WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs

• Includes, Avalon Winter Wonderland, Michael W. Smith
• Emmanuel, Point of Grace O Holy Night, Steven C. Chapman
• Christmas is all in the Heart, Yolanda Adams Have yourself a merry little
• Christmas,Amy Grant Breath of Heaven(Mary's Song)
• 31 Songs in all. Rachel Lampa Ave Maria, Donnie McClurkin, Hark the hearld Angels Sing...Kathy Mattea Mary Did you Know? Kirk Franklin the Night that Christ was born...

Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Emmanuel's Gift tells the story of a disabled orphan in Ghana, West Africa, whose father abandoned him, village dismissed him, and country thought him better off dead. This is the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who had nothing, but gave everything--and changed a nation forever.: If you are born disabled in Ghana, West Africa you are likely to be poisoned, or left to die by your family; and if you are not poisoned or left for dead, you're ! likely to be hidden away in a room; and if you're not hidden, you are destined to spend your lifetime begging on the streets. Of the twenty million people in Ghana, two million are disabled. This is the story of one disabled man whose mission-and purpose- is to change all that forever. In Emmanuel's Gift, filmmakers Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern have uncovered a story as compelling as it is important. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, the film chronicles the life of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a young Ghanaian man born with a severely deformed right leg, who today, against incalculable odds, is opening minds, hearts and doors-and effecting social and political change throughout his country. While Emmanuel's message is vital: people with disabilities are valuable contributors to any society, his method is inspirational. Emmanuel begins his quest with a bicycle ride, over 600 kilometers, across Ghana with one leg-and continues to spread his vision with grit and resolve. Lisa Lax and Nancy Ste! rn have been documenting Emmanuel's plight for over a year, ha! ving sho t over 100 hours of powerful imagery. The film includes original footage shot in Ghana, California, Oregon and New York, as well as photographs and other acquired film/video of Emmanuel's early years. Through it all, they have created an intimate insight into the mind and heart of a visionary whose unforgettable journey transcends continents and cultures and becomes each of ours to share.Grammy-nominated fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel has toured in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States, bringing his music from the Australian outback to the rest of the world and creating legions of new fans in the process. None other than the incredible Chet Atkins has referred to him as "One of the greatest guitarists in the world," and Tommy is quick to acknowledge Chet as his principal inspiration. Modestly referring to himself as "an entertainer who happens to play the guitar," Tommy captivates his audiences with his humor, charisma and musicianship, delivering kn! ockout performances around the globe. Tommy's energy and the ideal acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall make this a video performance to be cherished. This DVD features nearly two hours of performance, including all of the material from both of the VHS volumes entitled Tommy Emmanuel in Concert! Live at the Historic Sheldon Auditorium.(Drama) Something the Lord Made tells the emotional true story of two men who defied the rules of their time to launch a medical revolution, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow south. Working in 1940s Baltimore on an unprecedented technique for performing heart surgery on "blue babies," Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and lab technician Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) form an impressive team. As Blalock and Thomas invent a new field of medicine, saving thousands of lives in the process, social pressures threaten to undermine their collaboration and tear their friendship apart.Something the Lord Made recounts the relationship between Dr.! Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivian Thomas (Mos Def). It! begins in 1930s Nashville when imperious cardiac surgeon Blalock hires Thomas, an African American carpenter, as his janitor. When the latter reveals a passion for medicine and facility with surgical instruments, Blalock promotes him to lab tech. Thomas isn't given a raise, works side jobs to make ends meet, and is expected to be grateful. Along the way, he follows Blalock from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, where they save thousands of lives through their pioneering work, but will Thomas ever get any credit? The film provides a satisfying answer to that question. Joseph Sargent (A Lesson Before Dying) directs with subtlety and intelligence, while Rickman and Mos Def are in top form, often underplaying where most actors would do otherwise. Something the Lord Made won the 2004 Emmy for outstanding made-for-TV movie. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Academy Award winner Tim Robbins stars in this compelling film from Pedro Almodovar, the renowned director of Volver and Talk t! o Her. Powerfully acted and critically acclaimed, The Secret Life of Words is a moving story about discovering love and hope when least expected. A wounded oil worker forms an unlikely and emotional relationship with a nurse based on his need to divulge the secrets of his past and her mysterious silence about her own identity. Jack Mathews of the New York Daily News calls it "remarkably compelling…one you won't soon forget."In the Secret Life of Words, a wounded man and a hearing impaired woman forge an unlikely relationship that transcends romance. They reach an understanding that speaks as much for the affection they hold for one another, as it does their need to simply be recognized. Academy Award winner Tim Robbins (Bull Durham, The Shawshank Redemption) stars opposite Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) in this emotional drama directed and written by Isabel Coixet (who also collaborated with Polley in My Life Without Me). Polley play! s Hanna, an emotionally-stilted factory worker who is forced t! o take a vacation. Instead of jetting off to the Caribbean or the South of France for some sun, Hanna opts for Northern Ireland where she is hired to work as an oil rig nurse, despite the fact that she may never have actually had any medical training. Robbins portrays Josef, a chatty burn victim who is left temporarily blind, but still has enough life in him to flirt with Hanna. She would rather turn down her hearing aid and make as little contact with others as possible. Slowly, the two share secrets and help each other recover--him physically, her emotionally. While the burgeoning love story is a bit implausible, the film does a good job in exploring two characters with complicated backgrounds. --Jae-Ha KimHere is the revealing underground classic, a work  that stands beside the "Seth" books as a  delightful and invaluable guide to our inner  spirit and our outer world. Emmanuel speaks to us  through Pat Rodegast and shares his wisdom and  insights on all aspects ! of life. Beautifully written and  illustrated, Emmanuel's Book I  is to be treasured, enjoyed and passed on to a  friend. Emmanuel says: "The gifts I wish to  give you are my deepest love, the safety of truth,  the wisdom of the universe and the reality of God .  . . . The issue of whether there is a Greater  Reality or not, for me at least, has been settled. I  know that there is. So I will speak to you from  the knowing that I possess."

Ram Dass, in the  introduction, says: "Being with Emmanuel one  comes to appreciate the vast evolutionary context  in which our lives are being lived . . . And at  each moment we are at just the right place in the  journey. As Emmanuel points out, 'Who you are is a  necessary step to being who you will be.'"It was only a matter of time before the folks behind the wildly successful WOW series turned their eyes toward Christmas. After all, holiday releases by Christian artists flood the market eve! ry year, and there's plenty of stock to choose from. WOW Ch! ristmas< /I> does, indeed, capture a nice range of styles and artists from releases over the last few years. Among the sweeter moments are Michael W. Smith's new standard, "Emmanuel," Point of Grace's angelic "O Holy Night," Rebecca St. James's quirky "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and the Mark Schultz-Nichole Nordeman gentle treatment of "Silent Night." There are a couple of curiosities here, as well: Avalon jazzing up the old standard "Winter Wonderland" with a Manhattan Transfer-like big-band sound; and Fred Hammond's soulful "Go Tell It on the Mountain." And if that's not offbeat enough, we also get the flat-out weirdness of Audio Adrenaline's punked-out "Little Drummer Boy." For the most part, though, WOW Christmas spices up the classic Yule tunes with freshness and creativity, making it a must disc for your holiday party. --Michael Lyttle