Have you heard of Charles Billingsley? Here's some information I received about his new album from Merge Pr:
This year is a career milestone for worship
leader and performer Charles Billingsley. He is not only celebrating his 20th
year in music ministry but also just released his new studio project in eight
years, Never Forsaken (March 6th).
Never Forsaken, a unique collection of songs, ranges from recreations (Simon and
Garfunkel's “Bridge Over Troubled Water” to Phil Collins' “Another Day in
Paradise”) to intimate autobiographical tracks (“Baby I Blinked”) to
truth-telling songs such as the title track as well as “God So Loved the
World.” Charles is certainly not holding back on delivering an album
that contains a variety of music styles with deep inspiration: “It’s time to do
a record for my generation,” he likes to say.
Never Forsaken was primarily inspired after the Billingsley and his family went
on a missions trip to Guatemala. Joining up with the humanitarian organization
Causelife, the family journeyed through numerous villages in dire need of
fresh water. Billingsley took action to help build wells across third world
countries, while he was deeply inspired to prepare this new musical project,
especially for its title track. Charles shares, “The song ‘Never Forsaken’
is for those people in the world who are hungry, lost, afraid, malnourished,
thirsty, who cry out every day for something called hope. They won’t hear this
album. This record is for the people who will hear it to do something about
it.”
The trip to Guatemala continued to impact
Billingsley so greatly that he decided to build a community consisting of 12
houses, one school and one church. The cost of such an enormous project can run
in upwards of $160,000, yet in just over the past few months, over $40,000 has
already been raised towards the building of this community.
He sounds like a great guy, doesn't he? I received his Never Forsaken CD for review and enjoyed listening to it. It was relaxing and filled with uplifting lyrics. Here, I'll share my thoughts on some of the songs on the new album.
1. Hope Is On The Way- I love the lyrics to this song. "There is power to redeem any broken thing that we bring to the Lord" This song truly fills me with hope. The music is contemporary and upbeat.
2. Never Forsaken "We're never forsaken/ He is faithful through all of our days/ Never forsaken/ There is hope that forever remains" You can definitely sing along to these songs. They are full of praise and promise.
7. Use Me- "Your love is greater and big enough to bring/ All of the healing our world needs/ Our heart is breaking from all the suffering/ Though it may cost me 'til I bleed/ Oh, use me" I like the focus of this song as a reminder to think of others as Christ did
8. Baby, I Blinked- This one wraps up all those feelings you have when you look back on your life and all of the wonderful blessing your child or love of your life has brought you.
11. God Amazing- "You are holy and worthy of praise/ You are God Amazing/ God Amazing, You are" Simply a beautiful worship song.
12. Why My Heart Sings-I love this uplifting praise song! "That's why my heart sings hallelujah/ That's why my soul will glorify Your name/ Withe every breath that You would give me/ I would give You praise"
There are 13 songs on Never Forsaken. This is a CD I will turn to when I'm feeling down and need to be reminded of all God has done for me. Listening to this disk will give you an attitude adjustment for sure!
You can connect with Charles Billingsley on Facebook.
His album is available as an mp3 download on Amazon.
***Now for the giveaway you've been waiting for. To enter just leave me a comment by next Wednesday, April 11th and I will choose a winner next Thursday, April 12th. ***
Disclaimer: I received a free CD from Merge PR in order to write this review and have shared my honest opinion.
