I used to love making my own mixtapes and CD’s over the years, but with the wonder of iTunes, iPods and iPhones, having your own personal, practically perfect, radio station has become much more of a reality. You can have your favorite songs in one location and merely hit “shuffle” and have a unique assortment of tunes you like.
Lately, as I’ve been listening to a lot of my music on shuffle, my library keeps bringing me back to this album. Sarah Kelly‘s Where The Past Meets Today was a unique and emotional journey of a young woman who was deep in an abusive marriage and the tragedy and triumph she experienced through it all — and eventually being rescued from it. Where The Past Meets Today is a very personal album for Sarah, but one that anyone struggling with hurts in their own life can relate to. Her eyes are always fixed on the Prize in Jesus, while this, her sophomore album, probably focused more on the circumstances than looking beyond them to praise her Heavenly Father despite everything, it was still clear with Whom her hope lied.
Her albums, when looked at collectively, tell a beautiful story of grace and redemption. Her debut, Take Me Away, was a worship album that literally was her heart crying out for God to rescue her from the pain of her abusive marriage. Where The Past Meets Today was born out of the process of being freed from that relationship and moving past it, and the album that followed, Born To Worship, was an act of praise after she had been redeemed and healed from the pain. Her most recent album, Midnight Sun, is a mix of worship and songs that were birthed from a heart brimming with love and gratitude.
Where The Past Meets Today is undoubtedly her darkest record, but there’s also a lot of beauty to be found in it. Whether she’s singing about wanting to have a romantic relationship that’s healthy and wonderful the way God intended (“Fall Into You”) or she’s singing about finding clarity and life through Christ’s eyes (“In Your Eyes”), or just being hopeful through the lonely times (“About Midnight”), it’s a wonderful album with a lot of heart and depth. Check it out, and if you’d like to get a free download of the title track from her latest album, Midnight Sun, check out our FREE debut indie mp3 compilation, Songs We’ve Been Trying To Tell You About (And Others We Haven’t), Volume One!
– John DiBiase
Sarah Kelly
Where The Past Meets Today (2006)
Click here for our review of the album.
Our synopsis: “Brutally honest classic rock record that bares the soul of Christian music’s truest sweetheart. Sarah is a light in the darkness.” (Recommended by JFH’s John DiBiase)
Perfect For: Brokenness, Depression, , Perseverance, Hope
Song Highlights: “About Midnight,” “Out Of Reach,” “In Your Eyes,” “Fall Into You,” “Remember Me Well,” “Hold On Love”
So, what are your thoughts on and experiences with the album Where The Past Meets Today? Do you recommend it? If so, why?