Miscellaneous Mondays ~ Welcome Back (And Music!)

Happy May, dear readers! It feels a little strange, honestly, to be back with Miscellaneous Mondays, after a month of nothing but poetry, poetry, and more poetry. Thank you so much for your encouragement and support during NaPoWriMo; your comments and likes were part of what kept me going when it was difficult to muster up enough motivation to write another poem.

I’m restarting Fireside Fridays this week, too,  with a list of the books I read this past month and my thoughts on them. I can’t wait for that, since I discovered some real treasures these past few weeks. For today, here are five songs I’m obsessed with. May they bless you as you face another week.

1. There You Are ~ Carolyn Arends 

Carolyn Arends is not as well known as some of my other favorites, but I really love her stuff. She’s a Canadian singer and songewriter, and her style reminds me a lot of Andrew Peterson’s. This song always brings tears to my eyes.

2. Gift of Music ~ Theocracy 

A beautiful tribute to God’s gift of music, and I think the message applies to artists of all type.

3. Only Hope ~ Switchfoot 

This one’s softer than Switchfoot’s usual songs, but no less beautiful and inspiring. I love the emotion and tone of Jon Foreman’s voice—and no, I didn’t discover this through A Walk to Remember.

4. The King Must Die ~ Elton John 

I’m not sure why I like this song so much. It isn’t a “Christian” song, but there’s nothing inappropriate in it. The version I’m posting is from a live performance, with a full orchestra in the background. The effect is breathtaking.

5. You’ll Find Your Way ~ Andrew Peterson 

This list just wouldn’t be complete with an AP contribution. I’m actually obsessed with several of his songs right now (including “Many Roads” and “Mountains on the Ocean Floor”—go check those out), but I figured it wouldn’t be fair to have a list with only one artist on it. 😉 The lyrics to this one are wonderful, and I love the official video of it.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist: