Instead of the "normal" Throwback Thursday, I thought I'd switch it up and throw two inactive bands in the ring to duel it out and see who wins! So we have....
Petra vs. Stryper!
I plan on featuring both of these bands on a future Throwback Thursday, don't worry! But here we have two of the most popular Christian bands that changed Christian Rock forever. Petra, with their solid riffs and great lyrics, and Stryper with their controversial look and music.
Forgetting all their controversies, I'm going to pit two of their most populars songs against each other, and you guys can leave me a comment with your pick! The winner will be announced on Monday!
To start things off...."Judas' Kiss" by Petra.
And to challenge Petra, we have...
"Soldiers Under Command" by Stryper.
So who do you think deserves to win the first Throwback Thursday Smackdown? Leave a comment with your vote and let your voice be heard!
Mission Six.Where do I start? Their first cd, "Superhero" was a favorite of mine back in 2008. Mission Six and The Rubyz are the "original" iShine artists. They've toured extensively all over the U.S., recorded three albums, have received airplay on radio Disney, and star in one of the most popular Christian teen shows, iShine Knect. Did I mention the oldest member of M6 is 17? It's amazing what God has enabled them to do in just three short years.
Comprised of Noah Hayden on vocals, Anthony Barthel on guitar, Isaac (Biff) Alling on keys, David Horner playing the drums, and Michael Powers on bass, Mission Six has become one of the most popular teen Christian bands out there. You can find out the story behind their band name in this VERY old video. But anyway, this is supposed to be a music review, so let's review some music!
"Not Too Young" is Mission Six's sophomore effort, released in 2009. The 10 track album is comprised of five regular tracks, as well as five karaoke tracks. For review purposes, I will just be talking about the five regular tracks.
"Not Too Young" begins with the title track, "Not Too Young". A fun song that has a great beat and solid guitars, "Not Too Young" is an anthem for teens all over. The chorus boldly states, "Here we go, now we're not alone, yeah we may young, but we're not too young to change the world!" The music of Mission Six is strong, and they have been compared to the Jonas Brothers and Relient K. They're a fun mixture of rock and pop. Overall a very good track, and one I'm sure you will enjoy.
Second we have "Stand Out", another high-energy song that encourages us to "stand out" and not back down. This track even features a surprise from bassist Michael Powers, at the end of the second verse. I'm sure this song is a blast live! Featuring strong, high-energy music and thought provoking lyrics, "Stand Out" is a top M6 song.
Now we've come to my favorite song off the album, "Misfits" which pretty much anyone can relate to at some point in their life, no matter how old they are. The song opens with Noah declaring he is a "misfit", then a catchy bass line. "Raise your hands if you don't fit in" starts out the verse, and once again Michael guests. Michael and Noah compliment each other very well vocally, and they did an awesome job on this song. The most stirring part of the song is the bridge where they slow things down a bit and sing, "Just when you think you're all alone, you find a place where you belong". Overall an amazing track that without a doubt encourages teens everywhere.
I can't review this song without laughing. It's not the nature of this song AT ALL, it's what I can imagine all the girls doing when they perform this live. "Forever" is a beautiful song about how important it is to stay pure for the one you will marry. "Everything has got a place in time, so before I call you mine, I wanna make sure you know you're worth the wait" is just a sample of how sincere and important the lyrics are to teenagers in our day. "Forever" brings strong vocals, equally powerful music, and even a fun outro complete with a good old, "yeeooowww"!
Lastly, we have a cover of the popular Newsboys track, "I Am Free". The music differs from the original a bit, giving a it more of a teen feel. Mission Six definitely does the song justice, and does not disappoint. I actually think I might like it better than the original Newsboys version. (Shhh!) It's an excellent cover.
Overall, "Not Too Young" is a solid sophomore effort. I know not everyone likes "teen bands", so this cd won't be for everyone. However, it's a great album! the sound of Mission Six has matured a lot since last year, and they will be releasing their third album, "Shockwave" next week, on May 3rd. They have been posting clips on their Youtube channel, and right now you can hear clips of three songs off that record.
The guys of Mission Six are pretty funny, and have several podcasts on Youtube. One of their most popular segments is 'Band Vs. Food" where they take on challenges to eat "that weird food". I'll post one below for you to watch.
As always, thank you so much for reading my blog! I hope you enjoy the posts!
-Lisa
Icon For Hire is a new band signed by Tooth & Nail last summer. You can read about them in my New Bands You Should Know: Part 2 segment! They've released two independent EPs, and I'll be reviewing their most recent work, "The Grey" which was released in 2009. Since this is only a 3 song EP, I'm going to try and be as detailed as possible, and hopefully, I won't bore you! Let's begin!
"The Grey" kicks off with "Carried Away", which has a very interesting intro. It's definitely "ear-catching" with an almost Asian sound at the beginning...however....it leads into some rocking guitars and even a yell. Icon for Hire is definitely harder, so if you like hard music, you will like Icon For Hire. The lyrics speak of going through hard times, yet being strong and pulling through. "Carried Away" is overall a decent song, I just find it doesn't break the mold to pieces. The lyrics really pull this song from about a 3 to a 5, and the music fits the song perfectly, it just seems a little too familiar. You know what I mean?
"Fall Apart" is one of my favorite Icon For Hire songs. Ariel's vocals are strong, and the music is also rock solid. "Fall Apart" carries on the theme of never giving up, declaring "Seize our families, take our homes away, we don't fall apart, we don't fall apart!" The only problem I have with this song is the guitar on the verses sounds a bit rough, but perhaps that's the sound they were aiming for. It's not horrendous, but it did catch my attention. The bridge gives us another yell, and it's a little creepy in my opinion, but it actually fills out the song quite nicely. I'm not exactly a fan of screamo, but I try to review cds fairly, regardless of the genre.
Rounding out the EP is another fantastic song, "The Grey". This song is simply AMAZING. The lyrics are really raw and relevant. The theme of this song is how we can be caught in sin, yet in our most horrible times, we are still loved by God. This song isn't quite a ballad, but does slow things down a bit. Ariel's vocals once again shine, and the music is beautiful. It's the perfect closer for the album.
Icon For Hire shows great promise, and I can't wait to hear their new stuff! If you're a fan of Flyleaf, Paramore, I Am Empire, etc, I think you will like Icon for Hire. Even if you don't like those bands, you WILL like Icon For Hire. Trust me. :) Look for their first album on Tooth & Nail July 26th!
The following message was emailed to my mom last week. Please take a few minutes and read it.
During the week of April 25-30, eat at Chick-fil-A and hand them a card of Thanks!
April 21, 2011
A few weeks ago, AFA alerted you to an attack by homosexual activists against the Christian-owned Chick-fil-A company.
In February, a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Pennsylvania donated some sandwiches and brownies to a marriage seminar hosted by the Pennsylvania Family Institute. Because the seminar promoted marriage as between one man and one woman, pro-homosexual activists launched an all-out attack on Chick-fil-A.
Some started calling the company's main product "Jesus Chicken," while others mocked and belittled the company's "Not Open on Sunday" policy. They even smeared company employees, calling them "anti-gay."
Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy built a 1500-restaurant chain on his "personal and business philosophy based on biblical principles." Something else you may not know:
Chick-fil-A plays Christian music in its restaurants...exclusively.
Chick-fil-A closes all its locations on Sunday...no exceptions.
Chick-fil-A's stated corporate purpose is: 1) To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us; and 2) To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.
After my wonderful BackBeat Plus earbuds finally gave out after heavy use for over a year, I found some Skullcandy Smokin' Buds on sale, so I exchanged a horrid pair I had bought earlier for them. How do they compare to other earbuds?
My skullcandy's set me back about $20, which isn't a lot for a pair of earbuds. I really like the styling of the Smokin' Buds, with a flat wire that is supposed to help lengthen the life of the earbuds. The really neat part is that the wires are two-toned.
The outside wires are black, but the insides are blue, so it looks really cool. If you're familiar with Skullcandy, you will know their trademark as a skull. I find it a little freaky, but, I needed earbuds. The overall design is very eye catching, as you can see.
However, I found it nearly impossible to get the proper fit necessary for good bass response. I tried all three ear tips, yet all of them seem to fall out of my ears. It could be the way the blue piece on the end of the earbud sticks out, or maybe I just have odd sized ears. :P I find myself constantly pushing the earbuds back in. Although when they do fit correctly, the bass response is pretty good.
The overall sound quality is decent, but not near as good as the BackBeat Plus earbuds. They have a very "average" sound quality, with ok bass and decent highs. If I listen to albums with a lot of bass, like Lecrae, I don't get near the bass response I did with the BackBeats. I would recommend buying the BackBeat Plus or even the BackBeat Titanium for about $5-$15 more. You can read a review of the BackBeat Titanium at my friend Mike's blog. The sound quality is much more superior to the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds.
"Critically Ashamed" is the sophomore effort released in 2006 from FM Static. It is also my least favorite album from FM Static, but it definitely is not awful! Let's get to the review!
"Critically Ashamed" begins with a cute intro track that has Trevor's niece wishing him well on his next gig, and that track leads into "Flop Culture" which is a fun punk song in which Trevor laments the state of music in this decade. It really doesn't have much meaning, but is one of those fun songs.
"Six Candles" is one of the slower songs on the album, which is a welcome addition because FM Static's first cd didn't have any slow songs at all! "Six Candles" is a beautiful song about trusting in God whenever people say He's not real. This is one of the best songs on the album. "The Next Big Thing" is exactly what the song is about. Definitely a punk anthem, "The Next Big Thing" is about breaking into the music industry, but using your fame to make a difference, and is a fun listen.
Almost halfway through the album, "America's Next Freak" is all about standing up to those who put us down, finding ourselves in music, and name drops pretty much every artist in the music industry! It's an alright song, but not a favorite. The music seems a little average also. "Tonight" follows, and was a pretty popular track off the cd. I found out it is actually a song about Trevor McNevan's brother who passed away when they were children. "Tonight" is a very beautifully done track.
"The Video Store" carries some synth and punk riffs, and is a song about meeting a girl at a video store. I find songs like this a bit silly, but FM Static has a reputation for being fun and crazy! I really like the music in this song though. Another song about girls is "Girl Of The Year". It's ok. Probably my least favorite on the album. "Nice Piece Of Art" is a good song about how we have all been made unique by God. I like this song a lot, but I find the repeating "art, art, art, art, art" takes away from the song.
Next we have "What It Feels Like" and I like the opening with the drum rolls very much. It's something that stands out on the album. I'll admit I laughed at the lyric that said, "don't try to page me". Haha. It's a good song with good lyrics. Trevor speaks of knowing what it feels like to be on the outside, and is one of my favorites off the album. "Waste Of Time" is a bit formulaic in the music, but the lyrics take it far.
Finally, the last track is "Moment Of Truth". The track is about Trevor's moment of truth, realizing he loved a girl. It's ok. As I have said in the past, I'm really not a love song fan. It closes the album well, however.
"Critically Ashamed" is a decent album, but in my opinion, not the best one they have ever put out. If you are new to FM Static I would recommend "Dear Diary" or 'What Are You Waiting For" to start out with.
IT'S THURSDAY, THURSDAY, GOTTA GO TO LIFE WITH LISA ON THURSDAY!
Ok, so I know it doesn't have the same ring as Rebecca Black's "Friday", but, I don't care. :) Sorry there wasn't a Throwback Thursday last week! I totally forgot until Friday...sorry! Well, anyway, let's get to the band!
Day of Fire
The story of Day Of Fire is really interesting. Josh Brown, the lead singer and founder of the band, started a band called Full Devil Jacket. They signed to Island Records, made one EP, toured with Nickelback and Creed, then nearly died of a heroin overdose. Wait, what?
In the middle of the Creed tour, Josh Brown nearly died from overdosing on heroin. Through this event in Josh's life, he began to try to turn his life around by going to rehab. Speaking of the event, Josh has stated in an interview: "After I overdosed, I went straight into rehab. In rehab I finally had time to clear my head and search myself, and I realized that I wasn't alone. I was able to see that there were a lot of other people in there that were going through the same challenges as me. I also remembered that Jesus was still with me."
After Josh got out of rehab, he gave his life back to God during the recording of Full Devil Jacket's second album. He didn't feel any peace about making the album, and left the band. One night, he went to church and received prayer for his drug addiction, and God instantly delivered him from drugs!
Eventually, he started Day of Fire, and their self-titled first album came out in 2004. It was a huge success, and garnered a Dove Award for Rock Album of the year and a Grammy nomination. In 2006, they released "Cut And Move", which also garnered good reviews. Jesus Freak Hideout gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying, "Cut & Moveremains to be a solid sophomore effort that easily bests the band's debut and just might simply be one of the finer rock offerings you'll find this Summer."
The last album Day Of Fire gave us was "Losing All" released in 2010. In 2007, they announced they were no longer on Essential Records, and this album was released on Razor & Tie Records. "Losing All" was deemed a "good album", and Day Of Fire toured withSaving Abel, Cold, Papa Roach, and a few other bands in support of the album.
In June of 2010 Day Of Fire announced they were on an indefinite hiatus. Josh Brown played a reunion show with Full Devil Jacket, and later decided to create a new band with his former Full Devil Jacket bandmate Jonathan Montoya called A New Rebel. I noticed the members were former members of Saving Abel and Bobaflex, so I hope his new material will be Christian. I, of course, do not know anything about these new guys, so please don't think I am labeling them unChristian.
So did you like Day of Fire? Let me know in the comments!
- Lisa
P.S. Be sure to read the whole interview with Josh Brown here. It's very good!
"Suzy Rock? Hmm... who is she?" you may say. Sure, the name may not sound familiar, but perhaps you have heard her featured on Lecrae's "Rehab" ("High") and "Rehab: The Overdose" ("Battle Song"). She is definitely talented, and pretty much the only female rapper I know of in Christian music. She has a mixtape out, called "So What" and is available on her website for $5. So if you are into Christian Rap, be sure to check her out!
So, I was reading my tweets the other day, and came upon this....
Hey guys, my last show with @thelostcolors is tomorrow at Groundzero! Hope to see you all there:)
(http://twitter.com/#!/ellieincolor/status/59804138069950464)
Guess who that was from?
Ellie. She's quitting The Lost Colors. She sings lead vocals for the band, so I am wondering, replacement? Band breakup? Very sad news.
So apparently the guys were singing at a radio station event and had some pretty funny mic malfunctions. They did an AWESOME job on the song though, and everything that went wrong didn't affect them at all! Well, I thought I'd share the video with you, it's hilarious, especially the ending!
I love Amazon's MP3 store! I usually do not like to download music, simply because I like to have the actual cd and artwork, but Amazon's MP3 store is always having good sales and lots of free downloads. I just saw on there that they have 50 Christian Albums for $5 a piece! The artists include Thousand Foot Krutch, Anberlin, Dave Barnes, Josh Wilson, I Am Empire, Meredith Andrews, and a whole lot more! I snapped up TFK's "The Flame In All Of Us" and am debating on getting another album. These are awesome cds, and the price is pretty sweet as well. Check out all the albums right here.
Shine Bright Baby is a new and coming up band out of Orrville, Ohio. Remember? the were in my "New Bands You Should Know Pt. 2" feature! Posed to perform at Creation 2011, I'm sure people will want to know how their music stands up. This is a review of their first album which was released in 2009. "Deadbolt" starts things off with a fast electric guitar intro, which immediately catches your attention. As Emily starts singing, you notice she sounds a lot like Hayley Williams of Paramore. She can hold her own however. "Deadbolt" is a great song about supporting a friend in a hard time, and giving a great message of hope and love. Midway through, the song slows a bit, and Emily and one of the male members (he has a decent voice, he just sounds a little deadpan) sing of how they've been through hard times. The song speeds back up and Emily ends the song with the plea, "You can give up on me, but don't give up on love." I really enjoy this track, both lyrically and musically. If you're new to Shine Bright Baby, I advise you to at least give this song a chance. You can download the acoustic version of this song FREE on their Pure Volume. The second track is called, "Heartbreak!" It's another rocker, an again has a strong intro. It has a very Paramore-esque feel. The lyrics speak of someone who has been put down and broken. The Chorus says, "Who told you that you’re not good enough? Who filled your head with lies and undermined everything you are? Who told you that there’s something wrong? There’s nothing wrong with the way you are." This song is great lyrically, but I feel the music is a bit generic, like I've heard it before. That does not mean it's not an excellent song, however. "We Were Made To" is next, and slows things down some, but it's definitely not a ballad. I enjoyed the verses on this song, but the chorus seems a bit cookie cutter. The chorus feels like it should be on a Hillsong album. Otherwise, I found this song to be strong vocally, lyrically, and musically. Emily has a very strong, beautiful voice. Next to last on the album is "1000 Ideals of Man". It starts of with a retro feeling intro, which I really like. I found this song to be a favorite! A song of how we can be stuck in the "ideals of man", but yet we long for more. This song mixed things up a bit, throwing a hint of male screaming into the beginning of the second verse. I definitely didn't expect that! This song is also filled with thought provoking lyrics such as "My soul is aching for something more glorious than what I see. Another smudged page is turning with a salty stain. Crooked and depraved is such an awful state…I’m left jaded in the wake of one thousand ideals of man, but none of them can stand beneath the pressure!" This song experimented a bit, and we are given a great song full of thought provoking lyrics, strong vocals and music. "I'm Temporary" is the closer, and the only ballad on the album. It starts off with the story of wrestling an angel, but before the angel left, she wanted to know if she was strong enough to do God's will. It's a beautiful, almost modern retelling of when Jacob wrestled an angel. I know it's long, but I want to include these lyrics in my review. The 2nd verse says, "The leaves rustled on the ground, and I found myself afraid. It’s not lack of faith, I swear. But today, I feel so inadequate. And maybe today I’ll wander but I am never lost. I’ll walk through the flames if it refines my heart, that’s so untamed. The impact causes these grave clothes to fall… so I can now be whole. As Israel who cried, “I have seen the face of God! I have seen the face of God!” Whoa…". Beautiful, amazing song. I love the Biblical nature of this song. Not the most experimental ballad I've ever heard, but this is an amazing song. Overall, Shine Bright Baby is a band that can be easily compared to Paramore, but with Biblical lyrics and a bit of a different sound. If I did have to compare them with another band though, it would be Paramore. This album is full of great lyrics and strong vocals. I just find the music to be not quite as breaking the mold, but I can overlook that.It's definitely a strong debut, and if I can go to Creation this year, I will definitely try to see them. I would recommend this cd to anyone looking for a good, Christian alternative to Paramore or Evanescence.
The title is pretty self-explanatory, so here is my list of my favorite drummers in the Christian music industry!
#5 Adam Kronshagen of Icon For Hire
His drumming is really impressive throughout their music, and his drum solo is pretty awesome! The stick throw at 31 secs is pretty cool, and keep your eyes on his sticks towards the end of the video! Check it out:
#4 Joe Rickard of RED
His drumming has always been stellar, and I had the opportunity to see RED live online via the Hear It First Winter Jam stream, and he is just as good live! Whether you like harder music or not, I'm sure you'll agree he is very talented. Also, today is his birthday, so make sure you tweet him Happy Birthday via @joerickard. Check out this video of him demoing his new kit from Spaun Drums:
#3 Duncan Phillips from Newsboys
Hands down, Duncan is one of the most energetic drummers you'll ever see. I also got to see him with the Newsboys live online, and he is amazing live! He'll do all sorts of hilarious things, yet be able to play the drums perfectly the whole time. Watch the video below to see him on the spinning drums!
#2 Lori Peters (Formerly of Skillet)
Ok, I KNOW she isn't in the music industry anymore. But she was a PHENOMENAL drummer. She was awesome. So I wanted to mention her in this because of her talent. Even though she claims to be "so out of practice" in the clip below, she kills it! I had a hard time finding solos of hers on youtube, so even though the video quality on the second clip is not great, you can still hear how awesome the solo was!
And my favorite drummer of all is....
#1 JEN LEDGER OF SKILLET!
Ok, so maybe this is a bit predictable but Jen is so talented. She is my drummer hero! Her drumming sounds great both on the cd and live, and her solos are amazing! I've posted my favorite video of her drumming below. Enjoy all you Panheads!!
I would love to hear who your favorite drummers are! Either comment below, or post your favorites on your own blog.
Well I am FINALLY back from Kentucky. It was a blast and God really moved at the Fire Conference! Hopefully I can get some blogging done soon. However, I was tagged by Jay to do this really cool um....music thing? Lol but it was super fun, and here are my answers!
My ten bands to play with: 1. Steven Curtis Chapman 2. Attalus 3. The Lost Colors 4. Anthem Lights 5. FM Static 6. Jamie Grace 7. Britt Nicole 8. Carman 9. The Benjamin Gate 10. Skillet Q. What was the first song that you ever heard by number six? (Jamie Grace) A. "Mighty To Save". I hadn't even heard of her, and found some of her behind the scenes videos of the iShine Live tour, and saw her sing. I was really impressed, and kept an eye on her. I love her Gotee Records debut EP, "Hold Me"!
Q. What is your favorite song by number eight? (Carman) A. Ahaha! Oh man...probably "Satan, Bite The Dust" or "America Again". Hmm..."There Is A God" is a great song also....man! How can I choose just one? :P Q. What kind of impact has number one had on your life? (Steven Curtis Chapman) A.Wow....Steven Curtis Chapman's music has played a HUGE role in my life. I have loved his music ever since I was teeny tiny, and he is the reason I love Christian music today. He also autographed a picture and sent it to me in the mail when I was about 10, and that gave me such a greater respect for him, as he took the time to autograph a picture with a little message for a little girl who hadn't even seen him in concert. Also his strength through his daughter Maria's death was amazing, and I have so much respect for him. Q. What is your favorite lyric by number five? (FM Static) A. Probably every line in "Take Me As I Am" as it is such a beautiful song about coming before Christ, admitting that we don't have everything sorted out. Q. How many times have you seen number four in concert? (Anthem Lights) A. Aaack!! not at all!! This has been the cause of much sorrow and grief.... Q. What is your favorite song by number seven? (Britt Nicole) A. Tie between "Have Your Way" and "When She Cries" Q. Is there any song by number three that makes you sad? (The Lost Colors) A. Not really. "Blame" is very thought provoking, but it doesn't make me sad. Q. What is your favorite song by number nine? (The Benjamin Gate) A. Definitely "The Calling". Awesome song. The remix I was surprised by (Last track on "Contact", about 3:35 in) is even better! Q. How did you first discover number two? (Attalus) A. I had started a forum post on NRT, and somehow Cara told me about them. They are an amazing indie band! You NEED to check them out! Q. How did you first discover number three? (The Lost Colors) A. Also thanks to Cara! She recommended this band as an alternative to Paramore, and they are also amazing! Q. What is your favorite song by number four? (Anthem Lights) A. "Circles". The song is so stirring and challenging. I love it! Q. Is there a song by number eight that makes you sad? (Carman) A. No. Carman never fails to make me laugh. Q. How many times have you seen number six live? (Jamie Grace) A. Unfortunately, none. Not many artists I want to see come to my area. :( Q. What is your favorite song by number one? (Steven Curtis Chapman) A. Ooo that is a tough one. "Live Out Loud" and "Yours" are my favorites. Q. How did you become a fan of number ten? (Skillet) A. This is a very long story I'm not sure I'm ready to tell in full. But, long story short, I picked up "Comatose" after hearing "The Last Night", and God really used the entire album to change my life. Words cannot describe how much this album means to me, and I'm sure countless others. Skillet will always have a special place in my heart, and their music is amazing, from John's blonde, spiky hair days to whoever their newest guitarist will be. Skillet is AMAZING! :P
Well, thanks Jay for tagging me! I had so much fun with this. Since Jay tagged everyone I would have tagged....be sure to check out the blogs I have listed on the right hand side of the screen!
I apologize for the lack of posts! Been extra busy getting cd's done for the youth conference Friday and Saturday! I mentioned about writing a sort "fiction" story, and I have started on one. Below is the first part. The story follows two young people in the story of Elijah and Mt. Carmel as found is 2 Kings. Hope you like it!
Part 1:
It hasn’t rained in months. Well, make that years. Famine has overtaken the land. Every day when I walk to the Temple, I see the hunger ravaged bodies writhing in the dust, begging for a morsel of meat and a drop to drink. Every day I cry to Baal, pleading with him to pour his rain. The priest has sacrificed more animals and even children than I can count. “Why is there no rain? Why do we suffer? Why does King Ahab not hear our cries?” These are the questions that fill my mind. I am Jabon, of Israel.
“This is our last meal”, my mother said. “We have enough meal and oil to make a small cake. I will bake it, we will share it, and then we will die.” She turned her sorrowful eyes toward the burning sun. Famine and drought filled Samaria. We had no food left, anywhere. I buried my neighbors yesterday. Now we would be the next to die. We prayed to Jehovah, yet there was no rain, no relief from this drought. Death came closer with every second. I am Micah, of Israel.
“Lord, the brook has dried up.” The prophet looked down at the dust forming near his feet. The ravens that had brought him food cawed and flapped their wings. It was time to move on. The Lord had spoken to the prophet, Elijah, saying, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” Elijah was definitely not one to disobey the Lord, so he went to Zarephath straight away.
What he saw in Zarephath saddened him. Squinting through the dust, he saw the carcasses of animals lying by the road, bones bleached from the sun. Broken down homes stood somberly to remind passerbies of the lives that had been lost. Perhaps the saddest sight of all was the mass graves scattered all over the village, telling stories of lives taken early. It was all because of Israel’s sin. They had brought it upon themselves, turning away from God, and serving Baal.
“Mother! Mother! A man is coming up the road!” I yelled. “He is big and hairy, and looks like a wild man!” My mother looked up from where she was gathering sticks. Nervously grabbing her water pot, she said, “If he comes near, I will break this pot over his vermin-infested head!” This would not be the first pot she had broken, as we were considered “easy targets”, since there was no older male relative to protect us. My heart pounded as this man came closer, walking steadily in our direction.Mother nodded, and jumped toward the man. “Aiiiiyyyaaaahhhh!!!!” my mother yelled as she swung the pot. “CRASH!” She had missed the man by just a few feet. I stopped dead in my tracks. What would this man do now?
Elijah stared at the woman and her son in surprise. “Do not be afraid! I just seek to ask if you can spare a drink of water for this thirsty prophet.” The woman eyed him wearily before turning to dip a cup into her pot. “Perhaps a cake to quiet my rumbling stomach?” he inquired. The woman stared at him in disbelief. “There is no food. This is a famine. All I have left is a bit of meal in the bottom of the barrel along with a small cruse of oil, and that I will prepare for my son and I. We will eat the cake, and die.”
Elijah felt the Lord speak to him. “Fear not, go ahead and bake the cake, only let me eat it first, and then do likewise for you and your son.”
I knew my Mother felt torn. We both knew once that meal and oil ran out, we would die. Now this strange, wild-looking man came to us, declaring he was a prophet, asking for our last meal. It would be insanity to give this stranger our last bit of life.
