The Best of 2015

I love recapping my favourite things from the year.It's mostly for me... this time next year I'll look back on what I loved from the year before... it becomes a nostalgia trip for me. Hopefully you enjoy the ride! Please note, some of these things didn't come out this year, but I discovered them this year, which is why they are on the list.

Favourite Worship Album
Empires - United
Song Highlights - Say The Word, Touch The Sky, Street Called Mercy 

I've been a Christian for longer than I was a non-Christian. That being said, growing up, I hated worship music. Loved Christian music, just not the stuff you hear on Sundays. The band that got most of my fire was Hillsong United. The fact worship music is one of my favourite genera is a small miracle... the fact I bought and like a Hillsong United album is a sign of the end times. I guess we really do change with age.

Warning, the album isn't a big and bold endeavour. It's a very quite, reflective record. Great way to get yourself in a head space for church or to unwind for Sunday night devo.

Favourite Pop Album
Heart In Motion - Amy Grant
Song Highlights - Every Heartbeat, Good For Me, Ask Me, Galileo and Hope Set High 

I've been in love with how good this album is since the summer. SO CATCHY. Apparently Amy took a lot of heat for this one back in the day... that confuses me... it's the perfect mix of flaky relationship songs, deep reflections on faith and driving synth beats. I love it.

Favourite Album That Actually Came Out This Year
This Is Not A Test - tobyMac
Song Highlights - Light Shine Bright, Backseat Driver, Like A Match, Feel It

Welcome To Diverse City is one of my favourite albums of all time. It's strikes a great balancing act between tight professionalism and fun over the top youth. It's great. Most of his newer stuff lost that vibe to me, but with This Is Not A Test, Toby is on a rebound... not that his other stuff wasn't good. This was just more fun!




Biggest Nostalgia Trip
Jurassic World

Every kid has that one film they watch over and over and over and over until their parents beg them to stop. For me it was Jurassic Park. I still love it. Believe me when I say that the first 15 minutes of the film were an emotional 15 minutes. The movie was fun, if a little contrived, but the nostalgia was strong with this one!

Rapid fire honourable mentions!

Favourite song to play on guitar - Found In You
Biggest Relief of the Year - Force Awakens being great
Favourite New Food - Brie hamburgers... seriously... soooo goood
Favourite Thing I Made -



Favourite Concert - For King & Country - Kingdom Bound 2015
Favourite Memory - Touring with AFT
Best Musical Surprise - Kevin Max - Broken Temples

Christian Movies

Christian Movies have gotten a really bad reputation over the years. Sometimes deserved, sometimes not so much. And while I tend to not like cheesy stuff, even the cheesy ones can strike a cord with me. Though I'd rather they not be cheesy.... really.

With this in mind, my list of most anticipated Christian films of the next... 8-20 months? Basically -- here's a list!

I'm In Love With A Church Girl
I've always wanted to make a movie where
a. Someone is faking Christianity to get a girl and in the end relizations how messed up they are
or
b. tobyMac is a burnt out breakdancer that needs redemption.
This movie has both... sorta... (If Toby breakdances at any point I'm calling foul!)
Either way... TOBY MAC



God's Not Dead
The story of a philosophy class student challenging his professor's opinion of God? Sounds good. And did I mention Newsboys are in it? NEWSBOYS!!!! The acting doesn't look like it's going to be Oscar worthy, but the premise is something I can get behind. And David White is in it, which makes things even better.



Grace Unplugged
The story of a girl trying to make it big in music... against her parent's wishes and the compromise it brings.
This sounds really promising. The messages that a plot like that can convey are a plenty. Looking forward to it! Ooooooohhhhhh and by the way, Jamie Grace is in it.



And that's what I'm looking forward to this... ah... yearish?
Oh, and Noah, but that doesn't have a trailer yet... yet.

Toby Mac on The View?

The View isn't really the first place I'd have guessed Toby Mac would be performing. However this morning, Toby was on the show!
One of the hosts of the show wanted him on for her birthday and that's how he got on.
Two cool things to watch for.
1. They do a special birthday song for her
2. She mentions he started out in dc talk

Jamie Grace... actor???

With Jamie Grace coming to Toronto this weekend with Toby Mac, I thought it would be fitting to post this video.

A friend of me pointed this out to me a few months ago, while not the funniest of Julian Smith's videos, this one may have one of the coolest cameos...

1:04 is when Jamie Grace Spencer come in... singer, song writer and now actor, talk about a triple threat!