Melissa B Photography

When I began my walk with the Lord… I would say there were 2 things that Catapulted my walk and my worship to an entirely new level… One was my Church friends and Bible study group at the time and the other was being introduced to the music of Steven Curtis Chapman also known as SCC. His music, the messages delivered and the stories told through it,  spoke straight to my heart. He has been a Christian music artist for over 25 years but there is soooooooooo much more to SCC than just the music. He is a family man, father to Emily, Caleb, Will Franklin, Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue .

It’s been almost 4 years since Maria Sue was tragically killed, and went to be with Jesus. Most of the Christian family who know and love Steven Curtis Chapman grieved right along with the family during this time. I know for myself I was particularly hurting with them… knowing how broken their hearts were for this precious child that they loved, and never wanted to say goodbye to so soon. I wanted to hug Mary Beth and cry with her.. that is how connected I felt to their pain. I cried. I prayed, I questioned why, just as I am sure they did in the days following Maria Sue’s death.. I was truly hurting for them and with them, and I thought what a tragic trial for this man and his family to go through.. this man who had brought so much encouragement to others through his music, his organization ShowHope , to help others with their own adoption love story … WHYYY would this happen to them?

Then I realized… we will never truly know all the reasons for such pain and tragedy in Life… and even in his most trying time in life.. a time when most people would crumble and quit… Steven began to do what comes best to him and write again.. write the stories of Hope.. of TRULY BELIEVING what he had been encouraging others with all these years.. That THERE IS MORE TO THIS LIFE… that we must BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD! That when we are hurting the MOST there are brothers and sisters in God’s family that will come alongside of us and CARRY US TO JESUS with prayers, and when we just can’t seem to go on HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT and all we have to do is HOLD ON TO JESUS and HIS EYES are looking down on us with Love and compassion and He IS with us!!!

I encourage you to listen to the music of Steven Curtis Chapman.. if you are going through something .. If you need some encouragement.. If you need to know that He Sees you in your need.. and He Loves you right where you are!!!

This song is AMAZZING!!! I hope this is an encouragement to you today!

I don’t know who I am reaching with this blog today.. But my prayer is that it is reaching someone who needs to read these words, hear these songs, and feel HIS love all over you!!!

Enjoy the pictures from the Concert this weekend… I cried the ENTIRE time .. so I am pretty impressed they are in focus.. as I was taking pictures through tear filled eyes.

the first images are Josh Wilson and YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS VIDEO!!! SOOOOO AWESOME!!!!! the coolest acoustic version of Amazing Grace everrrrrr!!!!

and the other images are of Andrew Peterson who is an AWESOME story teller and this is my FAVORITE song of his : Nothing to say

This is when Steven was singing Cinderella and talking about the loss of Maria Sue…

Follow them on Twitter:

Steven Curtis Chapman

Mary Beth Chapman

Andrew Peterson

Josh Wilson

Caleb Chapman Music

Show Hope Now

And a VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Dennis at The Joy FM for helping me get the tickets to the Saturday show in Lakeland at the Victory Church when I missed the concert I had tickets for on Friday night at Countryside Christian! THANK YOU DENNIS!!!!!

Steven’s Beautiful Family, Including Maria Sue on his lap : I do not own the rights to this image.. from google images copyright Tucker Photography