Christy Nockels, Ellie Holcomb, Music Review {Tool 12}

Christy Nockels
Last Christmas, I discovered a podcast that I loved by the singer/songwriter Christy Nockels. She’s been making music for a long time but I had never heard of her. She was releasing a Christmas album for which she wrote mostly new songs and every song had a sweet story. For one song, she altered the lyrics of “Silent Night” and included this chorus:

On a starlit wonder of the night
You came so all would be made right
And the baby that all beheld, the same baby Mary held
Is the same God who is holding us now

It’s this blending of traditional music sung with fresh words that I love about Christy Nockels. She sticks to her roots and writes and sings from a deep place of worship. She creates beautiful melodies. I find her music encouraging. Reminding me that even as we move forward, there is still such value in remembering where we’ve been.

Often when I’m struggling to have a good perspective in the morning, I’ll turn her music on to refocus me. I so appreciate her heart of worship.

Everything is mine in You
Even when my heart is breaking
Everything is mine in You
Even when my hands are empty
Everything is mine in You
Oh, in You
Everything is mine in You
I can trust You with my longing
Everything is mine in You
Even though the road is lonely
Everything is mine in You

Ellie Holcomb
Have you ever heard a song that made you think the songwriter was reading your mail? Ellie Holcomb writes songs that touches my heart like no other music can. I believe it’s because her songs are genuine prayers full of honest questions for God and truth for the raw moments of life.

It’s easy to listen to her folksy style. It’s simple and rich and full of meaning. She released her newest album, Red Sea Road, this year, and it was born out of a time of personal suffering. There is so much power in stories, and without speaking the details, Ellie’s songs tell the story of her emotions and ultimately, trust in God.

We’ve buried dreams
Laid them deep into the earth behind us
Said, our goodbyes
At the grave but everything reminds us
God knows, we ache
When He asks us to go on
How do we go on?

We will sing, to our souls
We won’t bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There’s a red sea road
When we can’t, see the way
He will part, the waves
And we’ll never walk alone
Down a red sea road

In Ephesians 5:18-19, Paul encouraged believers, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” Throughout Scripture God’s people sing. They sing when God wins their battles, when he delivers them and provides for them. They sing when they are broken and afraid. They sing when they’re staring at the enemy in the face and can’t see a way out.

God does something beautiful with music in our hearts. When we struggle, fighting our way out of the dark places, we can be using music as a tool to help carry us toward growth.

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