Coming Home - Martins Concert Recap

As I grow older, the times at home in the house I grew up in with my family become less frequent but more precious. It's not that I live very far or travel all the time, but there's something about being back home, where you grew up with the people who watched you grow.

The Martins (Joyce, Jonathan and Judy) made a stop in Arkansas a few weeks ago. They are from Hamburg, Arkansas, so the concert was like one big homecoming and you could tell that they had similar feelings of how sweet it can be to come "home." The church was full of family and friends who had watched and supported the group from their beginnings and had seen them in the best of times and the worst.

Their parents were, of course, in attendance. At one point as they were singing, their dad walked from the back down the center aisle to get a photo. It was such a sweet moment and a reminder that it doesn't matter who you are or how far you've made it, dads will always be proud dads.

It was good to hear so many songs from their Still Standing project. That was one of my favorite releases of the year last year. They talked about how they went skydiving with the Army Golden Knights. And then played a video of them skydiving along with the song "Still Standing." I love how they did "Beautiful." It's so much their testimony song that the siblings sing to one another. They talked about how they had a hand in writing several of the songs on the new project. They also sang their new version of "Wherever You Are," which has been one of my favorites of their songs.

Of course, highlights from a Martins' concert will always include their a cappella numbers. Their sibling harmony is the best. I love hearing their cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone."

If I were listing my all-time favorite gospel songs, "The Promise" would definitely be in the top three. I'm so glad they still stage this song. This song always ministers to me and seems to be just what I need to hear.

If you've read my blog for any time, you know that the Martins are the first professional group I saw and the group that really opened the door to my love for Southern Gospel. It's always so good to see them live, and it's especially special to see them in Arkansas. I'm thankful they made the trip home.

Bowling Family and Bowling Sisters - Concert Recap - Clinton, Ark. 2018

At the end of July, the Bowling Family made a stop in Clinton, Arkansas. The Bowling Family and Bowling Sisters were part of a larger event with a few local groups and singers. It had been more than a year since I had seen this sweet family. Not only are they incredibly talented, but you know that when you come to a Bowling Family concert, you will have church. That night the Clinton High School auditorium was turned into a worship service.

The girls were featured at the beginning of the night and had a full set. These girls sound amazing together. Their sister harmony is on point. They sang several songs from theirThe Beginning project including, "Stronger," "He'll Do It Again," "At the Cross" and "Higher Ground." Their a cappella arrangement of "At the Cross" is incredible!

A local group called May Garden sang several familiar favorites like "When God Dips His Love" and "Chain Breaker" before the Bowlings took the stage.

The Bowling Family took the stage and started with an old favorite, "I'm on the Battlefield." It was really good to hear them sing a mix of older songs and some of their newest singles. Kelly was featured on "I Know Enough," but they also pulled up an older feature of Kelly's "A Miracle Today." This song has always been one of my favorites, so it was so good to hear it live!


Hope pulled double duty singing both with her parents and sisters. She was featured on "One Glorious Moment of Faith." It was great to hear her sing this one. After it being so long since I had seen them, it was evident how much Hope has grown as a singer!

Of course, Mike pulled out a few Hinson classics but I also loved hearing him on "I Was There," one of the highlights from their Moments Like These project. And he also sang "The Lighthouse" by request. He's probably my favorite person to hear sing this song.

They also sang one of their first big hits - "Your Cries Have Awoken the Master." I forgot how powerful that song is. It's an incredible reminder of how God always hears and He knows our voices. In those moments when we keep praying, He is hearing and working. I loved getting to hear it live again.

They ended the night with "I Never Shall Forget the Day." It was such a great night of gospel music and worship!

LeFevre Quartet Concert Recap - July 2018

The LeFevre Quartet made a stop in Arkansas a few weeks ago also in Pine Bluff. It was good to hear all eight songs from their newest project Ascending live. The group consists of Mike LeFevre, Jordan LeFevre, Jeremy Peace and Keith Plott. I rarely get to see this quartet in full concerts by themselves and at a multi-group event, so it was really good to hear about an hour and a half of great quartet singing!

Here are a few highlights of the night -

• "I'm Gonna Be Movin'"
• "Sun's Gonna Come Up" - I love this new song from their latest project. It's also their first single.
• "Silver and Gold" - This is such a fun song featuring Keith.
• "A Rugged Old Cross"
• "Oh What a Savior"
• "I'll See You at the House" - Mike talked about his mom before this song. She passed away last year. It was such a touching tribute, and it's such a beautiful song to remember loved ones who have gone on.
• "Let the Church Arise"
• "I Have It All"
• "Only Jesus" - This was one of my favorites from their new project, so I was really glad to hear it live. Jeremy did a great job on this song. 
• "Revival" - They ended the night with this song. Mike mentioned that Jordan hadn't been feeling well, but he still stepped up to sing this one and did a great job. 

Make sure and check out when these guys are going to be in your area!

Jim Brady Trio - Concert Recap

The Jim Brady Trio made a stop in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in late June. I hadn't seen this group since convention last year, so it was good to see and hear them live again!

Here are some of my favorite moments of the night -

• "Calvary" - I had never heard Melissa sing this song live. It was amazing! Definitely the highlight of the night. This is on their Promises project. 
• "Homesick for Heaven"
• "That Sounds Like Home to Me" - They sang this one and then did the chorus again a cappella. It made for an incredible moment!
• "What a Day That Will Be" - Layke was featured on this song with just Melissa on the keyboard.
• "Wherever I Am"
• "Every Cry Is Heard" - Love this song, probably one of my favorites that Jim has written. He shared a little bit of the story behind the song and all that his family had been through during the time.

Don't miss this group when they are in your area!

A Night With 11th Hour - Concert Review

Last month, I got the chance to see 11th Hour in Sheridan, Arkansas. Logan Smith had just accepted the position with 11th Hour, but was at Matthew Gooch's wedding that weekend. KC Brandon filled in for the group that weekend.

Here are a few highlights from the concert -

• "Power in Prayer" - This was my first time hearing this song in person. It's such an incredibly powerful song!
• "Doin' What's Right"
• "Let Grace In" - Jaquita shared a little bit about this song before singing it. She wrote the song several years ago, but talked about how much the song had come to mean to her recently. I love hearing a little bit of the story behind the song and how God uses different songs at different times not only to minister to us but to minister to the writers and the singers. 
• "He Sees What We Don't" - I always love hearing this song. This song is one of my favorite gospel songs, period. 
• "Way Maker" - They sang this one just around the keyboard, incredible moment!
• "My God Will Deliver Me" - They got the pastor of the church up to sing with them on this one. He did a great job!
• "You Can Start All Over Again"- They featured KC on this one. It was another great worship moment. I hadn't heard KC before, but he's a great talent both vocally and on the piano. 
• "Take Me to the King"
• "I Trust" - Love hearing Jaquita sing this song, another song that she wrote.
• "He Welcomes the Beggar" - This has become one of my favorite 11th Hour songs!

Night Full of Requests - Browders Concert Recap

The Browders made a rare trip to Arkansas last week. They were at Dayspring Baptist Church in Ward. This was actually my first time to see the group in a full concert. Normally, it's only a 20-30 minute set at Silver Dollar City once a year. It was good to get the full concert experience Thursday night.

One of the things I love about this group was the live band. You don't realize how much that adds to a concert until you experience it.

Another thing about this group is that they have set records for #1 songs. The full concert experience was full of their #1s and most requested songs. Despite not hearing them live much, there were only a few songs that I was not very familiar with because of their wide radio play.

Here are a few highlights of the concert -

• "I'll Lift Up His Name Again" - This was the opening song, and right away you could tell the audience was glad to hear this one live! This is such a great song!
• "Message of the Cross" - It was good to hear Sonya sing this one. Also, major kudos to Sonya for being in high heels the full concert at eight months pregnant. 
• "I Am So Blessed" - I love hearing Tommy Browder sing this song and hear his testimony. It's such a reminder of just how blessed we are.
• "Praise You in This Valley"
• "Put It in God's Hands" - This has probably become my favorite Browders song!
• "Time Machine" - They were about to wrap up. Matthew said that they had gotten in all the requests but a young voice from the back corrected him that they had not sung "Time Machine" yet. Haha, and we were all glad he did!

Experiencing Hope - Brian Free & Assurance in Ward - Concert Recap

A few weeks ago, Brian Free & Assurance came to Cocklebur Baptist Church in Ward, Arkansas. This was a church I had never been to before and when my GPS told me I had arrived, judging by the cow pastures on either side of me, I knew that I had not. I thankfully found the church just a couple more miles down the road. When I got there, it seemed that no else had trouble finding it because this small country church was packed out and they were setting up more folding chairs for the night's concert.

Brian Free & Assurance - Brian Free, Mike Rogers
and Bill Shivers

Brian Free & Assurance were part of the cruise I was on in January, so it hadn't been too long since I had seen the group before. It was good to hear them in a full concert setting though instead of just a 20-minute set. It was good to hear a few more songs from Beyond Amazed along with some favorite Brian Free & Assurance songs.

It was one of those nights where from the first few words sung you could tell the presence of God was in the room. The crowd was moved by the music and lyrics of each song. It was an amazing feeling in the room that night.

Here are a few highlights of the night -

• "You Could Be the Difference" - Love hearing Mike sing this one!
• "Leave With Nothing Left" - I don't remember hearing this one live before but it was definitely a standout track to me from their most recent project. Bill does a great job on this song. 
• "He Can Take It" - This is the group's radio single right now featuring Brian. Love this song!
• "Somebody's Miracle"
• "Say Amen" - As much as I love hearing the group sing this one and seeing how the audience is moved by this sing, I have to say that what I loved most about this song that night was hearing a small girl behind me sing every word it her little high voice. I love that the music at a young age is impacting her. I'm always so thankful when I see parents and grandparents taking their young children to concerts to raise them up around this music like I was. 
• "Live Like We're Redeemed"
• "For God So Loved" - I've heard this song so many times, but that night this song struck such a chord with me that night. I love the lyric - "Hope was born through sacred blood." It's only through Jesus' shed blood on the cross that we have hope for the future. 
• "Long As I Got King Jesus"

Brian gave a little bit of his testimony of how he was already singing gospel music when he gave his heart and life to Jesus. It doesn't matter the kind of life you live or how you might serve in the church, it's taking that step of salvation to ask Him to come into your life that really matters. It's surrendering ourselves to Him. 

I'm thankful that I kept driving just a few more miles past the cow pasture to find the church that night. Thank you, Brian, Bill and Mike, for a great night of worship!

Experiencing the Peace of God - The Perrys - Concert Recap

When I saw that the Perrys were booked in Little Rock at the end of February, I of course put it on my calendar. I didn't realize then how the group would change over the weeks before then, how their world would be shaken with the death of patriarch Tracy Stuffle. When I got there that night, I knew it would be different seeing them again. I just didn't realize the kind of different. But when people have gone through a major loss and can stand on stage and proclaim the name of Jesus and how faithful He is, it's a special kind of worship. The hurt is fresh, but their love and dedication to God hasn't wavered. You can tell that every song maybe means even more than before. Every word that is sung is felt deep down because they are living it. Sometimes in the greatest times of grief, there's the sweetest kind of worship because we can be reassured of just how good God is. That's what the Perrys showed that night.

The Perrys sang several songs from Testament. They started the night with "Let's Stop for a Moment" and also sang their latest single "Moses and Elijah." I was so glad that Troy sang his feature, "Sing in the Valley." This is such an incredible song and fits Troy perfectly. Andrew also sang "It Carried Him," another favorite from that project. Love this song!

They pulled out a few older songs like Libbi singing "Did I Mention" and "Calvary Answers for Me." Andrew does such a great job on that song. They sang several Goodman songs, "Living in Canaan Now," "I Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now" and then "God Walks the Dark Hills." It was such a sweet spirit with Libbi singing "God Walks the Dark Hills," incredible moment.

Libbi talked about their journey over the last few weeks and how she's learned more and more about the peace and sustaining grace of God. She sang "Celebrate Me Home" while they showed pictures of Tracy with family and friends. It was such a touching tribute to Tracy and a way to honor him, his memory and share with the people a little more about his passing and the journey they have been on in the weeks prior.

They planned on closing the night with "If You Knew Him," until the pastor asked for one more song, a barn-burner, so they started the track for "I Wish I Could Have Been There." It had the entire audience on its feet clapping along.

I'm so thankful for the worship that night. It was easy to see the peace that can only come from truly knowing God and walking with Him even in the hardest of times. Sometimes the sweetest worship can come during the times of greatest grief and that's what I got to witness that night.

An Evening With Tribute Quartet - Concert Recap

It's been a slow seasons for concerts in Arkansas this year. Thankfully a couple of weeks ago that picked up when Tribute Quartet's bus rolled into Jacksonville, Arkansas. (With concerts picking up, hopefully the blogging will too!)

These guys get better and better each time I see them. They really are one of the top quartets in the business right now. It was good to hear so many songs from Here For You, which I still contend as the best album of 2016, along with their new quartet tribute album.

Here are a few highlights of the night -

• "Everybody Come See Jesus"
• "God of the Storms" - This is one of my favorite songs they sing. I think sometimes with the songs that are midtempo or faster we can miss the beauty of the lyrics, but this song has some incredible nuggets of wordsmithing. Riley led the congregation in "The Haven of Rest" after the song. He reminded us that with Jesus we are safe ever more no matter what we are going through.
• "Every Question Will Be Answered"
• "Power in the Blood" - When Josh steps over to the piano, it's easy to see why he was voted favorite musician last year at the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. 
• "Come On Let's Go to That Land" - Anthony does a great job on this song, and it's always a fun one to see live.
• "Grace At Its Best" - I'm so glad they staged this song that night. Gary is not only featured on this song but also co-wrote the song with Barbara Huffman. I love to hear Gary and Riley sing this song.
• "Hold On (Jesus Will Come)" and "His Tomb Is Empty" - I hadn't heard them sing either of these live before.
• "When the Prodigal Comes Home" - Riley does such an incredible job on this song. I think it's becoming one of my favorite Tribute Quartet songs. Riley started the song back a cappella after sharing about the story of the prodigal son. It was a beautiful moment and a great reminder of just how much God loves us no matter what we have done.

Thanks, Tribute Quartet, for a great night of gospel music that reminded us of God's perfect love for us and that no matter what we're facing He is right there alongside us. 

Going Cruising - Abraham Productions Crystal Caribbean Cruise

Last week I had the opportunity to go on the Abraham Productions' Crystal Caribbean Cruise. It was an incredible week and experience. This was my first cruise and my first Abraham Productions event, but it won't be my last of either.

The groups who were on the ship were - The Talleys, Jeff and Sheri Easter, the Whisnants, Karen Peck & New River (who arrived a little late because of being at the Grammys), the Hoppers, Brian Free & Assurance and Ivan Parker. This was one of the best lineups I could have asked for!

Dr. Herb Reavis was the speaker for the event and spoke on Sunday morning, Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. He is the pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist. This was my first time to hear him speak, and I was definitely blessed and challenged by his speaking. The best news of the week was that 11 people were saved during the cruise! I love how Abraham Productions made sure that the gospel was presented not only through songs but also through preaching.

We had concerts each day where each artist sang around 20 minutes each. When we had the chapel services in the morning a few of the artists got up early and would sing twice on those days. We took over one of the lounge areas on the cruise ship. It was a more intimate setting that was packed full of gospel music fans. One of the things I noticed and loved to watch was how the artists supported each other. They all sat over to the side of the lounge and watched and encouraged each other. It was neat to see them singing along to other groups' songs or making special requests of their favorite songs or even joining other groups on stage.

I didn't take notes to recap everything, because I just wanted to enjoy the music. There was one night that stood out that was full of reminders of God's incredible love for us with songs like -

• "Jesus Loves You" - Jeff & Sheri Easter
• "I Love You This Much" - The Whisnants
• "For God So Loved" - Brian Free & Assurance
• "His Life For Mine" - The Talleys

I don't know if the artists planned how the night went or not, but it was amazing to see how God brought a clear theme to the night. 

A few other memorable performances were - 

• "Something's Happening" (The Hoppers) - Kim is still recovering from foot surgery so she was on crutches and sat to sing most of the week. Kim still nailed the end of the song sitting down early in the morning!
• "Goin' Away Party" - Jeff Easter pulled Lauren Talley on stage to sing the second verse with them.
• "Midnight Cry" - Ivan Parker got Brian Free & Assurance to join him for this one
• "All Is Well" - The Whisnants
• "My God Will Always Be Enough" - Karen Peck & New River

If you ever get the chance to go cruising, I highly recommend this one! It was a week full of great preaching and singing and one I won't soon forget. 

Singing and Surprises with Jeff and Sheri Easter - Concert Recap

The last concert I got to see in 2017 was Jeff and Sheri Easter. They made a stop in Arkansas around Thanksgiving, so I'm playing a bit of catch up today finally blogging about it.

I always love seeing this sweet family live in concert. You just never know what might happen with Jeff Easter or who might get called on stage to come join them. It was good to hear several new songs from Sing It Again along with a few surprises throughout the night. Here are a few highlights -

• I love that they are staging "Like My Mother Does" from Morgan's solo project. I think this song suits her so well and is such a sweet picture of mother and daughter.
• "Jesus Loves You" - I don't care how many times I hear this song, it never fails to speak to me.
• "The Seeker" - It doesn't get much better than Sheri Easter singing a Dolly Parton song!
• "On the Sea of Life" - This is a fun one to see and hear live that features Jeff. 
• "Thread of Hope" - I'm so glad someone requested this song. This is probably my favorite Jeff and Sheri song. Always love getting to hear it live!
• "Tis So Sweet" - Love this hymn that features Morgan.
• Two of the audience members that night happened to be the Martin parents. They called Momma Martin up to sing one with them. She sang "Amazing Grace" with Jeff and Sheri. They called a few more from the church up to sing with them as well including the pastor and Nancy Norris, the daughter of a local promoter who passed away a couple of years ago.

They ended the night with "Precious Memories" and "Keep on the Sunny Side." It was such a sweet night with great singing, fun surprise guests and a time of worship and encouragement.

Cana's Voice - Concert Recap

I'm combining a Fun Clip Friday and a concert recap today. Several weeks ago, I got the chance to see Cana's Voice in Searcy, Arkansas. With this group's limited touring schedule, I was excited to see that they were going to be so close to me. I had seen them at Praisefest Branson and on tour with Mark Lowry but this was my first chance to see them in full concert by themselves. This is one of the most vocally talented groups on the road in my opinion.

It was a night filled with some traditional hymns, several songs from This Changes Everything and incredible testimonies.

Here are highlights from the night -

• Doug and Jody both gave personal testimonies. It was great to hear them share their hearts. Doug that day had run into several travel issues and had a rough day to say the least. He sang "Jesus Saved Me (When I Couldn't Save Myself)" from his solo project. Then Jody gave his testimony about how God had worked and really performed miraculous deeds in his life before singing "Me," an incredibly powerful song.
• They did a hymn request segment. Well, apparently Arkansans are not good at requesting well-known hymns. The first one I hadn't really heard of and the second was one I knew but wouldn't be able to tell you the words. The group was in the same boat. Haha! But then people started requesting the classics like "It Is Well," "How Great Thou Art," "Victory in Jesus" and "Power in the Blood." I loved hearing them sing these, and they even let the congregation sing along on a couple. But they ended the hymn segment with "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." Their a cappella version (clip above) is a must see and hear. It's absolutely incredible!
• "Jesus Never Fails" - It doesn't matter how many times I hear this song, it's always going to be a highlight to hear it live. It's such a powerful song but powerhouse singers.
• "I Won't Go Back" - Apparently this is not one they stage much but had a request for it. We've sang this in church a lot, but love their version of the song.
• I loved hearing several others from their CD like "Love Anyway," "All My Reasons Are You" and "Big Enough."

If you get the chance to see this group, don't miss them!

Homecoming - Mark Trammell Quartet - Concert Recap

In early November, the Mark Trammell Quartet came to Benton, Arkansas. It's always great to see these guys in Arkansas with two group members having Arkansas roots. However, this night was actually at the church that Randy Byrd grew up in and his dad pastored for many years. It was nice to see the response he got from the congregations and the gratitude that he showed toward people who had invested in his life. Randy shared how much the night meant to him and how thankful that he was to get to travel with the Mark Trammell Quartet. It was such a sweet moment!

It was good to hear such a great mix of songs from their latest three projects. We got to hear several classic hymns and gospel standards to the upbeat songs like "I'll Take It to the Grave" and even a few Christmas ones thrown in.

The Lancaster Family from Arkansas sang during the break. They did an a cappella version of "Hallelujah What a Savior," and it was beautiful!

Here are highlights from the night -

• "He Hideth My Soul" - I love their arrangement of this classic hymn that's always been one of my favorites. Blake does an outstanding job on this song.
• "I Know, I Know" - It's good to hear them on this song from their most recent project, Great Moments. Love to hear Nick on this song!
• "Hallelujah" - Trevor has been a great addition to the quartet. He was featured playing this song.
• "My Faith Still Holds" - This song is so powerful from their Full Sail project. They ended the first half with this song.
• "Oh Holy Night" - Randy requested that Mark sing this song, and I am so glad he did! It was the first Christmas song I've gotten to hear live this year, and there's none better. Love Mark's version of this song. After this song they sang another Christmas one, "Glory to God in the Highest."
• "Thanks to Calvary" - It was great hearing Randy on this song! You could tell that the night meant so much to him and he was really felt so much of the song.
• "The King Is Coming" - No group sings this song better. Period.

Concert Recap - Brian Free & Assurance

A few weeks ago I got the chance to see Brian Free & Assurance in Arkansas. It had been over a year since I had gotten to see this group in person and this was coming right off the release of their new album, Beyond Amazed. Here are some highlights of the night -

• They had a lot of requests for fan favorite songs, but they were able to get in two new songs and they probably were the two I most wanted to hear live - "He Can Take It" and "Sometimes You Need a Song." Glad that they are already staging a few new ones!
• "For God So Loved" - This is one of the most powerful songs. I love hearing this one live!
• "Say Amen" - This is another powerful song. I love when the audience will chime in and say "Amen" as the song progresses. This is becoming one of their staple songs.
• "He Will Carry You" - I've heard this song on the radio so much lately. It's a beautiful reminder that when tough times come He will be there to carry us.
• "You Can Be the Difference" - This song is a fun upbeat song, but also very challenging. It's another great one to hear live.
• It's always good to hear those fan favorite songs. It wouldn't be a Brian Free & Assurance concert without "Long As I Got King Jesus." They also sang "I Keep Looking Up," "Praying Man" and "If It Takes a Valley," three more of my personal favorites.

Check out Brian Free & Assurance's schedule to see when they are near you!

Still Greater Vision - Concert Recap

Earlier last month, I had the chance to see Greater Vision in Arkansas. This was my first time to see the group since Jon Epley's addition. When a group as consistent as Greater Vision makes a big change, fans are always interested to see what the group will sound like. You'll be happy to know they are still Greater Vision with the same sound they've always had. Jon is a great addition to the group and fits in well with their overall blend.

Here are some highlights from the night -

• "He'd Still Been God"
• "Rolled Back Stone" - It was good to hear so many songs from their new project during this concert. This is just one of the new ones that has a country-flair that Chris sang.
• "Why Me Lord" - Jon was featured on this great, old song.
• "His Grave Wrote the song" - Another great new one!
• "I Know a Man Who Can" - Never get tired of hearing Chris on this one.
• "God Doesn't Care" - I don't know of a person who doesn't need to hear this song and be reminded that God doesn't care what we have done in the past.
• "Still" - This was the moment of the night for me. Such a powerful song that Rodney sings.
• They pulled Wade Lentz on stage who is the pastor of the church. He got to sing bass with Greater Vision last time they were there, so they made a quartet and had him sing with them again. He has a great bass voice. They sang "Wedding Music," then he said there's a quartet song he's always wanted to sing but never gotten the chance. The song was "Boundless Love."
• "Until You've Known the Love of God" - Gerald stepped out from the piano to sing this song. Good hearing him featured on this one!

Being Thankful With Triumphant Quartet - Concert Recap

Triumphant Quartet doesn't make many stops in Arkansas, so it's always good to see this quartet when they are in the area. Seeing them live is always a reminder of why they are consistently the fan favorites.

It was good to hear so many of their new songs from Thankful. The guys actually recently celebrated a #1 song from that project, "Chain Breaker," which they did sing that night.

I love getting to hear this group sing, but I also love the chance to hear their hearts. They see how this music changes lives and draws people to Christ. They share stories of that with their audience, but you can see when they sing how they communicate every line making sure the message of the song is front and center.

Here are some highlights from the night -

• "Amazing God" - I love this song and hearing David sing this. The song really makes you stop and think about how blessed we are to have such an Almighty God. 
• "Thankful, So Thankful" - Such a great song from their new CD! This is such a fun song to hear live. 
• "Chain Breaker" - This is becoming one of my new favorite songs of theirs. I love how they brought this song to the Southern Gospel world.
• "Hallelujah" - This was actually included on their Christmas project and is a spin on the Leonard Cohen classic. Love how this song tells the story of Christ. It's good to hear each of the guys get featured on a verse. 
• "Hello Mama" - They featured Aaron Dishman on this song. Good to hear him step up the mic. 
• "Grace and Mercy" - This was a highlight of the night for me! I love this song, another one from Thankful.
• "I Know Him" - Such a great song that features David. After the song, Eric talked some about the song and what it meant. As great as it is for us to know Him, it's also a reminder that He knows who we are. Do we talk to Him enough and read His word enough? Are we really taking time to build that relationship with Him? It was a great challenge for all of us. 
• "White Flag of Surrender" - Always such a fun song! I love watching the audience and seeing everyone involved from the little kids to the more mature audience members. :)

Thanks, Triumphant Quartet, for a great night of incredible music and worship!

Ministry of 2nd Generation - Concert Recap

It's amazing what can happen when a group allows the Holy Spirit to take over and lead the service. That's exactly what happened when I saw 2nd Generation a few weeks ago.

If you're not familiar with 2nd Generation, they are based in Arkansas and consist of sisters Brenda Denney and Elaine Robinson and Randy Barnes. They were actually at Randy Barnes' home church. It was a special night not only because of the worship, but it was a night for the church to pray over Randy before he left for a two-week mission trip in Mongolia.

Randy not only stepped out to follow God's leading by going on this mission trip, but when God led them to stop the service to pray over a friend who received troubling news right before the concert started that's exactly what they did. I love seeing groups when they live out exactly what they sing.

It was a great night of incredible songs and worship, and I'm thankful of how this group ministered that night.

Here are a few highlights from the night -

• "It's a Good Life Living for the Lord" - Wonderful song to kick off the night featuring Brenda.
• "One More River" - This is one of my favorite songs to hear them sing live.
• "What a Day That Will Be" - Love hearing Brenda and Randy featured on this classic hymn!
• "Sheltered in the Arms of God" - Elaine talked about not fully understanding this song when she started singing it as a teenager. Sometimes in this life we still don't understand the path we are one and what God is doing, but we can rest assured that God is right there with us. No matter what is going on, we are sheltered in His arms and He is in control. Elaine does a beautiful job on this song. 
• My God Can Do Anything" 
• "Somebody Go Get God" 
• "Faces" - Since this was Randy's home church, they asked for requests and this was one of them. Love hearing Randy sing this song!
• "Redemption Draweth Nigh" - Such a powerful, incredible song. The moment of the night for me!
• "Feel the Joy" - This is always a fun one that gets a little audience participation!
• "Rock of Ages" - This is not the hymn you might be used to, but a fun uptempo song from their most recent project The Church.

If you get a chance to see 2nd Generation in your area, don't miss them!

Worshipping with Tribute Quartet - Concert Recap

Toward the end of July, Tribute Quartet made its way to Arkansas. I got to see them at Unity Baptist in DeWitt. A sister duo, the Walker Sisters, opened for them that night. They did an a cappella version of "It Is Well" that was incredible! They were fantastic and set the night up for a great time of worship.

When Tribute took the stage, it was so good to hear so many song from their most recent project Here For You. They even started out with the title track. They featured more than half of the songs that night including "Everybody Come See Jesus," "Jesus Saves" and "Somebody Sing Me That Song." If you don't have a copy of that project, get it now. It was, in my opinion, the best Southern Gospel album released last year.

I love the energy these guys bring to the stage and to the music but also how they always bring the focus back to the main thing. They make sure that Christ is at the forefront of the night. I'm thankful I was able to be there for such a great night of worship. 

Here are a few highlights from the night - 

• "That's How I Know" - This is such a fun one to see and hear live!
• "God of the Storms" - This has probably become my favorite song from Here For You. When you take time to stop and really pay attention to the lyrics, they are incredible. "Troubled waters of danger set a stage for His feet." Riley took the time after the song to talk about them. Our circumstances and situations are too big for us, but in the middle of what we are facing, we can know that God is faithful and more than able to take care of it. We can experience an extreme peace because of this even when we are in the midst of the storms. 
  
• "Oh What a Savior" - I haven't seen Riley sing this one live very much, so I was glad they chose to include it that night.
• "I've Been Blessed" - They called up Dennis Duggar to sing one with them. Dennis sang with Tribute for several years and was in the audience that night. It was good to have him back on stage!

Gary closed the night by talking about how much the hymns of the church have meant to him. He talked about specific hymns and how encouraging they have been to him - "In the Garden," "Because He Lives" and "Leave It There." It was such a sweet time of worship with the congregation singing along with the choruses of each song. 

Thank you, Tribute Quartet, for a great night of worship. Thank you for being an encouragement to believers and pointing people to Christ. 

God in the Interruptions - Jim Brady Trio - Concert Recap

It's said that God can be in the interruptions. I'm sure when a breaker was flipped during the first song of the night the Jim Brady Trio didn't exactly know what kind of night was in store. However, the group never missed a beat and let God use the moment.



The fist song of the night was "If It Had Not Been the Lord" and about halfway through the song the group lost power. Instead of stopping or even pausing for a moment, the group just kept going a cappella. They moved up to the front of the church and kept singing. Jim stopped after the song and talked about how sometimes God was in the interruptions of life and whether or not they got the issue fixed, they would keep going with the concert. Sometimes when things don't go as planned, those can be the sweetest moments of worship with God.

While Jim took a minute to introduce the group, they were able to get the issue fixed before the second song started, but God definitely used that time just as a reminder of what the night should really be about.

Here's a look at the songs the rest of the night -

• "He Saved Me" - They did the chorus a cappella, absolutely beautiful!
• "Stepping Out in Faith"
• "The Love of God" - Love their version of this song. 
• "What a Day That Will Be" - They featured Layke on this one with just Melissa at piano to accompany him. 
• "Keep on the Firing Line" - Always a fun one to hear live. 
• "Wherever I Am" - This was my first time seeing them stage this song. I was glad they included this one from their Promises CD. 
• "Greatest of All Miracles" - I love hearing Melissa sing this song!!
• "Tell Me" - They had Chase Davis traveling with them this summer. He goes to Bethel University and sings in a group there. He sang on this one with them and the next one. 
• "Because He Lives" - The three guys sang this one with Melissa on the piano. Chase has a great voice!
• "That Sounds Like Home to Me"
• "All Over the World"
• "Every Cry Is Heard" - One of my favorite Jim Brady songs! He talked a little bit about all their family had been through in the last few years with the death of his dad, sister, Melissa's mother and then Jim's brother. It had been a rough season, but what an encouragement the song was. None of the moments they were prepared for, but God was evident in those trials -- those interruptions of life. Through the heartbreak, Jim said he could thank the Lord for the promise of Heaven and His faithfulness through it all. 

It was a great night with this group. The night was a powerful reminder of how God is faithful to walk with us through everything we face. 

Worshipping with Karen Peck & New River - Concert Recap

Several weeks ago, I got the chance to see Karen Peck and New River on a Sunday night in Poyen, Arkansas. I love how each time I see this group, it's such an anointed service. The service was just after Hope for all Nations was released, so we got to hear several from that project.


It had been a while since I had seen this group in a full concert setting. It's great to see Kari come on and have more of a role in the group. I loved getting to hear so many new songs. I also loved watching how Karen let the Spirit lead her through the night in what they sang.

The night was such a sweet worship service. Here's a look at what they sang -

• "I Stand Amazed in the Presence"
• "I Wanna Know How It Feels" - They sang this one and then Karen shared a little bit about how the song was written before starting the chorus again. Love that they have staged this older song again. 
• "I Am Blessed"
• "Calling"
• "I Choose Christ" - Karen talked about Rickey's battle with cancer in the last few years. They were a bit blindsided when it happened. It wasn't something they would have chosen for themselves, but this was God's plan. And at the end of the day, she said that she can still say, "I choose Christ."
• "I Keep on Praying" - This is a duet with Ricky and Kari on their latest project. They do such a great job on this song.
• "Victory Is Mine" - One of my favorites from their new project!
• "We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown" - This song had the audience on its feet clapping along. K
• "Everybody's Going Through Something" - Love hearing this one live. 
• "Four Days Late" - I never get tired of this song! I know they have to sing this every night, but I love seeing the conviction and how they convey this song each time. Karen puts everything she has into it. 
• "Ephesians 1"
• "Revival"
• "Were You There" - Great a cappella song from Ricky. 
• "Gotta Be Saved" - This is such a fun song from Hope for All Nations. 
• "My God Will Always Be Enough" - Another favorite song that never fails to speak to me. 
• "Hope for All Nations" - They ended the service with everyone moved toward the front of the sanctuary at the altar praying. It was a great moment and a great song to end with. He is Hope for all nations and hope for every need.