A Night With The Chapmans

On October 4, 2010, our family drove to Houston, Texas, to spend "A Night With The Chapmans".  Steven Curtis Chapman, his wife, Mary Beth, and their sons Caleb and Will Franklin are on tour as a family this fall.

As I posted HERE, our family was able to meet Steven Curtis Chapman and his sons back in May, just before Chrissie went to live with Jesus.  This back stage meeting was a tremendous source of encouragement for our family back before we even realized that Chrissie would be joining Maria Sue Chapman in Heaven, and little did we realize that Chrissie would dance with Jesus just 3 days after our meeting with Steven Curtis Chapman.

So, as a birthday gift to my husband, I purchased tickets for our entire family to attend A Night With The Chapmans on the eve of Chrissie's 5th birthday, which was a tremendous blessing to us all.

Our 7 kiddos posing in their 147 Million Orphan gear in front of the Steven Curtis Chapman gear at the concert.

We were able to attend a special Q&A session before the concert started.

This photo is of Steven Curtis Chapman singing Cinderella.  If you look on the screen in the upper section of the photo, you'll notice the video footage that showed up when I snapped the photo of Steven Curtis Chapman dancing with his cinderella.  Matt and Chrissie danced to Cinderella on her last night in our home.  It's so hard to listen to the Cinderella song now, but I love the new ending that SCC wrote to this song.  Instead of saying, "When the clock strikes midnight, she'll be gone.", it now says, "the dance will go on."  Yes, the dance goes on.  Chrissie is dancing with Jesus while we learn this new dance on earth without her, but we are forever grateful for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ who freely gifts us the promise that one day we'll dance with Chrissie again for all eternity.

If you haven't already purchased Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to SEE, I HIGHLY recommend it!  It's one of the top books on the NY Times bestseller list, and I know why!!!

After the concert, we met with Will Franklin Chapman.  He's the one who was driving the vehicle when his baby sister, Maria Sue, went to live with Jesus.  This boy is a real hero.  I cannot imagine walking in his shoes, but he's done it with such amazing grace and integrity that comes through Him.  He is a walking testament of Jesus' mercy.  Will Franklin is an amazing encouragement to our children because there are not a lot of support groups out there for kids who are grieving the loss of their adopted little sister who they loved with all their hearts.  Will Franklin was so sweet to our kids, especially to our 10-year-old, Sawyer, who has such a tender heart.  Sawyer's face was swollen and blotched with red from all of his tears, and Will Franklin just reached out and grabbed him and hugged him and encouraged him.  Thank you, Will Franklin, for who you are and your sweet, sweet, compassionate heart; for living out life with integrity for His glory after such tragedy.  Satan would have loved to take your life in a different direction, but through Him, you are victorious and will always be a hero in our book.

PS  The Chapmans have a ritual of doing "rock face" photos in memory of their Maria Sue.  Will Franklin suggested we do a silly photo, which was just what Sawyer needed, and somehow Will Franklin knew that.  Well, I know how he "somehow" knew that.  Thank you, again, Will Franklin.  (Sawyer is the boy right next to Will Franklin Chapman in this photo.) 

And this photo has Caleb Chapman front and center.  Caleb is so kind...he was instrumental in connecting our family with his dad back in San Antonio at the Seaworld concert.  And, BTW,  Caleb's band ROCKS, and he seems to be carrying the torch of his father with his music.  Will Franklin is the drummer in Caleb's band.  And both Caleb and Will Franklin played in their dad's band during the concert.  How cool would that be...to have a band with father and two sons?  God is so good.

Thank you, God, for using The Chapmans in so many amazing ways.  We have been blessed by not only the awesome music of Steven Curtis Chapman, but also Mary Beth Chapman's book Choosing to SEE, and the testimony that they so freely share for your glory, in their grief.