Three-time GMA Dove Award-winning worship leader, singer-songwriter, author and podcaster Christy Nockels releases her first full-length studio album in over five years, This Is The Hour, today (Feb. 24) on Keeper’s Branch Records with global distribution via The Fuel Music.

Available now at digital and streaming outlets worldwide via https://christynockels.lnk.to/thisisthehourPR, the recording features all the acclaimed music on the recently released Valor EP plus 10 more intimate worship tracks all meant to lead listeners deeper into the heart of God.

As a worship leader for over 25 years, Christy’s heart is to simply lead others to connect and communicate with the living God. Her new album carries a storyline that God has already used in a deep and personal way in her and her producer-husband Nathan’s lives. They have experienced these songs spiritually and even emotionally, and they have already been a healing balm to their own hearts.

“We’re living in an hour where you and I are having to pioneer through some of the most challenging cultural and spiritual landscapes we’ve ever encountered,” says Christy. “Yes, there are those who have gone before us, but this moment is new to us and it matters what we do with it.My prayer is that these songs foster a deep reconnection of our hearts to God in this hour in a way that helps us cultivate His presence in our daily lives in a real and fresh way.”

Produced by Nathan Nockels (Passion, Matt Redman, Laura Story), the themes and prayers that have bubbled up in these songs encompass: a returning home to the Father’s heart—including prodigals running home—salvation, renewal, resilience of the human heart and revival.

Following the opening, title track, which features an extended instrumental section by Nathan that reprises later in the album, is the song “As For Me (Psalm 2).” “This song is named after and inspired by Psalm 2, which opens with talk of the nations raging in anger and people plotting in vain against the Lord and all that He has set in place. These words feel oddly familiar in this volatile hour we’re living in!” exclaims Christy. “But I love how it flows right into God’s response: He laughs in the face of all the bickering and plotting and says, ‘As for me, I’ve set my King on Zion!’ 

“This is a beautiful reminder that God isn’t anxious or fretful about the hour we are living in or the days ahead,” continues Christy. “Even when evil rises to threaten us, we can sit in the same confidence that God sits in today. He already made provisions for us and has a plan and that Provision and Plan is a Person. Jesus. The bridge of this song opens up in celebration of Jesus, this King that God has set in place for the world. And just like the end of Psalm 2, there’s an invitation, ‘Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Your name, they belong to You Jesus!’”

This Is The Hour – Christy Nockels

About Christy Nockels: 
With a heart to lead others to authentically connect and communicate with God, Christy Nockels and her husband, Nathan, toured nationwide as the duo Watermark, recording five albums and seven No. 1 radio hits together.

A founding member of Passion City Church, where she served on the worship team with Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and Kristian Stanfill, Christy released her first solo album on sixstepsrecords, Life Light Up (2009), followed by Into The Glorious (2012) and the live worship album, Let It Be Jesus (2015). Launching Keepers Branch Records with Nathan, Christy unveiled her first Christmas project on the new label, The Thrill Of Hope (2016), and released her Dove-nominated Be Held -Lullabies For The Beloved (2017).

She also released her first book via Multnomah, The Life You Long For : Learning to Live from a Heart of Rest, and started The Glorious in the Mundane, a top religion and spirituality podcast with over two million lifetime downloads. Her touring includes events with authors Jennie Allen, Rebekah Lyons, Ann Voskamp and others.

Christy and Nathan live in Franklin, TN where they love to gather around the farm table and even make music with their three children, Noah, Elliana and Annie Rose. They also love to spend time making their home, affectionally called Keeper’s Branch, a place of rest for all who gather there.

About The Fuel Music:

Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is a leading artist management and artist solutions company that independently distributes music internationally. Based in Nashville, TN, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, major label distribution and marketing, and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.

Three-time GMA Dove Award-winning worship leader, singer-songwriter, author and podcaster Christy Nockels releases her four-song Valor EP today (Jan. 20) on Keeper’s Branch Records with global distribution via The Fuel Music. Available now at digital and streaming outlets worldwide via https://christynockels.lnk.to/valorepPR, the EP precedes this acclaimed worship artist’s first new, full-length studio album in over five years that is set to release February 24, 2023 (title to be announced soon).

Produced by her husband Nathan Nockels (Passion, Matt Redman, Laura Story), the Valor EP’s opening title track encourages noticing the faithfulness of God throughout our lives and how hardships, pain and trials are not for nothing.

“As odd as it sounds, when I wrote this song, I saw visions of pioneers and trailblazers—much like the ones I had seen in the TV series 1883 that aired only months before I began songwriting for this project,” shares Christy. “Yes, we know that history repeats itself, and Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that ‘there’s nothing new under the sun,’ but you and I are still new to the scene. We are pioneers in a strange world that we ourselves have never had to navigate before! Are we brave enough to be awake, alert, sober and surrendered in these times? Do we know what the true fight even is?

“My hope is that this song takes people on a journey—and trust me, it’s a journey—and that they find themselves still standing in a perfect Strength, knowing full well that they don’t face this hour alone!” continues Christy.

Co-writing “Christ In Me,” the second track on the EP, with her husband, Christy says, “I love that these two songs ended up being paired together as a part of this special release! After all, the song ‘Valor’ says, ‘Jesus, your cross, your death, your resurrection life in me—you will always be my valor!’ It is the life of Christ in us that gives us the very strength to stand in every circumstance and trial. And even more, His life in us looks like longings being fulfilled, joy realized and hopes met. No, our surroundings and situations and seasons may not always reflect this, but ‘Christ In Me’ says right from the get-go, ‘Jesus, you’re the strength that carries through, so I don’t want to live a day without you.’

“There have been many beautiful songs written about us being ‘in Christ’,” adds Christy, “but few that I know of that sing of Christ being ‘in us.’ Both are true and worthy of song!”

Rounding out the EP are two songs first released last fall, including “Come Magnify,” which is a beautifully simple response of heartfelt praise, and “Home,” a song inspired by John 14:23.

Valor – Christy Nockels

Three-time GMA Dove Award-winning worship leader, singer-songwriter, author and podcaster Christy Nockels releases the double-sided single “Come Magnify” / “Home” today (Oct. 21) on Keeper’s Branch Records with global distribution via The Fuel Music. Available now at digital and streaming outlets worldwide via https://christynockels.lnk.to/comemagnifyPR, the songs will be featured on this acclaimed worship artist’s first new, full-length studio album in over five years that is slated to release February 2023.

Writing featured track “Come Magnify” with multiple GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Jason Ingram and her husband and producer Nathan Nockels (Passion, Matt Redman, Laura Story), the song is a beautifully simple response of heartfelt praise.

“‘Come Magnify’ started out as a chorus that I would sing at the piano as a way to repeat David’s invitation in Psalm 34:3 in my own heart, ‘Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together’!” exclaims Christy. “My hope is that you are deeply encouraged by the extended invitation of the Psalms in this song that says, ‘Come, look up with me!’ The truth is, looking at and to God first—everyday—is the only way to truly love each other, to address our differences and find, in His life, everything we need and even what unites you and me: The beauty of the cross, the fullness of His love and the Truth that sets us free!”

On the single’s flip-side, Christy shares “Home,” a song that she declares as her favorite song that the Lord has ever stirred in her. “It was a song that opened the floodgates after what felt like a long, hard drought as a songwriter,” remembers Christy. “It was written after a long season of enduring some pretty daunting physical ailments, as well as carrying the weight of how our world has drastically changed these past few years.”

Asking herself if she will see hardship and trials as infliction or as an invitation, she is inspired by scripture to choose the latter option. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my Word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him,” says Christy, quoting John 14:23.  “How beautiful is that? That you and I not only get to be home with God in eternity, but we’re invited to come home to His heart in the here and now. I pray that this song has you going further up and farther in, home to your Father’s heart again!”

Three-time GMA Dove Award-winning worship leader, singer-songwriter, author and podcaster Christy Nockels releases “Abide” today (June10) on Keeper’s Branch Records with global distribution via The Fuel Music. Available now at digital and streaming outlets worldwide via https://slinky.to/AbideCN, “Abide” marks the first single from this acclaimed worship artist’s new album slated to release this fall (title to be announced).

Prior to recording the song, Christy led “Abide” at the recent IF:Gathering women’s event. After hearing stories of how the song ministered to those attending, inspiring them to live with a posture of complete surrender to God, she was encouraged to release the song herself with her producer and husband, Nathan Nockels (Passion, Matt Redman, Laura Story).

“I hope ‘Abide’ rises up in you like an anthem in these days,” says Christy. “I believe that our yielded and surrendered lives—even our complete dependency upon Jesus for everything—is the posture of our hearts that He loves the most!

“I am so very honored and excited to get to release ‘Abide’—a song that I’ve come to love over the past few months!” continues Christy. “It’s very rare for me as a songwriter to connect with and release a song that I didn’t write. That’s how much I believe in it and the message it carries!”

Written by Aaron Williams and Aaron Keyes, Christy first heard “Abide” during a Dwell Songwriting Retreat where she met Williams and his wife. Invited to lead and teach at the retreat with her husband, Christy discovered that she and Nathan had kindred spirits with the Williams’, each with a heart to bring theology and beauty together in the form of songs for the Church to sing in this season.

You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
(“Abide” chorus lyrics.)

Like the theme of her first book published by Multnomah, The Life You Long For : Learning to Live from a Heart of Rest, “Abide” highlights some of the core messages of Christy’s life.