Lyrically the album is teeming with the substantive lyrics that have made Chapman the most awarded artist in Christian music with 57 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, five GRAMMYs, 47 No. 1 singles and approaching 11 million albums sold. Musically there’s a sense of adventure that reflects Chapman’s ongoing willingness to experiment and leap out of his comfort zone. He’s never taken the gift of music for granted and approaches each new project both excited and humbled by the possibilities.
“I’m very, very grateful to be given the opportunity to make music and share the things that I feel like God has entrusted to me,” Chapman says. “I don’t take it lightly. I pray: ‘God, I want to know You and I want to make You known.’ God has continued faithfully to reveal Himself through dark places and reveal His mysteriousness. I get the sense that He’s telling an amazing story. He’s not confused. He’s not biting his nails worrying if the plan is going to turn out okay the way I do. He’s fully confident of His plans and He’s in control. That’s been something that I’ve held onto.”
The Glorious Unfolding is Chapman’s 18th album and his first studio album of all-original material in seven years. However, now, more than ever he felt it was time to express these steadfast messages of faithfulness, while successfully blending his trademark sound with musical creativity. “Musically, I really wanted to find those ways to make something that felt very honest and true, and yet very fresh and relevant,” Chapman says. “I felt like this had to be a little bit more exciting and energetic and I was ready to crank it up. It felt like this is the time to do that and celebrate. With this music, you will hopefully hear that and get a sense of the excitement and joy in this record.”
The album’s lead single, “Love Take Me Over,” is an exuberant anthem with an infectious melody that inspires listeners and gives the instant urge to hit repeat. “Even though it’s in the guise of a very fun, up-tempo sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs song, it’s a message and a lesson that I have continued to be in the process of learning,” Chapman says of the song. “I need to be filled with love so that I can be loving in the way I respond. I’m still learning that the only way I want to love others well in my life is when I come to terms daily, sometimes hourly, sometimes in 15 minute increments, with the fact that I am loved fully and completely, not as I should be, but as I am. That drives me, then, to a place of living a life of love for others when I realize that I am loved first. We love because He first loved us.”
One of the many highlights from the album is “Together,” a beautiful song that Chapman wrote for his wife Mary Beth. “In October, we celebrate our 29th anniversary,” he says, acknowledging that the past five years, since their youngest daughter (Maria Sue) was killed in a tragic accident, have been especially trying. “Statistics show that 90% of marriages don’t survive the loss of a child. The fact that we are together celebrating 29 years of marriage is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and God’s grace.”
Chapman delayed playing this song for Mary Beth until it was completely finished, recorded and mixed. “I sat her down and played this for her as we held hands and wept together through this celebration of God’s faithfulness,” he adds, “I’m really hopeful that this song will encourage and minister to people in a deep way.”
The Glorious Unfolding also includes a special song, “Only One and Only You,” written to encourage his daughter Shaohannah. “She’s 13, which tells you a lot of what you need to know about her,” he says with a grin. “It’s that wonderful, incredibly awful time to try to be a young lady in this world and culture. I’m just very, very proud of her and I wanted to just write a song to tell her how amazing she is.”
Other standout tracks include “Something Beautiful,” an up-tempo, forward-thinking song about the unfolding and promises of God, and watching Him turn broken things in life into something good as He’s promised. “Take Another Step,” is another high-energy declaration that talks of taking those steps of faith in times of uncertainty, when the road ahead is completely dark, whether it be good or bad, and fully trusting what God has in store.
Whether encouraging those he’s closest to in this world to see themselves as God sees them or inviting an arena full of fans to sing along in celebration of God’s faithfulness, Chapman has spent his life creating music that makes a difference. The Glorious Unfolding continues that impressive legacy. In listening to the project, it feels like a landmark album, being musically inventive, yet bursting with truth, integrity and emotional gravitas in much the same way as The Great Adventure did when that ground-breaking album released in 1992.
The latest album installment is his second record since signing with Provident Music Group in 2012. His label debut, JOY, served up holiday classics alongside his engaging original tunes. It became the latest entry in the Paducah, Kentucky native’s beloved Christmas catalog and provided Chapman and co-producer Brent Milligan a chance to explore different sounds in the studio. On The Glorious Unfolding, Chapman and Milligan reveled in the chance to experiment further to provide a fresh framework for these new songs, utilizing different textures and techniques to expand on Chapman’s signature sound.
Recorded at Chapman’s home studio, he enlisted son Will Franklin to play drums on six tracks on the album and also engaged other musical pals such as Delirious? alum Stu G on guitar and acclaimed fiddler Andy Leftwich, a member of Ricky Skaggs’ band, Kentucky Thunder, and a key creative force in the making of Chapman's Cracker Barrel release, Deep Roots. On “Sound of Your Voice,” Chapman recruited surprise guests, wife Mary Beth, daughters Emily and Stevey Joy and daughters-in-law Julia Chapman and Jillian Edwards Chapman to sing background vocals.
Recording The Glorious Unfolding was a labor of love for Chapman, helping him give voice to his own joys and challenges and he’s hopeful it will do the same for others. “The theme was this idea that God will complete the story and in fact, He already has completed it and knows the ending,” Chapman says. “Yet a part of the mystery is that He is revealing it in our lives and it’s this unfolding, incredible tale of His love for us. This album gave me a chance to tell that, to celebrate loss and hope and new life. For all of that, I’m really grateful. It really is my hope that people will hear the sound of God’s voice whispering to them: ‘I know the plans I have for you. Will you trust me? Will you trust me through the hard seasons and through the good seasons? The story is good. Will you trust me and watch it unfold?’”
Beginning in September 2014 until April 2015, Chapman revitalized the well-known concert series "Sam's Place: Music for the Spirit" concert series. The series was once a month and was held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville with featured performances by the likes of MercyMe, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Third Day.
With Hope
Steven Curtis Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
The pain of losing you, but...
We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again
And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...
We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so...
We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope
"With Hope" is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that deals with the pain of losing someone dear to us. The lyrics reflect the feelings of a grieving family who had so many hopes and dreams for their loved one, but now have to face the harsh reality of their absence. The lines "This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be, we had so many plans for you, we had so many dreams" express the devastating sense of loss that comes when someone we love is taken away from us.
However, despite the grief and pain, the song emphasizes the importance of hope in the midst of sorrow. The lines "We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope, 'cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no" emphasize the power of hope in turning our tears into a source of strength, and our goodbyes into a promise of reunion. The lines "We have this hope as an anchor, 'cause we believe that everything God promised us is true, so... We wait with hope, and we ache with hope, we hold on with hope, we let go with hope" express the profound assurance that comes when we trust that our loved ones are in God's loving care, and that one day we will be reunited with them in a place where there is no more pain, no more suffering, and no more goodbyes.
Line by Line Meaning
This is not at all how
This situation is completely unexpected and not what we had envisioned.
We thought it was supposed to be
We had assumed that things would turn out differently.
We had so many plans for you
We had many hopes and aspirations for your future.
We had so many dreams
We had envisioned a bright future for you with many possibilities.
And now you've gone away
You are no longer with us.
And left us with the memories of your smile
We treasure the memories we have of you and your joyful presence.
And nothing we can say
There are no words that can adequately express our feelings of loss and sadness.
And nothing we can do
No actions we take can bring you back or remove the pain we feel.
Can take away the pain
The pain associated with your loss is deeply felt and cannot be easily removed.
The pain of losing you, but...
The pain of losing you is significant, however there is still hope to hold on to.
We can cry with hope
We can cry tears of sadness, but we do so with hope in our hearts.
We can say goodbye with hope
We can part ways with you in a positive manner because we have hope for the future.
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
Saying goodbye is not the final chapter in our story together, as we believe we will be reunited.
And we can grieve with hope
We can mourn your loss with a sense of hope for what is to come.
'Cause we believe with hope
Our hope in the future is based on a deep belief system that gives us strength.
(There's a place by God's grace)
Our hope for the future is rooted in a belief in a place of peace and happiness granted by a higher power.
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We believe that you are in a place that we will one day be able to join you and see your face once more.
And never have I known
I have never experienced anything as difficult to understand as this.
Anything so hard to understand
The complexity and difficulty of this situation is challenging to grapple with.
And never have I questioned more
I have never questioned things more than I do now.
The wisdom of God's plan
I am uncertain about whether this situation fits into a larger, divine plan.
But through the cloud of tears
Despite the emotional pain I am experiencing, I still have hope.
I see the Father's smile and say well done
I feel a sense of approval from a higher power, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
And I imagine you
I picture you in a place of happiness and freedom.
Where you wanted most to be
I believe you are in a place that brings you the greatest joy and fulfillment.
Seeing all your dreams come true
Your wildest dreams are now a reality.
'Cause now you're home
The place where you belong is where you are now.
And now you're free, and ...
All burdens and sorrows are now lifted from you.
We have this hope as an anchor
Our hope is a grounding force that anchors us and gives us stability.
'Cause we believe that everything
Our hope is based on an unshakeable belief system.
God promised us is true, so...
Promises made by a higher power will be upheld and we hold onto a belief in the good things to come.
We wait with hope
We have patience as we wait for a brighter future.
And we ache with hope
Our hope is related to our sorrow and pain.
We hold on with hope
Our hope sustains us and gives us grit and determination to not give up.
We let go with hope
We release our grip on immediate pain and suffering, with hope for future healing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: Steven Chapman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind