What's on your playlist?

Music has always been one of my passions. I listen to all genres of music and taught myself how to play the guitar about 10 years ago. Music is all around us. We hear it in our automobiles, televisions,  Ipods, at athletic events, concerts, restaurants, races, in the comfort of our own homes and even in the beauty of nature that is free to all of us. About 3 years ago, I went through a really tough time in my life. I remember driving around one day and hit scan on my radio. It landed on WAYFM out of Nashville. If you don't believe in God's timing, on this day I did.  Lead Me by the Sanctus Real came on the radio station that day and blew me away. At some point in our lives we all need that reminder that we need to renew our faith and start over. I had reached that point in my life where I was at a crossroad and needed a change. I needed someone other than me to lead me and help me find my purpose.

After that day, WAYFM and K-Love became my favorite radio stations. They have been my favorite radio stations for the past three years. With all the songs that promote violence, drinking and drugs, it was refreshing to find stations that were uplifting and encouraging for my drive to work. I took the 30 day challenge on K-Love where you listen to Christian music for 30 days. It's been life-changing for me. The music that our youth listen to today becomes part of their vocabulary and how they think.
Music has and will always be controversial. We have a choice, though, to what our radio station is set on in the car, to what we download on our Ipods and what we play in stadiums.  So what's on your playlist? Is it encouraging and uplifting? Does it help you make it through tough times in your life? Music and lyrics provide comfort, peace, soothe the soul and often help us to reminisce of the past. Sometimes when we don't have to words to say to express how we are feeling, there is a song that says exactly what we want to say. So I encourage all of you to evaluate your playlist.

Also, if we listen God's creation plays music for us every day. Sometimes we fail to listen to the sounds outside. Listen to the creek that runs through the trees, listen to the waterfall that crashes down over the rocks, listen to the birds that chirp outside the window each morning, listen to the wind blowing through the trees, the rocks that fall down the mountains, the sticks that fall from the trees in the forrest  and listen to the ocean crashing into the shore. It is then we are assured of how small we really are and how He is everywhere around us. Sometimes all we need to do is just stop and listen and evaluate what's on our playlist.

A few of my favorites to add to your playlist:

Captivate Us by Watermark
Born Again by Third Day
Love song by Third Day
Lifesong by Casting Crowns
Praise you in this storm by Casting Crowns
Oceans by Hillsong United
Background by Lecrae
Every time you run by Manifest
Overcomer by Mandisa
Lord I need you but Matt Maher
Hello, My name is by Matthew West
Worn by Tenth Avenue North
Steal my show by Toby Mac