Laura Story's "Open Hands" CD review and giveaway

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I’m excited that I have a CD to give away today! Read below a review of Laura Story’s newest CD, Open Hands, and then enter to win a copy!

The music is beautiful and the songs are worshipful, but the words are what I love the most about this album. There are some amazing phrases that are so meaningful and impactful such as:

“Open Hands”: “A clenching fist, a life of fear, a burden held, has no place here. “Cuz you call me now, to cast it all, on the shoulders of the One who’s strong.”

The title song “Open Hands” features guest vocals from the band Third Day’s Mac Powell. Hear it on the video below.

“Give You Faith”: “I’d give you all my money, but you can’t buy what you need. I’d show you all the world, but more than anything. I wanna give you faith, I wanna leave you hope.”

The song “Give You Faith” talks about sharing our faith with our children and praying that they will follow a life committed to the Lord.

There are two hymns (I’m always a sucker for hymns!) that she has written choruses for: “Awake My Soul (“O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing”) and “For The Love of My King” (“My Jesus, I Love Thee”).

The last song “Grace Abounds” is a beautiful piano ballad. I think it’s my favorite!

Here is some information about Laura Story’s Open Hands:

Throughout the Bible, there are countless stories of ordinary people whole-heartedly attempting to live a life fully surrendered to God’s unique calling on their lives. More than once, God asks people of faith to relinquish control and simply trust Him. These days, singer/songwriter Laura Story is discovering the beauty found in letting go. It’s this posture of surrender that she’s striving for on her fifth studio album, Open Hands (Fair Trade Services).
Laura says, “We have this picture all the way through the Scriptures of all these great leaders in this process of surrendering everything. What the Lord is asking them is not, ‘You need to hold on tighter. You need to manage this better.’ What the Lord asks us is to surrender. It’s about learning to live with open hands, learning to live life in this constant state of saying, ‘Lord, my life is Yours. My time is Yours. My resources are Yours. All of this is Yours. Do what You will.’”

A parade of A-list songwriters, including Matt Redman, Matt Maher, Mia Fieldes, Hank Bentley, Sarah Hart and Seth Mosley, among others, pepper the album’s 11 tracks. Through writing sessions both alone and with others, Story began to gradually see this common thread of surrender emerge.

Info about Laura Story

Story has built a life—and a career—around submission to her calling. She’s led worship at Atlanta’s Perimeter Church for the past 12 years. In addition to penning songs recorded by artists like Chris Tomlin, Story has found success as a recording artist in her own right. Since the release of her solo debut in 2008, Story has amassed a GRAMMY® Award, a Billboard Music Award, multiple GMA Dove Awards and an RIAA Gold certification for her massive No. 1 hit “Blessings.” In addition, she’s also the author of two books, including the latest “When God Doesn’t Fix It – Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can’t Live Without.”

Open Hands is the follow-up to 2013’s critically-acclaimed God of Every Story, and in the years that have passed since her last release, Story has given birth to twins, making their brood a family of five. Now, as a mom to three kids—Josie, Benjamin, and Griffin—the posture of “open hands” feels more necessary than ever before as she juggles ministry and motherhood.

“We never get to a point where we can do life apart from complete and total daily dependence on Jesus,” Story admits. “The irony is the less control we have, the more peace we have and the more, I would even say, success and joy we find. It’s a contrary picture to what the world tells us, but it’s gaining through letting go.”

Videos:

“Open Hands” (Official Lyric Video)

“Open Hands” (Song Devotional)

Web and Social Links:

http://laurastorymusic.com/
https://twitter.com/laurastorymusic
https://www.facebook.com/laurastory
https://www.instagram.com/laurastorymusic/

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own, through the Rafflecopter app, and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. This post contains affiliate links.)