Music Recommendations Part 1

I LOVE MUSIC. I love all types of music too- just no country please :) One initial struggle as a secular-humanist-turned-christian was the music that was readily available to me. I knew I wanted to do away with the completely vulgar stuff, or even the stuff that "referenced" sex, drug or alcohol use, and the like- but what would I replace it with?? The local Christian radio station is good, but it is oh so "safe for even the littlest ears". I mean- come on- they play the "yabba-dabba-do-ya" song at least 5 times a day!! THAT IS NOT MY KIND OF MUSIC!!

God is so good- He knows your wants, needs and desires, and He wants to give His Child good gifts, and this is one venue where He's richly blessed me! I gave up the stuff that wasn't pleasing to Him- the stuff that would actually hinder my relationship with Him, and He gave me satellite radio!! (well, it came with my car, but really- that came from Him too!)

Here, now, is a shameless plug for XM- go check them out! Try the free 3 day internet sample, and listen to channel 31- The Torch. It's all-Christian, all awesome music!

Christian artists just blow my mind. They are sooooo talented, and they could be HUGE if they went with big labels, or sold out and were not as "overt" with their beliefs, etc. But these totally talented groups choose to remain small in stature, sell cd's from the back of a van, play in small venues, etc. Why? Because they're not in it for $$- They're using their talents to praise God. How cool is that??

I was driving back from Eustis one day this past spring, listening to a song pair from Cool Hand Luke- "I'm Not Ready" and "Sequence 3". There's this line: "I never truly lived until I died with You"... It reminds me of my favorite Romans 6, and I started crying- it was so powerful to me- There was someone else, somewhere, who became a Christian, and felt the same way I did, and they wrote a song about it...

Tonight, I have been preparing my support letters for mass distribution at Revolution tomorrow night. I'm sitting here in my office, folding letters, stamping envelopes, and listening to music. I happened across a band called "Falling Up", and here is the song that moved me this evening:

Falling In Love
You are my one true love
You are the voice that is so sweet
In everything I do, you bring the best out of me
You are my wings to fly
You are the wind beneath them
I miss you every night, when I close my eyes
You put your feelings down
You stopped your tears you brought me love
You held on to my heart
You held with hope to have me near
Sometimes I close my eyes
Sometimes I let my hunger rise
I think of all you are, you are the love of my life

All of my dreams and my passions
Are in your hands

You reached me in my need
Your rhythm flows under my skin
I need you desperately,
A sweet healing that will begin
You are my one true love
You are the voice that is so sweet
In everything I do, you bring the best out of me
My everything is you
The very motions that I move
And everything with richness
The richness of the peace you bring

All of my dreams and passions
Are in your hands

Always, always you are with me
You are the love of my life
He comes to find you on your knees

Don't you think for a second that this is referencing human love! That's too shallow- shame on you :) It's human love for a Heavenly Father. Someone loved God, and wanted to tell everyone else too, so he put it to music, backed it with talent, and sent it into the world as a song.