Truth of Christmas
Posted October 31, 2016
By PhronsieHowell_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Worship leader Christy Nockels is no stranger to sharing the truth about who God is through her involvement with the Passion movement. The Christmas season is an especially wonderful time to do that, and how better than her first solo Christmas album? With a little help from fans through pre-orders and other purchases on her website, Christy Nockels was able to bring a dream to life. The Thrill of Hope is a beautiful Christmas album with a mix of old classics and touching originals.
Christmas albums usually come with a fairly obvious track list, drawing on beloved classics that no album is complete without. What makes a Christmas album really standout is not only how the artist transforms the classics, but what original pieces they bring to the mix. Christy Nockels did a tremendous job mixing the old with the new and coming up with a cohesive blend to usher in the holiday season.
Opening the album is "The King is Coming Prelude." There is no better way to usher people into the Christmas spirit than by reminding them why Christmas is special. Jesus's coming as a baby to accomplish mind-blowing things is worth rejoicing over, and the wonderfully Celtic sounds of "Dance at Migdal Eder" capture that sentiment. Migdal Eder is mentioned in the Bible as being near present-day Bethlehem. If you're wondering why would there be a dance at Migdal Eder, Micah 4:8 is thought to be a prophetic revelation that Jesus's birth would be revealed from that very place. We know the angels sang when they announced the birth to the shepherds. The shepherds may well have danced when they heard the news!
Those same shepherds were in charge of setting apart the sacrificial lambs, and "Wrap This One Up" celebrates that Jesus was the final, spotless sacrificial Lamb. From His birth in a lowly manger to His final breath on the cross, He is the King who defeated death and will reign forever. His mother may not have fully realized just how special He was when she wrapped Him up, but looking back we can see the significance.
The Bottom Line: Without Jesus coming to earth, we would have no reason to dance and rejoice. The classics and Christy's original songs blend together on The Thrill of Hope to remind listeners in a powerful way just how important Christ is.
Song to Download Now:
"Wrap This One Up" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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