Wednesday, January 30, 2013

It's Coming...

I know that most of us aren't ready for this discussion, but we can’t go on ignoring the elephant in the room.

Not really sure how you could ignore this cute wittle itty bitty baby ewephant!
Wook at him pwaying wif the baby birds!
What you can ignore is how annoying it was to type that baby waby voice. Please never again.
Lent begins in two weeks.

I know, I know! We’re in denial.

We just took down the Christmas decor! we all say!

We also enjoy using the royal 'we'” we all also say!

But we need to bring it up because I need your help. Here cometh my plea.

One of the things I do for Lent is listen only to Christian music. In the car. Working out. While I bake. When I should be attempting to get out of bed in the morning. Those kinds of things.

This means I give up my guilty pleasures that include but are not limited to: Yellowcard and Maroon 5 and Sara B and TSwizzle Dawg and Key-$-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha and all that rap music I listen to on a daily basis. I’ve gained a lot spiritually from doing this in the past (which I then sometimes tend to lose when I pick up the Queen of Emotional Chastity’s music again [TSwizzle, in case you were confuzzled {I think I lost my parenthesis}]).

As much as I love my Christian mix of Audrey Assad (you should click on each one of these here, do it!), Matt Maher (well hello look at that, there's more), MercyMe (how can I come up with more words for you to click), Relient K (make them up laaaa deeee daaaa because I clearly love Relient K), Switchfoot (running out of words wooooooo weeeeeee), and even a dash of Chris Tomlin (and by "dash", I mostly just mean this one on repeat), it gets old after - oh... a week. And we all know all too well that Lent lasts for six looooooooooooong weeks. We know. Royally and collectively.

By the way, if you actually clicked and listened to all those music links... well, you win the coveted award for "Liesl's Favorite Person of the Day!" And now that you all have your eyes on the prize, I hear you all say...



Anyway, so I’m asking for your help. I need song recommendations! Songs that are great for morning car rides or getting pumped up for a workout or waking up in the morning or diving deeper into prayer. I need some great Christian music to listen to during Lent and beyond!

If my playlist of choice helps you understand a bit of what I like, steer that-a way. I can be kind of picky when it comes to music, especially Christian music. I like good and complex-ish lyrics (i.e. I look for a bit more than “God, You are so awesome!!!!!!”), intricate harmonies, and cool instrumental things happening in the background. I don’t usually listen to most of the “Praise and Worship” music out there, so Christian radio is usually a no-go for me.

I’m even willing to allow songs on my playlist that remind me of God or make me want to pray, even if they aren’t actually about God (or are they secretly about God, hmmmmmm...?).

Example: We Found Love by Rihanna
Counter-Example: State of Grace by Taylor Swift (I'm kind of in a relationship with this song right now... buuuuuuut, contrary to what the title suggests, this song is not about the state of your soul if you plan on receiving communion, or how awesome your life is after you go to confession. I know! I was shocked too!)

So, sendeth forth your ideas. Please make sure that your email address is linked to your comment (here’s how to do it) in case I need to follow up with you... which would happen if a) I love your suggestion and want more or b) I hate your suggestion and want to heckle you every day.

In exchange, I’m offering a little prize. Yes, before you ask, it is more than the coveted award of "Liesl's Favorite Person of the Day!", although I think that should be enough incentive...

If one of the songs that you suggest becomes my #1 favorite song of this Lenten season, then I will send you a box of personally made by me baked goods. Yummity yum yum. To be kind of scientific, I will go by the number of plays a song gets on my iPod (fair, right?). And if a song that I picked is the most listened to... well, then I will bake myself some chocolate deliciousness... after Easter.

Let the games begin. And may the iPod odds be ever in your favor.


6 comments:

  1. I'm a big fan of Audrey Assad and love MercyMe, so maybe you will like another favorite of mine: The Fruits (http://www.thefruits.nl/?page_id=6). You've probably never heard about them, as they are a Dutch band, but there music is really nice! The cover some well known songs, but most are their own creations. The majority of their songs are in Dutch and have great lyrics. Unfortunately, their English songs usually aren't that profound (hard to write if you aren't a native speaker). You can check some of their songs on YouTube. Hope you like them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. One Thing Remains by Building 429, Worn by Tenth Avenue North, Whom Shall I Fear by Chris Tomlin, You Are by Colton Dixon, Need You Now by Plumb, Reckless by Jeremy Camp, Gold by Britt Nicole, Steal My Show by TobyMac, His Kind of Love by Group 1 Crew. I like a few things by Manafest.

    I started my year with the same commitment for January which will probably continue into Lent so I have quite a list. Francesca Battistelli has one that I like but cannot remember the name of. I'm not really into straight Praise and Worship but I may tolerate it a little more than you.

    I'll probably do a second comment cause a song is escaping me and I may have it on one of my lists at home.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good to be Alive by Jason Gray, Promises by Sanctus Real, Lead Me by Sanctus Real, Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns, You Are I Am by Mercy Me, Strong Enough by Matthew West, Shine by the Glory Collective, Who You Are by the Unspoken, Sunshine by Kirk Franklin, You are Loved by Cece Winans, I Will Wait for You and We Wait by Juanita Bynum, The Light in Me and I'm Not Who I Was by Brandon Heath, Lift Me Up by The Afters, The Divine Comedy Album by Jackie Francois (amazing- some of my favorite tracks are Your Love is Better), You Lead by Jamie Grace, God Girl by Jamie Grace, Holding On by Jamie Grace (in fact her whole One Song at a Time Album), Where you go I go by Jesus Culture, Freedom Reigns by Jesus Culture, Washed by the Water by NeedtoBreathe, You are More by Tenth Avenue North, Count on Me by Matt Kearney, Learning to Love Again by Matt Kearney, Your Love by Brandon Heath, Its No Good to Be Alone by Brandon Heath, Comforter by Cece Winans, Alabaster Box by Cece Winans

    K-Love radio station,Christian music, its 94.3fm (different in different places) actually starts each January with a 30 day challenge to listeners to listen to Christian music on their station for 30 days straight.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Goodness gracious girl, how to pick?! I'm going to leave you hefty list of awesome artists and simply suggest my favorite song of theirs and let your peruse at your leisure!

    Also, MAJOR kudos on the HIMYM graphic. Love. It.

    NeedToBreathe - A Place Only You Can Go (also, Garden is PERFECT for Lent)
    Ben Rector - Hide Away, Without You
    Third Day - Carry My Cross
    Tyrone Wells - Remain, More, Enough, Don't Be Afraid, Simple Life
    Steve Angrisano - Daniel's Heart
    Seventh Day Slumber - On My Way Home
    Matthew West - Out of My Hands, Stop the World
    Todd Agnew - Blood On My Hands
    Lifehouse - There is no possible way for me to pick just one of their songs but almost all of them have Christian undertones and messages
    Kari Jobe - Savior's Here, Run to You, One Desire
    Josh Groban - To Where You Are
    David Crowder Band - You Alone
    Kutless - Arms of Love
    Charlie Hall - Marvelous Light
    Big & Rich - Why I Pray, Saved, I Pray For You
    Bebo Norman - Nothing Without You
    JJ Heller - Control
    Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
    Dave Barnes - Prayers of the Saints, Your Love Will Never Change, Carry Me Through, Heaven Help Me, Love Will Be Enough for Us

    I have over 20 days of music in my iTunes. I could go on. So...I'll stop. For now. (Also, feel free to check out the "featured songs" page on my blog, I've written blogs about finding God in seemingly non-Christian songs.)

    <3

    ReplyDelete
  5. These songs by Josh Garrels:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pOB3FQTr-I

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_p143Nk4GU

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR3_Z0zuXJQ

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6rwMRE3NKg

    These songs by Gungor:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpATmuPr84Q

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4EPnM62O8A

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJWHZnZ9E6k

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s6Mfk7VQUI

    These songs by All Sons and Daughters:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s8SDCEZwJw

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isY7v61mg_U

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13_Py-6eRqI

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vmvVnRPlY

    And a better email address than the one attached to this blogger account is arleenwrites at gmail dot com, in case you'd like to heckle. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Songs that remind me of Lent are "This Man" by Jeremy Camp and Love Song by Third Day. I loved all the songs you linked to :)

    On Spotify I have a "Christian Songs to Work out to Radio station" I have no idea how I got it someone on twitter linked it and now I have it.

    P.S. I love your GIFS - Challenge Accepted.

    ReplyDelete

I l.o.v.e. reading your comments!

I would love even more to be able to respond to them, so pretty please link your e-mail address to your name!

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