What do you think of when you hear of Jesus Culture's Kim Walker-Smith?  A dimly lit stage with strong house lights illuminating the front row of worship leaders.  Guitarists and drummers lining up the rim of the stage with thousand of worshippers singing at the top of their voices, this is the setting God has gifted Kim Walker-Smith to be in.  She is a consummate worship leader that has fronted Jesus Culture for years.   And they have blessed us with worship staples such as "Your Love Never Fails," "Break Every Chain," "Rooftops" and "Holy Spirit." However, Kim Walker-Smith and her husband's Skyler Smith's latest album "Home" is a gulf removed from her Jesus Culture efforts.  For starters, the inlay photos and front cover of "Home" depict the Smiths not in their normal church settings but dozily sitting on the front steps of their country home.  Embosomed in leaf-spattered green shades resting in the hawthorn filled spring air, there is a relaxed intimate bucolic feel to this record.  It's almost like an unplugged version of their brand of worship music except this is not a live recording (unlike their usual Jesus Culture albums).  

"Home," produced by Jeremy Edwardson and Jason Bornerman, is the coming together of two distinctive styles.  Kim Walker-Smith brings to the palette her bold, intense and dynamic stage-presence of pop worship.   Skyler Smith, on the other hand, an executive member of the Jesus Culture staff brings to the table an Americana rootsy folk vibe.  So, together they have created an album of love songs with some directed to God while others rejoice in their love together as a couple.  Save for "Christ the Rock," all the nine tracks are written by Skyler and Kim. We get to hear to be introduced to Skyler on album opener "Your Voice."  With a husky intonation not that dissimilar to Michael English, "Your Voice" is a slice of punchy Americana with some addictive acoustic guitar strums.  Pulsing with finger picked steel, shuffling chunky acoustics, soft blanketed bass, we are warmly treated to the Skyler-lead love song "Face to Face."  

Among the songs where Kim sings lead, "Relentless Pursuit" ranks in with honors.  Calling to mind those smoldering worship ballads of Jesus Culture, Kim sings a prayer of surrender to Jesus that will get us into tears when she reverently croons, "you can have all of me."  Though "Unstoppable Love" has its genesis as a love song it later evolved into a grand anthem of worship.  Listening to Kim's command of the words, her spirit-filled nuances and her faith-filled execution easily places this as one of her best moments captured on disc.  "My One and Only," on the other hand, started off as a worship song but later was attuned more as a love song as the couple re-affirms their unconditional vows to each other.  In this day and age where love is diluted to nothing more than a glorified form of lust, "My One and Only" has much to educate us today.

Given the context of this record, the title cut "Home" has layers of meaning.  On one level, it is a ballad of thanksgiving to God for his unconditional acceptance recalling the words of Jesus that he has gone to prepare a home for us.  On another level, "Home" gives thanks to God for the people who have housed us with love and acceptance whether it is our biological or spiritual family.  Listening to "Home" is like taking a trip into the country.   Like a gentle stroll down the mossy country path nestled between hedgerows of greens, these songs refreshingly remind us again and again that we are living in our Father's world.  And when our Father is Lord, fear dissipates, worries are kept in abeyance and joy percolates like the shards of sunlight.