EMPIRES by Hillsong United {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting for providing a sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

You guys, I haven't been this excited about an album in a long time! Wow. EMPIRES is just so completely honest, and I cannot pick a favourite song.  I am listening to the whole album over and over. Maybe, because of what we've been through in the past four years, I can relate to so many of the raw, heart-cries on this album. Lines like, "Even when my strength is lost/I'll praise You/Even when I have no song/I'll praise You/Even when it's hard to find the words/Louder then I'll sing Your praise" from "Even When It Hurts." Whoosh. These could have been written for me (or even by me, if I was a song writer - ha!). 

Another one I absolutely love is "Say The Word"! I won't share all the lyrics here, but here's a taste: "Say the word and there is light/Say the word and dead bones rise/Every start and end hangs on Your voice/For Your word never returns void." Yes! Hearing Father's voice has become so important to me in the past 10 years, and this song beautiful portrays my heart in knowing and honouring His Word, both the Logos and the Rhema. 

Here are the song titles:

01. Here Now (Madness)

02. Say The Word

03. Heart Like Heaven

04. Touch The Sky

05. Street Called Mercy

06. When I Lost My Heart To You (Hallelujah)

07. Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)

08. Prince of Peace

09. Empires

10. Rule

11. Captain

12. Closer Than You Know

Last week I had the privilege of participating in a Twitter chat with worship leader, Taya Smith, whom most people know as the voice of Hillsong United's "Oceans." She is completely delightful, and I loved hearing her heart. She shared that the Beatitudes, from Matthew chapter 5, is the basis for the album. The Kingdom of God is so completely counter-cultural to what the world tells us to do. One thing she said: 'To be honest, we only truly find ourselves, our purpose, and true joy when we're actually not focusing on ourselves, when we're looking at Jesus.' That is directly contrary to the world and ultimately, the bottom line for us as Christians, eh? I love her real-ness, her humour, the Scriptures she shared and her heart for Jesus. I think you will love hearing and worshipping with her beautiful voice on EMPIRES.

S O C I A L • C O R N E R 

Twitter: @HillsongUnited

Instagram: @HillsongUnited

Facebook: facebook.com/hillsongunited

Check them out on tour this summer: http://outcrytour.com/

- Here’s a video of their performance on the TODAY show in case you missed it last month:https://vimeo.com/123986301

Buy it now: http://smarturl.it/Empires

Giveaway Time:
A big thank you to Propeller, LLC for providing a copy of EMPIRES for one of my readers. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Open to residents of the US and Canada, age 18 or older.

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Blessings and love. xo

Encore Day - The Essential Oils Revolution!

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

There's still time to get in on the incredible education that's been going on this week with The Essential Oils Revolution! This summit is non-branded and no oils are being advertised or sold. This is strictly a teaching event. I have had so much fun learning more about oils this week.

Take a look at the Encore Speakers . . . 

And if you're just now hearing about this summit or if you've had to miss out due to your busy schedule, you have the opportunity to purchase all the talks, so no need to worry. You haven't missed out after all! Woohoo!

Go HERE to see make your purchase now!

Blessings and love. xo

EXHALE by Plumb {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting for providing a sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

Hi Friends,
Today I get share about a new album from Plumb entitled EXHALE! I had never heard of Plumb, a.k.a. Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, before now, so I can't compare this album to her earlier releases. I really enjoy her voice and her message. Worship songs are so important to me, and I have a few new favourites after listening to this album.

About PLUMB:

Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, better-known by her stage name Plumb, is a songwriter, recording artist, performer and author. Plumb has sold more than 500,000 albums and over two million singles worldwide, co-penned songs for numerous other artists, including Michelle Branch, Mandisa, Mandy Moore, Jaci Velasquez, and Natalie Grant, and had music placed in many films and television shows. Originally signed as a Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) recording artist in 1997, Plumb is now known as well as or better in alternative rock, electronic dance music, and for the use of her music in film and television than she is in the CCM market.

About the album:
EXHALE, the seventh studio album from acclaimed multi-genre singer, songwriter and author Plumb, expresses a new focus and vision. After the runaway success of NEED YOU NOW (the album, title track and book), which coincided with her own moving story of brokenness and ultimately healing, EXHALE brims with worshipful songs of gratitude and hope.

Personal message from Plumb:

Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a minute to share a personal note about my new album EXHALE. The title comes from something my pastor said recently: “We do not exist for us….we exist to share the grace and love so freely given to us all….we breathe it in, it changes us, it makes us new and then we share it – we EXHALE.” 

I breathed in a life-changing grace when God met me in my darkest place of brokenness after my husband left me, and He changed me and gave me hope.  Then, He redeemed a dead marriage in a way only He could…through a miracle… and we remarried.  I am SO THANKFUL for the redemption. SO THANKFUL for that change. SO THANKFUL for that grace.  So I made this new record as one huge, gigantic love letter to the One who carried me during all of that. EXHALE represents the hope of the entire record…that we will each breathe in that grace and then exhale it. That is why we exist!

My Thoughts:
What an incredible testimony of Father bringing life from things that were dead! I think you will be encouraged by the message of hope, resurrection power and grace. There are 12 tracks on this album, most of which are co-written by Plumb. I am always happy to see original music on a new album. I will admit to loving that she covered a couple of songs, too, though, especially Brian and Katie Torwalt's "When You Walk Into The Room." I could listen over and over to that one. I also like the simplicity of "Faithful" and the release of worship on "Champion." 

Check out the official video for the new song, "Smoke":

S O C I A L • C O R N E R

Official Website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

ORDER on iTUNES 

Giveaway:
A big thank you to Propeller, LLC for providing a copy of BREATHE for one of my readers. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Open to residents of the US and Canada, age 18 or older. 


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Blessings and love. xo

The Past Ten Days and Processing

Hello,

I'm sorry if you're here looking for my regular posts. I'll hopefully get back to those soon, but in the meantime, life has quite turned upside down, and I've stayed away from much of the regular online stuff in the past ten days.

Ten days ago, our dear friend and mentor, Peb Smith, died suddenly, unexpectedly, from a heart attack. I have been in utter shock. If you know me or have been reading The Scarlett Thread from the beginning, you may remember that Peb is our friend who was a physician and was called out of medicine to start a ministry in Kenya. Bob went twice to Kenya with Peb. They also had some amazing experiences together over the years. I won't go into all that now. Bob just happened to be in Texas when we found out the terrible news. The next day Peb's family asked Bob to do his funeral service. He extended his trip and drove to north Texas to be with them and celebrate Peb's life. What an privilege for Bob. Please pray for Peb's family, as they adjust to this incredible loss and learn to live on this earth without their husband, dad and granddad. Please also pray for the ministry and the beautiful ones in Kenya who are also grieving over this tremendous loss.

In the meantime, just two hours before Peb's memorial service on Tuesday, we had a crisis of our own. Again, I won't go into the details, but our dear 10 year old had a collision on the soccer field and fractured her ankle/leg/foot in two places. It was severe enough that we went to the ER in an ambulance, a first for both of us. And severe enough to require emergency surgery that night. It was all quite traumatic for her and she is still pretty fragile. She has a massive cast and is basically immobile, so it's been overwhelming for my very active girl.

I would appreciate your prayers for all of us. I am processing much and just focusing on my sweet family right now. I know that God is good, always good. He is the One I have leaned on every single step of the past ten days. I will continue to worship and honour Him. And even through my tears, I will sing to Him and lift His name. Not because He caused any of these things to happen and I have to honour Him in spite of it all, but because He is a good Father Who can and will bring something good out of each heartache and moment of grief. He is love and He loves us flawlessly. He promises that His thoughts and plans include a future and a hope for us, and I take Him at His Word.

Blessings and love. xo

Lilla Rose Flexi Clip {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: I was given Lilla Rose products in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own. 

Hello, Friends! 

I have a fun Friday surprise today! Have you heard of the Lilla Rose company yet? My friend Penny Raine sent me three Lilla Rose Flexi Clips (seen in photo above) for my girls and me to try. I had never seen or used these before and had no idea what a unique and effective design these clips have. 

Emma, especially, has lots and lots and lots of hair! It is hard to find clips that will hold all her beautiful, curly locks. Penny sent a size large for Emma to try, and she has worn it almost daily since we received it. It's perfect for her hair! 

The younger girls used the other two, smaller Flexi Clips, and they worked very well for their finer hair. 

Isn't the cat design so cute?!

I, too, have fine hair, even though it's long. I've always had trouble with clips or barrettes not staying in place. My fine hair just causes them to slip and slide, so most of the time I don't even bother with them. The Flexi Clip is so different and actually stays where you put it!

There are so many beautiful designs to choose from and the clips are just one of the products offered by Lilla Rose. There are also headbands, bobby pins, hair sticks and you-pins. The you-pins would be so cute for little ballerinas who have recitals coming up! 

These are the special designs for this month: Grace. Wouldn't they be so perfect for all those summer weddings you may be attending?

Check out the video on sizing. You can also see how to style your hair with Lilla Rose products here.

Contact: Penny Raine to purchase your own Lilla Rose products today! She is offering a Buy 3, Get the 4th Free Special just for you. Order the three and contact her via email to request the fourth product. I hope you see something you like for yourself, your girls or for a gift!  

You can also connect with Penny via Facebook and Twitter.

Penny is also giving my readers a chance to win a Lilla Rose product of your choice! Open to new customers and US residents only. 

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Blessings and love. xo