I have enjoyed listening to this CD. Although there are a few songs I dislike, the majority are good. I purchased a used CD and I am glad I did. I do not feel this CD is good enough to have paid full price.

even though I consider Regina as one of the greatest female vocalist
singers , this new style of Gospel is not for her, She is more like
soul-love music. I hope she can do something like before, but still
this album is excellent.

In the late eighties every "Quiet Storm" DJ on the planet was playing "Baby Come to Me," the bellowing slow jam by Regina Belle that seemingly seduced the charts overnight. Into the nineties, Belle manufactured numerous hit love songs -- "Is This Love?," "Make It Like It Was," "Show Me the Way," and "All I Want Is Forever" (with JT Taylor of Kool & The Gang) -- all well written and colored by her feminine tenor tones. Whether in a duet or alone, Regina was the embodiment of soulful grown folks music and one of the most recognizable and celebrated R&B vocalists of that period.
When well-known artists record an album in a genre different from the one for which they're known, it can often feel a bit forced. But for Jazz/Soul vocalist Regina Belle, a pastor's wife who has long been an outspoken believer, the move seems so obvious that it begs the question, Why didn't she take this leap of faith before?
"God says the time is right", says Regina. "He's transitioning me to do a work for him. It was opportune".
The new offering by the acclaimed songstress is a triumphant homage to God's faithfulness through it all, a testament to how His goodness and mercy followed the vocalist all the days of her life, from the cradle all the way through her decorated music career. Most importantly, the album is a tribute to the singer's gospel music heritage--14 songs that speak to the bedrock of Regina Belle's faith, never more evident in the disc's stunning centerpiece, the stirring traditional first single, "God Is Good"
Her contemporary and good friend Shirley Murdock who has walked a parallel path personally and professionally (both were leading ladies in R&B and are now first ladies in their husbands' churches), appears on the album in a duet entitled "I Call on Jesus".
Award-winning Gospel artist, Melvin Williams (Williams Brothers) duets with Regina on the song, "Good To Be Loved" as well Williams' vocals can be heard accompanying her on background on the first single, "God Is Good".
This album will undoubtedly build on Regina's success to date. Her voice embodies so much: wistful yearning, romanticism, sadness, joy and more.
Regina Belle, a noted songwriter in her own right, penned many of the songs featured on the project, while working alongside Chris Walker who produced and co-produced all but two songs on the CD. Musical talent seemingly runs in the family as her brother Bernard Belle, a well-known music industry songwriter, wrote, produced and arranged two of the album's tracks.
The tracks she wrote demonstrate her own writing ability, while her interpretations are fresh and personal.
There is very much the sense of Regina singing these absolutely as she wants, meandering and taking her time over the lyrics in a luxurious fashion.
That's the way I like it though, an artist who can effortlessly evoke feeling no matter what style she embarks on, and while her music all has her signature touch her albums never, and I mean never, falls into the rut of redundancy.
David (Letterman), Jay (Leno), Ellen (DeGeneres), and Oprah (Winfrey) : please, take note of this !

If you love African American inspired gospel music, or even if you don't- this CD will knock your socks off, raise your spirits, and bring tears to your eyes. Words from the heart and divine, absolutely divine music.

I just can't say enough about this CD. It has comtemporary, down home, and hip hop gospel all combined into one and performed with elegance. Once I put this CD into my player my whole praise experience went into "overdrive".

This CD is loaded with Good songs. I really loved "God is Good", and listening to Melvin William's voice throughout the CD was just awesome.

This has to be one of the best first time projects I have ever heard. Therefore cudos to Regina for a job well done.

Regina Belle has put together a wonderful collection of song that will make you feel good and shout at the same time. Sure to be a faviorite is "God is Good". It has an old type sound with new feelings.

Wonderful...

Regina Belle is blessed with the kind of voice that can literally lift you - her stunning, nuanced vocal delivery captures the mood and essence of each song with great effect that it cannot fail to move you.
"Love Forever Shines" is a beautiful album. The writing, producing and arranging were all excellent. The album opens with the soothing tones of the title track, but "God Is Good" is the gorgeous track that I can listen to over and over without ever tiring of it.
With this great first single,that'll be sure to get you shuffling your feet, Regina takes you to the church, hand in hand.
The whole album flows very nicely.
There are a few tracks that put shivers down my spine; the first is "Good To Be Loved", and "I Call On Jesus", with Melvin Williams and Shirley Murdock, with their soaring, sweeping arrangement and lovely orchestral arrangement.
Some awesome tracks are reminiscent to those old spirituals that Mahalia Jackson used to sing; you know, the one where she takes her time and is just lost in the music.
The fantastic "I'll never leave you alone" is a moving, heart-felt performance that closes the album.
This is the kind of CD that you listen to when you're in a reflective frame of mind - it's the perfect album to lift your spirits.
Regina shows us what she does best on this album and that's singing. And boy can she sing.
She sings her heart out.
Only few people can sing their hearts out and Regina is defiantly one of them.
Love Songs
This Is Regina
Lazy Afternoon
Ladies' Choice
To Grover, With Love

I have been waiting for this a long time. Welcome my sister! We knew you'd be here, in the Gospel world because we heard it in everything that you've ever recorded! "Victory" is my Anthem. I play that everyday. Then there's "I'll never leave you alone", and "Come into this place", and all I can say is, this cd is a work of art. "My destiny" gets me going in the morning, and what can I say about "God is good", except that it will be a classic for a long time to come. Thank you again Ms. Belle for making music that continues to stand the test of time and help us to live better!

All I can say is this is a PHENOMENAL first gospel CD! I have been playing it all day and telling everyone I know to get it. Of the 14 songs there are only 3 that are so so, and even they are good. The 3 are "My Destiny", "Coming Out of This", and " God Said." All of the other ones are hits. My favs are: Can't Nobody, Who Touched Me(my fav of all tracks), God is Good, Almost Slipped, Good to be Loved, Come Into This Place,I Call On Jesus,and I'll Never Leave You Alone! This deserves a Grammy! It is contemporary,traditonal,inspirational, and a litle jazzy!!!! I love it!!! You did it again, girl! This is one of THE best gospel CDs I've heard in a while. "God is Good" reminds me of Sunday's in church with my late grandfather who was an AMEZion Presiding Elder here in NC back in the day. I can't wait for your 2nd, 3rd and 4th gospel CDs! God bless you First Lady Regina Belle-Battle, Pastor Battle, and your entire family.

Regina Belle can easily be accepted in the few that bring a genuine new sound.
For her acclaimed album "Lazy Afternoon" - which went platinum and is still on the playlist of most of Jazz radio stations all over the world - many critics compared her to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson...
However, once you get her albums, you will see that the comparisons are lucrative, but farfetched... Like a double negative. Sure, she has similarities to these trendsetting stars, but most of the claims are just not true. Easily compared but utterly rare.
Her albums explains how her craft is different from what many presume. Ms. Belle the whole package: the look, the sound, the talent, and the consistency.
She's been called everything from the Quen of Soul/Jazz to the new Billie Holiday and earned nearly every accolade possible in her two decade plus career and her soaring, soul-stirring, sultry, elegant vocal style more than justifies her status as one of music's legendary divas.
At 45, Regina is still busier than ever and she shows no sign of slowing down.
Now she's dished up a spectacular gospel album - her first in nearly twenty years - titled "Love Forever Shines".
Known for her musical subtlety, soulful phrasing or vocal restraint, Belle's current gospel offering is a surprisingly subdued and understated collection. Don't get me wrong, as is her wont, Miss Belle does her fair share of wailing and soul shouting on Love Forever Shines - she just uses such techniques to sparing effect.
Opening with a soulful groove called "God Is Good", Regina kicks things off with her usual pyrotechnic style, offering a mid-tempo quiet storm gem souped up with her signature whoops and clucks. The track has been on the top 10 gospel chart for several weeks and now it's # 5. and is making some noise on the Urban /AC Chart as well.
Her adoring fans will be grateful to still hear Belle's stylish brand of old school soul imprinted on both the title track and on the humble "Who Touched Me".
However, she quickly shifts gears and slips into a mellower mode for the next several tracks, which include the jazzy "I'll Never Leave You", and the absolutely gorgeous, lushly arranged ballads "Good To Be Loved" and "I Call On Jesus", splendid duets with Melvin Williams and her long time friend Shirley Murdock : this is the kind of emotional, soulful offerings that Ms. Belle does so well - perhaps better than any other living R&B/Jazz diva. With the the recitative "Come Into This Place" , a simple adult contemporary friendly ballad that is again artfully and surprisingly beautifully under sung by Regina, she takes listeners to church - old school style !
Looking at Regina' s "Love Forever Shines" as whole, the album is as much a testament to Ms.Belle's staying power as it is to her ability to adapt to musical trends.
Regina Belle is the definition of an artist. She's got everything going for her, the effortless chemistry with her music, her elegance and style, the multitudes of honey-tipped talent and then there's that voice which just slides over your body like warm water, cleansing your soul with each and every well placed lyric.
It's hard to pigeon hole this star, classify her talent : she elegantly glides in and out of Jazz influenced R&B cuts and Soul/Pop/Gospel with a touch of Soulful Contemporary class that her album becomes defined with only one word...music.

Like a Fire
Lay It Down

The album debuts at # 3 on Billboard Top Gospel Albums, at # 5 at Billboard Top Christian/Gospel Albums, at # 14 on The Top Independent Albums, at # 119 on The Billboard 200 and at # 15 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. (Issue Date: 2008-05-31).
The first single "God Is Good" scores # 2 on RadioandRecords and Mediabase Gospel Airplay Chart, and # 34 on the Mediabase Urban/AC chart. (Issue Date: 7/08/2008 - updated)