Inspiration & Music Pick: The Water and the Blood from Sojourn Music
It’s often in the darkest moments in life where some of the deepest truths are revealed to us. Sojourn Music’s sound is raw, organic and emotional and their messages are inspired by the realities of life and classic hymns from Isaac Watts. Throughout their journey they have not been afraid to delve into the dark places of faith, and I love how they meld modern musical arrangements with the powerful poetic language of years ago.
Since launching in 2000, Sojourn Music has recorded 7 albums of original music, including “Before the Throne”, an album of songs that work through the movements of the liturgy, and “Over the Grave”, an album of re-written and re-imagined hymns by Isaac Watts. “The Water and the Blood” is their latest release, a dark Americana album recorded live in the studio and released in mid-2011.
Watch a preview for “The Water and the Blood” below to hear the story behind Sojourn Music:
Sojourn music began with a rag-tag group of musicians from a variety of backgrounds. The Bible talks about how the church should be one body with many parts, and this is evident in Sojourn music. Musicians with backgrounds in jazz, country, and pop come together with musicians from indie and punk rock backgrounds, seeking to serve the Church with a sense of unity and beauty.
“One way in which Sojourn is different is that we aren’t just a “band” of 4-6 people. We’re a community of songwriters, musicians and vocalists, all belonging to Sojourn Community Church of Louisville. We are a big family – over 50 people have contributed to the Sojourn Music songs and albums.” – Sojourn Music, via their Facebook Page, where you can also download free music.
Visit Sojourn Records at their website to find out more about their music: http://www.sojournmusic.com
Watch the video for Sojourn Record’s song “Death Has Lost Its Sting” below:
Creativity: “Masterpiece” – Spoken Poetry by Amena Brown & Piece from Gungor Concert
Above, Amena Brown, a poet, speaker and journalist, presents a passionate spoken story of the Master’s work in our lives, in a video from BluefishTV.
I love Amena’s spoken word work, and how she brings a fresh expression to how we are used to being inspired in the church. I’m also encouraged by the words she shares with other creatives through her articles; here’s a piece from “The Artist’s Dance” which appeared in the free collaborative e-book Creative Matters:
“The artistic journey is like this for many of us. We wrote, painted, danced, sang, played, until we were spent. Then, responsibility got the best of us. We “grew up” became “responsible.” Too busy for dancing.
Your desire to artistically dance will not go away. The Creator of creativity put it there. The question is will you come back to the dance floor. Will you endure the process of your feet clumsily rediscovering what to do? – Amena Brown (Click here for the full article)
Here’s an awesome example of artists melding their mediums – watch a clip of Amena at Gungor’s recent “Ghosts Upon the Earth” album release concert performing a piece, “This is Not the End” that introduces a song from the album by the same title:
More About Amena Brown
As a poet, speaker, journalist, and event host Amena Brown’s words excite, ignite and inspire. Whether in front of audiences as intimate as 50 or as sprawling as 20,000, she has something to say that matters.
As a part of a generation that is searching for the real and the genuine in an age of constant carbon copy, Amena is both regal and dramatic in her creative interpretation on the stage, and in her candid and expressive conversation one on one. This nonconformist lends her voice to finding inspiration, truth, and purpose and encourages those she encounters to do the same.
The author of a chapbook and two spoken word CDs, Amena has performed and spoken at events all over the country such as The RightNow Conference, Thirsty Conference, National Youth Workers Convention, Catalyst Conference, Atlantis Music Conference, and the 2008 National Poetry Slam Competition. She hosts a regular open mic in Atlanta every fifth Thursday at Urban Grind Coffee as well as hosting other poetry and music events.
Along with her spoken word recordings, Amena has participated in numerous professional and live recordings including the Caring Communities documentary, 97.1 JAMZ spoken word ads and a collection of video poems with Bluefish TV and Big Stuf Productions.
As a freelance journalist Amena has been published in Southeast Performer Magazine, Charlotte Creative Loafing, Atlanta Creative Loafing, and Atlanta INtown Newspaper. She also speaks at conferences and events for high school and college students, young adults, and women, where she has facilitated several workshops and breakout sessions on creativity, singleness, writing, and building artistic community.
You can connect with Amena and find out more about her work and events at http://amenabrown.com.
Hear how Amena was drawn to write and perform poetry in this video interview with StreamingFaith.com
Editor’s Journal Notes – The Beauty of the Butterfly
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou
We may look longingly at what may appear beautiful (or successful and esteemed) in our world but many times don’t consider the story behind the person or entity we admire. It’s said that an “overnight success” is never really made over night; it often takes years of toil and trials behind the scenes for every success story we see.
In the life of a believer, the beauty that God intends for us is often molded through a long period of trial, darkness, growth and a period of solitude with God in which our hearts are molded and drawn more intimately to Him. After we surrender our lives to the Potter’s hand the process of becoming more like Him and living His purpose for our lives isn’t always what we expect.
Often before God bestows the blessing He has in store for us, and before He brings dreams into fruition He takes us on a journey that shapes us, a metamorphosis of mind and character. It’s a process that we may not understand and though painful, it graces us to achieve true beauty – a beauty that does not receive its essence from outward appearance but from the heart within that is filled with His presence. Let’s set our eyes on a greater beauty today…
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Click here for more from my personal journal and blog. – Julene
More Journal Posts
To Boldly Go Where You’ve Always Imagined…
There are those dreams you are responsible for bringing to fruition in a sense; things you want to create, experience and learn how to do. “I want to (insert activity here)… someday.” Why not now, why not today?
Dreamfleur Diary – Stretch & Grow
No matter what creative field you’re in I think it is always a good idea to stretch and grow yourself in what you do…
The Buzz – Music Notes & Inspiration from NEEDTOBREATHE, Laura Story & More
Here’s the latest music Buzz from artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, V. Rose, Beckah Shae and more…
NeedtoBreathe – “Drive All Night” and “Slumber” from Upcoming Album “The Reckoning”
“Days; they force you back under those covers, lazy mornings; they multiply, glory’s waiting outside your windows. Wake on up from your slumber, baby open up your eyes…” -NeedToBreathe from the song Slumber
NeedToBreathe’s new album “The Reckoning” will be out on September 20th. Check out two of the songs from the upcoming album, “Drive All Night” and “Slumber” below…
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Video Pick: Not So Average from V. Rose
“So what if my nail polish always chips? So what if I prefer to where my kicks? You know, models aren’t really models when they’re not modeling…” – V.Rose from the song “Not So Average”
‘Not So Average’ from V. Rose talks about how we don’t have to measure up to society’s standards of worth, but God’s. I love the freshness and upbeat-ness of the song and video…
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In Rotation: Put Your Love Glasses On Music Video from Beckah Shae
“I believe the most necessary thing in order to share God’s love, is to first truly receive God’s love… to spend time in His presence where He can remind us of who we are and how He sees us. That’s where I find my strength to share. We can’t pour out anything unless we’ve first been poured in to.” – Beckah Shae
Check out Beckah Shae’s video for her song #putyourloveglasseson from her album Destiny, which debuted in August…
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Steven Curtis Chapman’s New Album re:creation and Video for “Do Everything”
“As Christians we have this tendency to want to draw that line down the middle of life and go, ‘okay there’s my spiritual life and then there’s just life– a job, work and that kind of thing,’ but God is in the details. He’s interested in all of it. Every moment matters and everything we do really should be done as an act of worship.” – Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman recently released a new album entitled re:creation. Check out the story behind the album and the music video “Do Everything” below…
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Inspiration: Blessings from Laura Story and the Story Behind the Song
“There is a blessedness that comes through waiting on the Lord. There’s an intimacy that comes in our walk with the Lord through walking through that valley. There’s a reliance on His word that we only know when everything else fades away…”
– Laura Story
This is the kind of song that can makes you think, and relate to how the trials in life may be blessings that grow us closer to God, from Laura Story’s album Blessings…
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We Remember…
We cannot forget that day; where we were, who we were with, how we felt, wondering why it was happening. Today we remember the lives lost, the families affected and the strength and light God gives in the darkest places – we remember to pray, to hope, to love…
“What We Learned,” from Igniter Media.
“Ten Years Ago,” from The Skit Guys.
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