'Before Amen: A Worship Collection' Review

Offering 11 songs and two spoken tracks, Before Amen: A Worship Collection is a companion CD to Max Lucado's new book, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer . Featuring music from Kathryn Scott, Planetshakers, John Mark McMillan, Brian Doerksen, Paul Baloche, Kari Jobe, Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant, All Sons & Daughters, Soul Survivor, Darlene Zschech and Rita Baloche, each song was specifically chosen to be perfect for personal worship time. While most have been previously released, as with the majority of compilations, it's not about having new songs, it's about creating a theme, and that theme here is the prayer time before the Amen at the end.

Planetshakers' "Abba Father," one of the three new tunes, is a perfect early song for the release. Listeners are reminded how deep God's love for his children is. A message that never gets old, it is important to remember just how deep His love for us flows as we enter into prayer. Two older tunes, John Mark McMillan's "How He Loves" and Paul Baloche and Kathryn Scott's "My Hope," though not new, is just as timely. They you to the Throne room and beyond, into the very arms of Jesus, where He's holding you snugly.

At the end of the day, the entire project is filled with a calm and soothing strength that is much like Darlene Zschech's song, "My Highest Hope" which is her first recording since battling breast cancer. God is supreme and we are his beloved so our prayer time with Him, those minutes or even moments before amen, fills us with his mighty love and strength.

GENRE: Worshiop
RECORD LABEL: Integrity
RELEASE DATE: October 7, 2014
TRACKS: 13

Before Amen: A Worship Collection Track List:

1. Devotional - Max Lucado
2. What a Friend - Kathryn Scott
3. Abba Father - Planetshakers
4. How He Loves - John Mark McMillan
5. Your Faithfulness - Brian Doerksen
6. My Hope - Paul Baloche and Kathryn Scott
7. Healer - Kari Jobe
8. Lord Have Mercy - Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant
9. All the Poor and Powerless - All Sons & Daughters
10. 10,000 Reasons - Soul Survivor
11. My Highest Hope - Darlene Zschech
12. Father You Are Good - Rita Baloche
13. Postlude - Max Lucado

STAND OUT TRACKS:

• Healer - Kari Jobe
• My Highest Hope - Darlene Zschech
• Father You Are Good - Rita Baloche