TSMSS - A Look Back to the Beginning

I suspect I'm not the only one to feature a Steven Curtis Chapman song this weekend. In fact, I had another post all ready to go, but I'm saving it for another Saturday.

Each year the Dove Awards are presented to honor the Artist of the Year and the Songwriter of the Year, just two of the numerous categories. This year the Artist and Songwriter awards went to SCC. Just the fact that these are his 55th and 56th Dove Awards (not to mention the 5 GRAMMYs he has won!) is mind-boggling. Clearly, he is gifted and anointed by God.

But another factor comes into play that has allowed him to accumulate such an incredible collection of accolades. And that is his consistency and faithfulness in serving God through the years. This was the 40th year for the Dove Awards. SCC won his first two awards at the 20th Dove Awards back in 1989, and he has been a recipient every year since, with the exception of 2003 and 2004.

Is he perfect? Certainly not. (I don't know him personally, but the Bible clearly says all have sinned!) But he has been able to remain true to God and his family in an industry in which Satan has successfully attacked others, resulting in their falls into scandal and regret. While he's certainly not immune to the temptations and lures of the world, especially those which accompany fame and fortune, he's fixed His eyes on Jesus and stayed the course.

And those years of consistent faithfulness are what have enabled him and Mary Beth to persevere through these past 11 months of unspeakable heartache and to be able even to walk up on that stage Thursday night to accept the awards.

"I know the reason why I think we're standing here is not something we ever would have signed up for," Chapman said, with wife Mary Beth by his side and sons Caleb and Will Franklin watching from the front row. "Our hope is not in this life, and thank you all for communicating that, and communicating it more boldly. If we can say anything as a family, a broken family having lost our little girl, it's to let this hope make us so bold." (Source: The Tennessean)

Thursday night's award was rooted in the first award SCC won in 1989 as well as his award- winning song the following year, in 1989. Although he first wrote and sang these songs two decades ago, he's now living them out day by day and is a testimony to their validity and truth. "Everything we’re singing about tonight is true, in the darkest, ugliest, most hopeless places,” Chapman said backstage addressing reporters in the pressroom. “We’re more certain of this hope that we have and we’re more desperate for God.” (Source: Gospel Music Channel)

1989 POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR

HIS EYES
Sometimes His eyes are gentle
And filled with laughter,
And sometimes they cry;
Sometimes there is a fire
Of Holy anger,
In Jesus’ eyes.
But the eyes that saw hope in the hopeless,
That saw through the fault to the need,
Are the same eyes that look down from Heaven
Into the deepest part of you and me.

CHORUS
His eyes are always upon you;
His eyes never close in sleep.
And no matter where you go,
You will always be in His eyes, in His eyes.

Sometimes His voice comes calling
Like rolling thunder,
Or like driving rain;
And sometimes His voice is quiet,
And we start to wonder
If He knows our name.
But He who spoke peace to the water
Cares more for our hearts than the waves,
And the voice that once said "You’re forgiven",
Still says "You’re forgiven" today.

Sometimes I look above me when stars are shining
And I feel so small;
How could the God of heaven and all creation
Know I’m here at all.
But then in silence He whispers,
"My child, I created you too
And you’re my most precious creation;
I even gave my Son for you."

(chorus)

Sometimes His eyes were gentle, and filled with laughter.

WORDS & MUSIC: Steven Curtis Chapman & James Isaac Elliott

And I have always loved this next song. What a beautiful message and hope for dark days!

1990 INSPIRATIONAL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR

HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength,
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me;
No great success to show, No glory on my own,
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know . . .

CHORUS
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes;
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end.
He hears our humble cry and proves again . . .

WORDS AND MUSIC: Steven Curtis Chapman and Jerry Salley

May God continue to comfort the Chapman family and give them new mercies every morning.

More great music for your Saturday can be found at Amy's!


Picture Credits:
SCC Performing - AP Photo
SCC & MBC Accepting Award - The Tennessean