First off, I only listen to Christian music 99% of the time. I sneak some secular in there every once in a while and there are some bands I still like that might make a few jaws drop.
One day, about 13+ years ago, I was driving along listening to the pop station when a really raunchy song came on. I heard my 3 year old in the back seat singing right along with the colorful lyrics. That was my “aha” moment. I found a KLOVE station in my area and changed my tunes.
I used to absolutely hate waking up in the morning or even the middle of the night, with some song stuck in my head. Always some very inappropriate song. The worst ones have the most catchy tunes.
I want to wake up with uplifting songs in my head. I need to have my day start out in a good direction.
“How can you listen to music constantly about only one thing?”
Have you listened to secular music lately? Ummm… It’s also usually about one thing!
I’m not saying secular music is bad. There is a lot of other music out there that isn’t full of worldly garbage.
For my family and myself, this is what works. Christian music today doesn’t sound anything like it did even 15 years ago. It is uplifting, upbeat, and some of those bands really rock out!
For me personally, I need to hear and be reminded of God’s love on a daily basis. The music may all have one common theme but the music and lyrics are all different, just like country music or any other genre.
I love hearing my kids singing along to music that is completely wholesome. I don’t have to worry about the commercials on the radio station (KLOVE doesn’t have any) or the news topics that will be covered because everything is completely clean and family appropriate.
It is also another great way to memorize scripture! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across scriptures that I realize I know by heart and didn’t even realize it because they are the lyrics of a contemporary Christian song.
While I like the contemporary pop-style Christian music, my husband likes to listen to the “harder” music. There is something for everyone out there, you just have to look.
My kids have their whole lives ahead of them to be bombarded by the world but for now, we’re going to make the choice to let them be kids as much as possible without the added sexual and violent messages. We’re not perfect at this by any means but we’re trying.
My hope is that my kids get a firm footing as early as possible to help them struggle less with their walk later in life.
Garbage in, garbage out. We are told to guard our hearts. This is another practical way to do so. Singing along to a sexually explicit song does not glorify God.
Our kids have enough to deal with in this life. Give them the gift of purity. It is indeed, a Slow Fade…
Be careful little eyes what you see
It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you’re thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
What are your thoughts on music?
Blessings,
A great read. I struggle with making the switch. There was a time when I use to make fun of Christian music but now I would say 75% of my music is on K-Love, it’s amazing how God can change your heart. I still try to hold on to the main stream music for some reason. But I can feel God nudging me along to get rid of some cd’s and movies in my collection.
It can be hard but even just doing it 75% is better than not at all! It’s so hard to change our media sources. I don’t do a perfect job by any means and there are some music items I still sneak in when my kids aren’t around 🙂
love, love, love this! My “switch” came when my three year old daughter was singing this song called “suicide” I felt sick to my stomach!! Thanks for this read!!
My daughter pushed me to make the change. She fell in love with Mercy Me after I went to the Rock and Worship Roadshow and came home with 2 CDs. It’s all she wanted to listen to. Then, I was playing Francesca Batistelli on YouTube and she told me that she sings “even better than Hannah Montana.” She was SO into it, I decided it was going to be our life from now on. The funny thing is, I don’t miss secular music and I LOVE listening to a station with no commercials. It’s been an amazing change for our family and I hope we never go back!
Someone threw up a HUGE fuss at the conference this weekend because “rock and roll music disrespects God.” I told her that the opposite is true, that rock music can be a way to reach out to non-believers and help them FIND God and how could that be disrespectful. I then went on to explain the difference between worship and praise songs versus discipleship songs (as I call them). I think it was totally lost on her, but I really hope she felt the energy in the sanctuary as we all sang, clapped and danced to the music!
I’ll end my book now. LOL
Great post and totally agree. I don’t think that my husband is completely ready to give up his extensive CD collection of some amazing classic rock but one thing we do is if we choose to listen to the non-Christian music, our kids are not around. That said, honestly about 90% of our listening is Christian and Country (but wow, country music is so not as “clean” as it used to be)
Isn’t that the truth?! I LOVE waking up with a praise song in my head! And I still like secular music tho I really haven’t listened much to it since my Sweet Daughter, Mel, burned me several Christian music cds, my fave being Third Day. Now I’ve added several more to my repertoire. Christian music, for the most part, is so uplifting, how can I NOT listen to it? It’s just part of my time with the Lord.
I guess for me christian music just speaks to my spirit. I get such a great high from listening to it and I am so in tune with the Lord. It makes my walk with Him even more intimate when I praise and worship Him. I love the old hymns but contemporary christian and alternative christian just rocks my world!!!! I made the switch in the late 1990’s from classic rock. My son unfortunately could not find a genre that he liked but that could change.
🙂 Sherry, I made the switch in 1998. It’s tough. One thing I noticed is that my kids don’t have much interest in secular music because Christian is all they’ve ever known. I love how the music speaks to my heart and soul. It’s good stuff 🙂
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