My Breast Cancer Journey Part 40: Plastic Surgery Graduation, Pregnancy, and Previvorship, Oh My!

Here we are with the best plastic surgeon at Mayo Clinic Rochester!! My twin sister and I "graduated" from regular checkups with her until 2024 because we're doing so great after our double mastectomies with direct-to-implant reconstruction!

This blog post is the 40th in a series about my (and twin sister’s) breast cancer journey that began when we were 30 years old in July 2019. In 2019, I also started documenting our younger sister’s breast cancer previvorship journey. Here is a list of all of the posts written about our journey at Mayo Clinic’s Breast Clinic… Continue reading My Breast Cancer Journey Part 40: Plastic Surgery Graduation, Pregnancy, and Previvorship, Oh My!

Top 5 Summer Picks: Lauren Daigle, Christine Caine, Annie F. Downs, Chris Steinke & The Bible

Summer might be half over for some people, but I still want to post this list of recommendations for CDs and books that I have been blessed by and hope will bless you as well! Lauren Daigle: Look Up Child (plus you can see her at Lollapalooza 2019) Lauren Daigle is the 2019 Billboard Top Christian Artist,… Continue reading Top 5 Summer Picks: Lauren Daigle, Christine Caine, Annie F. Downs, Chris Steinke & The Bible

Introducing Strahan: The New Zealand Folk Psalmist You’ve (Maybe) Never Heard Of

Strahan is a “Folk Psalmist” from New Zealand that my husband and I had never heard of until friends of ours from church recommended we listen to his music three years ago. We started then and haven’t stopped since–now three years, four album/EPs and one live concert in Minneapolis later, we are hooked! For fans… Continue reading Introducing Strahan: The New Zealand Folk Psalmist You’ve (Maybe) Never Heard Of

Introducing Kevin Marble: What Are You Afraid Of?

With the evolution of YouTube, Facebook fan pages, and autotune, it seems like anyone can become a recording artist these days, but it’s hard to do it right. 22-year-old singer/songwriter Kevin Marble took the production of his debut album seriously, and it shows in the quality of this folk-meets-alternative compilation, “What Are You Afraid Of?,” released… Continue reading Introducing Kevin Marble: What Are You Afraid Of?

Hillsong United Interview: Joel Houston on #1 Album ‘Zion’

Last Tuesday, Australian worship team Hillsong United released their 12th studio album, Zion. During the first week of its release, it sold more than 34,100 units, topped the Billboard Christian & Gospel album and digital charts, peaked as the No. 1 album overall on iTunes in the United States, South Africa, Sweden, Dominican Republic, Brazil,… Continue reading Hillsong United Interview: Joel Houston on #1 Album ‘Zion’

Are Mumford & Sons “Christian?”

Alternative/folk group Mumford & Sons is back with another chart-topping album release, Babel. With banjos and guitars abounding, their newest release has created a stir in both mainstream and Christian music critic circles: With an album title referencing the Tower of Babel account from the book of Genesis, a few overt mentions of “Jesus” in… Continue reading Are Mumford & Sons “Christian?”

Justin Bieber is a BELIEVER

Justin Bieber’s much anticipated album, “Believe,” hit store shelves today. His fourth studio album was immediately purchased by millions of screaming girls and their mothers, hitting the top of iTunes charts in mere hours and, according to Billboard Magazine, is well on its way to becoming the biggest debut of the year. It has finally… Continue reading Justin Bieber is a BELIEVER

Daughtry’s rock gospel: “Hallelujah”

At Daughtry’s concert at The Brick in Minneapolis Sunday night (his tour came through Chicago in April), the gospel was preached in rock-star fashion by opening band SafetySuit. The Nashville-based rock band put on an extremely powerful performance highlighted by several tracks off of their most recent album “These Times,” but the climax of the… Continue reading Daughtry’s rock gospel: “Hallelujah”

Amena Brown: spoken word poetry

Featured at Gungor’s “Ghosts Upon the Earth” tour stop in Wheaton, Ill. last Friday evening, spoken word poet Amena Brown delivers the word of God with fervor and passion. Here’s an inspiring glimpse into her art and craft – learn more about her work on her website.

Gungor & the ‘brilliant’ miracle of music in Chicago

The Brilliance, led by David Gungor Needtobreathe: “The Reckoning” tour at the Riviera Theatre in Uptown The Darren Zancan Band @ Hard Rock Cafe Chicago Willow Creek: Chicago, Palm Sunday service This weekend, I was fortunate enough to catch four concerts around the greater Chicago area (Michael Gungor and The Brilliance at Wheaton College, The… Continue reading Gungor & the ‘brilliant’ miracle of music in Chicago