What a winter many experts have up north! First we’d a pre-Christmas ice storm that devastated trees and knocked out power for several (not my children though), then your bone-chilling polar vortex part one and two…..I’ve been staying home through the library and in some cases church lots as a result. Needless to say, I’m getting excited about spring warmth and green leaves around the trees. Being stuck in your house most on the time, purchasing tend to come upon each other.
For many, it mat be you, this cold temperature outside mirrors what’s happening for the inside. So how are we able to break free from your barren winter from the soul and glance at the sun on our faces again? How could we grow deep roots, vibrant leaves and delicious fruit? Casting Crowns tries to answer that question of their latest album, Thrive.
The title song begins this album that has a burst of joy. As believers, our way of life are supposed to become filled to stuffed with God’s power and new life. “Thrive” praises God and pleads for further of Him therefore we can have a life that goes past survival instincts and slogging through the times. “All You’ve Ever Wanted” can be a confession of all the so-called vain pursuits we’re chasing which don’t endure, the many battles we’re fighting which were won. The distance between us and God disappears if we give God the one solution He does not have that is in your power to give Him; our hearts. A powerful surrender of our everyday life to His love. The comforting “Just Be Held” encourages us permit go after we’re in crisis mode, scrabbling to locate purchase. Our strength is just not enough in order to save us from plunging within the cliff. God’s love alone will catch us and make us from falling. The miracle of trouble is that it’s once we’re going from the valley that everything’s actually being made in a roundabout, beautiful way.
“You Are The Only One” presents God because sole solution to each of the world’s ills, reminding us that for each and every tragedy and hardship, you’ll find glorious stuff that can come beyond them. You could almost say (and I borrow this analogy from Kevin Alan Milne’s The One Good Thing) which the rough, unfinished rocks in verse the one that pass although the praise inside the chorus end up being the smooth, refined stones of verse two; polished and perfected for God’s purposes. “Broken Together” softly cuts throughout the lies we’ve told ourselves with what a marriage should be for a man and the wife to together. We don’t perfect; in truth, it’s after we lay bare our weaknesses preventing running in 2 different directions that individuals can finally heal and become as one. The honest urgency of “Love You With The Truth” shows us the folly of holding back the gospel to be able to retain an excellent relationship with someone. Jesus declared his message would create strife and separation between believers and unbelievers, but He also charged us to throw His word out just like a lifesaver into a drowning man. Whether or not he takes it’s his decision; we’ve the obligation to a minimum of make it available.
“This Is Now” is Peter standing for the other side of his betrayal of Christ, uncertain how he ended up there and certain there is not any way to go back. Musing about all he previously had seen and the way tragic that after it really mattered, he failed his Lord. Yet despite his failure, Jesus still loved him and was ready to restore him. It’s really the storyline of anyone who’s walked clear of God, and His solution is still the identical. “Dream For You” uses the stories of David vs Goliath plus the virgin Mary to remind us that God’s dreams for individuals are over any visions we’ve for how our way of life should go. Every now and then, God throws us a curve ball; can we swing and risk striking out or fouling, or can we head back to the safety in the dugout? If we trust God’s plan and go along with it, we’ll accomplish things beyond our wildest imaginings. The gentle refrain that entitles “Follow Me” answers the aimlessness, debauchery and stubbornness of our own past with precisely the same call within the present. No matter whom you are or where you have been, He wants you to definitely come to Him. He can restore, redeem and heal all who are looking for after Him.
“Heroes” debunks the myth that you must do something flashy or glamorous for being living a courageous life. Rather, it’s those who sacrifice their comfort, time, and lives for making someone else’s life better behind the scenes which can be truly deserving in our admiration. They never try and seek their unique glory instead God’s, doing His will day in and day trip, patiently, not losing hope, knowing their reward is eternal. “House Of Their Dreams” revisits the tragic territory of “American Dream”, having a poignant think about the cost of getting our opinion we want. We may gain the globe but if the costs are our souls and the other person, it’s actually not worth it. Only surrender can reunite our separate lives and heal the wounds of a lot of time apart. “Waiting On The Night To Fall” warns us with the dangers of letting our guard down and compromising. If we allow a good shred in our old self to intrude on our brand new one, which is the only foot within the door the devil should sneak in as being a thief and sabotage your witness like a Christian. We need to be vigilant and depend on God’s word to help our actions and attitudes.
Thrive has got being one from the best albums I’ve heard within a long time. The beauty of this album is that it won’t just tell us might know about need without scattering the bread crumbs we need to seek out it. Despite covering subject territory Casting Crowns has previously covered, this process doesn’t hurt Thrive one bit; it’s a smaller rehash plus more of a reminder. For excellence in calling us to deeper, vibrant life, several.9 goes to…….Casting Crowns.