Artist: Miriam Webster
Album: Made Me Glad
Year: 2010
Label: Kingsway Music/EMI CMG
Website: http://www.miriamwebster.com.au/
Buy: iTunes - Amazon - Official Store
Sounds Like: Darlene Zschech, Hillsong Australia, Alvin Slaughter, New Breed, Don Moen, Martin Smith, Sandi Patty, Vicky Beeching
Rating: 3/5 ♥♥♥

Probably hearing the name Miriam Webster, your brain quickly associates it with Hillsong Australia. Thus, this worship leader, singer and songwriter is about to launch “Made Me Glad”, compiling the best songs of her career and also adding new compositions. Produced by John Hartley, this album reflects the passion for the Church and God’s people in songs to help listeners to connect with the Heavenly Father.

“Mercies” opens the album with the hopeful promise that God will always hear our prayers and that his grace is renewed every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Then the sublime “Angel Of The Lord” is inspired by Psalm 91, reminding us that while we pray and confess that the Angel of the Lord is all around us, we started a spiritual war: “Surely the Angel of the Lord is around me / I have no cause to fear, my God will not forsake me / I am my Father’s child, no enemy can touch me / I will not die but live to tell what He has done”. The disc also includes a masterly duet with acclaimed worship leader from Hillsong, the passionate Darlene Zschech in the inspirational “Loving Kindness”, which exalts the great goodness of our Father when he picked up us from sin and brought us to his presence. The celebration and joy comes with “Praise Him”, co-written Simeon Webster (Miriam’s brother) with dynamic pop guitar that glorifies the wonders of God. Undoubtedly the Webster’s most famous song is titletrack “Made Me Glad” which brings the perspective of the magnitude album: “One day I was speaking some words of praise to God and said, ‘You have made me glad’. It’s like He grabbed those words and praise rose up within me. He revealed to me freshly that day that it doesn’t matter where I am - in a beautiful hotel or the opposite - Jesus is the One who makes me glad, and my joy is found in Him” shares Miriam. The intimate and beautiful “Draw Near” sings that being in the presence of God, everything else disappears, all the words fade away and what we gained is worthless compared to Jesus. Simeon wrote “Peace” with the motion of the tranquility, the peace that God gives us to receive His grace: “He delivers me, sets my feet on a rock / Gives me beauty for ashes / I’ll sing a new song of His loving kindness / His unfailing grace / What a merciful Saviour / My heart will respond” and then declares total dependence on the sweet statement: “I need You Holy Spirit“. The whispering rhodes and violins embrace the delicate “Marvelous” declaring that Jesus is the only one worthy of all glory, for the work he has done on the cross to bear our sins and deliver us with His blood. “Greater” encourages us to not fear or faint in adversity, because the name of Jesus appeases the storms. The sweet piano and sublime strings consume “Fall Upon Your Knees” that invites us to cry out to our Creator when our spirit is wounded and our hearts are full of sorrow: “He gives strength to the weary / He gives power to the weak / When you go to Him in secret / And lay surrendered at His feet”.

Kingsway Music surprises us once again with the quality and uniqueness of their releases and artists, and Miriam Webster is added this list. Whether singing or speaking, Miriam is known to bring the liberty of Christ to people through worship and the Word of God; her new album “Made Me Glad” is perfect for an intimate and powerful time of worship for those weeks of weakness.

Probablemente al oír el nombre Miriam Webster, tu cerebro rápidamente lo asocie a Hillsong Australia. Así es, esta líder de alabanza, cantante y compositora está próxima a lanzar “Made Me Glad”, recopilando las mejores canciones de su carrera y agregando también nuevas composiciones. Producido por John Hartley, este álbum refleja la pasión por la Iglesia y el pueblo de Dios en canciones que ayudan a sus oyentes conectarse con el Padre Celestial.

“Mercies” apertura el álbum con la esperanzadora promesa de que Dios siempre oirá nuestras oraciones y que su gracia se renueva cada mañana (Lamentaciones 3:23). Seguidamente la sublime “Angel Of The Lord” se inspira en el Salmo 91, para recordarnos que al orar y confesar que el Ángel del Señor está a nuestro alrededor, iniciamos una guerra espiritual: “Surely the Angel of the Lord is around me / I have no cause to fear, my God will not forsake me / I am my Father’s child, no enemy can touch me / I will not die but live to tell what He has done”.  El disco también incluye un magistral dúo con la aclamada líder de alabanza de Hillsong, la apasionada Darlene Zschech en la inspiradora “Loving Kindness”, que exalta la inmensa bondad de nuestro Padre al levantarnos del pecado y llevarnos a su presencia. La celebración y júbilo llega con “Praise Him”, co-escrita Simeon Webster (hermano de Miriam) con dinámicas guitarras pop que glorifican las maravillas de Dios. Sin duda la canción más conocida de Webster es el titletrack “Made Me Glad” que reúne la perspectiva del álbum en magnitud: “Un día estaba hablando algunas palabras de alabanza a Dios y dije, ‘Me has hecho feliz’. Es como si Él hubiera grabado aquellas palabras y alabanzas, y me reveló que no importa dónde esté – en un hermoso hotel o en todo lo contrario – Jesús es el único que me hace feliz, y my alegría se encuentra en Él” nos comparte Miriam. La íntima y hermosa “Draw Near” nos canta que al estar en la presencia de Dios, todas las demás cosas desaparecen, todas las palabras sobrado y lo que hemos ganado no tiene valor comparado a Jesús. Simeon compuso “Peace” con la moción de la tranquilidad, la paz que Dios nos da al recibir su gracia: “He delivers me, sets my feet on a rock / Gives me beauty for ashes / I’ll sing a new song of His loving kindness / His unfailing grace / What a merciful Saviour / My heart will respond” y luego declara total dependencia en la dulce declaración: “I need You Holy Spirit”. Los susurrantes rhodes y los delicados violines abrazan “Marvelous” declarando que Jesús es el único digno de toda gloria, por la obra hecha en la cruz al cargar nuestros pecados y liberarnos con su sangre. “Greater” nos anima a no temer, ni desmayar ante la adversidad, porque al nombrar el nombre de Jesús las tormentas se apaciguan. Los dulces pianos y las sublimes cuerdas consumen “Fall Upon Your Knees” que nos invita a clamar a nuestro Creador cuando nuestro espíritu esté herido y nuestro corazón lleno de dolor: “He gives strength to the weary / He gives power to the weak / When you go to Him in secret / And lay surrendered at His feet”.

 Kingsway Music una vez más nos sorprende con la calidad y la peculiaridad de sus lanzamientos y artistas, y a esta lista se le agrega Miriam Webster. Ya se cantando o hablando, Miriam es conocida por brindar la libertad de Cristo a la gente a través de la adoración y la Palabra de Dios, y su nuevo álbum “Made Me Glad” es perfecta para un tiempo íntimo y poderoso de adoración para aquellas semanadas de debilidad.