What Brings You Joy?
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 40th 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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