Tori Kelly "Hiding Place" Devotional review

Tori Kelly is a California-based singer who has made a name for herself with her debut album Unbreakable Smile in 2015.

She has also released two extended plays titled Handmade Songs by Tori Kelly in 2012

and Foreword in 2013.

Not only can she sing pop and acoustic music, but she can also sing gospel. On September 14, 2018, Kelly released her second studio album titled Hiding Place. It is Tori's first ever gospel project.

Then on September 28th, two weeks after the release of her album, she unveiled the Hiding Place 8-day devotional plan for the Bible app. This plan was written by Tori Kelly herself and it's based off of the songs from her album of the same name. I started on this plan by Tori on September 29th and completed it on October 6th. Each day as you read her devotionals, you will see a different song by Tori that is featured on her gospel album. Then, she goes into some very personal details about herself like how she dealt with not knowing who she is as far as her identity, the feeling of loneliness, being rejected from different record labels, learning how to show love in a world like this, etc. But through it all, God helped Tori out of some difficult times and let her know that she is his "masterpiece". 

I hope and pray that when you read Kelly's testimony, that you will be moved by her words and also feel the need to know that God is with you all the time. When you don't have the answers to life's questions, ask Him. If you are going through an identity crisis or feeling lonely, listen to what God says about you through His word. Whether you are listening or reading His word, you have the power and authority to believe that you are His beloved and not give in to the devil's lies. Not today, Satan!

Support Tori Kelly by reading her new Hiding Place: 8-Day Devotional Plan on Bible right now:

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/12721-hiding-place-an-8-day-devotional-by-tori-kelly 

And I promise you that you, my friends, will absolutely blessed by this devotional.

Anxiety & Depression: Finding Hope with Michelle Williams review

Michelle Williams is probably best known for her rise to fame as a member of the girl group Destiny's Child, but what you didn't know is that the singer found herself paralyzed with "What's next?" anxiety. But God still had plans for Michelle. Williams has since continued to receive critical acclaim, honors and awards in her solo career so far. She is a singer-songwriter, Broadway actress, designer, entrepreneur, TV host and more. In this exclusive 3-day devotional plan on Bible, Williams will inspire you with three pillars of biblical truth that helped lifted her out of that anxiety and depression - into the abiding faith, hope and joy that she enjoys today.

I read this plan by Michelle Williams on September 17th and finished on September 20th while also giving it a rating of five stars. I don't know that Michelle went through anxiety and depression like she talked about on some of the video devotionals before she starts to share some of her favorite scriptures. Like Psalms 28:7, Matthew 6:25-33, Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:8 and so many more. 

Overall, I enjoyed this devotional plan and would recommend this for anyone who is going through anxiety or depression or both to just listen to Michelle Williams' testimony about how God helped out of a rough time. 

Make sure that you read Anxiety & Depression: Finding Hope with Michelle Williams on the Bible app now and be inspired by it just like I was:

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/12400-anxiety-and-depression-finding-hope

"Live Fearless with Sadie Robertson" plan review

Sadie Robertson is a motivational speaker, best-selling author and is one of the stars of the A&E show Duck Dynasty. She has an all-new 4-day devotional plan on the Bible app titled Live Fearless based on her book of the same name. It also features exclusive video content as well. Join Sadie as she will both inspire and encourage you, as each day she shares one of her favorite Bible passages, then challenges you to push through you fears and anxieties, to break into the life of purpose that God has for you.

I started the Live Fearless plan on February 21st and completed it on February 25th on the Bible app. So, here is my take on it. Robertson goes into details about how God created you, wrote your story and also extends His words and His love to lead you. God may tug or pull you from one direction, while it's vital to fully embrace the next move with confident, knowing that He is pushing you into the path He has created for you. Then, there was another thing that I liked about Sadie. At the end of the devotional, she had these three questions to ask yourself. They are:

1. Whose voice is the loudest in my life?

2. Whose lead is strongest in my life?

3. What's my idea of winning?

Those are some tough questions that we need to think about for ourselves. And her faith as a strong, purposeful young woman, deeply grounded with God is so on point with this plan. She quoted so many Biblical scriptures like 1 Corinthians 15:57, Psalm 46, Revelation 4:8 and so I rated this five stars after its completion. So, anyone who is going to fears or anxiety should definitely read this plan by Sadie Robertson. I also recommend that you purchase her book Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion and Purpose where she talks about inspiration for the younger generation who are holding themselves back through fear, anxiety and loneliness. 

Make sure that you read the Live Fearless with Sadie Robertson on the Bible app now:

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/11103-live-fearless-with-sadie-robertson

Also, get her book Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion and Purpose on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Audible, Microsoft Windows and Google Play:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/live-fearless-sadie-robertson/1126606420

https://www.amazon.com/Live-Fearless-Power-Passion-Purpose/dp/1400309395

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/live-fearless/id1249854192

https://www.audible.com/pd/Live-Fearless-Audiobook/B077H3RCSF

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/live-fearless/fgqpf3h0pcvh?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Live_Fearless_A_Call_to_Power_Passion_and_Purpose?id=-oEoDwAAQBAJ

Kari Jobe "Heal Our Land" Devotional review

Today, I am going to talk you about Kari Jobe's Heal Our Land devotional plan based on the song from her 2017 album The Garden. It is a 4 day bible plan is available on the Bible app. The app is free to download and can be purchased on Amazon, iTunes, Microsoft Windows and Google Play. Here are the links for it:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bible/id282935706

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sirma.mobile.bible.android&hl=en

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/bible/9wzdncrfj1fd?ocid=9wzdncrfj1fd_ORSEARCH_Bing&rtc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Church-Bible/dp/B004MC8CA2

You can also use the app for voice with Amazon Alexa by enabling Bible on your Amazon devices or use the Amazon Alexa app to set up the Bible skill. Here is an article (that you can read below) on youversion.com that talks more about how to use it:

https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/bible-for-voice/bible-app-for-voice-on-amazon-alexa/

In the devotional, Kari talks about the process of how Heal Our Land came to be by sharing some of its lyrics while also showing you some encouraging scriptures for anyone who needs them in their walk with God. One of the scriptures is 2 Chronicles 7:14 which is where she got the inspiration for Heal Our Land. It reads:

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn away from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and heal their land".

I started on this plan on the Bible app on September 24h and finished it on September 28th. And I was really moved by what Kari was preaching on each day of the plan. She said that the song is a "beautiful reminder" and that is about how God is the one who heals, restores and makes us whole. Our God is both merciful and gracious. In Psalm 23:6, David writes about "His mercy follows us all the days of our live" and in James 2:13, it reads that God's "mercy triumphs over judgment". I hope that when you read the "Heal Our Land" devotional and take the time to digest God's living Word, not only will you be inspired like I was, but you will also take hold of all of the marvelous things that God is. A redeemer, reviver, healer and so much more. I also recommend that you listen to the song along with this plan, so that you can further meditate on this while you read. I rated it five stars after I completed it. 

Make sure that you, my friends, read Kari Jobe's Heal Our Land devotional for yourselves and prepare to be amazed by the power of our Almighty God. Here's the link for it:

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/3705

Also, buy/stream Heal Our Land on Google Play, YouTube, iTunes, Amazon and Spotify:

https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Our-Land/dp/B01N0XV2RN

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heal-our-land-single/1177799215

https://open.spotify.com/album/3Mxktc2X2U4Pz3Pk1sKd9R

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Brshbvuq4rolzstbp7cn62kq3li&tid=song-Tq3rcmcj2pylm7kc5fyayvh6h2q&hl=en_US

You can also purchase her album The Garden from Amazon, Apple Music, Google Play and Spotify:

https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Kari-Jobe/dp/B01N48QEHW

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-garden/1192508148

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Kari_Jobe_The_Garden?id=Bfutjfobzzwdioev5oionvr3fbu&hl=en_US

https://open.spotify.com/album/0VlrwygIqoI06z2BTCYuTq

Ariana Grande "Breathin" review

Breathin is a song by singer Ariana Grande from her fourth studio album Sweetener. It was sent to US contemporary hit radio on September 18, 2018, serving as the album's third single. The song speaks about anxiety and how your breathing is affected when you're suffering from it. It is also based on Grande's own experience with anxiety.

Grande opens up the song with, "Some days, things just take way too much of my energy/ I look up and the whole room's spinning/ You take my cares away/ I can so over-complicate, people tell me to  medicate", then she moves on to the pre-chorus with the lyrics, "Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'/ How do I know this fabricated?/Time goes by and I can't control my mind/ Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time". The singer finds herself saying these words for encouragement singing, "Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'/ I know I gotta keep, keep on breathin'/ Just keep breathin' and breathin and breathin' and breathin'/ I know I gotta keep, keep on breathin'".

I love the meaning of this track because it talks about how anxiety makes us feel inside and for Ariana to write and sing a song about this, is just so relatable once you listen to it. This is actually one of my favorites off of Sweetener. I am so glad that she finally released this as the third single from her album.

Make sure that you stream Breathin' on Spotify, iTunes & YouTube:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4OafepJy2teCjYJbvFE60J?si=RoPgRzaFR7KP5NVOLtAonQ

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/breathin/1399202539?i=1399202958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BYr1br2Ee4&feature=youtu.be

Solange: 2 Years of A Seat at the Table

                             

        On September 30, 2016, Solange Knowles, the sister of singer Beyoncé, released her third studio album titled A Seat at the Table through Saint Records. The album explored with themes like rage, despair and empowerment while also spawning genres like funk, neo soul, psychedelic soul and contemporary R&B. It features guest appearances from rapper Master P, Sampha, Lil Wayne, Tina Knowles, Kelela. Kelly Rowland & Nia Andrews, BJ the Chicago Kid, The Dream and Q-Tip.

She released two singles off the album titled Crane In The Sky and Don't Touch My Hair featuring Sampha along with the music video for each track. You can check out the videos down below:

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0qrinhNnOM

I remember listening to the A Seat at the Table album on Google Play in 2017. Cranes In The Sky is one of my favorite songs by Solange so far. I didn't know that Solange can sing really good and I'm so glad that NerdGirlMax introduced me to her album because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be talking to you guys about Solange or her iconic album on the two anniversary of its release.

Thank you, Solange Knowles for blessing us with this amazing album A Seat at the Table and its songs like Cranes In The Sky and Don't Touch My Hair. You are an inspiration to young and inspiring black girls like me. I can't wait for you to release the follow-up to it in the future.

Make sure that you buy/stream A Seat at the Table on Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify & Google Play

https://www.amazon.com/Seat-at-Table-Explicit/dp/B01LZMNFK 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-seat-at-the-table/1159507212

 https://open.spotify.com/album/3Yko2SxDk4hc6fncIBQlcM

 https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Solange_A_Seat_at_the_Table?id=Bef34y67tz2uln3laawh4bb2kha&hl=en

Jhene Aiko: 1 Year of Trip

On September 22, 2017, R&B singer Jhene Aiko surprise released her second studio album Trip. It was spawned by four singles: While We're Young, Hello Ego featuring Chris Brown, Sativa and Never Call Me. Before the album's release, Aiko dropped a 23 minute film of the same name on September 21, 2017. She also wrote co-directed alongside Girls Trip co-writer Tracy Oliver. In the film, Penny (Jhene Aiko) is trying to deal with her brother's death, but she instead meets a stranger who tries to help her cope using drugs. You can check out Trip (The Movie) in its entirely on Aiko's official YouTube channel or on her website. Here are the links for it:

http://jheneispenny.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4os5TXo6Vk

Also on the same day, she released a three minute spoken word piece titled "MAP Mission" on her SoundCloud page. On the project, she talks about the loss of her brother, her previous works and her inspiration in this chapter regarding her singing career. You can listen to it now by clicking on the link:

https://soundcloud.com/jhene-aiko-1/map-mission

Let me just say that I love Jhene Aiko and her message on MAP Mission where she talked about the death of her brother. I never knew that her brother meant so much to her and you can really hear Aiko's pain as she goes on about her personal struggles with drugs. Jhene Aiko, I love you and keep doing what you're doing with your music. Thank you for being such an inspirational to me and to all of your fans by taking us on a journey with you through the grief, loss and heartache regarding the death of your brother. Stay strong, Jhene. Rest In Peace, Miyagi. 🙏