What does it sing about you?

Today is Top Ten Song Day - an excuse for me to make my very own list! These were heard 7-8:15 this morning on my show...

10. Say Won’t You Say, Jennifer Knapp. From The Way I Was Made, 2001.
Admittedly, I wanted to be Jennifer Knapp when I was 20. She’s such a rock star. So I have this inability to play any of this project and not croon along.

9. No More No Less, MercyMe. From Coming Up to Breathe, 2006.
Who doesn’t desire to be understood? And how do I live my life so that there is no question that “this is who I am?” There’s so much about this CD to love.

8. You Never Let Go, Matt Redman. From Passion: Everything Glorious, 2006.
Singing this in worship this past summer with my friends at Tehillah ( Genesis Church) and reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge is what caused me to own the fact that I am always pursued.

7. Something Beautiful, Newsboys. From Go, 2006.
It took all of 10 seconds to fall in love with this song. As Paul Colman said when we talked with him this past week, it’s no mistake that we can feel the Ultimate Beauty in otherwise common things.

6. In the Middle, Mat Kearney. From Bullet, 2004.
From the moment he hit the chorus of “Undeniable” at the Bloomington concert with Shane & Shane, this guy had my attention. I bought the CD that night (but stupidly, I didn’t have signed; ah, well, live and learn).

5. Where to Find Me, Watermark. From All Things New, 2000.
I just imagine myself standing at the top of that mountain, singing these beautiful words in to the wind, to be carried to my Maker. When I want to offer praise and be reminded of who we are in Christ, I turn to Watermark (especially The Purest Place album.)

4. I Have Always Loved You, Third Day. From Time, 1999.
Away from home for a good year, I heard this for the first time at WQME, where I worked during college. To this day, this beautiful love letter reminds me of how my life right now is a product of eternal Love.

3. “Divine Romance” Phil Wickham. From Phil Wickham, 2006.
I was mystified by Phil’s voice, and ran out to buy the album after hearing the very first radio release, “Grace.” Musically, this is one of the most engaging albums I’ve found in the past couple years.

2. “Little Boy Heart Alive” Andrew Peterson. From The Far Country, 2005.
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien references abound on the project, and the line “grab a hold of the golden mane/This is the love of Jesus/So strong, but he is not tame” brings tears every time. “Queen of Iowa” and “For the Love of God” also rank right up there. I’m also enamored with Carried Along and his Christmas album Behold the Lamb of God.

1. “Loving a Person” Sara Groves. From Add to the Beauty, 2005.
If I wanted to be Jennifer Knapp in college, I now imagine myself as Sara Groves. Her poet’s heart shines through in absolutely every single song on this album. And this is a theme to a lesson God is teaching me right now, that love is starting where a person is and stopping my own mouth long enough to hear what this beloved of the King has to say.