Point of Grace released their self-titled debut as a quartet
of ladies in 1993. Ten years later they
put out a collection of 24 of their number one hits including: ‘I’ll Be
Believing’, ‘The Great Divide’, ‘Circle of Friends’, and ‘Wonder of it
All’. Fast forward to 2010 and the group
was now a trio consisting of original members Shelly Breen and Denise Jones,
joined by Leigh Cappillino who had been with the group since 2004. 2010’s NO CHANGIN’ US won the group a Dove
Award for Country Album of the Year. Their latest effort is A THOUSAND LITTLE
THINGS (2012, Word/Curb).
‘Good Enough’ is one of three songs that Cindy Morgan is a
co-writer on. This upbeat country pop
song offers solid advice to those who feel their plate is too full: “Upside
down and inside out/I think you know what I’m talking about/Oh, my perfect
world’s turned into a mess/It’s like you’ve fallen in the dirt in your Sunday
dress.../When everything is too much/That’s when you just gotta trust in the
way He loves.” Mike Payne plays electric
guitar on ‘Heaven Knows’. On this song
the ladies admit some things are beyond their understanding: “Heaven knows I
wonder/Why bad things happen/To really good people/Like airplanes crashing/It’s
hard to imagine/There’s a reason for that/And heaven knows I stumble/It don’t
make any sense/Why cancer took my daddy/Even though he never smoked a
cigarette/Where’s the justice in that?”
The breezy title track ‘A Thousand Little Things’ has Bryan
Sutton playing acoustic guitar and mandolin.
The song finds the ladies grateful for life’s blessings: “My life is
overflowing/Every dawn I’m thankful for/A thousand little things (2X)/Moments
of Your mercy that every new day brings/Sky goes from black to blue/And I’m
silenced by the view/I’m hearing ‘I love you’ in a thousand little
things.” ‘Only Jesus’ is an
inspirational ballad written by Christa Wells and Nicole Witt. I like these down to earth lyrics: “A first
love teenage heartbreak/A child that’s never found/A family loses everything
when their house burns down/An addict hits rock bottom/A couple calls it
quits/A doctor tells his patient he’s only got three months to live/What kind
of water can soothe like rain?/What kind of heart can heal this kind of
pain?/What kind of love can comfort us?.../Only Jesus.”
The quiet number ‘What I Already Know’ with Michael Boggs on
acoustic guitar and Tim Lauer on organ, is up next. This song reveals a faith that is real and
includes struggle: “You said You’d never leave me, You’d walk right by my
side/But right now all I feel is alone/Cause I can’t see Your angels, watching
over me/Oh, but Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so/I don’t need some
mountain moved for me/Or some miracle to behold/All I really need is just a
little more faith/To believe what I already know.” One of the co-writers of ‘Might Be Today’ is
Jill Paquette. This song has a joyous
sound musically and speaks of the value of perseverance when one’s
circumstances suck: “Things can change in an instant/Gray clouds run out of
rain/It’s just a matter of time till it happens/Hey, might be today (2X)/So
just hold onto Him/He’s holding on to you/There’s nothing so wrong He can’t
make it right/If life has taught me anything/It takes you up and drives you
down/You hold on tight and ride it out.”
Southern Gospel fans will appreciate ‘Wash me Away’ written
by Ian Eskelin, Nicole Witt, and Tony Wood.
It is about old fashioned, but much needed repentance: “I’ve grown
tired/Tired of the person I’ve become/The choices I’ve made/The selfish things
I’ve done/Oh, I’m going down to wade in the water/Far too long been a wayward
daughter/Father won’t You change what needs to change/Wash me away/’Til only
You remain/Got a little faith.” ‘You Be
the One’ is a pretty ballad with John Catchings on cello, David Davidson and
David Angell on violin, and Kristin Wilkinson playing viola. It talks of the difference Christ can make in
our lives if we just let Him: “With a little grace He can heal the broken
past/Help you forgive someone who can’t forgive you back/Speak a word of
kindness, a little comfort for their soul/Sit awhile and cry with them and help
them let it go/Even when it feels like you can’t take one more step/Surrender
all to Jesus and let Him do the rest.”
‘I Believe in You (Dedication Song)’ is a standout track
that should be sang at many a baby’s special day in churches across North
America: “I believe in angels/I believe in love/I believe there’ll come a time
you’ll find what you’ve been dreaming of/Draw or win or lose/Whatever road you
choose/I believe in you.../I believe in Jesus/I believe in God.../I believe in
sunsets/I believe in prayer/I believe there’s hope, cause/There’s Someone out
there who cares.” Craig Nelson plays
upright bass on ‘Saving Jesus’. I
imagine a parent speaking these words to an unsaved teenage or adult child:
“How long will this keep going on/’Til you break and just can’t take it
anymore?/How long do you have to go/Before your knees finally hit the
floor?/What do you think you’re saving
Jesus for?”
The three beautiful ladies of Point of Grace dedicate this
record to their children: “May the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 always be deeply
engrained in your hearts. God has great
plans for you! We love you. Are so very proud of who you are
becoming. And don’t ever forget-whatever
road you choose, we believe in you.”
Produced by Ian Eskelin, A THOUSAND LITTLE THINGS is a great Christian
country album with touches of adult contemporary included. I recommend it to fans of Faith Hill and
Carrie Underwood. The harmonies are
quite good. I’m rating this highly
relevant CD 85%. For more info visit www.pointofgrace.net and www.wordlabelgroup.com.