Category: ondemand

A Chat with Steven Curtis Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman, the most awarded artist in Christian music history, spoke with Family Life Radio and shared what brings him joy.

Steven couldn’t help but express his delight in being a grandfather: “I have a lot of things that bring me joy; six in particular things that all call me ‘Pop Pops’ and my wife, ‘Grammy.’”

In a world where family dynamics can be complicated, Steven’s joy in his grandchildren is a reminder that family is a gift from God to be cherished. Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” (NIV).

Steven’s relationship with his sons, Caleb and Will Franklin, goes beyond the typical father-son dynamic. “My sons, who are amazing musicians, played music with me on the road for about five years. They are making great music with their band called Colony House. And in fact, my two boys went in the studio with me, along with other guys, and helped me produce some of my new music.”

Steven says it was a “very cool thing for me to get to have my two sons who grew up playing music, learning and playing music with me, now being part of producing and helping me create new music.”

Working together in ministry or any God-given talent can not only strengthen family bonds but also glorify God.

“Of course, music still brings me great joy,” Steven smiles. “I’m still so thankful. I’m still kind of blown away every time I pick up a guitar. People get quiet and listen and let me sing a song to them.”

Music has the power to uplift, heal and bring us closer to God.

Steven and his wife Mary Beth will celebrate their 40^th wedding anniversary in the fall of 2024. He candidly admits, “We’re still on the journey. We’re still figuring it out. We’re still messing it up – me in particular. We don’t have it figured out yet, but there’s still great joy in our journey together. We’re empty nesters now, which is wonderful and kind of scary. It’s very quiet sometimes, but we’re also beginning to learn that there’s a whole lot of fun that we can have.”

He also finds joy in seeing his children thrive. One is a college cheerleader, another is pursuing a master’s degree in social work and they’re all doing great things. It’s like watching seeds you’ve planted grow and flourish, and for him, that’s a source of immense joy.

Steven summed it up: “It’s just fun watching all of my kids and my family thrive and do great things.”

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

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More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and author, David Crowder offered wisdom and guidance in a conversation with Family Life Radio that can help us navigate life’s twists and turns.

Crowder reminds us to cherish the present moment, “There are little, bitty things that you can go, ‘Man, what a gift to be here right now!’” Every moment is a gift from God, and by embracing it, we can find joy and contentment.

Crowder emphasizes, “God is in control. God’s never been out of control…. He set up nations and He folds them away (Job 12:23). He puts things in your hands and He takes them. And I think if we just have our hands open and go, ‘Thank you for what you have placed in my hands. Let me be responsible and let me treat it delicately.”

We are entrusted as good stewards with talents and resources God gives, and it’s our responsibility to use them wisely.

And then Crowder challenges us with the question, “Can you love your neighbor as you love yourself?” This echoes Jesus’ teaching in Mark 12:31, where He commands us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In a world often marked by division and conflict, cultivating empathy and compassion for others is a powerful way to live out our faith.

Crowder says, “When I’m thinking of my difficulty, it’s very hard for me to see the difficulty that someone else has and what’s been asked of them. If we could get to that next part of the living outside, looking to the person to our left and right in front of us, that would be super helpful for where we are – not just as s country but in our neighborhoods. That would change a lot.”

In times of distraction and turmoil, Crowder shares a practical solution to prioritize daily Scripture reading. “I went back to scripture. My wife and I started just reading the Bible every day. … and if it’s genuinely God’s inspired voice to His people through His people as well? Man, it’ll change you. And it changes the outlook. You put the phone away, get out the Bible and things start looking more and more hopeful because that’s the story.”

When we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, it illuminates our way and brings hope to our hearts.

Crowder reminds us “The story is broken, but all of creation is to be redeemed.” This is the essence of the gospel message. Despite the brokenness of the world, Jesus came to redeem and restore it.”

And then there’s the transformative power of spending time in God’s Word. “You’ve got to be in Scripture every day. [Without it,] I don’t know how you get through it,” Crowder shared. Daily immersion in the Word strengthens our faith and equips us to face life’s challenges.

The call to cultivate empathy and compassion, and the comfort found in daily scripture reading, can serve as anchors in turbulent times. Remembering God’s ultimate plan to restore all of creation, offers hope beyond our current circumstances.

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Ruth Chou Simons on Divine Mercy

In this interview with Ruth Chou Simons on Family Life Radio, she had some real talk about the tension we all feel—wanting to be superwomen but realizing we’re just not. And guess what? That’s not only okay; it’s actually a gift – the gift of knowing we need more. Enjoy the conversation.

Ruth said, “We’re always bombarded with messages saying we should be self-sufficient? Like, just buy this book, take this course and voila, you’re unstoppable.” But Ruth flips the script. She says, “Those are all tools. It’s great. But at the core, when you come up short and you realize at the very basic level, I need a Savior and I can’t overcome, that’s mercy to know that you can have Jesus.”

Ruth admits, “It took me a while to recognize it was such a mercy. When I feel like I’m lacking, it’s His mercy because it’s God being so merciful that I could come to any point in my day and recognize I don’t have what it takes.”

So, the next time you’re drowning in laundry or feeling like you’re failing at this whole mom thing, remember it’s a nudge from God. It’s Him saying, “Hey, you don’t have to be everything because I am.”

Everyday Struggles Are Part of the Journey

Ruth gets it. She says, “It’s the feeling, the inner sense that I don’t have what it takes, and I’m struggling. That causes us to cry out to a God who wants to supply our every need.”

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. And it’s not a sign that you’re failing in your faith. It’s an invitation to lean on God more. Ruth puts it beautifully: “So we would know that He is a provider, if we did have a need, if we didn’t recognize day by day that – I’m not as cool as I think I am. Sometimes I really don’t have what it takes.”

“I need a God who is so much better than my very best.”

No Seminary Degree Required

When it comes to understanding God better, Ruth has some down-to-earth advice. “You don’t have to go to seminary to become a theologian,” she says. Start with the Bible passage you’re reading today and ask, “What does this tell me about who God is?”

Ruth says, “Sometimes we think that it’s our job to learn those things like somebody going to seminary, and they’re going to really understand the deep truths of God’s Word. But the truth is, you and I need to understand why He’s omnipotent, why He is all powerful.”

God describes Himself in His Word. Those are the attibutes of God. Ruth encourages, “There are great Bible studies out there. But going to the Word and on a practical level, if you feel like sometimes you’re, ‘not getting something out of your time in the Word,’ one practical thing is to start by saying, ‘What do I learn about who God is in today’s section that I’m reading, and what other part of the Bible helps me understand this further or understand who He is in fullness?”

Ruth continues, “Because it’s not ever just one verse. It’s understanding who He is as a whole.”

And let’s not forget the power of community. “We were meant to live in community with others talking about who God is, talking about how you’re walking with Him. That makes a big difference,” Ruth adds.

God’s Beauty is Everywhere

Ruth also encourages us to engage with God in more ways than one. “He didn’t have to make a sunrise pink, but He did,” she says. “I think I included hymns in part [of my book, Pilgrim], because I think I created multi-sensory ways of engaging Him on purpose.”

Whether it’s through a hymn that stirs your soul or a walk where you marvel at God’s creation, He’s given us many ways to connect with Him.

So, let’s not limit our faith journey to just Sunday mornings or a quick Bible verse on a sticky note. “I try to engage the Lord and try to grow my faith in multiple ways every day,” Ruth shares. Let’s live it, breathe it and engage with it in all the beautiful ways God has provided.

Let’s embrace these moments as divine nudges, pulling us closer to the One who fills all our gaps with His endless mercy. Because in your “not enough,” you find more of Him. And that’s the most beautiful gift of all.

Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. Through her online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys — their greatest adventure. Learn more at gracelaced.com. Follow Ruth on social  https://www.instagram.com/ruthchousimons/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/@RuthChouSimons

https://www.facebook.com/gracelaced/

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Wisdom from Steven Curtis Chapman

In a world that seems increasingly divided, many Christ-followers find themselves wrestling with how to navigate these tumultuous times. Steven Curtis Chapman, a celebrated Christian artist, shared some thoughts with the Family Life Radio team that offers a reflective pause.

Steven started off by echoing the sentiments of many, saying, “I have, like all of us, been deeply troubled by and just concerned by the division that has happened in our world, in our nation and our churches.” His point hits close to home for so many of us as we also experience a sense of turmoil and division. So what’s the first step? Steven says, “I have prayed a lot and wrestled with it personally.”

Jesus often retreated to pray when confronted with monumental tasks. Wrestling with God isn’t a sign of weak faith but a deep engagement with Him. When faced with division in your community or your heart, praying and wrestling with God could bring more clarity than you might think.

Steven suggest we ask, “What is it going to look like to be faithful with this moment?” He goes on to say, “I believe God has always spoken into  moments throughout history – through His people and through His followers. Sometimes you see it profoundly at the time. Sometimes it’s not until years later. You can almost trace it and say, ‘Well, you know, what God was saying through His people during that time was profound and was more impactful than maybe we even realized at the time.’ We’ve also seen times when we wonder, ‘God, where are your people?’”

Steven offers a second question: “What does it look like to steward this moment in history – even for me personally?” He admits he has wrestled with it, particularly from a place of leadership from the platform. And he says, “I’ve written a whole new album full of songs that really have been responses to a lot of that for me personally, as I’ve wrestled with it and considered what does it look like right now for God’s people?”

The Power of Kindness

One solution to the divisive atmosphere comes from a book that deeply impacted Steven—Barry Corey’s “Love Kindness.” Steven reflected on Jesus’ approach to a world often against Him, saying, “He did it by the way of kindness.” In a society that frequently equates kindness with weakness, this message is counter cultural. Yet, as Steven says, “The worst of the worst in His culture wanted Him hanging around; something was going on with that.”

Jesus’ kindness was never a compromise; it was His strategy for engagement. Kindness has the ability to break down walls and assumptions, allowing for a deeper conversation about faith, life and God’s love.

Next time you find yourself at odds with someone, try kindness as your first line of defense.

“Barry Corey, the president of Biola University in California talks in his amazing book about what it’s going to look like for us as followers of Jesus, as people of faith – followers of what we believe to be the way the truth and the life in Christ – to really engage in our culture. That [culture] has never felt more, in many ways, opposed to the message of Christian faith or at least more divided even around how we’re going to convey that and how we’re going to engage with the culture.”

Firm Center, Soft Edges

Steven offers a compelling paradigm for believers today, one of having a “firm center but soft edges.” He suggests that our core beliefs, grounded in the Bible and our relationship with God, can remain unshaken even as we adopt a gentler approach to sharing those beliefs with others.

This concept of ‘firm center, soft edges’ offers a middle ground for those of us struggling with maintaining our convictions while avoiding harshness or judgment. It’s not a dilution of faith, but an application of it that reflects Jesus’ own methods.

Role of Peacemakers:

“Jesus said, it’s gonna be the peacemakers,” Steven reminded us, echoing the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus proclaimed, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9 KJV). In a world where your worth can often be measured by the strength of your arguments, this teaching from Jesus and reminder from Steven is refreshing.

Steven emphasized, “It’s going to be those who look for the opportunity to build a bridge instead of a wall and engage with each other in love, knowing ultimately that God the one who knows the answers and not us. We’re going engage with each other in a way that says let’s try to find ways to make peace, and that has just really been convicting for me.”

If you’re trying to figure out how to engage with people who hold differing views being a peacemaker offers a Christ-like strategy.

Steven urges us to be open to difficult conversations, encouraging, “Let’s try to find ways to make peace.”

As Christ-followers, our role is not to win an argument but to reflect Jesus’ love. “Let’s have that dialogue in those kinds of conversations,” Steven said, stressing the importance of mutual respect and listening in our interactions.

By taking a peacemaker’s approach, we become facilitators of unity rather than contributors to division. When we echo Steven’s sentiments and act as peacemakers, we open the door for God to move in ways we might not expect.

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

6 Takeaways from Patrick Mayberry’s Story Behind the Song

Have you ever felt like you’re running life’s race alone? Patrick Mayberry, a seasoned worship leader, felt the same way until he penned the song “Holy Spirit Come.” His journey offers valuable insights that can profoundly impact your faith walk. Let’s explore six takeaways from Patrick’s story behind the song.

“I have been a church worship leader for a long time, and I like to have fun. I remember the day we wrote [‘Holy Spirit Come’]. I was with two buddies, and I was like – ‘Guys, let’s just write a fun song.’ I got this idea in my head. And it really was birthed out of a song I saw [us] singing at my church. We walk in here, and anyone who is calling on the name of Jesus, we have a spirit of God living in us.”

1. Rely on the Holy Spirit, Not Just Yourself
   

Patrick candidly shared, “I will walk through life so many times and try to face everything on my own, I’ll be in my marriage on my own.”

Sound familiar? It’s easy to rely solely on your own strength, forgetting the Helper you have in the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14 ESV). So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, remember that you don’t have to go it alone.

      2. Be Conscious of the Holy Spirit’s Presence

“So often I forget, oh, yeah. I’ve got the Spirit of God living in me,” Patrick admitted. “I will stand on stage and lead worship at my church. And try to do it on my own on my own power.”

You too might forget that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19, ESV).

Being aware of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence can change your entire outlook.

Imagine walking into a room, whether it’s your workplace or home, fully aware that you carry the Spirit of God within you. How would that change your interactions and decisions?

      3. Seek Continuous Filling

Patrick’s song is a call for more—more healing, more deliverance, more freedom and more of God’s voice. He said, “We need more; we need a new filling of the Spirit. We need more healing. We need more deliverance. We need more freedom. We need more of the voice of God in our lives with new revelation.”

Being filled with the Spirit is a continuous journey. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (ESV). Make it a habit to seek God’s presence daily through prayer and worship.

      4. Openness to God’s Work

Patrick shares, “I remember saying, ‘I want the song to feel like a posture or a stance that we’re at the start of a race.’ I’m not running this alone. I’m running with the Holy Spirit.” He prayed, “God, my hands are open, and I’m not going to forget that you’re in the pit; you’re here, make me open and aware to what you’re doing.”

Openness to God’s work in your life can lead to transformative experiences. Acts 16:14 tells us about Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to Paul’s message. Are you open and attentive to what God wants to do in your life?

      5. Apply Your Faith in All Areas of Life

Patrick encourages us to bring this awareness into all areas – church, work, relationships. He said, “Let’s come into church. Let’s go to work. Let’s go into our relationships, knowing that we have [Holy Spirit] power available to us.”

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23 ESV).

When you remember you’re empowered by the Holy Spirit, it changes how you engage with every aspect of your life.

6. Embrace the Journey as a Race

“I want the song to feel like a posture or a stance that we’re at the start of a race. And … I’m running this with the Holy Spirit,” Patrick continues.

Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (ESV). Knowing you’re not alone in your journey can bring both comfort and courage. It’s about having a posture of openness to what God is doing in your life.

Patrick’s “Holy Spirit Come” is more than a song; it’s a rallying cry for Christ-followers to remember they’re not alone. You have the Holy Spirit with you, empowering you to live a life that glorifies God.

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Ruth Chou Simons on Craving God’s Word

In a recent interview with Family Life Radio, Ruth Chou Simons, the founder of GraceLaced.com, shared some invaluable insights about faith, surrender and our relationship with God.

Your spiritual journey is a two-way street. God is always there, knowing what you need before you do. But it takes an act on your part to choose to turn to Him, to surrender and to make room for Him in your life.

1. God Knows Your Worries, So Surrender Them

Ruth acknowledges, “God already knows everything, right? So it’s not like He’s not surprised by the things that I’m worried about.” He is already aware of your deepest concerns and fears. But why then should you still voice them to Him? Ruth explains, “The reason why He asks us to cast our cares on Him is that we can find Him faithful.”

Surrendering your worries to God is not about informing Him of your troubles; it’s about adopting a posture of surrender.

Ruth says, “We’re not asking Him for help like we’re asking like a personal assistant. We’re saying, ‘You are all powerful.’ That posture actually sets us up so that we realize, ‘okay, I could pick this back up and shoulder it all again. … I’ll drag this another mile,’ or I can start with ‘I think God is one that’s powerful.’”

“When you go to Him and say, ‘I need your help,’ that is a posture of surrender and submission,” Ruth says. It’s a way of acknowledging that God is all-powerful and we are not.

      2. God Has a Plan, Trust It

God has always had a plan for you. Ruth shared, “When you look at Scripture, you realize He’s had a plan since the beginning. He’s always known; He’s always had a plan. He had a plan to save us and to redeem us even before we even realized we needed saving.”

God’s plan for you is far greater than anything you could imagine for yourself.

When you keep picking up your worries, you’re essentially doubting God’s plan and His character. “So if that’s the truth, then that will affect whether or not we want to keep picking it back up,” Ruth points out. Trusting in God’s plan means laying down our worries and not picking them back up.

      3. The Character of God

Ruth circles back to the character of God, emphasizing that our doubts and fears often stem from a misunderstanding of who God is. “The reality is, when I think like that, I’m actually forgetting who God is. I’m thinking that I’m God and He’s not.”

She recalls the story of Eve in the Garden of Eden, who doubted God’s goodness and thought she could take control. “It’s said she thought perhaps God was holding out on her, that He knew something that she could take for herself and know everything God knows.”

Ruth admits that she often acts like that, doubting whether God truly has her best interests at heart. “When I finally let God be God, turns out that’s what we were made for,” she shares.

      4. Staying Rooted in Scripture

It’s so importatnt to stay rooted in Scripture, especially when life throws curveballs our way. Ruth confesses, “I don’t follow my own rules super well. So even if I’m just like, ‘I will use this Bible reading plan and I will read this exactly,’ I’m quitting by Leviticus or something.”

She likens our spiritual appetite to our physical one, saying, “I feel like I always bring things back to food. My natural propensity is to want to eat flaming Cheetos. But you realize what happens with the human body is, once you actually have really good food, you start craving what your body thrives on.”

The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. “I don’t know practically how to increase my appetite for God’s Word except to actually cut off how much I’m filled up by lesser things,” she encourages. Whether it’s social media, Netflix or gaming, we need to take a personal inventory of what’s filling us up but not satisfying us.

As Ruth so eloquently puts it, “Your ability to be anchored in God’s Word is going to be a combination of actually making time and choosing to make time, because we make time for everything, but choosing also to remove the things that are filling you up.”

Take a moment today to reflect on what fills you but doesn’t satisfy you, and make the conscious choice to seek what does – your relationship with God.

Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. Through her online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys — their greatest adventure. Learn more at gracelaced.com.

Follow Ruth on social  https://www.instagram.com/ruthchousimons/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/@RuthChouSimons
https://www.facebook.com/gracelaced/

Want more? Check out our on demand resources

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Completely Undone with Patrick Mayberry

Singer and songwriter, Patrick Mayberry opened up about his journey into becoming an artist, a path filled with self-doubt and questions about his own worth. During a conference, he experienced a profound spiritual moment where he felt the Holy Spirit working within him, breaking down his fears and insecurities.

“Stepping into being an ‘artist,’ was a loose term I really wrestled with for a long time,” Patrick confesses, “because I was like, Who am I? What do I have to offer? I was actually at a conference, and I let my guard down on accident, because I was just really enjoying the conference. I feel like the Holy Spirit used that opportunity to undo some things in me, and really, I just fell apart!”

He described this experience as a catalyst, a time when he felt seen and loved by God. “I was like, Wait. What? Who me? How could you use a guy like me?”

Patrick felt God’s invitation to let go of his fears and to step into a bigger calling.

“I felt like a lot of things got put in me just out of pure fear and lack of qualification. And God invited me to let go of a lot of those things. This was a big catalyst moment. I’m not a huge crier, but I couldn’t get it together for two days.”

“God saw me, and He liked me, and He was like, ‘I’ve put things in you that I would love for you to unleash into the world and into the church.’”

Patrick continues, “It’s kind of a wild moment. There’s been a lot of unpacking and prayer to just sift through what that looks like.”

He likened it to getting out of a boat. This moment marked a significant turning point for him, leading him to embrace his gifts and the purpose God has for him in the world and the church.

“That was a big moment for me to realize …. Am I going to put away my lack of qualifications, fears or doubts? God invited me to get out of the boat. He didn’t say, ‘I need you to swim.’ He just said, ‘I want you get out of the boat, and I’ll take care of the rest.’ So that’s kind of the journey I want right now.”

It’s a journey Patrick is still on, filled with prayer and reflection, as he continues to explore what God’s calling looks like for him.

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

How Crowder Finds Perspective in the Creative Process

Where creativity intertwines with faith, contemporary Christian artist, David Crowder paints an intriguing landscape of thoughts about his writing process. In a conversation with Family Life Radio, Crowder shared about his creativity, collaboration and the ventures we engage in.

Crowder illustrates his creative process with a tender metaphorical touch, likening it to a cautious collector, awaiting the right gust of inspiration to sift through collected musings and piece together a coherent picture.

“When the wind starts blowing, I have stuff that I’ve collected, and I can sort through and put something together. But when you’re putting it together, it feels like two things.”

His narrative unfolds with poetic comparisons to a fragile soap bubble floating, an elusive conversation heard through a wall and a cautious descent down a ladder in darkness.

“If you’ve ever washed dishes, you’re standing over the sink and maybe like a little soap bubble pops up and it starts floating,” Crowder shares. “It’s kind of hovering in the air, and you’re scared to look directly at it. So, you just look away because you know if you look right at it, it’s going to pop. So you don’t.”

Crowder continues, “Or you’re listening to a conversation that’s happening on the other side of the wall, and you can only make out a few words or syllables, so you try to piece it together. Or it’s like climbing down a ladder at night, and so you’re looking for your foot on the next rung of the latter and then, ‘Oh, this feels good. I’ll step on that.’”

Crowder’s depiction holds an inviting gentleness in it, suggesting God’s voice in a whisper accompanies the strokes of creativity.

The Beating Heart of Collaboration

“Selfless is the component of all collaboration,” Crowder says. Collaboration drafts an image of a nurturing environment where every idea finds validation, opening the door to a space free for authentic expression.

“So in thinking about song, if you’re in a room, everybody is super aware of an idea that they have laid out in front of everyone. And so you’ve got to create an environment where it feels like every idea is valid. And that would be the same for any kind of relationship,” Crowder shares.

“You want to create an environment where you’re not judged in a moment where you’re the most vulnerable.”

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (NIV).

Where do you sit?

Shifting your gaze from a story focused on yourself to being part of God’s grander narrative invites a fresh and potentially transforming perspective. “It depends on where something (or someone) is located to have the proper view,” Crowder continues. “The main perspective has to do with –where do I sit in the story of God? … I’m going to have a better outlook if I understand I’m a part of what God’s writing rather than mine.”

Crowder emphasizes finding your identity in Christ as the cornerstone for a balanced life. “It’s the most difficult thing for a human to see outside of themselves because we feel like we’re the center of things. And that’s what’s beautiful about the moment when all of the universe shifted from earth perspective to the sun as the center, and we were revolving around it. Then oh, the moon doesn’t glow, it’s just a ball that’s reflecting. So perspective is EVERYTHING!”

Galatians 2:20 says, “I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me” (NCV).

“When you understand that your identity is not in your personhood, but in the person, who of Christ, hat thing will flip your world view immediately. If you get that, you get what Christ is about and being a part of His story. That’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

God in the Rhythm with Steven Curtis Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman, a titan in the world of Christian music, sat down with Family Life Radio for a brief conversation. With a career that spans over three decades, the artist reveals the secret behind his incredible success is a delicate balance of creativity and discipline.

“Creativity and discipline are not really good friends,” Steven begins. “Usually you’re like one running from the other. Creativity says, ‘Don’t put disciplines on me’ because, you got to let the wind blow you wherever it’s going to go, and you get ride the wave wherever it takes you.”

Many of us who feel that these two elements run counter to each other would agree with him. The Bible itself celebrates creativity as an image of God the Creator. Yet, Steven adds, “If I’m ever going to actually deliver something of significance, it’s going to require me to rein some of this in, try to capture it and that does require discipline.”

Steven points to a biblical principle easily overlooked: creativity thrives in the boundary of discipline. Consider the creation story; God created the world in a specific sequence, a form of discipline, making room for abundant life to flourish.

The Overflows of the Heart

Drawing from the wisdom of songwriter Michael Card, Steven emphasizes that “the best songs that he would write are not songs that come from him scraping the bottom of the barrel, but it’s overflow. It’s going to be what is actually coming out of my own personal experience of the grace of God, and God at work in my life.”

Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34 ESV). The most touching creations don’t come from a forced effort but from the overflow of a relationship with God.

Our creativity finds its purest form when it spills over from a heart full of God’s grace and wisdom.

“It’s just continuing to return to God’s Word,” Steven encourages. Jesus also said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 ESV).

Continually Return to God’s Word

Steven admits, “I don’t always do that. Even at this point in my life, struggling to go daily into  alone time with God, but there’s no question that the most impactful creative things that happen … would never come out of me without the discipline of taking and making time to be still, to be quiet, to listen, to read what God has to say and allow that to do its work in our heart – that would then create this overflow. That has truly been the things that have been most impactful.”

In our noisy world, Psalm 46:10’s call to “Be still, and know that I am God” often gets drowned out. Yet, according to Steven, it is precisely this practice that allows God’s truth to “do its work in our heart,” transforming both our art and our lives.

Pressing In During Pain

Life is not without its struggles. Steven shares, “Sometimes it’s out of pain. Sometimes it’s out of wrestling with God over something. ‘God. I’ve got to give this to you again. I’ve got to give it; I don’t understand it. I’m still struggling with this.’ It’s always coming out of those places of pressing in and to use the word discipline, to  make space for that in my life.”

Just like Jacob who wrestled with God and emerged with a blessing (Genesis 32:22-32), pressing into God during painful moments can be a crucible for spiritual growth.

If you find yourself torn between the extremes of wild creativity and rigid discipline, remember that a flourishing walk with God often dances beautifully between the two. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to let our lives and art be an overflow of this incredible relationship we have with God? It’s a challenging yet rewarding dance, and Steven Curtis Chapman shows us that it is possible.

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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.

More Blog for Show: Kankelfritz & Friends

Say “goodbye” to unhealthy relationships

Saying goodbye to a significant relationship can be an emotionally challenging journey. In a thought-provoking interview with Family Life Radio, celebrated author and speaker Lysa Terkeurst shares her wisdom on navigating goodbyes and finding closure.

Drawing from personal experiences and biblical principles, Lysa offers practical advice for approaching these transitions with grace and seeking healing and valuable insights to learn how you can navigate goodbyes and discover a path towards closure, growth and new beginnings.

Lysa emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and avoiding impulsive decisions when considering the end of a relationship. She advises against rushing the process and offers a powerful insight, “I always encourage people take steps, not leaps. … boundaries help us avoid extremes. We don’t want to go from ‘It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine’ to ‘I’m done.”

Lysa’s approach to encourage individuals to take gradual steps rather than abrupt leaps in ending relationships allows for thoughtful consideration and the opportunity to evaluate the impact of boundaries.

By setting boundaries, you demonstrate respect for yourself and the other person involved, fostering healthier closure.

Lysa cautions, “Certainly there are situations where maybe there’s some kind of abuse happening, and you do have to take a leap in order to keep yourself safe and separate from that relationship. But in other [relationships] taking steps, not leaps, means try the boundaries and then you can try a few more boundaries.”

The Biblical Perspective on Goodbyes

By grounding your thoughts in biblical principles, you gain emotional fortitude and clarity. Lysa continues, “When does God call us to say goodbye? Because sometimes it says have nothing to do with these people. If we can have the biblical competence to aid in our thinking around a goodbye, it’ll give us a whole different level of emotional fortitude.”

Scripture provides guidance on handling goodbyes. The apostle Paul warns about individuals lacking responsibility and advises, “Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:5 ESV). There are situations where separation becomes necessary for our wellbeing and spiritual growth. By embracing the biblical perspective, we find strength and reassurance in making difficult decisions.

Creating Moments of Closure

Lysa introduces the concept of “million little funerals” as a means of finding closure. When we experience the loss of a relationship, there are no designated rituals like those observed when someone passes away. “We have a visitation; we have a funeral; we have a celebration of life. We have a graveside service, and the person’s but in a coffin or we scatter their ashes.”

Lisa adds, “When we lose a relationship, nobody’s bringing us casseroles. There’s no grave marker. So it’s like it’s like we’ve lost a significant relationship because of a goodbye. It seems to be that life is going on and we’re just sitting in the sorrow.”

To address this lack of closure for ending a relationship, Lysa encourages you to create your own moments of farewell and healing. Having a mini funeral signifies the release of unmet expectations, unrealistic dreams or relationships that have ended. It allows you to acknowledge and grieve the loss.

God be with you.

Lysa shares a personal experience of removing her wedding ring and placing it inside her childhood Bible as a symbolic farewell. “At the end of the the mini funeral, instead of saying ‘good riddance,’ I like to use ‘goodbye.’ Goodbye started out as the statement, “God be with you.” Then it was shortened to God, B, W, Y, E, and then it was shortened to ‘goodbye.’ But I. I love the thought of sending off a goodbye, even just mentally, by saying God be with you.”

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Through these mini funerals, we honor our emotions, allowing ourselves to grieve, heal and find closure, even if it is not received from the other person involved.

Embracing the grieving process is crucial in order to let go and make space for new beginnings.

Personal Moments of Closure

Navigating goodbyes and finding closure is a challenging but essential part of your journey. Through these rituals, you can honor your emotions, let go of unmet expectations and move forward with newfound strength and peace. By leaning on biblical principles, allowing yourself to grieve, and find closure, you open ourselves to restoration and the promise of the new God has for you.

Want more? Check out our on demand resources

Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.

If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.