Encouragement You Didn't Know You Needed
Posted August 09, 2016
By KaitlynBarbour_NRT,
In this day and age, one may find it hard to focus on God's truths. In addition to Scripture meditation, listening to the same promises from God's Word repeated by passionate worship artists is just as effective. Atlanta-based Housefires, on their third full-length album III, deliver powerful reminders of God's character in front of a small live audience.
I have to be honest here: when I initially heard each track I was disappointed by the chord progressions, melodies and overall feel of the music. But when I listened more deeply, I came to the realization that sometimes all it takes for a song to penetrate the hearts of worshipers (more specifically, my heart) is a positive message that breathes life, truth and the presence of God into their souls.
The album begins with the ambient "Filled with Your Glory," which serves as an introduction to "Your Love is Alive." This song is the listener's first taste of the live aspect of III. The various voices, clapping and cheering interspersed throughout every song give the album an intimate feel.
The listener will love the Spirit-filled lyrics in the next few songs. In the violin-embellished "Great is the Lord," the singer belts out "In the morning, in the evening, at the end of all days / I will sing, I will shout, 'You are worthy of all praise'." Some other magnificent lines include "from the mountain to the valley / from the desert to the raging sea / in the silence or the city streets / oh, Your presence always covers me" from "Mountain to Valley." "Seek First," "Build My Life" and "Fill Me With the Fullness" all also contain lyrical gems.
In addition, the other songs contain encouraging and Christ-centered themes. "Yes and Amen" is all about God's unconditional faithfulness. "Abide" reminds the listener to remain in Jesus, referencing how Jesus is the Vine and we are all branches in John 15. The attention-grabbing "On and On" focuses on the part of Psalm 139 where David muses about never being able to leave God's presence. And "This is Where I Belong" centers on how we all truly belong in the arms of our Heavenly Father.
The Bottom Line: Anyone who needs to remember God's fierce love in their lives will benefit from the songs in III, as Housefires have created an uplifting atmosphere of worship on this album.
Song to Download Now:
"Mountain to Valley" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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