A Few of My Favorite Songs of 2022

Kurt Neuswanger • December 31, 2022

Choosing “best” songs is always a subjective thing. And since I’m the one doing the choosing, these are “a few of my favorite songs”! Enjoy!

 

Sunday Sermons

Anne Wilson

20 year old Anne Wilson brought us the hugely touching and popular song “My Jesus” in 2021 (the one about the loss of her brother in a car accident). “Sunday Sermons” continues Anne’s trademark southern style with a tribute to her Christian heritage. (By the way, check out her song video for a cool picture of man who goes out of his way to help others as he is driving down a country road.)

 

Seven years old, third row pew John 3:16, something changed in me Red letters coming off the page Flooding my heart with amazing grace I knew then I believed And those roots run deep Oh I been through some faith shaking hard times Yeah But nothing’s gonna make me forget

 

  Every one of those Sunday sermons
  Every time that choir would sing
  I could hear my Savior calling,

  telling me how much He loves me
 

  Devil gon' try and take me out of that church
  But you can't take the church out of me
  Devil gon' try and take me out of that church
  But you can't take the church out of me

 

Crazy People

Casting Crowns

You have to love a song that calls Christians “crazy people”—and means it as a compliment!

 

  Who builds a boat with no clouds in sight?
  Who walks up to a giant and picks the fight?
  Who turns a lion's den into a petting zoo?
  Who can have a church in the fire of furnace?

  Well, I'll tell you

 

  Crazy people trust in Jesus
  Following Him wherever He leads us
  Kingdom seekers, walk by faith believers
  Here's the church, here's the steeple,

  here's to all God's crazy people

 

Jesus Is Coming Back

Jordan Feliz

Jordan Feliz has a knack for catchy tunes, as I well remember, listening to him at the Chris Tomlin concert at the Las Colonias Amphitheatre last summer. At least, I remember his songs in fits and starts, as thunderstorms and lightning caused multiple delays. (Thankfully, the entire concert was eventually able to finish for all the hearty fans who persevered!)

 

  Have you ever thought that the world has kinda lost its way?

  Crazy as it seems, yeah, I know it's gonna be okay
  It doesn't scare me, it's temporary
  There's something better, we got forever
  And it won't be long, 'cause we know our help is on the way
 

  So, keep your head up
  Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back
  No, don't you give up (hey)
  Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back

 

I’m Not Lucky, Just Blessed

Love & the Outcome

Speaking of catchy tunes, there’s few catchier than this, from the husband-wife duo who brought us “If I Don’t Have You” and “You Got This.”

 

  Some would call it good fortune
  Some would call it good luck
  Some would say that the stars align
  But in my mind, it doesn't add up, no
  Some would call it good timing
  But I know more than anything
  I live in victory 'cause I'm a child of the king

 

  You know I gotta give credit where credit is due
  Every good thing that I got, I only got because of You
  No four-leaf clover and no good-luck charm
  The only thing I'm counting on is Your everlasting love

 

  I'm not lucky, I'm blessed
  I can't deny it
  I'm not lucky, I'm blessed
  Why try to fight it?
  I'm not lucky, I'm blessed

 

(God Is In A) Good Mood

Richlin

You might notice a trend here: catchy! And at first glance, some people no doubt were thinking “God doesn’t have moods!” And you’d be correct, but that’s the point of the song. Richlin (Brandon Richardson) is addressing people who really do think God has “bad moods” when He is going to “get you” for messing up. In fact, when you have Jesus in your heart, that’s who God sees in you!

 

  There's been some miscommunication, misinterpretation

  Some say God is love but full of aggravation

  Some say He don't talk to you Unless you're perfect too

  But if you know Him you can laugh, Cause you know that ain't true

 

  Cause it's Jesus that He sees you through

  Even on your worst day, after a mistake

  He don't change, the way the weather do

  Here's some hope that you can hold onto, God is in a good mood

 

I’m So Blessed

CAIN

We wrote about this song last year when it came out, because it has one of the more creative music videos! The band (siblings Taylor, Madison and Logan Cain from Alabama) made a video in the style of a 70s TV show, where they all fall in the swimming pool with their instruments but continuing singing “I’m so blessed!”

 

  Trouble knocking at my door today

  I ain't gonna let it in

  And worry wanna steal my joy away

  But I ain't gonna let it win

 

  'Cause on my best day, I'm a child of God

  On my worst day, I'm a child of God

  Oh, everyday is a good day

  And You're the reason why

 

  I'm so blessed, I'm so blessed

  Got this heartbeat in my chest

  No, it doesn't matter about the rest

  If I got You Lord, I'm so blessed

Michael W. Smith's new studio album

By Kurt Neuswanger • October 30, 2025
Michael W. Smith is getting ready to release his first new studio album since 2018. Smith says “This whole record starts out with a bang... I don’t think I’ve had this many upbeat songs on any record that I’ve ever done. Those are really sort of hard to write.” But Michael says it’s not all “pop stuff.” I have a song about communion. I don’t think we have enough communion songs. And there’s a couple worship moments that are pretty powerful, too. The first three singles may remind you of his earlier sound from the 1990s, which some of us consider a good thing! The first single, “ Arms Around The World ,” features Jesus on the drums! Well, it’s Jonathan Roumie, to be precise, the actor who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” series! Michael says his “musical hero” is movie composer John Williams . I went and saw Raiders Of The Lost Ark 28 times in 1981 and it changed my life. I went “Why do I keep coming back?” And it was the music. That was the year I began to write cinematic music. That cinematic flare is included in his second single, “ Your Love Is A Flood ,” which has a 30-second counter-melody that sounds like it could be from “Jurassic Park.” That same cinema sound also opens his third single is “ Kingdom Come ,” which Michael says is his personal prayer . This one is so close to my heart, born out of the prayer I’ve prayed daily: ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ It’s a bold anthem of hope, healing, and God’s presence breaking into our lives. At the end of November, Smith will join Amy Grant and CeCe Winans for a nine city tour, followed by his Christmas tour in December with special guest Riley Clemmons. But unlike Laura Story (who will be in Grand Junction for a free Christmas concert, courtesy of KJOL), you’ll have to go to Florida to catch Michael’s Christmas tour .

Forrest Frank skips Dove Awards

By Kurt Neuswanger • October 9, 2025
Forrest Frank has been everywhere this year. He even broke his back and wrote a song about it ( God's Got My Back ) while lying on his back! But one place Forrest Frank won't be this year is the Dove Awards . He announced that he will no longer attend any of the awards shows, including the Doves and the Grammys. “As Christians, it’s hard to know where the line in the sand is between being in the world and not of the world,” he said . Pondering where to draw the line between being in the world but not of the world, he said, “I’m convicted, personally, that a line that I can draw is that I will not receive a trophy for something that is from Jesus and for Jesus.” Frank added, “I was wrestling with this last year. I even said that on stage at the Dove Awards. I said, ‘I’m still struggling with the concept of receiving this award, but all glory to Jesus, every name will fade away, including mine, except for one name.’” So he decided "to go even a step further and say, ‘I don’t know if I even want to step on the stage. I don’t know if I want to step in the room.’ So I will not be attending the Doves and the Grammys.” “I hope to be an example to the youth that the trophy is our salvation ,” he added. “The trophy is that my name is listed in the Book of Life and I get to have eternal life . What good is a piece of metal going to do compared to that?” His absence at the Dove awards will no doubt be a problem for them. He’s nominated for four major awards: Song of the Year (Composer): Good Day Recorded Song of the Year: Your Way's Better Album of the Year: Child Of God Artist of the Year He is almost certain to win at least one of those awards. UPDATE : The Dove ceremony was broadcast Friday, October 10. Forrest Frank won three major awards! Artist of the Year Album of the Year (Child of God) Recorded Song of the Year (Your Way's Better)

Laura Story In Concert!

By Dave Andrews • October 6, 2025
We are so blessed to have a number of new listeners lately; and we are blessed to have some listeners who have been with us since the very start! If you were a listener during “the old days” before the KJOL radio network was sold...

Laura Story, Chris Tomlin, and a Tennessee mountain

By Kurt Neuswanger • September 29, 2025
Laura Story never set out to be a songwriter . She didn’t even know she could sing until she was in college. In 1996, while a student at Columbia International University in South Carolina, she met Shane Williams from the band “Silers Bald.” (Silers Bald is a mountain peak in Tennessee. It’s called a “bald” because it is not covered in trees.) Shane recruited Laura to join the band – as the band’s bass player! Then she began writing songs, and in 2002, she recorded her first album, Indescribable . But it was Chris Tomlin who made the song “ Indescribable ” a huge hit when he recorded it in 2004. Laura remained largely unknown until she released Great God Who Saves in 2008. Besides the title track, it included “ Mighty to Save ,” “ Bless The Lord ” and “ Immortal Invisible .” In 2011, she released the album “ Blessings .” The title song was born out of the difficult circumstances surrounding her husband Martin’s brain tumor (a story for another time). “Blessings” won a Grammy and a Dove for Best Contemporary Song. Most recently, Laura Story joined the Keith & Kristyn Getty Worship Conference, where she performed her latest song, “ Psalm 27 (The Lord Is My Light) ”.

Station Update

By Dave Andrews • September 2, 2025
Our August drawing is of course over, but congratulations to our three winners of couples registrations to the Weekend To Remember Conferences. If you missed out, I want to let you know, that underway through September 15th, the Family Life Today Weekend to Remember Getaways are half off…so be sure to use the group nam

Big Daddy Weave says "Let It Begin"

By Kurt Neuswanger • August 29, 2025
Big Daddy Weave released their new album “Let It Begin” in May. It was their first album in six years. There’s a reason for that. Most bands release new albums every two or three years, but on January 2, 2022, Jay Weaver died from COVID. He was Mike Weaver’s younger brother (hence the “Weave” in the band’s name). They spent the next three years processing the loss and putting their grief into song. In 2023, they released the duet with Katy Nichole, “ God Is In This Story .” God is in this story, God is in the details Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart, He never fails Later that year, Big Daddy Weave released “ Heaven Changes Everything .” In the light of eternity I have this hope Thank You, Jesus, Heaven changes everything In 2024, they released “ Let It Begin .” Mike Weaver said he had been intensely grieving the death of his brother and would cry every time he told the story on stage, until one night the healing began. Meanwhile, Matt Maher had written this song without knowing that Weaver's healing that had started. Mike remembered, “He reached out to me and was just like, ‘Man, I’ve had this song that has been on my heart for you guys.’ I read the lyrics, and it’s what I couldn’t say.” If my wounds could tell one story, Let it be a testimony That You don’t leave me where I’ve been. If this is healing, let it begin Their new single is “ I’ve Just Seen Too Much .” Listen for it on KJOL. Some days it feels like I’ve been losing more than I have found I won’t tell you that I’ve got it all together, If you know me, then You know my faith has wavered If you ask me why I trust Him When it feels like everything has come undone All I can tell you is, I’ve just seen too much
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