Today, I’m reviewing Nichole Nordeman’s new CD “Every Mile Mattered” for Flyby Promotions. You’re in for a treat because they’re offering one copy of Nichole’s CD to one lucky winner!
Word to the wise: Even if you do not win this CD, buy it because it’s packed with God-given messages that will inspire your mind and encourage your heart as your journey through life.
Before we dive into my review of this captivating CD, let's learn a bit more about the artist behind the music, Nichole via snippets of her professional bio!
A top Christian artist with four No. 1 and seven Top 5 singles under her belt — along with nine Dove Awards including two Female Vocalist of the Year wins — Nordeman stepped out of the limelight to work on saving her marriage and raising her babies. The union didn’t last, but she says she’s still grateful she made that decision because she wouldn’t have forgiven herself if she didn’t give it her full attention. She also didn’t have to miss a minute of her children’s all-important early development, and was still able to feed her creative urges by writing for other artists. As for her post-divorce journey from a place of isolation and loss to acceptance and strength, Nordeman says, “As hard as it was to start over, a lot of beauty came from those ashes.”
Every Mile Mattered, Nichole's new CD, released in July 2017. She's said that she identifies strongly with “Sound of Surviving,” inspired by the story of Demonte Bell, a popular young employee of a smoothie shop across from a celebrity-filled L.A. workout studio who was shot 28 times in a random drive-by. Miraculously, he managed to survive, and went to the studio to thank those who had supported his recovery efforts. After slowly inching his way forward on crutches, he told the roomful of teary-eyed people staring in disbelief, “I’m still here.”
“I just thought about so many people who are saying those three words in the middle of cancer, in the middle of divorce or addiction or in the middle of deep loss and suffering,” she explains. “They’re saying to the darkness, ‘I’m still here.’ It’s an anthem for anyone who’s in the middle of a fight. It’s easy to write a song after you’ve won the battle, but when you’re in the middle of it, it’s maybe even more important to say those empowering words. To your struggle. To yourself. To God.”
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Doesn't it feel like you know Nichole now? She's pretty awesome! I don't know her personally but I've been a fan of her music since my college years. So I was delighted to receive this new CD of hers for free in exchange for an honest review.
Let's move on to my review of her new CD! :)
Every song is rated between 1 and 5 stars. Here’s the meaning of each starred rating:
5 stars = Wonderful! I love it!
4 stars = Great song and lyrics, I really like it!
3 stars = Nice tune but not too spectacular
2 stars = I really do not like this song
1 star = Not worth listening to
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Song #1: Every Mile Mattered
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song is rich in imagery and solid in composition. I loved the way that Nichole started the song like a story and encourages the listener to know that every mile in their life journey mattered. It’s a reminder that all of the tears and trials made me into who I am today. All of the pain and all of the joys amounted to life as I know it now. Nothing was wasted. God brings beauty out of brokenness and paints masterpieces out of pain.
Song #2: You’re Here
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song is a beautiful reminder that no matter what you’re going through or how far away it makes you feel from God, you are not alone because God is still here. He’s right there with you in the storms of life. He wants you to stay close to Him and trust Him to help you survive the storm.
Song #3: Dear Me
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This song is like a journal entry that Nichole wrote to herself. It starts off slow and melancholy then takes flight. Like looking out the window inside an airplane flying over the sunrise, these lyrics give a beautiful view of God’s Love for humankind. It’s a beautiful story of transformation concerning how God took someone from barely believing in him to blossoming into a good understanding of God’s heart of compassion. It’s a glorious melody. Makes me feel like I’m fully immersed in a movie or moving through beautiful scenery like the Lavender Fields in France.
Song #4: No Longer
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song is a goodbye to a faithless life. It’s a hello to a faith-filled life, a progression toward falling in love with Jesus Christ and going on a journey with Him. She no longer is afraid and bound to living a “safe” life. She’s traded her comfort for an adventure, following God’s lead and allowing Him to take her on a journey beyond her wildest dreams.
Song #5: Lean
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The first few notes of this song sound similar to “Here with Us” which is a Christmas song by Joy Williams. But after the first bar, this song shows that it’s clearly an original by Nichole. It’s deep and retrospective. She shares how she learned how to lean into Jesus. It’s a reminder of how God is truly Jehovah Jireh (Provider) and is strong enough for us to lean on Him.
Song #6: Hush, Hush
Rating: 4 stars
Review: A beautiful reminder of God’s unconditional love for us. This song spoke to me. I felt like this is what God tells me when I’m upset or depressed and just not understanding. I love the line that says “You don’t have to have all the answers”. I like how this song encourages me to rest and trust God to take care of everything. He’s more than capable of taking care of me. He wants me to “hush”, calm down and trust Him completely. Thank you, Nichole, for this beautiful reminder!
Song #7: Listen to Your Life
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The opening line to this song made me LOL. Nichole says, “I hear voices, don’t think that I’m crazy.” The second line says, “I can hear my heart trying to tell my head take it easy.” I totally related to it. I love how the lyrics in this upbeat melody encourage me to listen to my life. What is God trying to tell me? What do I need to pay attention to? What do I need to let go of to hear God’s Voice?
Song #8: Beautiful Day
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song fades in and echoes at the start, Nichole’s voice is barely a whisper for the first few moments of this tune. A soft and gentle touch carries the listener through this song from start to finish. It makes me think of beautiful days on the beach in the summertime. Sitting on the shore, listening to the ebb and flow of the ocean. It’s very relaxing. I think the message in this song is about appreciating every day of life that God gives you. It’s a beautiful day when you let God’s Grace shine through it.
Song #9: Sound of Surviving
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This song is my new anthem! I’ve played it on repeat every single day since receiving this CD a few weeks ago. It’s amazing! I relate to the message and love how toward the end of the song, Nichole encourages the listener to say, “I’m still here.” She tells us to “say it to the pain”, “Say it the rain”, “Say it to your fear.” I love it! This song makes me want to fight for my life and never give up. It’s a gorgeous way to remind the listener that we can do ALL things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13)! I love every second of this song…such an inspiration! I’m still here!
Song #10: Anywhere We Are
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song is a reminder that every person on planet Earth will experience trials BUT we are more than overcomers with God on our side! We must choose to trust Him and remember that anywhere we are in life, He is there and He’s able to help us through any situation that life serves.
Song #11: Slow Down
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This song is a tribute to Nichole’s children. It’s about how fast they're growing up and how she wants them to slow down. It’s a song about cherishing every moment in life. It’s clear that as a mother, Nichole wants to hold her babies while they're still small enough to be held. She wants to keep them close to her heart even when they grow up and go to college. Ultimately, it’s a maternal love song with a simple message: No matter how old her babies get, she’s going to be there for them because she’s their Mother and she loves them with all of her heart. It reminds me of the perfect parallel: We are children of God, He loves us with ALL of His heart and He will always be there for us through every stage of our life.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this CD which I received from Capitol Christian Music Group via FlyBy Promotions. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
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Connect with Nichole and buy her CD:
Official website - http://nicholenordeman.com
Buy links – iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon
She has a book “Slow Down" coming out in August, pre-order here:
http://slowdown-book.com
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Enter this music giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of Nichole's new CD by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:
Thanks for the chance to win. Sounds like a great CD!
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