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“My Corner Of Heaven:” Fans And Critics Say Sarah Kelly Soars

Sarah Kelly, two-time Grammy nominee, continues to win accolades on the release of “My Corner of Heaven” (September, 2014).

Her most recent album is the most powerful combination yet of her faith and talent. Produced by Jonas Ekman and Jeremy Hunter, it blends classic rock sounds, contemporary pop notions and worshipful moments. The album takes the listener on a ride with throwback sounds, unbridled passion, deep worship and overall, true singer-songwriter material.

The title track, “My Corner of Heaven,’” paints a picture of the hereafter as it would be in a rock musician’s dreams: having a classic rock band play worship from the heart. “It’s not theologically correct and it’s not supposed to be,” says Kelly with a smile.

“It’s a little laugh for those who love rock ’n’ roll and God. To us, a guitar solo is worship when you’re doing it for the glory of God.” A line from the title track captures the essence: ““We’ll sing a Hendrix Hallelujah, with David’s heart, but Joplin’s tone….”

Kelly first turned heads with her raspy vocals and intense passion in both her rock and worship music. Beginning with the Grammy-nominated “Take Me Away,” she continues to produce a string of buzz-worthy albums that have sold over 250.000 units worldwide.

Kelly is also deeply committed to her work teaching songwriting and helping a new generation of artists discover and grow their talents. With 250 students and an internship program at the Sarah Kelly Music School, Kelly divides most of her time between touring, her home church and her students.

Capitol Christian Music Group CEO Bill Hearn will visit the Sarah Kelly Music School November 3rd, an opportunity for promising young musicians ages 7-25 to showcase their musical and songwriting talents. The Sarah Kelly Music School offers a creative approach to music education, at the Woodlands and through a series of online classes. They teach songwriting, guitar, vocals and piano, and students record demos every six weeks as part of their instruction.

Learn more about Sarah Kelly at her website: www.sarahkelly.com 

“My Corner of Heaven”
Released September 2014
Christian Rock
$9.99
available on all major digital outlets including iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-corner-of-heaven/id911621976

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TIP SHEET

Bert Gangl: “…the new record, more than anything else, points to a star whose talent remains undimmed with the passing of time and whose best and most memorable work almost certainly lies ahead of her.

“‘Unescapable’ helps cement the long-standing comparisons to Alanis Morissette, while the equally rocking follow-on cut, ‘Legends (The Real You),’ would almost surely have given mid-’80s Heart power ballads like “What About Love” and “Alone” a run for their money… At the softer end of the spectrum, entries like ‘You Know Me’ highlight Kelly’s undeniable proficiency with purely pop material. And the Janis Joplin-esque vocals on the absolutely consummate piano-driven ‘Just As You Please’ add just the right amount of roughness to the piece’s otherwise hushed, reverent tones – the likes of which should be required listening for any artist seeking to craft a worship-oriented release.”

Praise for Sarah Kelly’s earlier work:

Bert Gangl: “…Her propensity for melodic, bracing rock with just the right amount of pop sheen immediately caught on with critics and the public at large, pulling down a Grammy nomination in the Rock Gospel category in the process…”

J. Lee Harshbarger: “…truly amazing….her voice immediately reminded me of Janis Joplin, and…Joan Osborne. Another reviewer offered a comparison in vocal quality to Alanis Morissette, and I can see that too. …the music on this album is not typically the kind of music I listen to, but Sarah Kelly’s singing and her songs are just so astounding that it goes beyond the normal boundaries of musical style in its appeal.”

Amy on Amazon.com: “Sarah Kelly has an amazing voice and her heart for God is apparent. Full of heartfelt worship songs….awesome lyrics.”

Jonathan Widran: “…her Christian fans might balk at her hiring of Mike Clink (Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, Megadeth), but he brings out the emotionally honest rocker in her brilliantly – creating shimmering electric guitar beds for lyrics that tap into rich spiritual themes without being preachy or specifically of one religious mindset.

“[her music is]…a mix of searing ballads and tough rockers…her vocals moving effortlessly from the soaring Ann and Nancy Wilson realm to more subtle emotional moments that show off her immense range. Irresistible….godly and inspirational and perfectly Christian, yet touches on a secular level as well….taps deeper into the listener with each brilliant listen.”

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Looking For Compatible Common Ground Between Both Sides Of The Great Evolution Debate

Laramie, WY, – People seem to have very definite opinions and care deeply when it comes to the issues in evolution versus religion. Ron Frost takes on this debate in his book, Religion Versus Science: Where Both Sides go Wrong in The Great Evolution Debate (O-Books). An editor for two major scientific journals and a professor of Geology for many years, he brings a new perspective to this ongoing argument.

The great debate between scientists and Christians has been going on in this country since the Scopes trial in 1927 and has yet to lose its fury. It is a subject that has been the root of many cultural wars that separate secular, technical people, whose interest is in science, from Christians and followers of other religions. It seems the debate has continued because the supporters of both sides see only a partial view of reality. By shedding new light on this often troubled relationship, Frost presents a new viewpoint of evolution that is compatible with all the world’s wisdom traditions.  

The author believes that misconceptions exist on both sides of the debate, and in his book readers get the benefit of his extensive research that helps clear up some of these ideas. There are two things that have to be accepted if we expect to find a common ground between science and religion. First, the scientific evidence upon which the theory of evolution is based is hard to refute: the Earth is immensely old; all life can be traced to one ancient progenitor, and the species that have populated Earth have changed over time. Second, the common nature of the mystical experiences that form the roots of all religions indicate that we are immersed within a spiritual dimension.

What has been an irritant to Christians is that scientists use the facts of evolution to present a totally materialistic view of life, one that leaves no room for a spiritual dimension. Evolution is often depicted as a random, pointless process where the only value to human life is to act as a transporter of our all-important genes. It is understandable why Creationists are appalled by this view; in trying to answer it they make the mistake of attacking the actual facts of evolution rather than the manner in which those facts are presented. In Religion versus Science, Frost, using a premise that evolution has occurred within the bounds of a spiritual dimension, presents a view that is compatible with both the scientific evidence for evolution and with the core teachings of the world’s religions.

Ron Frost has been an editor for two major scientific journals and a professor of Geology at the University of Wyoming for many years. Combining his background with twenty-five years as a practicing Buddhist makes the perfect blend for finding a common ground between science and religion. For more information, please visit the author’s website at: www.ronfrost.com or see the author in a live interview at: http://geology.uwyo.edu/?q=node/281.

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TIP SHEET:

Karl Giberson, Ph.D., author of Saving Darwin: How to be a Christian and Believe in Evolution, and Oracles of Science: Celebrity Scientists Versus God and Religion with Mariano Artigas: “Frost’s remarkably wide-ranging volume offers the reader a helpful survey of the troubled road that led to the current controversy over scientific theories of origins.  More than just another book on creation versus evolution, Science vs. Spirituality locates the controversy in the inability of science to deal effectively with the realm of consciousness and mind, where our deepest needs and most profound experiences reside.  Writing from an eastern, Buddhist perspective, Frost offers a fresh perspective on one of the deepest questions of our time.”

 

 

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Making A Difference In Life By Becoming Part Of The Solution Not The Problem

San Antonio, TX,  – San Antonio evangelical preacher Matthew Hagee’s new release Response Able: What my father taught me about life and making a difference (Charisma Media) offers the insights of a lifetime on parenting, self-reliance and affecting societal change. The key to any significant transformation, according to Hagee, is a refusal of the sense of entitlement often associated with Gen-Y and Millennials. Instead, Hagee argues that readers should embrace self-reliance and acknowledge the individual’s God-given ability to respond in a positive manner, regardless of the circumstances.

“One of the most valuable lessons my father taught me was to focus on what I can do, rather than what I cannot,” says Hagee. “If your life is on a course that you would indeed like to change, you can change it. No matter what.” 

Matthew Hagee, the son of global evangelist John Hagee, serves as Executive Pastor of the 20-thousand member Cornerstone Church founded by his father in San Antonio, Texas. The elder Hagee launched the church more than three decades ago, growing it into one of the most influential and charismatic Christian communities in the country. The companion TV ministry now reaches almost 100 million homes in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and New Zealand.  Matthew Hagee, the heir-apparent to the church and TV ministry, uses many lessons taught by his father as the framework of Response Able.

With some parents working two jobs or both parents working more than 40 hours a week, Hagee wants to help parents break the cycle of shrinking family time in America. To do this, he has issued a provocative challenge to the parents in his flock. He calls it the 707 Challenge and he wants parents to sign up for this ongoing campaign that requires moms and dads to commit to spending at least seventy minutes per day with their children, seven days a week, for seventy days.

“The time has come for this generation to take responsibility for tomorrow,” says Hagee, “and the response begins with you.”

Hagee’s book offers faith-based insight and guidance on initiating powerful change in personal, social, financial, educational and political arenas. Hagee bases his premise on a conviction that principle should be the compass by which to guide one’s life, and not passion.

“Principles are powerful,” says Hagee. “They will make men out of boys and instill a foundation in future generations that cannot be shaken.”

Other foundational concepts offered in the book include:

 Responsible people submit to authority, namely God
 Declare war on the status quo
 Invest in others, primarily children
 Patience rewarded
 Gratitude
 The joy of giving

And many more concepts chiseled into his character by his father’s loving guidance. For more information on this remarkable man and his new book, visit: www.response-ablethebook.org.

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For more information, or to schedule an interview, contact Jeff Brady at Brady Media Group. 214.265.5670. [email protected]

 

 

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One Man’s Revealing Spiritual Journey Shows How To Bring The Depths Of Meditation Or Prayer Into Life Rather Than Life To Meditation

New York – Dr. Robert Forman hits it on the head when he says that millions are spending years and years seeking enlightenment but they are looking in the wrong place for the real life goal. He has learned from his studies and his long journey to gain enlightenment that what we modern westerners are really after is not a shift in a state of consciousness but more a shift in a whole life.

Where Dr. Forman’s new book differs from most spiritual or self-help books is that his book, Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up To Be:  A Journey of Discovery, Snow and Jazz in the Soul (O-Books), cuts through all the hype and ‘pie in the sky’ claims that so many self-help books are based on, and shows what the goal of attaining enlightenment is actually about.

From copious research as well as his own 39 years’ experience of spiritual enlightenment, Dr. Forman tells what it actually is and is not like, and offers sane and experienced guidance to readers who are battling with confusion over their life direction. Some are convinced they don’t have what it takes to achieve enlightenment in this lifetime or are disillusioned by spiritual teachers who don’t live up to their exalted image, while others are hungry for a different way – knowing it’s out there but having no idea where to turn to find it, and worrying that choosing a spiritual life means leaving their everyday life behind.

We can all take something away from the story of Dr. Forman’s lifelong struggles to make sense of the spiritual life and its unusual promised state of consciousness and the misleading fantasies that he, like most people on the spiritual path, shared about enlightenment. It is not the panacea it is billed to be, nor is it the perfection, eternal joy, or the end of all the suffering that people believe – and no, neon lights do not flash!  

Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up To Be invites readers to be honest about their spiritual experiences and goals and consider a radically different yet more productive approach. By exploring his own experience of spiritual enlightenment and lifetime of research, Dr. Forman shows that it is possible to create resonance in every aspect of your life with the same easy openness that you get when sitting in prayer or on the meditation cushion, but in order to reach this ease we must “embrace the human messiness” that is too often ignored or outright rejected by most spiritual traditions. He understands this well because his own life journey was filled with confusion, disappointment and disillusionment that he had to fight every step of the way.

Dr. Forman’s unique book offers its newfound hope to spiritual seekers in a very different way: through metaphors, humor, vulnerability and sometimes achingly beautiful prose. He presents a new direction for people who are looking for a sane and healthy spiritual pathway in our increasingly confusing world – one that offers a transformation of everyday life.

Robert K.C. Forman writes with the authority of a lifetime of personal mystical experience and international renown for his books, articles and workshops about spiritual experience and the path. He makes an entertaining and charming guest who encourages listeners/audiences to be honest about their real-life goals as he points them on the road to a truly fulfilling life

For more information, please visit Robert Forman’s website at: www.EnlightenmentAint.com

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TIP SHEET:

Jack Canfield, Co-creator of the NY Times #l Bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series: “Enlightening… more than a memoir of a profoundly revealing spiritual journey. It is a deep invitation to be your authentic self–to fully own, embody and express every aspect of yourself. The honesty, openness and transparency of Robert’s spiritual journey instantly captivated me. I read the book in one long, joyous sitting. I literally could not put the book down…illuminating, entertaining and impactful. If you’re looking for guidance as to what is truly spiritual and enlightening, then read this book! It is definitely chicken soup for the spiritual seeker’s soul!”

Larry Dossey, MD. Author of Healing Words & The Power of Premonitions: “Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up to Be is a bone-deep description of the decades-long spiritual journey of Robert K. C. Forman, one of America’s most respected spiritual teachers. If ever a book was written from the heart, this is it. It is both a summation and an update of a work in progress…describes the dazzling heights of spiritual awareness, but it also lays bare the twists, turns, and surprises of spiritual maturation, warts and all. Beware: If you need your spiritual guide to be serious, elevated, reserved, and pious, go elsewhere. But if you want eye-ball to eye-ball honesty, integrity, and humor supercharged with compassion, love, vulnerability, and deep wisdom, this is your book.”

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