Reviewed by John Fisher

Singer/songwriter and author Card has been in the music business for over 25 years and has managed to release just as many albums (including other collections). This compilation is a part of a series from EMI which features other well known recording artists in the history of CCM which includes Keith Green, Twila Paris and Petra amongst others. Here we are presented with 24 songs covering a 16 year period from the years 1988 (with tracks from 'The Beginning') to 1994 ('Joy In The Journey'). Mostly the songs featured deal with biblical themes, such as "The Beginning" which is based on the book of Genesis, the life of Christ in "Why?" and the Christian walk on "Celebrate The Child". Included in this compilation is, of course, Card's best known song "El Shaddai" with its use of both the Hebrew language and English. On the whole this double album is a good representation of Michael Card's work with its acoustic and Celtic tinges and its insightful theological lyrics. But one criticism would be that being an ultimate collection I would have liked to have seen included tracks from all his CDs. Mind you, that would have required a triple CD.

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