The I Heart Revolution

I went to Pampanga yesterday with mom, Vanj, and MJ to see my grandma, Apu De (lola De[lia]), who’s leaving for Guam tomorrow.

We dropped by SM Pampanga first to have coffee as well as to do some shopping. Guess what I saw first – Hillsong United’s latest release, the ‘The I Heart Revolution: With Hearts as One’. The sales clerk told me that the album is yet to be made purchasable to the public the next day (Today), but thank goodness because I was eventually able to buy the 2-CD album (credit goes to mom).

The truth is when I found out on the internet a few weeks ago that the album would just contain songs from their previous albums, I already considered not buying it. I even urged Ptr.Phil not to acquire a copy as well. Hehe. Sorry naman. However, since mom gave her green signal on buying me one (mom: Sige. ‘Di ba manonood kayo ng concert), I totally shifted from a being a penny-pinching gal into a thrilled Hillsong United aficionado.

This double-disk album features 29 worship songs recorded live from their worship concert tours on different countries around the world for the past two years, and one new song – You’ll Come.
On our 4-hour drive to home this morning, we finished listening to the CDs. Yay!

Some comments.

First song pa lang (The Time has Come; recorded in Brazil), Vanj and I were already like WHOA. We also liked All Day which was recorded from their tour in Mexico. The crowd was just so radical and very much alive. We also drooled over the first song on CD 2 – Take It All as it was recorded during their Nov 2006 concert in Manila (Philippines). I really saw [heard] one of the few reasons why Filipinos are identified abroad as “worshipers” (esp as we’re far-reaching daw at P&W times) in Spirit and in truth. I also was glad to have found out that Nothing But The Blood is an old church hymn pala. As it was played, mom told me that it used to be one of dad’s favorite songs during his youth. Cool. First revival yata ‘to ng United :D

I feel blessed that Hillsong United came up with this idea of putting up an album where it focused on showing how people around the globe are encountering a real God. This album, being the first piece for the ‘The I Heart Revolution’ project, echoes the sound of a generation from the corners of the earth, singing a love song to Jesus with hearts as one. This is not about the United band, the music, or even the songs… this is about God’s movement in the lives of people.

Moreover, this album serves as a catalyst on producing a generation who loves God and others like breathing, who wishes to reach people for Jesus, to change the world and make a difference. I can feel the heart of the people behind this album. We really should begin not a revolution, but the revolution now… Revolution not in terms of rebellion or evil things, but a transformation in the lives of people all over the world – including yours and mine, too. This is not merely about making young people jump and have fun during praise and worship, but about making young people soar as they cry out for justice, love, faith, and salvation.

As a line from Hosanna goes, I truly see a generation rising up to take their place.