A couple of years ago, Steven Curtis Chapman, a Christian singer, lost his youngest daughter to an accident in their driveway. His son was driving the car and didn’t see her and accidentally struck her. She passed away later on that day. The whole event is tragic and devestating on so many levels that it’s really hard to wrap your head around it.
This family has gone through grief and struggle and Chapman put out a new album, called Beauty Will Rise, and frankly, I think it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard. It’s honest. It’s raw. It’s real. Most importantly, it’s hopeful. It is the most real thing that I’ve heard in contemporary Christian music and maybe that’s why it felt like a bit of fresh air to me. He talks about his struggle and his pain, but he also talks about his hope, and well….it’s simply beautiful. I cried while I listened to it the first time. And each time since, I’ll catch myself with a little tear of comfort in my eye.
Our God is in Control
Steven Curtis ChapmanThis is not how it should be
This is not how it could be
This is how it is
And our God is in controlThis is not how it will be
When we finally will see
We’ll see with our own eyes
He was always in controlAnd we’ll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
And we will finally really understand what it means
So we’ll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
While we’re waiting for that dayThis is not where we planned to be
When we started this journey
But this is where we are
And our God is in controlThough this first taste is bitter
There will be sweetness forever
When we finally taste and see
That our God is in controlAnd we’ll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
And we will finally really understand what it means
So we’ll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
While we’re waiting for that dayWe’re waiting for that day
We’ll keep on waiting for that day
And we will rise
Our God is in control(Holy, holy, holy) x2
Our God is in control
(Holy, holy, holy)
Our God is in control
(Holy, holy, holy)
Michelle, I remember that awful day, getting an email from the Steven Curtis Chapman website, telling us about the terrible tragedy that had happened to their family. I remember praying for Will Franklin, that the Lord would be especially close to him as he dealt with the reality of what happened that day. I remember praying for Steven and MaryBeth that God would give them wisdom, to not only deal with Maria death’s but how to deal with the deep sorrow that their son would be feeling. I, as a mother who has lost a child, can’t even begin to comprehend how I would deal with a tragedy like this. This could have destroyed a family, that did not have Christ as the center of their life. Yes there is terrible loss and sadness, but it is not a sadness without hope. For we have that hope in Christ, that death is not an end, but a wonderful beginning to eternal life with Christ. You know, as I do, that you still hurt and you still grieve, and you have days that are unbearable, and you wonder if you will ever see the sun again. You wonder if you will ever laugh again, or even go on with every day ordinary. mundane daily living, but you do. Christ walks with you as you walk through that dark valley of the shadow of death, and you do come out on the other side, and you do laugh again, and some of us have more children, not to fill the hole left behind by the child we lost, but we have so much love to give and we want to share it. Christ has not promised us a life without trials, but He has promised us that as we go through those trials we will not be alone. I have seen Steven a couple of times since Maria’s death and I have watched him as he sang that beautiful song about Maria, I’ll dance with Cinderella, and I cried right alone with every other person in that auditorium. They have turned this tragedy into one of hope and grace and blessing..I can’t wait to buy his new cd and cry right along with this one too
I will definitely check this out per your recommendation 🙂
Ooooh I am going to check it out. The lyrics are beautiful.
…what a Savior. He is everywhere in these journals of yours, sifting, refining, readying. It’s past Michelle preaching the gospel to current Michelle.
“man of sorrows, what a name,
for the son of God who came.
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah!
What a savior.”