Finding Hope and Healing Through Life's Challenges

 

Summary

### Summary

I grew up in a small town in Kentucky, between Possum Trot and Monkey's Eyebrow. My parents were very young when they got married, and I have one older brother. When I was seven, my family began to change as my dad started to pray during conflicts, asking God to teach him how to be a good father and husband. This transformation brought hope into our messy lives. In high school, I was a shy guitar player and songwriter with dreams of sharing my music. God opened doors for me to record my songs, and I found that my music resonated with people, offering them encouragement and companionship.

My journey has been one of constant learning and vulnerability. Marriage revealed my own brokenness, and God used these challenges to show me things about myself that I couldn't fix on my own. My wife and I, parents of three children, felt our lives were full and busy. However, God had more in store for us. We adopted three girls, including Maria, whom I met in China. This experience was a glorious disruption of our plans, bringing both chaos and immense joy into our lives.

Tragically, our youngest daughter Maria passed away in an accident shortly after her fifth birthday. This loss plunged our family into a long journey of grief, questions, and anger. Despite the deep valleys, I hold onto the promise that God will one day wipe away every tear and make all things whole again. This hope has fueled my music and my desire to encourage others. Even after all these years, I continue to write songs and share my story because God's faithfulness and goodness are what sustain me.

### Key Takeaways

1. Transformation Through Prayer: Witnessing my father's transformation through prayer taught me the power of seeking God's guidance in our lives. His prayers for wisdom in fatherhood and marriage brought hope and change to our family, even amidst ongoing struggles. This reminds us that inviting God into our daily conflicts can lead to profound transformation. [01:00]

2. God's Plans Surpass Our Dreams: My journey from a shy high school musician to a recording artist illustrates how God's plans often exceed our own dreams. By trusting Him, I found opportunities to share my music and encourage others, showing that God can use our talents in ways we never imagined. [02:49]

3. Embracing Brokenness: Marriage and parenthood revealed my own brokenness, which I couldn't fix on my own. God uses these moments to teach us humility and dependence on Him. Recognizing our limitations allows us to experience His grace and strength in our weaknesses. [04:24]

4. The Miracle of Adoption: Adopting our three daughters was a divine disruption that brought immense joy and complexity to our lives. This experience taught us about God's heart for the orphaned and the beauty of expanding our family through adoption, reflecting His love and care for us. [05:10]

5. Hope in the Midst of Grief: The loss of our daughter Maria was a profound valley of grief and questions. Yet, the promise that God will one day wipe away every tear and make all things whole again has been a source of hope. This assurance sustains us through the darkest times, reminding us of God's ultimate redemption. [08:08]

### Youtube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Childhood and Family Background
[01:00] - Transformation Through Prayer
[01:45] - High School Dreams and Music
[02:49] - Journey as a Musician
[03:30] - Marriage and Personal Brokenness
[04:24] - Adoption Journey
[05:10] - Founding Show Hope
[06:00] - Tragic Loss of Maria
[07:27] - Journey Through Grief
[08:08] - Hope and God's Faithfulness
[08:45] - Continuing the Story Through Music
[09:30] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
2. Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
3. Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

#### Observation Questions
1. What transformation did the speaker witness in his father when he began to pray during conflicts? ([01:00])
2. How did the speaker's journey as a musician begin, and what impact did his music have on others? ([02:49])
3. What were some of the challenges and blessings the speaker experienced through adoption? ([05:10])
4. How did the speaker and his family cope with the tragic loss of their daughter Maria? ([07:27])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does James 1:5 relate to the speaker's father's transformation through prayer? What does this teach us about seeking God's guidance in difficult times? ([01:00])
2. In what ways does Jeremiah 29:11 reflect the speaker's journey from a shy high school musician to a recording artist? How can this verse encourage us to trust in God's plans for our lives? ([02:49])
3. How does the concept of adoption in the speaker's story reflect God's heart for the orphaned, as seen in the Bible? ([05:10])
4. How does Revelation 21:4 provide hope in the midst of grief, as experienced by the speaker and his family? ([08:08])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you sought God's guidance through prayer during a conflict. How did it transform the situation? ([01:00])
2. Have you ever had a dream or talent that you felt was too small or insignificant? How can you trust God to use it in ways you never imagined, as seen in the speaker's journey? ([02:49])
3. In what areas of your life do you recognize your own brokenness? How can you invite God to reveal and heal these areas, similar to the speaker's experience in marriage and parenthood? ([04:24])
4. Have you ever considered adoption or supporting adoption in some way? How can you reflect God's love and care for the orphaned in your own life? ([05:10])
5. How do you find hope in the promise that God will one day wipe away every tear and make all things whole again? How can this hope sustain you through difficult times? ([08:08])
6. Think of a specific situation where you experienced a "glorious disruption" in your plans. How did it bring unexpected joy or growth into your life? ([05:10])
7. How can you use your personal story and experiences to encourage others, as the speaker does through his music and testimony? ([08:45])

Devotional

Day 1: Transformation Through Prayer
Witnessing the transformation of a loved one through prayer can be a powerful testament to the impact of seeking God's guidance in our lives. When we invite God into our daily conflicts and struggles, we open the door for profound change and hope. This was evident in the life of a family where the father began to pray during conflicts, asking God to teach him how to be a good father and husband. His prayers brought hope and change to the family, even amidst ongoing struggles. This reminds us that no matter how messy our lives may seem, God's guidance can lead to transformation and renewal. [01:00]

James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Reflection: Think of a current conflict or struggle in your life. How can you invite God into this situation through prayer, asking for His wisdom and guidance?


Day 2: God's Plans Surpass Our Dreams
Often, our dreams and aspirations are limited by our own understanding and fears. However, when we trust in God's plans, we may find that He has far greater things in store for us than we could ever imagine. This was the case for a shy high school musician who dreamed of sharing his music. By trusting God, he found opportunities to record his songs and encourage others, showing that God can use our talents in ways we never imagined. This teaches us to trust in God's plans, knowing that He can exceed our expectations and use our gifts for His glory. [02:49]

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: What is one dream or aspiration you have that you feel is beyond your reach? How can you trust God to use your talents and dreams for His greater purpose?


Day 3: Embracing Brokenness
Marriage and parenthood often reveal our own brokenness and limitations. These moments of vulnerability can teach us humility and dependence on God. Recognizing that we cannot fix our own brokenness allows us to experience God's grace and strength in our weaknesses. This was evident in the life of a person who found that marriage revealed aspects of their character that they couldn't fix on their own. God used these challenges to teach them about humility and dependence on Him. Embracing our brokenness can lead to a deeper understanding of God's grace and a stronger reliance on His strength. [04:24]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel broken or inadequate? How can you embrace these weaknesses and rely on God's grace and strength?


Day 4: The Miracle of Adoption
Adoption is a beautiful reflection of God's heart for the orphaned and His love for us. It can bring immense joy and complexity to our lives, as seen in the story of a family who adopted three daughters, including one they met in China. This divine disruption brought both chaos and immense joy into their lives, teaching them about God's love and care for the orphaned. Adoption is a powerful reminder of how God expands His family and shows His love through us. [05:10]

James 1:27 (ESV): "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Reflection: How can you reflect God's heart for the orphaned in your own life? Is there a way you can support or participate in adoption or foster care?


Day 5: Hope in the Midst of Grief
Grief and loss can plunge us into deep valleys of questions and anger. However, the promise that God will one day wipe away every tear and make all things whole again can be a source of hope. This was the experience of a family who lost their youngest daughter in a tragic accident. Despite the profound grief, they held onto the promise of God's ultimate redemption and the hope that He will make all things whole again. This assurance sustains us through the darkest times, reminding us of God's faithfulness and goodness. [08:08]

Revelation 21:4 (ESV): "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Reflection: In times of grief and loss, how can you hold onto the promise of God's ultimate redemption? What steps can you take to find hope and healing in His faithfulness?

Quotes

### Quotes for outreach

1. "I got to see the change that Jesus would make in a heart and in a life in my own dad and my mom and my whole family. It didn't fix everything. There was still. A lot of, we were still a mess, but there was this hope." [01:00] (18 seconds) ( | | )

2. "Even as a kid, I have always been a fixer. Something's broken. I want to fix it. And I think even music, so many of the songs I began to write, as I look back, it was really about, you know, this is what God is doing. It can fix broken things in, in my life, in other people's life." [02:49] (23 seconds) ( | | )

3. "This miracle of adoption just kind of we say it was like the glory of God. It was a glorious wrecking of our plan and, and through our lives upside down in so many ways, but also again, just brought so much goodness and richness in to our lives." [05:10] (20 seconds) ( | | )

4. "A day coming when he's going to wipe every tear from our eyes. He's going to make all the things that are broken whole again, and he's not going to waste any part of our story. And as I've held on to that, as I've written songs about it, I've even written some more new songs." [08:08] (17 seconds) ( | | )

5. "God is still good, He's still faithful, and He still can be trusted. My name is Stephen Curtis Chapman, and I am second." [08:08] (15 seconds) ( | | )

### Quotes for members

1. "I began to realize God was revealing a whole lot of my own brokenness. And I saw the things, you know, pulls back the curtain and you see things about yourself that are not good and that you can't fix." [02:49] (18 seconds) ( | | )

2. "Taking three steps forward. I take two steps back some days, 20 steps back. And I'm going to talk to you about that journey as honestly and as vulnerably as I can." [02:49] (13 seconds) ( | | )

3. "My wife stopped me in the middle of my sentence and said, don't even think about it. We know where there's no room here. We can't do this, you know? And I said, I know, I know. Just pray for Maria. She just, she needs a family." [04:24] (13 seconds) ( | | )

4. "Youngest daughter, Maria, that I mentioned the little girl I met in China that needed a family a few days after her fifth birthday in May of 2008, tragically, she, an accident at our home took her life and spent 14 years of a journey with, with my family of grief and questions and confusion and anger." [07:27] (33 seconds) ( | | )

5. "I want to keep telling that story and keep writing those songs and keep encouraging people because I've needed it. I'm going to need them to remind me tomorrow, but today I can be the one to say, God is still good, He's still faithful, and He still can be trusted." [08:08] (21 seconds) ( | | )

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Oct 27, 2022. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?