Hey all, hope this blog finds you well, and I hope you have been enjoying these summer months. It can be a wholesome time can’t it? Camping, smores, fairs, berries, baseball, BBQ’s, swimming. I really love the season myself. San Diego summers are some of the best in my opinion. I have fond memories of being in the high school youth group in the summer time. We would pile into the old church vans that were designated for us “youths”. You know the ones. Stains all over the place, foam and metal sticking out of the seats, the same old DC talk cassette playing because the eject button hadn’t worked since the 90′s. We would make the 10 minute drive to the beach, start up a roaring bonfire and sing worship songs till the stars came out. (sigh)
This summer has been a fairly busy one for me and the rest of the crew. I’m officially naming this summer the “Summer of Conferences”. It seems as though we’ve been a part of one for every demographic. Conferences for college students, for high school students, for middle school student. Conferences for pastors, for worship leaders, for men and for women. From Desperation in Colorado Springs, to Joyce Meyer in St. Paul Minnesota, we’ve been to quite a few. And you know what? I’ve been enjoying them. There’s something kind of cool about pin pointing a large group of people that all have something in common, because you can point them to Jesus a very specific way that’s relevant to them.
I’ve also been doing something else I’m very excited about this summer. I’ve been recording a Christmas Record! I know! So fun! It’s got 10 tracks with 2 original songs, 7 well known songs, and a little instrumental fun one. It’s almost done, so it looks as though it should be available late this fall. I think it’s just going to be called “Songs For Christmas” unless a better name comes to mind… Maybe you can help? Can’t wait to share it with y’all. My biggest goal was to create something classic enough for people to play in their houses while they’re decorating their tree, yet unique enough to stand out from the thousands of other Christmas records out there. Don’t know if we hit the mark, but we did our best. There will be more on that in the future.
Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment or two.
Any amazing things happening in your lives this summer?
talk to you soon!
-phil
“Jesus Was Born for Us”…
because, well, He was…
or maybe “Love Was Born” (or you might prefer “Love Is Born”… grammer is different when you’re talking about the timeless God)
Birth Of The King – This one’s from the wife.
Hello Phil – hope and pray all is well. My summer has been good but nothing too exciting, yet. I wait patiently with expectancy that life will be a whole lot better soon. You are an inspiration to me and I look forward to playing worship music live and giving Christ all the glory, amen? It’s cool to hear that you’re doing a christmas album, I’ll definitely buy it. Looking forward to it. As far as titles go here are a couple off the top of the old noggin: Since ALL things were made through Christ, what better way to pay tribute:
(1.) Christmas With Christ
(2.) A CHRISTmas Celebration
(3.) The Day Christ Was Born
(4.) A Journey Through Time
(5.) A King Is Born
That’s all I’ve got for now. Wish you continued success. Blessings!
hey Phil
i also got prayed for on the 2nd night and couldnt stop crying for bout 2hours and after felt so peaceful it was great 
My Summer has been AMAZING, i went to Soul Survivor Week C for the first time and went to your seminar. Im now going to start playing guitar again after bout 2years of not playing. i had a fantastic time and still cant speak much because of all the singing
You are amazing, come back to the Uk soon please
Helene xxx
hi phil,
my sumer has been good went to soul survivor week c and saw you there actually spoke to you as you met my youth group. you voice is amazing and you are an inspiration to me. i went to you seminar on worship leading was really good.
congrats with the cd cant wait to hear it i also like christmas with phil as the title
well i off now hope to hear from you soon feel free to email me if you have time.
debra from plymouth
vixen1992@hotmail.co.uk
I thought it was cool that you talked about San Diego and how you like it. I was visiting my girlfriend in Yorba Linda, near Aneheim. You see, I live in washington state. I just got back from seeing her for the first time in REAL life…we met on facebook through my cousin and finally went to meet her for a couple weeks. She’s the light of my life! and it was the worst, most painful feeling saying goodbye and seeing her cry like that. I, as a man, had to hold in my tears at the airport. but I wanted to let them flow. It felt like i was leaving her forever. Anyway, we are looking forward to the future and what the Lord has in store for us. San Diego is a definite possibility for us to live once i’m done with school next summer. I’m excited to hear your christmas album, I’ve always love christmas music, especially because it brings back all the wonderous memories of being a child and putting ornaments on the tree, eating too many candy canes, the smell of the “pine tree” scented candles, and the warmth of the wood stove on my bum after a shower. maybe, “The Heart of Christmas” or the “The Love of Christmas.” I think of love, or hearts when i think of christmas. The love Jesus has for us.
“Yule Phil Joyful”
dangitt your summer sounds awesome in San Diego. Which reminds me, I told my rents about how you love SD California, so they told me we could go there for vacation next summer or the one after that. Which means…Im going to need a tour guide *cough cough*, Mr. Phil Wickham! Hahaha, its okay, I know your already busy with the new single (btw CONGRATS!) to show a fan around. Although that would be nice. hahaha.
A christmas record? Dude, dats awesome! I’m so happy for you.
jeez, title names? I suck at dat…but here goes nothing.
-Christmas Tunes
-Rocking around the Christmas Tree
-A Celebration around Christ
-Christmas Hymns
-A Savior is born
-Christmas from the Heart
Sorry that some of the titles arent great. I Hope you found at least one that you may consider. Well whatever its called, im buying the cd! I hope everything works out for you. God Bless ya.
Love,
Anita
My summer has been GRRREAT!!!! I live in cali..so its all good! :]
I got to go to high school summer camp and hear John MacArthur speak!!! It was sooooo good!!! He was amazing! And i got front row!! FRONT ROW!!!!! And i made sooooo many friends!! I cant wait to go back next yr to hear Dr. MacArthur again! I go to his church though…but there is just something about summer camp :] I love it! haha!
And i helped the band Article One get a show out here in cali! They are a great band! I got to make them a homecooked meal and serve it to them! And i got to help sell their merchandise! They are very sweet guys with a love for the Lord! And very sweet friends of mine(: Actually Article One told me about you, Phil! I was like, “What music do u guys listen to while touring?” And they said, “Phil Wickham!!” So i looked you up and ever since that ive been a fan of ur music!
ooh!!! A Christmas album?!? how sweet!!! i will definantly be buying that!
i cant wait to hear it!! im totally excited!!
p.s. so is my dad! ;]
Numbers 6:24-25
Majken Ann
Phil!
Great to hear from you again. I love summer too – I just wrote a blog entry very similar to yours reminiscing about wonderful memories made in the summertime!
My memories are of life up in NorCal, but my hubby and I are moving to SD next month so we’ll see what you mean about SD summers in due time!
I’m SOOOOOOO excited to hear you’re coming out with a Christmas album! I’ve wished you had before but didn’t know if you’d be into that sorta thing or not. I KNOW it’s gonna be super awesome though!! Can’t wait to hear it and have it become familiar music to hear every Christmas!
God’s continued blessings on you and Mal.
Alex
Oh my goodness. Can I tell you how excited I am!? ASDL;KJA;SDLFKJAS;DLFKJSAD;LFKJASL;FKJS AHHHH!H!!!!! So excited.
The funny thing is (actually not really funny at all) that I change alot during the winter.. kind of like seasonal depression. I live in CT, so the weather has a dramatic shift throughout the seasons. For some reason the darkness and cold has a huge impact on me and it’s so dreary. But in the midst of it all is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! And how incredible is that! Each year I pray that I won’t lose sight of God’s love and grace despite my selfish feelings in the winter.
And this year with a Phil Wickham Christmas album!?! IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME. I am so FREAKIN excited.
Summer! Those who live in southern California might just be some of the most blessed people in the whole world. I long for my old home of La Jolla on the hot and humid summer days in Connecticut. However, weather is just one part of the summer. All things are so beautiful in the summer! The trees, the ground, the SKY! Cielo! I go outside with my 10 month old nephew and watch him pull at the grass, watch him look at all this nature around us with such new eyes, and it makes me do the same! From the smallest ant carrying its load to its hole to to the most beautiful flower in full bloom, you can see the beauty of our God everywhere. How blessed are we to live in it! And at night the sky is just filled with stars. You can’t explain it with words. If I lived near the ocean, which I long for so badly, I don’t think I’d be able to hold myself together every time I saw it. I don’t think there is a more beautiful thing God has blessed us with than the vast expanse of the oceans.
Last year I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Belize, my church had been going for about 8 years to the same places in Belize. It was an awesome experience, and on the last night we stayed on a tiny island miles away from the shore. It was just our group there, so we slept outside on the docks. That was one night I’ll never forget. That night the sky was absolutely incredible. How could one not see God in all that beauty? Though I haven’t had an experience like that this summer, God has been showing me his beauty in other ways. My sister got engaged on July 31st. What a blessing.
We could all wallow in our troubles, or we could push past that to see the glory of God, and his amazing grace. Oh, how he loves us!
This winter I’m going to try my hardest to do that, and this summer I think he’s strengthening me for it.
Let me just tell you one more time how excited I am for this Christmas album.
JHAFLSDJFLASKJF;LASDKJFASLKFJ;ALSKFJASLDKFJASLKFJLSADKFJALKJFLAKSDJFLAKSDJFL;
well, I myself have had a splendid summer. I got married to my high school sweetheart, went on an awesome honeymoon across the eastern caribbean, took our youth group to youth camp twice, then went to desperation conference, then my wife and I moved into our first house. Summer’s been great and my life is blessed.
Regarding your Christmas album, I really like Future of Forestry’s “Advent Christmas-EP”. I think simple titles are the best, but that is my unprofessional opinion.
Thanks for pumpin out the sweetest anthems to sing to our king,
Be blessed,
Seth
Hi Phil!
Glad to hear from you again!
This summer has been such a blessing for me!
It’s probably my fav part of the year!
I also love Christmas of course!
This is sooooo awesome you’re making a Christmas album!
I hoped you would!
And for ideas, I like yours, here are some me and my friends came up with “)
How about…….
Navidad
A time we celebrate
Our Savior is born!
A time of Peace
A wonderful birth
Christmas praise
Ehhh, rather lame, but all we could come up with
My summer has been fairly boring…At least I got some time to spend with God! But August is pretty packed with a lot of stuff, so I get to hang out with my Youth more!
Phil, thank you for making so much beautiful music… for taking the time to record a live record, an acoustic version of the “Heaven and Earth” record, and now a Christmas record. I haven’t heard a poorly written song from you yet; you always present your best, and I admire that. As for your Christmas record, I am beyond excited; hopefully, a Christmas record means you’ll still be joining up with the Shanes for another Christmas tour in December. Perhaps now your exhilarating set can be extended since you’ll be dazzling us with even more Christmas favorites like you did with “The Little Drummer Boy”; I never much cared for that song until you did it to be honest. I think it’d be pretty sweet if you offered up acoustic versions or acoustic versions of these songs with the looping pedals electronically like you did before with “Heaven and Earth”. There’s something about the simplicity of one voice and one guitar that really brings out the heart of a song.
As for a suitable title, how about “Christmas with Phil”? or “The Best Christmas Record EVER”? or “Christmas Sounds: the Sound-track for Joy”? or “Phil’s Christmas Record!! For: the Glory of God. From: Phil.”? Lol, “Songs for Christmas” is great too =}
I like the “Christmas With Phil” idea.
I am excited about the Christmas album! I play Christmas year ’round.
Going to youth camp was a huge part of my summers when I was growing up. Sharing campfires, great Bible messages, stirring worship times…great memories I am now blessed to see my kids experience in their youth.
But I cannot tell you how excited I am that you are recording a Christmas album! What an awesome idea! And a wonderful time to worship our King….celebrating His birth! I look forward to hearing it…and thanks again for your beautiful worship music. “Heaven & Earth” is “stuck” in our CD player by choice!
Summer no doubt brings about it great experiences. Just this past weekend I finished up a trip to climb to the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. What a spectacular attest to God’s beauty and greatness! The best part of summer is being outside and living in among the trees, hills, and land we call Earth. I’m excited for your Christmas album (although I’m not wishing for Christmas at the moment). Thanks for blessing the world with your beautiful voice!
You: in midsummer. I : in the cold this winter in Brazil.
I really like your music and I will not make the mistake of choosing a favorite, it would inúltil. I wait, anxiously, his trip to Brazil.
With love from the person who admires you in Christ, Jeh Diniz
Hey! Thanks for sharing:) I love summertime, Went to summercamp with my church to myrtle beach, it was awesome. I also tryed out for the adult worship team, so thats exciting:) I can’t wait for your christmas album I bet it sounds awesome!
I agree… San Diego and So. Cal summers are the best! This one’s been extremely mild weather wise which we are enjoying too.
I just sent my girls off yesterday on the church youthgroup bus to go to Oceanside for beachday, bonfire, smores and such… some things never change!
I am so excited that you are recording a Christmas album! That’s one thing I had hoped that you would do. There are a few albums we listen to that just seem to be timeless year after year. I’m certain yours will be one of them!
Christmas music is a favorite in our household, starts playing from mid October (to drown out the Halloween noise) all the way to mid-January.In my opinion, Christmas should be all year long!
Look forward to hearing it and still vastly enjoying your “Sing-a-long” album.
Live worship is awesome! God bless, Angela and family
Thanks for bringing back memories of my youth days. I had similar experiences….except we had dc talk in the tape deck by choice ha. So far this is the best summer for me. Got married to an amazing woman and started playing worship with a greater and deeper passion. God is amazing. Hope to worship with you in kansas city soon. Can’t wait for the Christmas album!