Anyone that really knows me will know I have one artist that I play more than any other . Yes its Steven Curtis Chapman. I have been a long time fan and have found his music a blessing . It has convicted me,encouraged me and spoke to me like no other.
I blogged about the horrible tragedy that happened to his family over a year and half ago when he lost his little girl Maria when she was hit by accident by her older brother Will Franklin when he was driving into the drive way.
The journey of his pain and families journey through the valley of the shadow of death was shared by all his fans around the world and now with the release of Beauty Will Rise , Steven gives a glimpse into a very personal time in his life and what his family went through.
The album starts off with Heaven is the Face , a upbeat bitter sweet tale of longing for heaven and to see little Maria again. It has been compared to Clapton's song about his little boy Tears in Heaven , but unlike Clapton's that has no answers , no real hope , Chapman anchors his hope in God and seeing his daughter again. The next song Beauty Will Rise is an anthem of sorts , declaring that God can will make beauty out of pain. The album also has some of rawest , and most personal lyrics ever to come from his hand. Sharing intimate stories like the day little Maria surrendered her heart to Jesus (February 20th) and the song called See . He is brutally honest in all the songs. In Questions it is a truthful cry to try and understand why things occur if God is good and all powerful but ultimately its anchored with a triumphal trust in God's sovereignty and love as featured in songs like Faithful and God is in Control. Its hard to listen to this album without being moved emotionally , tears will come . But like in the song Jesus Will Meet You There , where Steven weaves the sufferings of this world in different scenarios with the hope that Jesus will be with you through them all , the whole CD is one of faith,trust and hopeful joy . Ending on a beautiful note , a victorious song called Spring is Coming , reminding us as believers that things will be made new , that death is not the end .
Steven has called this collection as his personal Psalm's , for just like the Bibles Psalms, they contain both lament and praise. Anguish and Joy. I don't understand why this man and his family had to walk this road. Just like I don't understand why I had to watch my Mom waste away , well before her time it seemed to me at the time , of cancer.However in Christ we have hope and what this very personal CD is a gift, form the heart of a man that deals with the question of suffering and pain honestly taking us on a journey form darkness to the light . This CD gets my 10-10 .
God bless this man and his family .
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