There are many things in life that move you, but there are some things you are born with in which you have the power to move others. This is called being anointed by God. We all have a gift to do something, and it is up to us to find out what that gift is and use it for the right reasons to glorify God. Singing came to me. I did not choose it. I just opened my mouth, and I could sing, and it came easy. I just needed to hone my gift by understanding how it worked so I could use it to its fullest potential as well as maintain it by understanding how to take care of it. My love for music is who I am. I was not told I had to do it. I just did it because I loved it just that much. I knew whenever I would sing, I would find myself closer to a place of peacefulness and harmony with my higher self. As I grew stronger in what moved me to do what I loved. I learned that I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I did not let fear deter my calling. Even though I was very much afraid, I knew I had to do it because it was God's will. Some people are born with many gifts, and some are born with one, but it is not because one gift is greater than the other because your calling is different. I have learned that if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. This means you can do anything you feel is calling out to you. Through my journey, I have learned I am able to move mountains in my life. One is called fear because it is fear that keeps us from being our best self. We have been told, "Don't do this," "Don't do that," because it will hurt you, so we learn fear, but we don't learn how to conquer it until we become adults, and for some not even then because we choose to stay comfortable and complacent with the effects of what fear does to us. We are always evolving into our better self, but we must forget about what we can't do and focus more so on what we can do when we have the faith the size of a mustard seed. This pain is not meant to last, but we have to keep moving on, move on, move on. There's no storm that can stop you. There's no wind that can move you. There's no cloud that can stop the sun from shining through. Just move on. 2

This reference is an understandable and down-to-earth guide to all things Catholic. The resource is appropriate for brushing up on specific Catholic terms and concepts or learning them for the first time. (Catholic)

Through in-depth case studies, Religion and Popular Music explores encounters between music, fans and religion. The book examines several popular music artists - including Bob Dylan, Prince and Katy Perry - and looks at the way religion comes into play in their work and personas. Genres explored by contributing authors include country, folk, rock, metal and Electronic Dance Music. Case studies in the book originate from a variety of geographic and cultural contexts, focusing on topics such as nationalism and hard rock in Russia, fan culture in Argentina, and punk and Islam in Indonesia. Chapters engage with the central issue of how global music meets local audiences and practices, and considers how fans as well as religious groups react to the uses of religion in popular music. It also looks at how they make these interactions between popular music and religion components in their own identity, community and practice. Tapping into a vital and lively topic of teaching, research and wider cultural interest, and employing diverse methodologies across musicians, fans and religious groups, this book is an important contribution to the growing field of religion and popular music studies.

Lee focuses on the Weaverland Conference of Old Order Mennonites, a group formed in 1893 and now consisting of over 5,000 members. A large concentration of Weaverland Mennonites live in upstate New York near Seneca Falls, and Lee focuses his easily readable sociological study on that community. Individual chapters deal with the worship, rituals, rules, and discipline of the group, and with a number of recent defections to a more mainstream Mennonite Church located in the same area. Lee argues that Weaverland Mennonites are held together by their practices alone, rather than by a common underlying set of beliefs. --Choice Magazine

Oh, Lord, Have Mercy by John K. Antony [--------------------------------------------]

Have you ever thought in your life how magnificent it is to reach the top of a mountain? What are essential skills for a mountain climber? These are the same questions we always ask. Important words to remind us to keep moving: P = Prayer, through them we communicate with God, and “nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37). Believe in Him, and you will get there! P = Plan to win. D = Determination to reach where you want to be in life is crucial. S = Working hard with consistency will help you to build your stamina to get on top. P = Patience to wait to receive what you have prayed for. “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22) On top of the mountain is our destination. It is difficult to climb, but once you get there, the atmosphere is wonderful. If you want to be successful you should not stop climbing and seeking your dreams until you achieve your goals; no matter what difficulty you face on the way, you should not give up. In Life Is Like Climbing a Mountain, Newstar Mwombeki reaffirms her belief that we should climb the mountain with a vision and a mission to pursue our goals in the highest perspective. But we need courage and determination to get through the ceiling. Through her examples in this book, you will learn how wonderful it is to reach the top of life’s mountain.

In a soul-lifting collection that resounds with joy, today's black gospel superstars tell how the Lord has changed their lives, shaped their music -- and led them to triumph over life's most incredible trials. Dr. Bobby Jones, host of Black Entertainment Television's Bobby Jones Gospel and Video Gospel, joins nineteen acclaimed gospel performers whose personal stories, like the healing, hopeful music they were called to sing, are celebrations of God's glory. Kirk Franklin reveals how it took the violent death of his close friend for God to reach out and touch him, and turn him from a gang-banger to a minister for Christ. John P. Kee affirms that God saved him from drugs and the fast-money lifestyle of the streets. Shirley Caesar remembers how she fell apart when her mother died, and how the Lord helped put the pieces of her life back together. Given only a few months to live by his doctors, blind minister and gospel star Rev. James Moore praises God for a different kind of prognosis that keeps him singing to this very day. Gospel matriarch Albertina Walker's testimony affirms her God-given stamina in a harsh world that has tried to knock her down more than once. Dottie Peoples describes an encounter with an angel that took her out of nightclubs and returned her to singing gospel music in church. As rousing as a gospel choir in full swing, these and other inspiring accounts of hope and transformation confirm the power of music and faith -- and will stir the hearts of those looking to strengthen their own ties with the Lord.