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Showing posts with label Nichole Nordeman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nichole Nordeman. Show all posts

Slow Down: Embracing the Everyday Moments of Motherhood by Nichole Nordeman Book Review and Every Mile Mattered CD Review








Nichole Nordeman is back with a brand new book, “Slow Down” filled with colorful photos and CD, “Every Mile Mattered”. The book begins with explaining how she got the idea for the hit song, “Slow Down”. The song describes what every parent goes through and how we all wish that the time would slow down between every passing stage our children go through. Nichole Nordeman is a mother of two children, Charlie and Pepper. Throughout the book, she shared countless stories of what she learned along the way about parenting. She went into detail about the challenges she encountered when she became a new mom to her son, Charlie. He had a condition called gastroesophageal reflux and he had trouble keeping food down the first eighteen months. He was constantly crying, hungry, and he only slept three or four hours. She revealed how this difficult time birthed her hit song, “Brave”. The book also contained stories from Natalie Grant, Amy Grant, Sara Groves, Jen Hatmaker, Patsy Clairmont, and much more. Later in the book, she shared about the decision to walk away from her music career at the height of it and how she has returned after ten years. She shared about how she told her fans it was because of her wanting to be a stay at home mother. In this book, she revealed it was because her marriage was failing and she was trying to save it. This book will offer encouragement to parents and they will realize that they aren’t alone. They will be reminded the significant of slowing down and not rushing through life. 




Every Mile Mattered CD features 11 songs. The album begin with the title track and it discussed how we all have many miles, bridges burned, wrong turns, and shed tears. The song coveys how they are all important and every mile mattered. “Dear Me” is another song that fans will connect with. This one was written as a letter to yourself and how we are guilty of not following Jesus 100%. This one talked about really being Jesus to people who are in need and who are hurting. This is a very moving song with emotional lyrics. One of my favorite songs was, “No Longer”. This one had an upbeat tempo and it describe Jericho, the Red Sea, five stones and how we all struggle with living our lives. The song is a declaration about living with your heart on fire and not letting fear to control our lives. We no longer have to with a safety net, we can be stronger and freer. Another one of my favorites is, “Listen to Your Life”. This one describes all the voices we hear every day and how they all compete for our attention. We all at times are worried about who has the floor to speak and who holds the bullhorn. At other times we are all wondering who is going to steer. Nichole Nordeman reminds listeners to listen to your life and listen to God and His small voice and letting His Spirit flow through you. I also love the song, “Sound of Surviving”. This one talked about how we let fear control us where we won’t share our stories. Many of our stories are often filled with bullet holes and they aren’t always beautiful. This song is an anthem for reminding ourselves that we are still here, we are surviving, and we’re not done fighting. This album also contained a new version of, “Slow Down” which features her daughter, Pepper singing the lyrics alongside her mother. This version is a very personal reminder of all the different stages, we hopefully will see our children grow up in. 




If you would like to purchase a copy of the book and CD, check out the links below:













Thanks to Capitol Christian Music Group for the book and CD to review. 




 



 

Nichole Nordeman- The Unmaking EP Album Review





Nichole Nordeman is back with a brand new six songs EP, "The Unmaking". This is her first album since the album “Brave” in 2005. Nichole Nordeman has had a couple of hits including the popular song, “Holy”, “Legacy”, “Brave”, “What If”, and “Real to Me”. She has also won four Dove Awards.

The album begins with the title track called, “The Unmaking”. This song discussed breaking down the walls that surround us. We must let go of the past and everything that has held us back from the living the life God indented for us. When we let go, we find out who God truly is and we see the beauty in being broken.

The second track was a song called, “Not to Us” and this one features Christian artist, Plumb. This one talked about creating images of ourselves and pursuing our own dreams without consulting with God first and building on sinking sand. The chorus talks about giving all the glory to God and not thinking it’s all us. I liked how the song was written like a praise song and it conversed the importance of giving God all the glory for everything and pointing others to him. I love the harmonies Plumb and Nichole Normeman had on the track and this would be a great single for radio.

My favorite track would be track three, “Name”. This song discussed waking up and seeing the truth about how much God loved us and how he wrote our name in blood in His book. The chorus reminds us that we have the heartbeat of God and we aren’t our ashes and He knows our name. We have to avoid asking the shadows (the devil) who we are. The third verse/ bridge has such a powerful declaration for believers to encourage them when they forget how much God cares about them, and how we a friend of God, and we’re chosen. I loved the lyrics of this song and the reassurance of God knowing our personal name and people truly need to know this in this crucial time we live in. The message of hope will resonated with listeners and I hope this song make it to radio and is a huge hit!

Track name four was entitled, “Loved You More” and this one talked about different Biblical stories including fleeting when the third time the rooster crowed, climbing a tree to see Jesus, being swallowed by the sea, and selling Jesus for a little silver and a betrayal kiss. The song related it back to how we did the same things and He still loved us. It also contained a cry to love Jesus more and a sense of gratuity for our second chances. I really loved and connected to the meaning of the song and wanting to love Jesus more. And He so gracefully still does even despite my countless failures. I liked how this song had the piano as the main instrument in this song and it gave it a peaceful Holy connection to God.

Track number five was titled, “Something Out of Me” and this one dicussed the story about Jesus feeding the crowd of 5,000 with only five loafs of bread and multiplying it where it was enough for everyone. It was written in the perceptive as being one in the crowd and being in the back of the line and watching there be enough left. The chorus talked about how God takes something out of nothing and turns it into something. It also discussed how God takes our doubts and making something out of me. I liked how this song had a great tempo and it also contained a great reminder of how God can do the impossible.

The last track of the EP was called, “Slow Down” and this one was about the raw truth about children growing up and how she wished the time would just slow down. It talked about the different stage of our kids growing up such as, learning to crawl and walking and even rolling their eyes. This song was a plea for time to slow down and many parents will most likely cry through it.

I strongly recommend Nichole Nordeman’s new album to anyone who enjoys listening to Christian music. The albums features a mix of fast and slow tempo songs and there is something for everyone to enjoy. I’m so glad Nichole Nordeman has returned to singing and she has made an incredible EP for fans to love and listen to. If you’re looking for a hot new album to check out, then check out this album!

If you would like to purchase a copy of Nichole Nordeman – The Unmaking, then check it out on Amazon.com:

 

About the new album The Unmaking:
"Before things in our lives can be resurrected and given new life, certain things must die.  Before beauty blooms in spring, roots must do the hard work under the hard frozen soil of winter.  Before you renovate and re-build, you tear down the parts of the structure that are weak or damaged or dangerous.  Before we make, we must unmake."  Nichole Nordeman 




About Nichole Nordeman:
Nichole Nordeman is a recording artist and songwriter for Sparrow/EMI CMG, with numerous number-one and top ten singles to her credit and cumulative CD sales of over one million.  A two-time Gospel Music Association winner for Female Vocalist of the Year, she has won a total of nine Dove Awards, including the best-selling album, Music Inspired by The Story.  Her best-known songs include "Holy", "Legacy", "Brave", "This Mystery", "Why", and "What If".  She lives with her family in Tulsa, OK.  

ALBUM RELEASE DATE:  AUGUST 28TH 

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