Blog update #2 plus, new merch

Guys, I'm really sorry for not posting. A lot has been up lately. I actually have been posting to this new blog that God has called me to write. So, I'm really excited to tell y'all about it. It;s called Fervent Love, based on 1 Peter 4:3-11. It's dedicated to teenage girls and ministering to them . I was inspired by Alan Powell and Kyle Kupecky to write this so I'm going to link you guys to it. :) Also, go check out Anthem Lights' new band merch!!! It looks sooo good! And their new record. I bought the album. It's mostly for girls but I love it to bits and you should go buy it!!!:D

Here's the link to my other blog: http://ferventlove2014.blogspot.com/ ~KJ

And Two Shall Become One ~Andy & Cristina Mineo~

Congratulations to Andy and Cristina Mineo!You may know Andy Mineo as a Christian rapper in the 116 clique. Yesterday, he and his wife, Cristina Luz Delgado, got married and are now on their honeymoon. There aren't too many details on it but there ARE some engagement photos I  thought you might like so...here they are!!!

That's it, guys! I hope you loved it! And if you did, make sure to subscribe by email! I love you all! <3 ~KJ

Music video Thursday - Anthem Lights and Trip Lee!

           

New cover from Anthem Lights, y'all! :) This is my favorite! XD

Also, stay tuned! They've got another live stream coming soon, I believe they do it...every couple weeks as of late. :)
Here's Trip Lee's new jam -

Two epic songs I love! XD Hope y'all liked them! Also, I have some exciting stuff coming soo so stay tuned for that! :D

           

Music Video Tuesday - Jamie Grace +Blog update #1

Hey guys! Super sorry that I didn't post yesterday! But, I'm still giving you guys the post you've been waiting for. Jamie Grace just came out with her new video, "Do Life Big," just came out. Here you go! You also might recognize The Boys from her new band that she's recently been touring with. :)

   Anyway, yeah. There's your video of the week! XD Anyway, moving on! I just wanted to let you guys know that my schedule is changing, therefore, I'm going to be changing when I blog. I'm not exactly sure how that's going to work yet but, I'll keep y'all updated once I find out! :) Thank you all for reading and following my blog. Love you! ~KJ

Food for Thought Friday - Christian Vs. Secular music

This is a very controversial subject. But I'm going to pause before I even get started and say this- If you are a Christian and you don't listen to secular music, I'm NOT calling you legalistic. And if you are a Christian and you DO listen to secular music, I'm NOT saying you're going to hell. This is my personal opinion that I've decided to share with you based on my convictions. So, now that we've cleared that up, I'll go ahead and dive into my personal stance on the topic. First of all, I know some of you tend to use the terminologies wrong so, let me make sure we're all on the same page. Let's  start of by defining the word 'secular.' A lot of people think that by saying something is secular, it means evil...which isn't exactly true. The word, according to the dictionary, is actually defined as "Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis." It doesn't say anything about evil. But does the fact that it isn't spiritual make it evil? My answer. No. In the arena as far as secular music goes, I think the decision really comes down to conviction, common sense and the type of secular music you're listening to. You need to look at your ipod or your playlist and make sure you know this is something with a message you're okay with. I highly disagree with songs that promote sensual things or language. It's not something I want flooding my mind let alone something I thing God wants me to be listening to. But on the other hand, there's also the aspect that there are some secular songs out there that are really not that bad but, the particular artist might not be the one to be looking into. Example - Katy Perry. She openly professes that God doesn't exist. I for one, will NOT support that. I used to be okay with her song, "Roar" and there was also another one that was okay. But now, I refuse to listen to her at all. That was a decision I made based on conviction. Do I still listen to covers of the song "Roar?" Yes. Because it has the same positive message, minus the negative atmosphere.
Next thing. There are alternatives out there! Have you ever considered listening to a more mild version of the type of music you love? Pentatonix for one, takes bad words out of their songs, changes them up a bit and in the end, they actually sound quite a bit better than the original! But, even better than Ptx is (once again) Anthem Lights. Thy also have the benefit of being Christians. They choose their covers carefully and definitely make them sound fabulous. Then, we have alternatives like Owl City. Now, I personally really like OC because he has such a unique way of bringing songs to the table. He DOES claim to be a Christian and his songs often have hidden meanings if you really pay attention. But usually they're just fun songs. Also, if you're obsessed with Dubstep (like me), you need to check out Lindsey Stirling. She's probably currently the most popular(living) violinist in the world! But, really, when it boils down to it, I think the best route to take it is itunes. You choose your songs individually and aren't pressured to buy a whole album. I know people like Bruno Mars or Justin Timberlake can have a good song here or there and then the rest of the album just sucks (I'm talking lyrically, not vocally). Am I out to hate on every artist who doesn't do Christian music? Absolutely not! We're called to love people. And I appreciate the talent of SEVERAL secular artists. What can you expect from a person who has never heard of or accepted Christ than the influence of the world to be in their lyrics? Exactly my point. But to choose to not be a part of that mindset is a great act of obedience. You need to pray and ask God where you are supposed to draw the line in what you're filling your mind with. You will eventually find yourself living out the lyrics you're putting in your head (though it can affect some people more than others). So, in a nutshell? I stand neutral right now. The amount of Christian music I listen to versus the amount of secular I listen to is perfect for me and my walk spiritually with Christ. As long as you pray about it and feel confident that you aren't compromising in any way and make sure you aren't being affected negatively by the lyrics, then you should be okay. :)  Remember, the absolute goal is to be like Him. Not like the world. Grow closer to Him daily. Love him. Love people. (1 Peter 2:17) ~KJ

Winter Jam, Kari Jobe and The Escape

Hey guys! I'm happy to say that there's some really cool stuff coming your way this Fall! First of all, The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2014!!!! I'm sure a lot of you have heard of it. To those who haven't heard of it - It's Christian Music's largest ever tour! Yesterday they announced the west coast tour dates/line up. I can say for a fact that it's an amazing concert. Last year, I had the privileged of attending Winter Jam and LOVED every second of it. Headlining Hillsong United and featuring artists like Jeremy Camp, Trip Lee and Everfound, the concert is only $10 at the door. No tickets required! It's going to be fantastic!

To find dates, times and locations, please click on the link - http://www.jamtour.com/

Next! I"m excited to announced that our beloved Kari Jobe is getting married! Singer/songwriter, Cody Carnes just proposed to her yesterday and naturally, she said YES! 

They also have done a song together in the past you most likely have heard on the radio or in church:

Moving on to the next BIG thing - Anthem Lights. HUGE, GINORMOUS NEWS ABOUT THEM!!!! No, It's not the fact that Caleb got married (which is cool), or the fact that Alan and Brycie are having another baby (which is even more cool). No. It's this: Anthem Lights have a new album coming out!!!!!! Okay, yeah. I sort of freaked out when I heard about that...and am sort of still freaking out about it.

I"m going to go ahead and let you see the album cover. 

It's called "Escape" and they're been posting little teasers if it lately. The release date is October 7th. But, they know their fans don't like to wait so, they're going to let their first single out next month. Also, you can hear another single from the new album called, "Best Thing" on their YouTube Channel. The Escape record is also going to have a T-Shirt. Speaking of which, if you want to get some discounted merch, go ahead and check out their shop site right here - https://shopanthemlights.com/store. Here's another thing: They still DO have one or two Official Music Videos coming out from their "Cover Part III" project. So, that's something to get stoked about as well. They did a Google+ Hangout last night where they discussed several things they're working on right now and also, answered a few twitter questions. I'd like to address one thing real quick. I really like the way Anthem Lights handle themselves. There are quite a few haters out there who disagree with the fact that they are a pop band. Plain and simple. Frankly, I don't know why. They don't compromise and they're made it CLEAR that what they do is a ministry to reach out, not only to believers but also to non-believers. I think it's a great thing they're doing and I'll just say this: Please do not have on Anthem Lights! They are godly, Christian men who are trying to do a ministry! If you do not agree with their methods then I'd probably be better hat you didn't listen to them ...or at least the songs you disagree with for one reason or another, than flooding their social media with hate comments. It's not cool to hate on other Christians. :\ Also, I think I forgot to mention: "Escape" is an album of originals, not covers.  The purpose of the record is positive, uplifting and God-honoring. Plus...it's pink. I mean, c'mon. Who can resist a pink album cover?? Not me. ;) 

Anyway, that's about it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it! Love and peace out! ~KJ

Music Video Monday: Moriah Peters

I'm going to be completely honest right now....Moriah Peters has just gained my respect like you don't know with this song! It's a fabulous twist when she chose to feature Andy Mineo (Who also happens to be one of my favorite rappers). She brought something different to the table while also  staying original. I assumed she'd change the song to be more of a hip-hop type of beat. But no. Even though it HAS a hearty beat to match up with the portion of rap in there, it's primarily twisted with an electric guitar, making it have a rock-ish atmosphere, if that makes sense at all. I'd also like to give some serious credit to Moriah's voice. #AMAZING

Leave your comments and let me know what you thought! Thanks, guys! ~KJ