What are people’s perceptions of your own marriage when you’re the person who wrote songs played and sang in countless weddings? What do they find when they watch you navigate a tragedy in the public eye? And those living outside the glass house can misunderstand how lonely it can be on the inside.
Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman joined Ben and Lynley to talk about what it’s like to live in a highly public ministry. They tackle misconceptions about loneliness, expectations of their family, and how God has shown himself faithful in their hardships.
Got feedback, questions, or ideas for a future episode? Email us at president@lifeway.com.
Listen and subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Quotes:
“Sometimes we make ourselves lonely out of fear or hurt from the past.”
“(Pain) doesn’t go away. But God has provided. And we can point to places where he has shown up. He continues to show is his goodness in the land of the living.”
“Popularity, fame ,and celebrity are confused as satisfaction in life and depth in relationships. But opposite is true. The more well known you are the more difficult it is to have real, authentic relationships.”
“There’s value in having people in your life who aren’t connected to you through ministry.”
“Pastors and spouses need counsel and encouragement about how open there are with their problems and with whom. If you’re too guarded, you’re plastic. But if you’re too open, you’re susceptible to being hurt.”
Links:
Check out Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope, where Mary Beth writes about losing their daughter and the path that God put the family on after the tragedy.
Order Between Heaven and the Real World, Steven Curtis Chapman’s autobiography.
Learn more about Lifeway’s Great Alaskan Adventure Cruise with Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman coming in 2023!
Show Credits:
Produced and Edited by: Angie Elkins Media
Original Music by: Robert Elkins
Sound Engineering by: Dale Sandberg
Art Work by: Cameron Spooner