Blessings

Laura Story | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: April 12, 2011
• Label: Fair Trade/Columbia
• Copyright: (P) 2011 Laura Story
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 40:24
• Genres:
  • Christian
  • Gospel
• ASIN: B004UE36QW
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (109 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #346 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #5 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Gospel
  • #9 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Christian

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Laura Story [Blessings] April 12, 2011

By Kevin Davis TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

There's no denying some of the blessings in Laura Story's life. She wrote the No. 1 worship hit "Indescribable" recorded in 2004 by Chris Tomlin, married a handsome athlete named Martin Elvington the next year, and began working in music and women's ministry at the 4,000-member Perimeter Church in Atlanta. After signing an artist deal with the INO Records, her 2008 national debut Great God Who Saves won a Dove Award for Inspirational Album and earned Laura two consecutive nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year--all blessings, indeed. But amidst that success a brain tumor hospitalized her husband in 2006. The faith Story sang about was put through the unexpected fires of fear and loneliness; most young newlyweds don't imagine being kept alive at one point by breathing machines or having to find their way through significant post-operative vision and memory loss. Could grace notes resound from such a life-altering struggle? Laura's incisive new album, Blessings, suggests they do.

Laura has quickly become one of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters. Her songs are all catchy, uplifting and filled with biblical truth. Opening songs "This Is The Day" and "Friend Of Sinners" perfectly display all of those traits. From the truth of "this is the day of our salvation," to "friend of sinners, our Deliverer, Jesus Savior of the world, sent from Heaven, King of Glory, You're the Servant of us all," every single lyric of every song is dedicated as an offering to our King and Savior Jesus. This is the perfect album to focus your heart and mind on Jesus as we prepare for Easter. Musically, the orchestral, piano, and guitar arrangements are all catchy and uplifting and church worship leaders could literally add every song to their set lists.... "You Are Love" and "What A Savior" are amazing congregational songs, with very sing-able vertical lyrics. In "You Are Love," Laura passionately sings, "Everlasting, Never-ending, All Consuming, You Are Love, Oh God of the Heavens, You have ascended from Your throne...by this all men will know." In "What A Savior," my favorite part of the song is the bridge, "You are the way the truth and the life, You are my joy and salvation, Stood in my place taking my shame." Those words are a great reminder that we don't have to stand in shame anymore before the Lord. The sins that we have committed in the past, present and future have all been taken away by Jesus. Jesus bore all of that shame on the cross and gives us cause to celebrate "Hallelujah, what a Savior!"

The stand-out song of the album and surefire GMA Dove Award nominee for song of the year is Blessings' breathtaking title track and first single which has already topped the Christian charts. "Blessings" has some of the best lyrics I've ever heard in any song. I can't get enough of Laura's transparency and confessional challenges to all of us as believers in this incredible song. I am wrecked by the lyrics, "What if my greatest disappointments, Or the aching of this life, Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy." Something Laura and I discussed was that as believers we need to remember that this world is not our home. We have a much bigger agenda, and the security of everlasting life as promised by our Savior Jesus. As this song so beautifully depicts, we weren't made for this world.

The album is chock full of potential radio singles and every song is completely captivating. "Your Name Will Be Praised" has yet another worshipful bridge, "For Who You are, for what You've done, for what You've yet to do...All glory to You!" Ballads are certainly one of Laura's strengths as after dabbing my eyes and getting goose bumps constantly during "Blessings," two other stand-out songs are featured in the second half of the album, "One Life To Lose" and "Prodigal Song." "One Life To Lose" is another probable hit song with Laura's gorgeous and passionate proclamation, "For there's One Lord Who leads, I have learned when I am lost, it's there that I am found." "Prodigal Song" keeps the tears flowing as Laura sings a story-song about "Henry" where Laura sings "his father waits, and He is watching, and He is hoping, His eyes are weary, His arms are open, His prayer, so softly spoken, please come home...to your seat at the table, to your Father who weeps." The song even has a "Cats In The Cradle" moment where Henry changes from the prodigal son to the father. Laura's brilliant songwriting and engaging singing voice makes this one of those albums that you can literally listen to daily for encouragement and times of prayer and reflection. Closing songs "Remember" and "Faithful God" are both great worship songs for the Church similar to "Bless The Lord" and "Perfect Peace" from Great God Who Saves.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
With Great God Who Saves winning a GMA Dove Award for Inspirational Album and earning Laura two consecutive nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year, Blessings completely solidifies Laura as the premier singer-songwriter in the Inspirational genre. I fully expect Laura and her stellar album to be nominated for multiple awards including album, female vocalist, artist and song of the year. Don't miss out on one of the best albums of the year! Read more ›

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Story's "Blessings" April 12, 2011

By Timothy Yap TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

Prime Cuts: Blessings, Prodigal Song, You Are Love

The word "blessing" has been thrown so frivolously that it sometimes is just a synonym for our greed for more garbed under the disguise of religious verbosity. Story tries to set it right not just with the title cut of her new record but with the entire disc. Taking the focus away from our selfish esurience for more health, wealth and prosperity, Story directs us to God and his goodness. These 10 tracks are worship tunes deeply entrenched in the character of God informed by the truth of Scripture and performed with heartfelt earnestness. Unlike her award winning predecessor "Great God Who Saves," Story wrote or co-wrote all the cuts here. With a portfolio of penning incisive worship staples (such as Chris Tomlin's No.1 smash "Indescribable"), Story again demonstrates her formidable mettle as a songwriter here again. When she's not writing alone, she has found co-writers in high places, including a co-write with fellow artist Brenton Brown and Third Days Mac Powell.

Some of the best songs are those written after the soul has been ripped by trials. And here the title cut "Blessings" is such an example. Written after her newly wedded hubby Martin was diagnosed with brain tumour, Story still finds strength to praise God. With heart wrenching lines such as `Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops/What if Your healing comes through tears/What if a thousand sleepless nights/Are what it takes to know You're near/What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise" it's hard not to be moved. This gorgeous piano ballad is worship at its most pristine. Though not as soul ravishing "You Are Love" is a melodious mid-tempo exaltation of God as love that is simple yet so penetrating.... While the popish formulaic "This is the Day" (not that 70s praise song but a newly composed tune) finds Story in more familiar terrain of standard praise and worship terrain calling to mind Darlene Zschech and the Hillsong team.

A couple of songs break away from the more cliché praise and worship fanfare. Calling to mind Bonhoffier's quote that "Christ calls us to die," "One Life to Lose" sets such a truth to music that is refreshing and so needed to be heard these days, especially in our narcissistic culture. While the piano ballad "Prodigal Song" is the re-telling of the parable of the prodigal son in modern day context. "Faithful God" is to be praised for Story's vulnerable and heartfelt delivery though the song has pretty predictable chords and melodic progression. "Remember," on the other hand, is a slow Communion hymn with its beauty enhanced by a bevy of strings.

Just like Natalie Grant's "Held" or Darlene Zschech's "Pray," Story's title cut "Blessings" is one of those songs that is spiritually revolutionary. The song is worth the price of the entire disc. Though the rest of the songs don't have the same intensity, this is still a good worship album. This is an album that takes our eyes away from ourselves and keeps our hearts on God and His goodness. This CD is indeed a "blessing." Read more ›

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A beauty-filled praise and contemporary Christian CD May 24, 2011

By worship1

Format:Audio CD

I enjoy every track on this CD. It is an exceptional CD to listen to anytime you need a lift. It is an example of a gifted singer songwriter at her best! I highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys beautiful music and beautiful lifting lyrics that exalt the truth of Christ and His work in our lives.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars "BLESSINGS" FROM GOD October 22, 2011

By Cheryl H. Long

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a good praise and worship album. Most of the songs on this album were self-penned by Laura Story and are singable for group worship. The biggest standout was the title track, "Blessings," which was very meditative and beautiful. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best CD March 16, 2013

By Deborah Keener

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought more than one of these CD's and it was from listening to the radio, now it is real popular, but I managed to get it fast and got a copy to my sister 1 month before she died....she loved the CD

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Blessing November 17, 2011

By Penn Smith

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This cd has been a true blessing to me and my friends. Laura Story again gives an album reminding us of God's love and faithfulness. The lyrics of the song "Blessings" most directly remind us that even in the most difficult, confusing, and troubling of circumstances, God is there.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good songs/voice August 22, 2011

By J. Weaver

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was impressed with this CD. The songs are good and Laura Story has a lovely voice. Songs with a message. I like that. Anyone would like it.