Media Favorites of 2014

Considering the amount of media I listen to, play, watch, and read each year, I decided to put a list together highlighting my favorites. Included in this list are my top picks for 2014 releases in Music, Books, Video Games, and Movies. But of course, throughout each year, I also discover great titles that were released in previous years, and I've included my favorites out of those too. 

Now, maybe it's just me, but I felt that 2014 was a bit of a dry year for media releases. New books,

music albums, movies, and video games worth checking out seemed to be in short supply. All that means though, is that it was less of a struggle for me to determine my absolute bests of 2014. And now that we have the introduction out of the way, let's begin with...

Best Book of 2014

The Ever Afters Book 3- Of Sorcery and Snow

by Shelby Bach

The Ever Afters is a series that I have been eagerly following since book 1, Of Giants and Ice, first appeared on store shelves. It is the first time I have truly identified with a 1st-person-narrative main character, a feat which is quite rare for any book to accomplish. Rory Landon is a three dimensional character that you just can't help caring about, and her two companions are no different. With a unique premise, plenty of humor, and a good dose of quality writing, it's a wonder that this series still doesn't have the recognition it deserves. When I picked up book 3, I didn't have the highest expectations for it. How could Bach put out 3 books, keep the characters consistent, and have genuinely funny moments, especially with the plot growing deeper and subtly darker? To my delight, everything that has made The Ever Afters my favorite series was present in its third installment. Even though I've read a few incredible books this year, Of Sorcery and Snow makes the list due to the fact that I read it all in one day, and when I was finished, nearly cried because I realized that book 4 wouldn't come out for another year. 

Best Old Book of 2014

So B. It

by Sarah Weeks

To clarify what I mean by "old", it is simply a book (or whatever else) that came out before 2014, but one that I encountered for the first time this year.

Another book I devoured in one afternoon. It's not uncommon for stories I've read to keep coming back to me, and for me to think about them frequently. What is rare, however, is for me to be reminded of a story and feel the exact same way I did as when I read/heard it. So B. It is one of those. It's a sad story, incredibly sad, yet so moving and full of things to chew on long after you put the book down. 

Best Album of 2014

As Sure As the Sun

Ellie Holcomb

In all honesty, when I downloaded Ellie Holcomb's album, I wasn't expecting to listen to it all that often. As a lover of rock music, electric guitars, driving beats, and all that fun stuff, I really thought I would just put this on when I needed some calming background music. Obviously, I was wrong. I was captivated from track 1. Not only did Holcomb's unique voice hook me, but the melody was at once catchy and healing. I was forced to stop what I was doing at the moment to just sit and listen. I've never experienced that before when I first listen to an album. Usually, what happens is a few certain tracks will stick out to me, but fade from memory until I've listened to them another 3 times. Not so with this one. With the end of every track came a sadness that it was over, but then the next track would begin and a new wave of emotions would crash into me. If ever there was am album that made you feel like you had wings, it would be this one.

Best Old Album of 2014

Self-Titled

Paramore

When I first heard Still Into You in a music store, I'll admit, I was annoyed. I found Hayley Williams voice to be grating to the nerves. Funny thing though, the more I heard the song, the less annoyed I was by it, and then I began to like it. But I still wasn't interested enough to check the band out. Then I heard Ain't It Fun. It was such a different song, and yes, it took risks as far as radio singles go, and oddly enough, it worked. My day brightened immediately whenever Ain't It fun started playing in restaurants, department stores, and my phone radio station. Finally, I bought the album. How good was the rest of the album? Well, I became an instant Paramore fan and then spent all my money to buy the rest of their albums in the span of a week. So I guess you could say it was pretty amazing.

Best Movie of 2014

The Lego Movie

Yeah, OK, go ahead, scream. It's not The Hobbit. It's not Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It's The Lego Movie. I'll be the first to admit that it's not a movie to go down in history, but it's still my favorite of 2014 for the simple fact that it's one of the most fun movies to hit theaters in a long while. Few were the moments that I wasn't laughing while watching it. Also, as someone who used to make homemade Lego movies as a little kid (and a slightly better, albeit still cheesy Lego movie in my teens), I loved how The Lego Movie had that atmosphere. From the drawn on Good Cop face, to the falsetto voices of the sentry bots, it brought back many wonderful memories of sitting in the middle of my room, shaking a minifigure at the camera and screaming my head off. And for a bonus: how many times are Will Ferrell , Morgan Freeman, and Liam Neeson going to be in a movie together?

Best Old Movie of 2014

The Sixth Sense

Yes, it's taken me this long to see it. Probably because my parents thought it would freak me out when I was younger. And they were right. It was a creepy movie, but one so entertaining that I really didn't mind being creeped out by it. The actors were incredible in their roles, the music perfectly haunting, and the plot well paced. I already knew the twist ending, yet I still enjoyed it immensely, and that counts for something in a world where many movies hinge completely on their big end-reveals. The Sixth Sense is an original story that still holds its own in the film industry.

Best Video Game of 2014

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

I've only played this game for about 4 hours, and it's already secured its spot as my favorite game this year. I had high hopes for this game, and was not disappointed. Everything, from the environment, the music, the great voice acting, character design, and combat just feels like it belongs in Tolkien's universe. The gameplay is simple enough, sneak around and pick off Orcs and Uruks one by one, or if you're feeling brave, throw yourself into the fray, but there's enough depth to it that it's addicting and just plain fun. I have only two cons to this game: It's a little unclear when it autosaves, and the voice volume is far below the music volume (although I guess that's just like the movies, isn't it?) But all that is forgotten once you take into account the attention to detail put into the game. Not only do each of the Uruks you fight have unique names, weaknesses, and strengths, but the Uruks will occasionally converse with one another and get into fights with each other, which means you can have just as much fun sneaking around and listening to Uruks talk about their pet peeves, or watch them tackle each other. It's obvious a LOT of work and love for Tolkien's books and Jackson's films have gone into this game, and it pays off quite nicely, culminating in one of the best experiences this year.

Best Old Video Game of 2014

Fire Emblem: Awakening

I'd heard about the series and its popularity in Japan, but I didn't really know anything about it. And then the 3DS entry arrived in 2013, and I learned a little more about it, thought it looked fun, but didn't buy it until earlier this year. It's a tactics game, which means it borrows a lot from tabletop Role-Playing games (at least the ones I've played). Move your character along the grid-marked arena, then choose to attack, or use an item. It's a simple formula, really and it's easy to pick up and understand. A couple things, however, play a part in the combat and story, adding a strong depth to the strategy. If you have two characters fight side by side, their relationship with each grows stronger, they fight more powerfully together, and their relationship can play a part in the story. Oh yeah, if you play Classic mode, there's this thing called permadeath, meaning if your character falls in battle, that's it. He's gone from the game permanently, so you better choose your moves carefully. All this alone was enough to keep me hooked for months, but then there was also the story... Hands down, it was the best story I've ever seen in a video game. It's suspenseful, full of intrigue, funny at times, and heartwarming, with the most moving and satisfying ending I've ever experienced. It's a story first and foremost of friendship and sacrifice, with deeper themes of peace, leadership, and responsibility over personal desires. Now, I played this game through twice this year, which doesn't normally happen. The first time, I concentrated on just the story, but the second time around I took my time, enjoying the game itself, and opening up more of the story in turn that I hadn't seen the first time through. It has become more than just a favorite from 2014; it has become my favorite game of all time, and it will take an awesome, amazing game to steal that crown from Fire Emblem: Awakening.

So that's it. That's the list. I look forward to 2015 and seeing what awesome forms of entertainment it brings (as well as every other awesome thing that can happen in a year). Just one last thing I want to do though. Below is a simple list of the books, movies, games, and albums that came in second place for my favorites of the year. Also, feel free to let me know what your favorites were from the year in the comments below. Happy New Year, folks!

The "Almost Made It List" of 2014

-Best Book of 2014: The Books of Elsewhere Volume 4- The Strangers by Jacqueline West

-Best Old Book of 2014: Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley

-Best Album of 2014: Whole- Jessa Anderson

-Best Old Album of 2014: Another Journal Entry- BarlowGirl

-Best Movie of 2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

-Best Old Movie of 2014: Iron Man

-Best Video Game of 2014: Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

-Best Old Video Game of 2014: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Thoughts On Creation, Redemption, and Giving Satan Too Much Credit

An interesting story has just reached my ears that has made my brain jump into overdrive and my emotional roller-coaster speed up about 50 percent. Perhaps by now you've already heard about the protesters showing up at a Switchfoot concert. If you haven't, then here's the gist of it. A group of folks from a nearby church showed up with signs and megaphones to protest the band's use of rock music with christian lyrics. They claimed that Switchfoot music won't be in Hell, just Switchfoot fans. Wow. (Apparently God's saving power only extends so far. It can save us from our filthy lives and the death we deserve, but it can't overcome the type of music I listen to. *sarcasm*) But here's something else. Jon Foreman (front-man of Switchfoot) responded by handing out water bottles to the protesters and urging concert attendees to respond in a loving, God-honoring way. Again, wow!

Now, I'm not a Switchfoot fan. I don't even listen to Switchfoot, except when they come on the radio--and even then, I don't really like their music. That's just me. So by now, you're probably wondering why I really care about this. Well, to be honest, I had intended for quite some time to write a blog post about my theory on music, and then this came up. First of all, I respect the way Jon Foreman handled this situation. I may not like his music, but I gotta say, he was living out Jesus' commandment to turn the other cheek that night (Matt. 5:39-44), and I feel the need to recognize that. Second, it really fit with what I wanted the post to be about.

And so, with this interesting incident in mind, let's move on to the subject of music in general.

I know I've already written a couple of blog posts on this already, but having a wide range of music tastes, having written quite a bit of music myself in multiple styles, and just studying music in general, there are quite a few things I've noticed about it. And it seems like this theory in my head just makes more and more sense the more I study it.

Think about this. Music is something that is very hard to explain. It stands out in contrast to this shadowy, corrupted world. It's also everywhere we go--and I don't mean just in stores, cars, homes, and (shudder--elevators). Every sound we hear is a note. Say a single-syllable word. Say it again, only this time, draw it out a bit. Congratulations, you're now singing a note. (Maybe several, depending on your inflection. Sarcasm tends to create a myriad of notes each syllable). Our very speech is music. We've all heard how a particular song has really touched someone's heart, even had our own hearts touched by music. Music is a very powerful thing. Perhaps, this is why our words have such an effect. Because when we speak, we are in fact speaking music into someone's life. This also brings up another neat thought about God speaking the universe into being. Our world, possibly, was formed by music. God's music. My only conclusion to this is that music is straight from God, Himself.

Which now raises a few questions. What then, is God-honoring music? How is there music that glorifies sin and even Satan. Well if my theory is true, God didn't just bring the world into existence with a note, but also with a word. You see, it was the word that made all the difference. Light appeared Because God said, "Let there be light." (Gen.1:3) Also, God has always been more concerned about our heart, rather than the appearance. Even in the outward law of the Old Testament, there are words of our hearts being circumcised. (Deut. 30:6) Fast forward to when Jesus walked the earth, and he constantly brings the commandments into the perspective of what goes on in the heart. So, I believe it is the heart and words that determines whether or not it is God-honoring music. (And I don't believe that means having to mention God's name every other line--but let's not get into that right now.)

Next question. What about the music styles then? Are there certain styles that have been created by man and Satan that should never be mixed with lyrics about God? OK... This is where it gets exciting for me. As mentioned before, I've studied a lot of music. And not just christian music. Yeah, I'm the kid that you don't want to take to a store playing modern music to hang out, because I'll end up spacing out listening to the music and taking down notes in my head. ("Oh, sorry! What? I was listening to the music. Hey! Know who this is?") Now here's what I've noticed. Each style has a theme that, interestingly enough, doesn't change, whether it's a christian or mainstream artist using it. Let me break down a few genres, showing how the themes change and yet, stay the same, from mainstream to christian.


Pop:
OK. We've ALL heard at least one mainstream pop song. So this is going to be pretty easy, since it's the most popular style in both music realms. The style really lends itself to happy beats and melodies, as well as a few reflective ballads. The main theme is usually about love.

Mainstream: Thousands upon thousands of love songs exist in the mainstream pop arena. I don't even think we have enough fingers or toes to count the many love stories Taylor Swift has recounted in song. Anything from new found love, to break ups, to crushes can be found in pop music. But a majority of these will deal with boy/girl relationships. Also found are a lot of party anthems. A feeling of freedom that the wild, drunken parties give the mainstream pop artists seems to be a common subject to write about. (Miley Cyrus, anyone?)

Christian: Again, thousands of love songs exist in christian pop music, as well as some party anthems. But here's the twist. The love songs are about the God/human relationship. (Francesca Battistelli - Forever Love) A few are about human relationships, but God is still present, with the artist thanking Him for the gift of their husband/wife. Party anthems are also drastically different, usually about how thankful the artist is to God that they can be with their friends to just hang out and have some wholesome, pure fellowship. Or about how thankful they are for the small things and how those things just make them want to praise Him. ('Cause it's a Beautiful Day.)


Hip Hop/Rap/Urban:
Now we get into something a little more controversial. These three related genres tend to be self testimonial, with themes of the artists' past, who they are now, and their goals in life.

Mainstream: OK, how many times do we have to hear how hot Mr. Hip Hop star is in his own eyes? Or how he's going to make it big someday, show the world how good he is at making music. Oftentimes we hear stories of how they rose from poverty to taking over a stage and getting a crowd excited over them. It's usually all about self-marketing.

Christian: Nothing too different about the self-testimonial part, but here's the HUGE difference. The artists tend to push God into the forefront. When we hear their stories of where they came from and where they are now, all the credit goes to God and the gifts and blessings He's given them. When they brag about their virtues, they make sure we know it's only because of God that they don't let their pride get the best of them, or the reason they can have that faith that moves mountains. Their life goals are making sure everyone knows how great God is.


Punk Pop/Rock:
Here's a fast paced style that just has the feel of freedom and rebellion in every chord of the grunge guitars.

Mainstream: Fortunately, I've only heard two or three mainstream punk songs. They all generally had the theme of throwing caution to the wind, we'll live forever, to heck with the authority 'cause we are the authority, etc... Nothing more really needs to be said.

Christian: To most folks' surprise, yes, christian punk still has themes of freedom and even rebellion. But here's the fascinating thing. The rebellion is focused on the world, and the lies it constantly besieges our minds with. Christian punk tends to bash the lies down without pulling any punches, throwing truth left and right in an unabashed, up-front way. (Gotta love Hawk Nelson - You Have What I Need! Also Stellar Kart - Innocent). It also celebrates the freedom that the youth have from past mistakes, urging young folk to continue in that purity and live for God, not what people will think of us.


Rock/Metal/Death Metal:
Another contention point. (Also, you did not misread the heading. Yes, I WILL even get into Death Metal.) The blaring guitars, vocals on the verge of screaming, and heavy beats have led many believe that the style is directly from Satan himself. If you have any prejudices, especially on the Death Metal note, please just keep an open mind and hang with me here. I promise it fits. The themes of the rock/metal genre are usually very intense. Intense emotions, situations, and even some subjects that might make the mild mannered squirm.

Mainstream: Rock in this arena tends to be very angry, or show great depression, or even a desire to kill things. Happy thoughts. While general rock shows this in a more nonchalant way, maybe even holding some lighter, profound themes, metal showcases the most intense of emotions. Perhaps, this is the reason for the near screaming. (And even all out screaming depending the subgenre.) Death Metal, on the other hand, has an obsession with Satan, Hell, Death (well, duh), and Demons. I'll just leave it at that.

Christian: Here, rock doesn't really change all that much, thematically. Rock groups such as Third Day and, yes, Switchfoot, explore the more profound thoughts that pop doesn't really accommodate. Metal bands such as Fireflight and Skillet inject more intense emotions into their songs, but with the change of not letting these emotions get the better of them because they know God is strong enough to overcome them. So now... Death Metal... A friend of mine recently told me about her accidental run-in with a Death Metal station. She didn't mean to tune into it, but after a few seconds realized that these were christian bands. She heard lyrics of storming Hell's gates, not letting death win, and even how God will throw Satan down in the end. This is where the theory clicked for me. Even Death Metal holds the same themes when christian bands employ it!

Alright! There you have it! Moving on now!


There is the belief out there that christian musicians are taking over what Satan created and redeeming it for God's glory. But here's the issue with that theory. (I'm getting really excited now!)

1.) In order to redeem something, it has to have belonged to the redeemer in the first place, since redeem means to "buy back". We were created by God, sold ourselves to Satan, and then bought back by Jesus' death. We were redeemed.

2.) Satan is not a creator--repeat! SATAN IS NOT A CREATOR! He is an imitator. He cannot create anything new. He can only take what God has made and pollute it. (Also on that note. Man is not a creator either. Only God can create something new.)

So then, if Satan can't create anything new, and man can't create anything new, then--what if--God created ALL forms of music, along with the themes they hold, and because the church has been wary of anything besides the status quo, the world discovered these styles first, and Satan polluted the themes to glorify himself and sin instead. What if we are merely taking back--truly redeeming what God created, and what Satan tried to imitate?

Sadly, this also brings up another thought. If Satan can't create anything new, (sorry to bring this up so often. It was a new revelation for me, and really makes me happy) then what about when we protest a band for using the style that we attribute to him? By furthering the lie that something was made by Satan, that he has, in fact, managed to create something, we equate his power with that of the true creator, by giving him credit for creating something. Please don't misunderstand me. Give him all the credit for messing up something pure created by God. Call the music that has driven teens to committing suicide his work. That tragedy is on his head, and he will pay for it in the end! But never give him credit for something that only God can do. Frankly, he will never be as powerful as our God, and I'm tired of pretending that he is.

Which now brings us back to Switchfoot. When Jon Foreman handed out water to the protesters (when he had every right to defend his reputation and music) he reminded us that the outward appearance doesn't matter. What matters is the heart. Will there be Switchfoot fans in Hell? None whose heart has been redeemed by Jesus. Will the band Switchfoot be in Hell? Same answer. God is the only one who can truly create a new heart and redeem us, and He chooses/chose to do so no matter how corrupted or polluted our hearts are/were. Now there's an even more amazing thought! I don't know about you, but while the redemption of music excites me, the redemption of the human soul excites me even more!

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson

OK, I'll admit, I'm just not that into Pirate tales. I have certainly enjoyed the odd one here and there, provided the cast (or should I say crew) is interesting and entertaining. I'll also admit that the first time I saw this book, I passed on it since the cover depicting a girl at the prow of a ship didn't quite catch my eye enough. But then I noticed the title.

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot.

Very Nearly Honorable anything just promises a fun, humorous read, and so I bought it. Let me say that it is one of the more unique books I have read, every chapter ending with a "document" from the story that tells more of the tale in a refreshingly creative way. And even better, of course, is the story itself.

Hilary Westfield is the young daughter of the Admiral of the Royal Navy. Her goal and dream in life is to be a pirate, but there's only one problem. The VNHLP (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates) doesn't allow girls to be pirates. And so, Hilary is sent to Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies instead. Hilary would rather die than attend Miss Pimm's, so naturally, she escapes and, along with her faithful Gargoyle, joins the crew of a rogue pirate named Jasper Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher's crew is just the kind of crew I love in Pirate tales. It consists of Hilary Westfield, her Gargoyle, Jasper Fletcher himself, Charlie (Mr. Fletcher's young first mate), Oliver (an old enemy of Hilary's), and--Hilary's governess, Miss Greyson. Their mission? To track down the Enchantress' legendary magical treasure. What follows is a wonderful story full of humor, a little mystery, a little suspense, unexpected twists and turns, friendship, betrayal, capture, treasure map deciphering, dancing sheep, and of course, magic!

I can honestly say that I really enjoyed this book. The cast was very endearing and I was a little sad to come to the end of the story and take leave of them. But one can take joy in the fact that this is only the first book in a series--and a very good one at that too, I might add!

The Hands and Feet of Jesus (WARNING! Dirt Is Involved)

I've noticed over the span of a few years, that there is one area that is the greatest cause of contention and judgement in the church. No, it's not the issue of homosexuality. It's the media. Nothing can divide people like a different taste, standard, or theology on film, music, literature, and games. The subject of media can easily cause two families sitting across from each other to enter into an uncomfortable silence, each entertaining thoughts such as, "I can't believe they allow/don't allow that into their home." "I can't believe they listen/don't listen to that type of music." "How can be they so apathetic/uptight about that content in films/games." I've seen it time and again, in myself, and in the church as a whole. Why is media such a hot-button, contentious topic? Believe me, I've wracked my brains for an answer other than legalism (on both ends of the spectrum) and have come up with nothing. 

This is the one subject that I have heard INCREDIBLY strong opinions on from various people and factions within the church. It is responsible for a great amount of doubt pertaining to someone's salvation in Christ (for example, "he can't sing that type of music and still call himself a christian! I mean, listen to those drums and guitars!" "how can you call yourself a christian and watch a film that has that junk in it. You just need to get right with God.") It's the cause for a great deal of the fights between church members. Some debates I've heard can get pretty heated. And again, I have no idea why! And since I have no answer to that question, I will instead try to ask a different one.

Why are we so concerned about this? It's entertainment. Yes, I do believe that God can use media in great ways, but so often we fight over it as if it were the ONLY way He works.

We call Christians to support a certain company/artist/or particular art style in media all in the name of God and being His hands and feet. The truth is, our support of media--of entertainment--is not being the hands and feet. It's being the eyes and ears. It doesn't take all that much to support a music artist. All it takes nowadays is to whip out the phone, punch a button, and boom, you have now supported the artist. Again, don't get me wrong. I am in no way disregarding the wonderful work these artists are doing for Christ. I myself am a huge fan of and have a passion for media. I just believe we put too much into entertainment--not talking about quality here, but rather heart. I fear our heart is too deep into entertainment.

Here's an example. I've seen, first and foremost in myself and in others, the eager willingness to pour money into cds, books, and such, especially in the Christian media realm. We'll run to the store, plunk down sixty bucks on the counter, take our new purchases and leave happy. But then here comes that ragged man with the cardboard sign on the side of the road. Oh, gosh, now I gotta pray about whether or not to give that man a twenty... Here, Christian book store, take my forty for these three cds. Heavenly Father, these missionaries are doing a great work in Africa for You, if it is Your will, please speak to my heart if I'm supposed to give them financial aid...

And we say buying stuff makes us the hands and feet of God? Being Christ-like is listening exclusively to christian music and supporting it like crazy? Excuse me if I'm wrong, but I thought Jesus had His hands in dirt more often than He had His ears around music, or His eyes around plays and paintings.

Jesus, first of all, was born in dirt and the muck of animals living in a small, confined quarter. Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights (Matt. 4:1-2). I imagine it wasn't too clean out there. Most likely (and this is just speculation) he slept on the ground, which incidentally, is made up of dirt and foliage--sometimes sand, rocks, and mud. And bugs. He touched a leper to heal him (Matt. 8:1-3). You only need to look up the disease to know how nasty that must have been. Many of His parables included figures whose hands were in contact with dirt: the sower (Matt.13:1-9), another parable with a sower (Matt. 13:24-30), yet another man sowing in dirt (Matt 13:31-32), yet another parable of workers in a vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16,and a treasure in a field which a man dug around in the dirt to find (Matt. 13:44). Jesus took little children into His arms (Matt. 19:13-15). If you don't think that's less than an ideal hygienic situation, remember: mothers back then didn't have hand sanitizer with them at all times. He touched two blind guys' eyeballs (Matt. 20:29-34). He fell on His face in prayer in a garden(Matt. 26:39), which I repeat, is a lot of dirt and foliage. These are all examples taken from the book of Matthew alone! I didn't even get to that time he made mud by scooping up a handful of dirt, spat in it, and rubbed it in a blind man's eyes to heal him...

So then this begs some new questions. What were the hands and feet of Christ doing then? What are they doing now? What did Christ do in His time here on Earth? What are we doing with our time here?

Being the hands and feet of Christ is not staying home and being patrons of the christian arts. It is more often than not, going outside our own little worlds and getting down in the dirt, foliage, and germs to not just show Christ to others, but to be Christ to others.

And so, in ending, I'd like to say: to the many musicians, filmmakers, authors, and artists in the ministry. Keep blessing, encouraging, and admonishing the saints to the best of your ability (in Christ) for the glory and kingdom of God. To the farmers, programmers, cashiers, waitresses, and pizza delivery guys. Keep working hard in society to the best of your ability (in Christ) for the glory and kingdom of God. To the missionaries, bible translators, volunteers to help the sick and elderly, and soup kitchen workers. Keep ministering to those in need and spreading the gospel throughout the world to the best of your ability (in Christ) for the glory and kingdom of God. And to the ones who have been locked inside their comfortable prisons for too long, who have been afraid of stepping out in faith, afraid of what they might lose. The rich young ruler lost the greatest opportunity to be with Jesus, to perhaps be one of His close disciples, because he too, feared the same things. Trust me, there is much more to gain than what there is to lose. Step out, bend down, and get your hands dirty, showing His love for the world around you to the best of your ability (in Christ) for the glory and kingdom of God.  

The Life & Times of a Modern Day Pharisee

With all the articles and quotes and even one or two books out there about the music in the church today, why write yet another blog post?

I don't know, really. I'm not trying to enter the battle that's raging over christian music today being worldly, unartistic, mediocre, or whether we should just do what we feel is right as musicians and let God do the rest. I don't really want to add another target out there for folks to attack, or to attack a target someone else has already put out. There are many times I want to though, because I do feel very strongly about this. But I'm going to do something uncharacteristic for me. I'm going to simply share my personal journey through this issue in a calm, collected manner and then let you, the reader, come to your own conclusion of whether or not a certain sound can be classified as godly or ungodly. And so, for your enjoyment, My Life Story In Music...
                                                             
Well, to begin, I was raised with music everywhere. In the house, in church, in stores, in the car, and, yes, sometimes even in the bathroom as a toddler while taking my bath (those Barney tapes were played to death). Other than the previously mentioned Barney tapes, the earliest genre I can remember hearing is Country. That's right. I grew up listening to some of the classic Country greats. At 6 years old I could've won a contest entitled "Voice Samples: Randy Travis or Alan Jackson". I knew the typical sounds of the guitars, fiddles, and dobros. So naturally, I wanted to play acoustic guitar. My parents also wanted me to play piano, but as a kid listening to Country, the desire just wasn't there. (I mean, what the heck do you use a piano for in Country music??)

There came a point though when my dad got rid of all the country CDs in the house. It was actually a good thing since at the time I was aspiring to be a Country artist (what else would I be?) and I just can't see myself up there now with Taylor Swift singing about his friends talking to my friends talking to him talking to me talking to my imaginary friend Phil who owns a nasty ol' pickup truck he never lets me drive... *ahem* Anyway, so what did came after that phase then?

The uptight Christian music phase.

I do not look back at this time with fondness or pride for my upstanding morals and boundaries. In fact, quite the opposite. It was a time of constantly praising one band or artist for their fantastic artistry of fitting the name God or Jesus into all 12 or 13 tracks of their album, or for managing to keep their guitar shredding down to a tasteful minimum. And it was also a time of excessive artist bashing. Don't mention God in one of your songs? "Ungodly!" Used the ambiguous You instead of actually saying Jesus? "Ungodly!" Created a funny music video that has nothing to do with spirituality? "Ungodly!" Mention the words "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" in a song or liner notes? "Ungodly!" Write a love song to your wife? "Ungodly!"

Seriously. These were all thoughts of mine. I was always told that living in righteousness was true freedom, but I felt no freedom at all. In fact, looking back, I felt like I was in bondage. A bondage of pride at how I alone seemed to be able to tell the godly bands from the "Ungodly!" ones. I alone was the one going to be the Christian artist who got everything right, because I alone knew what exactly was right. God, oddly enough, didn't even fit into the picture. To be truthful, I wasn't even a Jesus follower at the time. I was simply a skinny 12 year old pharisee.

As you can imagine, God had a LOT to work on in me.

Somehow a few years back, my parents' thoughts on the Christian music scene began to change slowly as mine... well mine went through a major overhaul. Naturally, the first thing God needed to change in me was my heart. I'm very thankful for the christian artist God used to show me that I was nothing more than a religious pain-in-the-neck with a filthy soul who had no desire for the REAL things of God. I finally began searching things out on my own in God's word. Yes, I began to FINALLY take God's word instead of my own, instead of my parents', and instead of my pastor's. I met the real Jesus (not the felt white man with the drooping solemn face I stuck on the felt board every Sunday School lesson) and He began to change me from the inside out.

So where does music fit in? Well, throughout all the difficult, trying, and just plain depressing circumstances I've been through during my relationship with Jesus, He decided to break down my legalistic laws and use the most interesting genres. Genres ranging from Punk Pop bands like Stellar Kart, to Hip Hop/Urban artists like Group 1 Crew, to hard rock groups like Fireflight. Songs from these artists in particular have spoken truth and comfort into my life and have challenged me in ways I had never been from other artists (who I am NOT saying are used any less by God).

So there you have it. My life story in music. As short as I could make it. You are now free to draw your own conclusions.