As I’ve done for a number of years, I wanted to share with you my favorites from 2018 in a variety of categories: movies, music, books, etc. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2018. For books, I include my favorite books that I read during 2018, regardless of when the book was published. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
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Below are a few new and upcoming albums that I’m looking forward to:
Forever On Your Side Niles City Sound Sessions – NEEDTOBREATHE
This four-song EP will be released on July 13. The band has already released three of the songs – “Bridges Burn”, “Darling” and “Bullets”.
Noble Ape – Jim Gaffigan
This album will be released on July 13. The film will be available on that date in select cities. I’m looking forward to this release as I saw a concert on this tour that this album was recorded on.
From the artist’s website: “In his all new Noble Ape stand up special, Jim Gaffigan gets personal as he discusses the medical crisis that befell his wife and family this year, which almost led to his retirement”.
My New Moon – Amos Lee
This album will be released August 31. It is Lee’s follow-up to 2016’s Spirit.
From the Amazon description: “Singer/songwriter Amos Lee says his seventh studio album My New Moon is “a dedication…it’s an offering – an altar of sorts to those who have shared their sorrows with me.” It is a product of profound human experiences; loss, grief, hope, healing, love, sorrow, and rejuvenation. Each track on My New Moon takes a journey through these intense and personal experiences. Opening track “No More Darkness, No More Light” was rewritten entirely after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and speaks to the hope for change that lies in amongst tragic situations and challenges. “Little Light,” written for a young girl who beat cancer, is a positive message of spreading light for the world to see, even if you’re facing hardship. “Hang On, Hang On” reflects the helplessness that comes after the loss of a loved one, “Crooked” brings to light the difficult and confusing times we’ve faced throughout history in America, and “I Get Weak” is a beautifully dark love song to something that might kill you, but you need it to go on living. The album as a whole reflects the darkness and the light that we all both experience and bring into the world, and how through these personal experiences and hard times, we grow more connected to one another.” Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that we are at mid-year already. As I have in the past, I wanted to share with you my favorites from the first half of 2018 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2018. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read thus far during 2018. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
Best: Tie ~ Black Panther and Paddington 2
Other movies I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Worst: Below are the worst, or at least the most disappointing, films I’ve seen, in no particular order:
Best: Resurrection Letters: Prologue/Resurrection Letters Vol. 1 – Andrew Peterson
Other music I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Best: Is He Worthy? – Andrew Peterson
Other songs I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, have been:
Books Best: The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row – Anthony Ray Hinton
Other books I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Blogs Best: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte. This is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a good variety of helpful articles and a quote. Check out Tim’s website here.
Best: The Briefing – Albert Mohler. Each weekend morning, Albert Mohler hosts a podcast providing worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations. This is required listening for me. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website here.
Honorable mention goes to the third season of Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent podcast Revisionist History. On each episode, Gladwell goes back and reinterprets something from the past: an event, a person, an idea. Something overlooked. Something misunderstood.
TelevisionBest: Victoria
ConcertsBest: U2 – Experience and Innocence Tour in St. Louis
Honorable Mention: John Hiatt and the Goners, featuring Sonny Landreth. Slow Turning 30th Anniversary Reunion Tour in Bloomington, Illinois
New Resources Best: Messages from the 2018 Ligonier National Conference which had the theme “Awakening”.
These are my mid-year favorites in a variety of categories. How about you? What were some of your favorites?
As I have for the past several years, I want to share with you some of my favorites from 2016 in a variety of categories. These are all items that were released or took place in 2016 except for books; I include my favorite books of the 62 that I’ve actually read during 2016. My top 20 books include three each by Sinclair Ferguson and Tim Keller and two by Bryan Chapell. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list and share some of your favorites.
Favorite Music Album: Never Lose Sight by Chris Tomlin. Here’s my review.Here are the rest of my top 20 favorite albums, listed in order:
Favorite Song: Yes and Amen by Chris TomlinHere are the rest of my top 10 favorite songs, listed in order, along with one bonus song from Trip Lee:
Bonus song: Clouds – Trip Lee
Favorite Artist of the Year: Obviously Chris Tomlin is my top artist for the year. He has my top album – Never Lose Sight – and song “Yes and Amen” and his song “Good Good Father”, though released in October, 2015, still topped 2016’s Billboard’s Christian Digital Songs chart.As we have the mid-year point, I want to share with you some of my favorites from 2016 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2016. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve actually read during 2016. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think by clicking on the ‘Comment’ link above.Top Pick: Church Clothes 3 – Lecrae
Other albums that I’ve enjoyed have been:
Wow to the Deadness (EP) – Steve Taylor and the Danielson Foil
Fallen Angels – Bob Dylan
Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon
Hymns II – Michael W. Smith
Salvation’s Tide is Rising – Passion
Love Riot – Newsboys
Worship and Believe – Steven Curtis Chapman
This Time Around (EP) – Tedashjii
Facing a Task Unfinished – Keith and Kristyn Getty
I’m really looking forward to two July releases – Where the Light Shines Through by Switchfoot and Hard Love by NEEDTOBREATHE .
Top pick: Jumped Out the Whip – Tedashii
Other songs I’ve enjoyed have been:
Float – Switchfoot
My Worth Is Not In Not In What I Own – Keith and Kristyn Getty with Fernando Ortega
Vaporized – Amos Lee
That Old Black Magic – Bob Dylan
It Is What It Is – Lecrae
God and God Alone – Chris Tomlin
I Trust in Christ – Matt Redman
Wow to the Deadness – Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil
Cool Papa Bell – Paul Simon
Down to the River to Pray – Michael W. Smith
I Don’t Know Why (Jesus Loves Me) – Michael W. Smith
White Bikini – Charlie Peacock
Happiness – NEEDTOBREATHE
As we approach mid-year, I wanted to take a quick look back and share some of my favorite music, books, movies and a new podcast.I enjoy music in a variety of genres. As a result, you will see in my 2015 favorites thus far music in such diverse genres as hip-hop/rap to sacred music. My favorites thus far, in order are:
Albums:
Albums that I’m aware of being released later this year that I’m looking forward to are:
Songs:
Top choice is “Abide with Me” written and performed by Matt Maher. Matt Redman has also covered the song on his new live worship album Unbroken Praise. Other songs I’ve enjoyed thus far this year, in no particular order are:
In this category, while many of the books will have been released in 2015, I list those books I have actually read in 2015. My favorites thus far, in order are:
See what I’m reading now.
We love going to the movies, but frankly it’s been a very disappointing year so far. My favorites thus far, in order are:
Over the past few years Eric Metaxas has become one of my favorite authors. I was excited to hear about his radio show and even more excited when it became available in podcast.
