By Gavin Boyle
A full year after being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, legendary Christian music singer Steven Curtis Chapman is still in awe of the full circle moment that was the culmination of his career.
“Even a year later, it still feels surreal,” Chapman told Country Living. “From a 19-year-old kid working at Opryland USA to now calling this stage home…what a full-circle moment.”
“As I said that night [I was inducted], surrounded by the ‘unbroken circle’ of family and friends…what an amazing opportunity to, once again, ‘taste and see the goodness of the Lord,’” he added. “I’m grateful beyond words.”
Related: Steven Curtis Chapman Speaks About ‘The Promise Of God’ In His New Music
His induction into the Grand Ole Opry was even more special for Chapman as it was his father’s dream to perform on the historic stage. Honoring his dad by inviting him on stage as he delighted in the event was special for Chapman, especially given that his father’s faith has inspired his own – something that is central to both his life and career.
“As a little guy, I got to see the change that Jesus would make, in a heart, and in life in my own dad and my mom and my whole family,” Chapman told I AM SECOND. “It didn’t fix everything. There was still a lot of ‘We’re still a mess,’ but there was this hope.”
This faith has since permeated his entire life, and when Chapman was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, he was the first Christian artist to receive this honor.
“I don’t wake up and say, ‘Hey, I need to go to work and write a song today.’ I find myself moved by something – something I’m reading something, something that starts breaking my heart, something that’s encouraging my heart,” Chapman previously said when discussing how his faith impacts his music. “And my response to it is to sit down with a guitar or a piano and say: I want to respond to this in a way that hopefully will speak life into other people as well and encouragement in others.”
Despite reaching a crowning achievement in his career, Chapman is excited to continue to create new music and inspire more and more people through his songs. He is likely to always feel this way, as the singer has previously shared that he never expects to retire.
“The idea that I’d ever put my guitar in the case for the last time and go, ‘Well, you know, I’m retired,’ — I can’t imagine that,” he told Christian Headlines.
Thankfully, Chapman will not need to consider this possibility any time soon and will continue to create the faith-infused songs that have made him a staple in the music industry.
Read Next: Why Steven Curtis Chapman Opens Up About Daughter’s Death 15 Years Later
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