfect…SUCH an awesome song.)

Enjoy, friends! HAPPY JANUARY!!!!