Featured Artist

Chris August - Battle

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:14:05 -0600

This song has meant a lot to me lately because life has felt more like a battle than anything else. I generally don't like songs that talk about how great my faith is or how I'll never give up on God, because I know it's just not true. I prefer songs that acknowledge how weak we are and that this thing depends on God being who He is and bringing us all safely home. Only God deserves to be glorified in this life, not me or you or any other Christian out there, and that's what this song does. It talks about the struggles in this life and the battles we'll fight, but reminds me that those battles are already won because of what Jesus did. Take a listen. For more on Chris August, check out his website - www.chrisaugustmusic.com

Move by Mercy Me

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:12:26 -0600

This month I'm highlighting a favorite song, although I really do like Mercy Me. I like their honesty and their pursuit of God...and this song makes me dance in the car when it comes on. It's one of those pick-me-uppers when you're having a bad day. Can't have too many of those. Pick-me-uppers...not bad days. You can definitely have too many bad days. Enjoy.

Royal Tailor

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 08:00:00 -0600

Something about this song makes me smile every time. I'm probably going to listen to that on repeat for the rest of the day. Here's a little something from their site: "The overarching message is a call to action," says Tauren. "A lot of our songs have to do with being Christ in the world. We want to create a culture where students are doing the ministry. They are creating the ideas. They are dreaming the dream, and then they are actually going out there and doing those things." but for the whole skinny, check them out for yourself - http://royaltailoronline.com/

Reilly

Sun, 01 May 2011 08:00:00 -0600

The words "violin rock" or "dueling violins" are enough to make me check out any band, and what I've heard from Reilly so far doesn't disappoint. I LOVE when a band makes stringed instruments a big part of their sound. One of the biggest selling points for me with the David Crowder band was that they had a cello going on. So when I heard about these guys and read their bio, I figured you guys might want to know about them too. I'm going to post two of their videos here, the first because it's well done and I like what they did with the storyline, and the second...well because of the violins. A link to their website is at the bottom; let me know what you think. Click here to go to their website.

Watoto Children's Choir

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 -0600

In honor of my trip to Uganda I wanted to highlight a group of kids who are traveling the world to help save children all over Africa. If you're a Chris Tomlin fan then you've probably heard them whether or not you realized it. They're the choir singing along in his song "Love" - here's the video if you need/want a little refresher: There's so much more to them than that one song and they're a blast to watch. If you guys ever get the chance to see them in person I highly recommend you take it. You'll be singing African songs you've never heard before for the next month. And if you can host some of them in your home, I promise it will be an experience you'll never forget. These kids can preach the pants off several pastors I know...even the youngest ones! Click here to check out their website and learn more about who they are, what they're doing, and to see if their tour is coming anywhere near you.

NeedToBreathe

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:00:00 -0600

I'm sure you guys know NeedToBreathe already from their songs Washed by the Water, Something Beautiful and More Time, but did you know they have this really great worship song called Signature of Divine? I want to be the last person in the world to set people up as gods or to make more of them than I should, and I don't know what these guys' really believe but that song tells me they know something of Jesus and how truly wonderful He is. I've done a little research and here's what lead singer Bear Rinehart says about their music and writing for the general crowd: "If I write a song that uses certain Christian words and phrases, then great. But do we aim to make a certain amount of our lyrics Christian? That never enters our minds. We're Christian guys. If we write about our lives, then a "Christian song" comes out because it comes from a Christian perspective." I'll just let this song speak for itself and pray that the Lord protects this band from fame and fortune and the destruction both can do. I'm also praying that their music will reach people who are lost and desperate but would never walk into a church. More than one person has met Jesus through a song on the radio. For more about the band, click here to check out their website.

The Sonflowerz

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:00:00 -0600

The Sonflowerz are actually British-American sisters Becca and Elissa from Colorado whom we learned about when they were signed to lead worship for Vicki's You and Your Girl Conferences. Here's a little something I pulled from their website: “During our travels in the U.S. and U.K., we’ve come in contact with a lot of young people who are hurting, More than ever, people are searching to fill a void in their hearts that can only be filled by God. We want the songs on this new record to point the way to Him.” Two young women who love Jesus and care about you guys seem like the perfect fit to kick off our 2011 featured artist page. Check out the video below and visit their website to get to know more about them.

The City Harmonic

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:00:00 -0600

So far I've only listened to their song "Manifesto" but it was enough to make me stop and take notes so I could share them with you. On their FB page it says "The City Harmonic is what happens when you mix nostalgic hymns, brit-rock and that sing-at-the-campfire feeling." Here's the song Manifesto if you want to see/hear what I'm talking about: The band is made up of four guys from Canada who are big on writing songs that we can all participate in. Songs that make us want to really sing them for God instead of just singing along with the crowd because it's what's expected. Here's how their lead singer Elias Dummer said it: "If we can somehow spark in people a dream, something they just can't shake, then that will inspire them to sing like every word matters, to live like every day matters, and having tasted heaven they’ll get on with helping this world feel more like home.” I love their sound, they've got a little Coldplay kind of thing going on, and they seem to be passionate about worship and making it real, but don't take my word for it - check them out for yourselves. Here are links to their Spacebook and MyFace pages (I'm going to start calling them that for good. Makes me laugh everytime).

David Crowder Band/John Mark McMillan

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:00:00 -0600

This is really more of a featured song than a featured artist although I have great respect for Dave and the band and heartily recommend them to anyone who doesn't yet know their stuff. But this song...how I adore these lyrics. The song was written by John Mark McMillan and then Crowder and his band covered it beautifully. The idea that Jesus would be jealous for me. That He would love me so... I can't embed the video but if you want to hear it, go here Here are the lyrics so you can follow along and marvel at our wonderful God: He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realise just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me. And oh, how He loves us so, Oh how He loves us, How He loves us all Yeah, He loves us, Oh! how He loves us, Oh! how He loves us, Oh! how He loves. We are His portion and He is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking. And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss, And my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way He love us, Oh how He loves us Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves

Audrey Assad

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:00:00 -0600

I've loved Audrey Assad and didn't even know it! Last year I heard the song Winter Snow for the first time, and it was one of those songs that you e-mail/text to your friends so they can hear it too. I love the sound of it, the feel of it. It's one of those soft songs that just sort of settles on your heart and makes you fall in love with Jesus all over again. Here it is. Close your eyes and let it just melt all over you: I really don't know that much about her but we can get to know her together. Click here for her Facebook page and here for her MySpace page.

Aaron Ivey

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:59:01 -0600

This song is called Amos Story by Aaron Ivey and it's about two of his kids (Amos and Story) whom he and his wife Jamie adopted from Haiti. Aaron is one of the worship leaders at a church in Austin and I love when leaders in the church lead the charge in caring for the orphan, the widow, the lonely and the forgotten. I'm pretty sure that's how it's supposed to look. Both Amos and Story are featured in the video along with his wife, but what you don't see is that they had two boys at home, and an entire church, praying for these kids to finally make it to America...which they did. Story first, before the earthquake, and then Amos after. Only God can bring something so wonderful out of such a big tragedy. For more on Aaron and his band, check out his website at aaronivey.com...or stop by the Austin Stone on a Sunday if you're in town. He might just be leading the singing that day.

Welcome to The Big Show...

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:00:00 -0600

Sometimes I go to Hubble's website and click through pictures, staring in awe at these masterpieces God has created that are just floating around out in space. Hubble is the name of the gargantuan telescope that's as big as a school bus, weighs 24,500 lbs, and can take pictures of things that exist billions of light-years away from us. In an ever expanding Universe, there are billions of galaxies, nebulae, stars and more, that make all of our so-called "brilliant works of art" look like kindergarten finger-paintings. I just wanted to take a moment and highlight a few of my favorites: This one I like to call "The Eye of God": Or how about the amazing "Sombrero Galaxy" I love the nebulae...they're so cool I'll finish with a light echo that puts to shame our best fireworks Those are just a few of my favorites but go to www.hubblesite.org and pick some of your own. You'll be amazed at what's happening out there in God's big playground.

Invisible Children

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:00:00 -0600

I'm going to start by saying that I don't know what these guys' personal beliefs are. I don't know because they don't say on their website but they sure do act like they know Jesus. Here are three guys who went to Africa on an adventure, and God used their abilities to tell the story of how His kids in Uganda are suffering. He wanted to get the word out so we would see a need and act like Jesus, and a few gutsy young film makers from California were apparently the right guys for the job. What many people don't understand about making movies is that if you don't have a story worth telling you should just be quiet. A film should do more good than harm. It should open our eyes and make us think...and a really good one should make us move. It should move our hearts to actually do something to make the world a better place instead of just sit on our butts in theaters soaking it all in. And that is exactly what this little documentary of theirs did. In the same way that so many movies end up doing more harm than good, so many relief efforts do the same. We are sometimes too quick to jump to the rescue and we don't take the time to get to know those who need help and ask them what they really need. That's been Invisible Children's approach to helping the kids in this war torn country, and they're getting things done. They've been instrumental in passing legislation that will help stop the LRA from stealing children and ruining their lives. Pretty cool for a couple of young film students who just went looking for an adventure. God says He knows the plans He has for you and the works He has prepared in advance for you to do (Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10). These guys had no idea how God was going to use them to help thousands...what could He do with you? Check them out - www.invisiblechildren.com

The Afters

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:04:40 -0600

One cool thing about Twitter is that you can learn important stuff in small snippets. I'm more of a small snippet person than a "long, winded, let's talk about this for days" person. What I just discovered in the land of Twippets (just made that up) or Tweets is that my friend Esther Havens (whom I blogged about here) has a brother in a band called The Afters. Who knew? Well obviously her family knew, and probably a lot of other people connected to them, but for me this was news so I will pass it on to you along with a chance to check out their new single "Light Up the Sky". And for you coffee drinkers, this band got started when a couple of guys who worked at Starbucks decided to play a gig together just for fun. God's creative like that. Click here to check out their new site and song, and here for their MySpace page. Let me know what you think.

Francesca Battistelli

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:42:14 -0600

“This has been the hardest, scariest, most rewarding year of my life. I have known sorrow, and I have known joy,” she shares. “God has spoken quietly the words of His heart, and He has shown me colors in the grayest hues of winter. He has sung songs over me in solitude, and He has never let go of my fragile, paper heart. He knows every corner of it—the tattered, torn, and untouched places. He knows the songs that move it, the words that pierce it, and the people He uses to change it. I am forever safe in His hands.” Fragile paper heart. I like that. That's exactly what mine feels like some days. I know you guys have probably heard of Francesca, and you probably sing her songs when they come on the radio, but if you haven't read up on who she really is you might want to. And if you want to, I'm here to help you out with a link. Don't thank me. I'm happy to help :) Click here for the bio on her website. Then stick around a while and see what else you can find out about her and why she does what she does.