Steven Curtis Chapman is a pioneer in the Christian music industry. His 50 number-one hit singles make him the most-awarded artist in the history of his genre. Although these many awards, Chapman has never let fame get in his way of making meaningful music and helping his listeners deal with grief.

In 1999, Chapman released a song called “With Hope.” The story behind the song is deeply saddening yet inspirational. It was written after two school shootings, one at his high school alma mater in Kentucky and the other at Columbine High School in Colorado and inspired after the loss of a family friend Erin Mullican. The song tells how to deal with grief after losing a loved one.

After the school shooting at his hometown high school, Chapman was asked to sing at the memorial service for the victims. Shortly after this, he was also asked to perform at the memorial service for the Columbine victims. Initially, Chapman declined because he did not want to feel like a “celebrity” and felt his presence would give the wrong impression. But in Church the following Sunday, Chapman found guidance in the pastor’s sermon. God seemed to be telling him he should participate to support the victims and survivors.

The song Chapman performed was called “With Hope,” and the inspiration behind it was written after a family friend had lost their 8-year-old daughter, Erin Mullican, in a car crash. The travesty occurred only an hour after Erin and her family visited the Chapmans’. While grieving the loss of their daughter, the Mullicans had asked Chapman, “How do you deal with this kind of thing?”. Chapman responded, “With hope.”

The second verse of the song is a representation of his answer for the family of Erin Mullican.

“And we can cry with hope
We can say good-bye with hope
‘Cause we know our good-bye is not the end
And we can grieve with hope
‘Cause we believe with hope
There’s a place where we’ll see your face again
We’ll see your face again”

Nine years after this song was released, Chapman experienced a loss of a loved one even closer to his home. In 2008, Chapman’s 5-year-old daughter Maria was accidentally struck by an SUV driven by her teenage brother. She was life-flighted to the hospital and unfortunately died of her injuries shortly after.

Chapman himself questioned why God would allow this to happen to his family. The answer was the same as it was years prior with Erin Mullican, “with hope.” Chapman describes that his family grew stronger from the loss of Maria, and their hope in God helped grow their family strength.

The song teaches its listeners how to grieve the loss of a loved one. Chapman himself has experienced this pain, and his music is an excellent way for his listeners to relate to him.

“God never promised to give us all the answers to our questions, but he promised to always give himself.” – Steven Curtis Chapman

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Written By: Jack Kelly | Marketing Intern | Catholic Cemeteries Association