WHOA That's Good Podcast - If God Leads You to Do Something, He'll Shape the Space Around It | Sadie Robertson Huff & Chris Tomlin

Episode Date: September 14, 2022

Chris Tomlin has recorded 31 albums, and it cannot be overstated just how much influence he's had on the world of worship music. Sadie and Chris talk about the friend they have in common who encouraged them both when they were first starting out. Chris reminds us that our faith isn't 30 minutes old — Christians from ALL generations will join together to sing the song of heaven. They also discuss how important your inner circle is and share a good reminder that even though you might have plans, it's ultimately the Lord who determines your steps. Plus, Chris describes his very first worship-leading experience and his epic proposal to his wife, Lauren. Chris Tomlin's new album, "Always," is available now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Council of Franks on behalf of delicious Oscar Mayer 100% beef Franks has declared its official position. Oscar Mayer 100% beef Franks are 100% beef Frank delicious. This summer, choose delicious, choose 100% beef. Keep it Oscar. What's up, fam? Welcome back to the Boy That's Go Pike. What's up, fam? Welcome back to the boy that's going to podcast.

Happy Wednesday, everybody. Y'all, we got a good one for you today. I sound like Steve Harvey right now, but we do, y'all. This guy is not a stranger to anyone. We have Chris Talman on the podcast. He has a new album out called Always. It is an incredible album. Listen to it.

Every day is so good. And this guy, let me just, let me just preface this because he's not gonna sail this. So I'm gonna say it. Listen to some of these facts. It's estimated that 20 to 30 million people across the world seeing one of Chris's songs every week in church services

in nearly every single language. Y'all, like what? That is insane. Time magazine, actually called Chris the most often sung artist in the world as his music has inspired and uplifts it in entire generation of believers. He has scored 17 number one singles of the radio, plays 29 top 10 hits, more than any other on, from any other Christian artist, which is so crazy. So more than 9 million albums with 5.6 billion career global streams earned a Grammy, 3 Billboard Music Awards, 27 Dub Awards, and Chris is the first Christian artist to reach the billion streams threshold on Pandora, and that was presented with their billionaire award. Like, what in the world This is so cool and I'm just so honored to have them on the podcast today because this is the guy who has written songs that have

Literally sort across the world, but they're all about lifting out the name of Jesus if you've heard good good father How great is our God our God amazing grace my chains are gone. Thank you Lord featuring Thomas Drett That's the guy you're listening to, Chris Talman. I'm just grateful for his impact that he's had in the world and thankful that he's on the way that's going to podcast. Okay, Chris, I'm so excited to have you on this podcast. Honestly, I was just saying this before you got on

but I have been listening to Holy Forever from your new album every single day. Like, no joke, it's the first song that I listened to in the morning. And what's so funny is, I had this playlist I've made whenever I was pregnant with honey. And I don't really add to that because I'm like, oh, that was just that sweet season,

but that song, I was like, this is going in there because this song is so good. And I just want it to be in that zone of special songs for me that I just feel so close to God in. And so, man, God's already using this album so much. It's just awesome. Well, this is more confirmation about that song, my newest record. This is my 17th album to make and and then I made

I mean I was a part of 14 albums with passion. So that's 31 Oh my gosh, I can't believe that much music and so when you make you're writing songs and so You know, you just never never know I never have known that this is going to be the the song that really connects you know I've never really had that sense that you write songs you feel something about it you're like wow and this one has been the song since we released it that I've had more text about wow maybe since maybe since good good father it's been that many texts of friends going, wow, what is this? And just from all different spectrum of the years of friendships over my life, people have been texting me,

even like, this one is special. And I've released several songs of this record, not say they're not as, what about them, but no one's texting about that. But it's, whatever reason this one has something, there's something special about it and what I think it is, maybe, is one, I mean, the guys I wrote this with, if you can't, whenham and Jason Ingram and we were all, we were together, we were together, Taylor, Jason and Brian and they brought this idea that Phil had. And I love it because all of these people part of this song have this real heart of, this is real genuine, pure heart of worship and to capture that, that song of worship, that sound of worship, that sound of worship. And what it is about the song I feel like

is what I'm seeing right now, especially, or maybe what's always been, but it's become more clear to me when it comes to worship. I feel like there's really two lanes and there's songs of deliverance and there's songs of transcendence. And I've written both, and when you think about the songs that we sing today, worship songs that we sing today,

there's gonna be one or two things. Songs of deliverance or songs of rescue, songs of I need you God, Lord help me. Lord, amazing grace is a song of deliverance. Right? Those are amazing songs and we need those songs. The songs are full of those songs. But there's also those songs where you tap in every once in a while that are getting these songs of transcendence that

Really nothing about us in the deal. It's just about The glory of God Just the magnet and how worthy God is and it puts you in a place. It takes you to this transcendent place It's kind of beyond what you're seeing now beyond it takes you to this this realm and there is an everlasting song That it's done and that is holy is the Lord Holy it says they never stop saying holy holy holy is the Lord God almighty when you tap into that song I remember when I wrote how great is our God. I thought I Thought it was a simple song. I never thought it would be something like it is, but it was a song that I really

Intentionally tried to like I just want to put all the ever been a focus I can on the Lord as far as like not about what I need or about what he's done for me But just about how great he is and I think song holy forever touches that as well It's just about the song of heaven the everlasting song that and is a song that hopefully reminds us that our faith is not 30 minutes old, right? It is, it's generation after it's thousands of generations before us and those who come after us that says, if the scripture is true and I believe it's true, I know you believe it's true, that there is a song of heaven that is that we will all join in that those who've gone before is already in and that is holy holy holy and that's why that's why I've tried to tap into the song you know and I feel like in a way it has

done that yes that is so cool and actually I I saw this song for the first time on Jen's story Jen Johnson and it was the story that she posted of whenever Vinnie just passed away and Bill was worshiping to this song and I think that's what's really cool is because in the one I saw it I was like oh I want to go listen to that because when people would go through such a raw experience like losing a loved one like what they're listening to and what makes them feel close to God is obviously very powerful and very intimate with the God.

And there was something about that video, it was just worse. I mean, it was like he was like in heaven in that moment, like with them. And so I was like, oh, I gotta go listen to song. And I was like, wow, this is so powerful. So I've been listening to it every day. And it does. It takes you to this realm of heaven. It's like, oh man, like I'm right there with the angels singing the song of heaven. It's like oh man like I'm right there with the angels singing

the song of heaven. It's so good. And just as you're talking it's so crazy. I always you know show up in this chair to do a podcast interview and I'm so excited for everybody to listen to it. But I keep showing up in this chair lately and it's I'm like man this is so crazy. I needed to hear these things because this is just crazy. But for the past four plus years, I've been like kind of writing songs and wanting to start a worship band. And so finally, over the past four years,

got the right people around me and the right people were literally family members, close family friends. We started writing songs together. And so we are actually literally today, our first EP comes out. And it's like, which is crazy. Like four years in the making tonight and a lemon. Yes, at 11 a.m. our first EP comes out. And I think we like think about stepping into this day that's been in the works for a long, long, long time years. I get to talk to you who has been a part of 30 plus albums.

I'm like, God, you're crazy. This is so cool. And you're talking about how to write this kind of song. How to write that kind of song and I'm like, this is so helpful. Like, yes, yes. So, man, God is good. I was also thinking way back to whenever I was little and I took my first voice lesson ever and I was how great is our God and I was just I was totally watching it. I mean my voice was nothing but I just remember being like 10 years old with the voice coach like making sure my mouth was open wide enough singing how great is our God. Oh my gosh that is back. Well okay so let's think back for you. Throwback for you. When did you start writing songs?

Is this always been a part of your life? When was it that God just kind of showed you that you have this gift? What a God. I love telling this story. Thanks for asking this question, because you're gonna think I'm making this up. This is not, this is a truth.

I was in high school and I got invited to play it. I was just playing much small church. I grew up in a little small town in Texas, East Texas. I was a little small church. I got some youth pastor found out I played music and could sing. He said, would you play this youth conference? Youth week week, this youth conference, that's a big, that's it, it's a most of that. It's like this, it was like this youth week at our church and we're having this thing in the summer and it's like, yes, I'll do it. And I'll eat new three songs.

And I really, and I only played in my own church. And so you know this, if you only played your own church, you don't know if you're any good because someone's gonna tell you the truth that you're on church. That's right. And so I was like three, I knew three songs. I was like, yeah, I'm going to do this. And I get a call from this, this about a month before the event happens.

And it's this deep voice on the phone. It's like the name is James. How my name is James. And I was like, hey, James, how you doing? He said, hey, man, I'm calling you because I'm speaking at this youth week. And I've never heard of you. And I want to know if we're going to be doing this for a week, I want to kind of know what kind of music you, who you are and I was like, well James, where you've never heard of me is I've never done this before and you're calling me at my parents house, I live in my parents' home in high school and I mean you can feel the thoughts in the front. It's like, oh my gosh, and he's like, well what kind of songs you play? And I was like, well, I know three songs James.

And he's like, three songs. I was like, yep. And he said, can I send you some music? It's like, yeah, send me some music. And he sends me these tapes. And this is crazy. He sends me these tapes. And it's like, these worship tapes.

A couple of them were from Choice. The thing called Choice is it produced by Louis Giggly on it. And I was a member. I remember I'm in high school. I don't know what that is. And I was like, well, what is this? And it was like these Bible study things. And I started learning these songs.

And I would write them on note cards. And I would write the words down. And I came to this youth week with the stack of note cards and of the songs of these courses. It was simple courses like Lord Jim Represius and Silver, I lived all these early courses.

And I was like, this is what I'm gonna play. So I came with these note cards, I did full the songs and there was 500 kids at this youth week. I knew nothing but I didn't know what I was doing. Sadie, I literally walked on stage. I was scared of death. I didn't ever look at anybody, I never acknowledged anybody, I said,

low to the crowd. I just looked at my microphone. I put my note cards down on the stage, looked at my note cards and played and just played the songs for five nights. I just played these songs because I whenever I was on the note card, I was saying this song, looked scared to death. And this is what happened. And the reason I tell the stories, in the week, James said, he can't even say,

hey man, I'm been praying for you this week. And I'm like, I'm sure. I'm sure. He said, and he said, I want to tell you two things. One is, you have no idea what you're doing. I was like, wow, okay, God bless you. That is very straightforward, very very great. He gets secondly, you have no idea how God's going to use your songs in the world. Wow. And I was like, I know I was like, what? I don't

have any songs, right? Because I'm just looking at note cards and playing out of the people's songs. He said, no, I've been, as I've been praying for you this week, I just sense an impression that God's going to, you're going to write songs and the world to go sing those songs. And I remember he just put his hand on my head. There was no head belt out as close. He just put his hand on my head staring at me. And he said, God, would you make Chris a song writer for his generation?

Wow. It was like lightning went through me. And it was a marking moment on my life and started this trajectory of what is this, and writing these songs and trying to always had this even growing up I would tell my mom I'd play it church and I would be like I just like it with people sing with me. I don't really like it. I don't want to form it. Whatever that is. I like it like I just like it when people sing with me. I don't really like it. I don't like performing whatever that is. I like when people just sing. I didn't know what a worship leader was, didn't know what the term was, didn't know what worship music was. I didn't grow up in

that kind of church. I was just like simple. I just wanted to, so I just started trying to write songs like that. It were real simple if people could sing. And just a couple years after that, And just a couple of years after that, I'm rolling to this youth camp and I got a name Louis Giggly O. is speaking. And it's like, hey man, you're the guy on the tapes that this guy sent me. And I learned all these songs. And I remember Louis saying, what are these songs that you're singing at this camp? I was like, oh, I've just been writing them. He's like, I've never, he goes, I travel and speak everywhere and I've never heard something like this. And what is this? And I was like, I'm just writing these songs. And then God connected us and put us together and for all the things that happened out of that. And it's just been this thing of like, I look back and go, I could have never written this story, but I never dreamed it. I never thought it wasn't something I was

looking to do. It was just people believed in me. And I think that, and there was people that came along that God used to say, you've got a gift. I didn't see it myself. I didn't know it myself. But you have a gift to do this. And I'm so grateful for those people in my journey. And, you know, everybody, and I'm sure you have those people and people listening have those people who are like, man, they're believing, or you can, or maybe you can be one of those people that believe in somebody that says,

hey, you see something in somebody that maybe they can't even see. So I never dreamed, never dreamed it be where this is, but it was that moment of, I haven't even written a song, a guy tells me, you're gonna write songs and the world's gonna sing them and now it's just like, what? And so, that's how it started. That is so cool.

And honestly, it's crazy that you're saying that about you wouldn't have written that for yourself, you wouldn't have believed that for yourself, but other people kind of believed for you because my story is so similar and weirdly similar because it was actually Louis who called it out in me too. He saw me. It's really weird. I'm telling you everything you're saying. I'm like this is so weird. And I just played my music for the first time for Louis a couple weeks ago and we had this crazy moment but years ago I was about 19 and I was my first time I was really speaking somewhere and I was really just you know filling filling space that winter jam There was 10 minutes while they moved the set behind me and I was up there to kind of you know fill the space

So I started talking about David and Goliath and Okay, that's like such a classic message So I mean it wasn't super profound, but I was talking about David and Goliath and I was talking about being a champion versus being a legend This whole thing and I do this thing So I knew that the Gigglys were gonna be there to watch crowd of that night I was talking about David and Goliath and I was talking about being a champion versus being a legend and this whole thing and I did this thing. So I knew that the Gigglyows were going to be there to watch Crowder that night, but I didn't really know of them that much. I mean, our family grew up church or Christ, so we didn't really know much about the big

church world out there. And this was, we had just kind of seen passion. We had been to passion for the first time. We were like, wow, it's amazing. So I knew who they were from that. And I knew they were going to be there, but it didn't really expect to get to talk to them or anything. So anyways, I speak a walk-up stage and there they are, Lew and Shelley. And Lewy looks at me and he's like, God is going to use your voice to reach this generation. And I was just like, wow. And he said, will you come speak at our church?

like wow and he said will you come speak at our church and we want you to speak at the college night and I said I don't think you understand I've never done that before. I've never I was like I've never spoken to church before this is about the extent of what I've done this is 10 minutes you're asking for like a 45 minute like I don't even know what that means like but yeah I will you know if you're asking like yes I will minute, like I don't even know what that means. Like, but yeah, I will. You know, if you're asking, like, yes, I will. I was so nervous and I know what I was doing. I didn't even know how to, I still, I mean, sometimes I don't feel like I know how to prepare

a message. I think I'm all over the place. Whenever I prepare a message, but I didn't have any reference for that. So anyways, I just fasted for two months, pray, like two months up, leading up into the thing. Pray had fasted, deleted social media, just got with the Lord and was like,

God, like you're just gonna have to like, lead this, you're gonna have to guide this, you're gonna tell me exactly what to say, how to say it. So I kind of prepared this message and then as I was on my way to passion, I see this homeless man on the side of the road. And I feel like the Lord, and at this point in my life like I said my background was pretty traditional I never felt like the Lord had spoke to me and I felt like the Lord literally said get

out of your car and go give that homeless man your Bible and I was just like I was running like I was going to speak at passions my first speaking moment I was gonna be late if I did this but I like could not shake it so we kind of passed the man and then I told the driver, I was like, okay, we got we got to turn around. I gotta go talk to this man. I don't really know why, but like I just so strongly feel like I have to do this. So I'll walk up to this homeless man, I have my Bible. My Bible that has all my notes in it for tonight because at the time I written, I've written my notes in my Bible for I was gonna say, and was just like oh man I'm no idea what you're doing Lord so I just say hey I'm Sadie I said I would love to

give you my Bible I'm sorry I don't have any money on me but man this is everything and he said no I can't take that and I said well sure you can please just take it I would love for you to have it. Man, it's a gift and it changed your life. And he said, no, I can't take that. I don't want that. And he said, you know, he said, I'm an atheist. I said, well, that's okay. I mean, you can still take it.

I mean, I just love for you to have it. He said, no, I really can't take that. So then I was like, God, like, what in the world? Why did I come over here? So then I'm like, okay, I'm just going to put this Bible on the ground. I was like, look, I'm just going to leave this here. I'm going to walk away. You can read this if you want. You don't have to. And then he was like, no, I can't take that,

but give it to someone who will. And he said, someone else needs that. It's just not me. And there's something in this moment where I just realized like, man, like, you know, this is kind of what I'm going to do. Like, I'm going to go and I'm going to offer the word to people and I'm going to preach the word and I'm gonna preach the word and some are gonna take it and some are not You know and it really is up to that person if they're gonna receive I can only be obedient to what the Lord's asking me to do So kind of how this moment. I was like very emotional go speak it passion Well, I get done with kind of my notes that I had prepared I still like 10 minutes left. I was like I'm just gonna tell the story that just happened to me

So I share this moment about this homeless man and this moment I said, and some of you are gonna take it and some of you aren't. And to this day, I've been speaking now for the past six years since that moment. To this day, that is the most viral message I have ever done. It literally went so viral in all different languages

and that moment with the homeless man story took off all over the world And that's what people begin to know me as a people didn't know me as a speaker before that I wasn't preaching before that and after that everyone thought I was a preacher and speaker and that's what I've been doing for six years And so I understand like your story. It's so crazy It's like I would have never I would have never like even dreamed of this being my life I would have never even of this being my life. I would have never even known how to walk into that.

But people around me believed in it. And Louis was like, hey, I'm going to give you a shot, even though you've never done this before. And so I want to talk about that, because we have such similar stories. And I think so many young people right now, they have this gift. Maybe they know they have it.

Maybe they don't. Specifically speaking to the ones who know they have the gift, they're like, I'm really good at songwriting, I'm really good at leading worship. And they're trying to push it to get to this success or to this stage or the number, whatever they're trying to do. How do you, you know, rest in having the gift that God's given you, but waiting for the Lord to elevate you if that's gonna be part of your story That is that's the that's the key. I mean for me to I think that you know It's the flesh the human part of me is always like man I'm ready. I can do this. I know I've got I've got songs

You know when someone started coming give me opportunity to give me opportunities and it just was never It was never really fast for me. It was never like this like, oh man, over and not. I mean, people, I just look at people who, like I've had so much success at like, so young, you look at like pop stars or whatever you think, man, how does that, how does that, you look at that, you're so easy to compare your life to other people. Comparison kills everything. and it just destroys any creativity. It destroys everything in your life, really. You compare yourself to some other person's speed or pace.

For me, I can just say it was always just small steps, small things, all through the years of like, just whatever opportunity I would the God would give me I would do it and it would be so like I mean we're talking I would show up places and seven people would be there 10 people would be there people like I forgot that I was coming I remember going to I mean I'm going to things and they forgot that invited me and I was sent the airport and no one gave me up I've got all kinds of those things. And so like, you know, it's like, it's not like it was just like, oh man, I wrote some songs and then I wrote, I praise our God and then bam. And that was like,

that was, you know, years into it. And it was like so much. So, but God was always, you know, look back and he's always get preparing me for the next step, the next thing, the next opportunity for the next responsibility. And those responsibilities get so much bigger and bigger and bigger. And I would be done and burned and gone if it would have been like that overnight. But just to be able, these years and years of just trying to stay in a place of really dependent upon the Lord and not losing that thing. I think a beautiful thing for me and all of that is like, wow, this takes a lot and I have to be dependent on God to provide all these kinds of because you know it's not just overnight and

not just like wow okay that was easy. It was like okay Lord what's happening I remember stepping out of college going to doing it all the way through college and thinking how do I like do this and survive like financially how do I make like does this occur knowing my family's in ministry, I don't know anything about what that is. Like, and how do you do music? I didn't have like a, I wasn't a, like a signed artist,

didn't have a record label, there was not, never's none of that. It was like, and I was in college, I was like, how do I do this? And I remember thinking, well, I'll just go to, I was going to start do I do this? And I remember thinking, well, I'll just go to, I was going to start out from pre-med, medicine, and thinking, maybe I'll go to medical school, and then I was like, well, no,

I like to work in sports medicine somehow, and I thought, I gotta get the graduate school and do all these things. And then I had all these opportunities to play music, and it was like this real crossroads in my life, where I was like, okay, if I go and this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this.

I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this.

I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this.

I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I'm gonna have to do this. I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like. I feel like you're opening up doors for me. I don't know how to do this. You're in. I didn't have a band. I didn't have CDs. I didn't have websites. Nothing. I was just out here.

He's playing. People were calling me and these opportunities. And God was definitely making a way of making it obvious that he was opening up doors for me. Yeah. But it was just those small steps. And they just kept leading to more and more and more things. And so you can't, what do they say?

You can't despise the small things, the small beginnings because it's what it takes. And I look back and I'm so grateful for that. I'm so grateful for the road and the path. And God's timing, I always said this, if God has something for you to say, He will move mountains to put you there. That's his place. He does that. Yeah.

And the Holy Spirit knows exactly what you need and to be in that place of relying on him for the next steps. Even this far down the road for me, it's like, okay, Lord, where are we leading? How do I lead my team? How do I lead? Now there's people that it was all all it was all you just me and God you know like okay what are we doing Lord and now it's all these people that I got a serenity with like how do I lead this team and how do I and what

all that you've given me and all these these to my band and my crew and the people that the all the all the things that how do I what's the what's the status would give me direction. So I always I guess I'm trying to say I'm always in that place. Just like Lord, what are the next steps? You know, so good. So for me, if it encourages anybody, it's been a long road and many, many years. It's been 25 years of traveling and planning and writing songs. And yeah.

So good. It's so good. It's so good, because I think so many people, especially in college, they think, OK, at the end of this, something's just going to work out perfectly. I'm going to get this huge opportunity or I'm going to move here. It's just going to be so clear. And most people find, you know, it's not.

They get to their senior year. And the next step is supposed to come. And everybody's in the same boat of, I don't know what in the world I'm about to do. And it's in those moments that it requires faith. It requires trust, requires you to say like, okay, I don't know what's next. It might be smaller than I thought, but this is where the Lord's leading. So I'm just going to say yes and just walking an obedient to that. And I love how you said that Gollum mountains, if you need, you mountains, if you say something and it needs to get out,

Golem in mountain. And actually, it was like, I thought about that when I was in Israel, and we went to where Jesus preached, like the mountain be had it to, whenever he was actually like, you know, saying this message that was totally counterculture. He's like, blessed are the poor and spirit, blessed are like, just saying stuff that nobody had like said before and He's preaching it and they were saying that that day there are thousands of people there There's a ton of people there hundreds of people there who gathered around to listen to Jesus preach

Well the way that literally the mountain is shaped there they were talking about how if you're at the bottom of this hill Even if you're talking at the bottom at the person at the top of the hill can hear you because it's like this dome effect that it kind of echoes up. And I was like, you know what? That is so cool that even where Jesus came to preach this message that everyone there could have heard him that day literally because of the way that the mountain was shaped. Like literally because of the hill was shaped. I was like, that was before they had like sound guys or like Jesus, let's do a little mic check real fast. I was like, no, they like had none of that.

So how do people, yeah, like can you hear me in your ears? Jesus, yeah, okay, good. They're like, no, like they're just sitting on the side of a hill and like Jesus starts teaching and the people can hear him because of the way the lamb was formed. I was like, you know, that really is how God does things. It's like, if God's leading you to do something, like he'll shape the lamb was formed. I was like, you know, that really is how God does things It's like if God's leading you to do something like he'll shape the space around it

You know like you say yes, you do what you can do. He'll do what he can do and that's always said to God I'm like if you don't do it, this is nothing But if you show up this is gonna be crazy And your journey is gonna look so different than that somebody else is gonna be unique. This God has a unique place, a place where I do different things, and that's where, like, touched on the comparison thing, you look at somebody else's journey and think, well, that's what I need to do that.

I need to know you don't. It's that you have a unique thing, and where you are, and thing and where you are and trust it where you are is Exactly in God's plan and God's place and the what's the my favorite gosh, I just This my favorite pro pro verb 16 9 Is I love in the new living translation says that we can We can make our plans with the Lord determines our steps.

Oh, it's good. And the heart of the, in the heart of man, people make their plans with the Lord determines their steps. Yeah. Proverbs 16, nine, I've always been a verse for me that I always come back to. It's like I can make plans all I want. This is, and it's good to make plans.

It's good to like, to dream and vision, but it's the Lord in terms of steps. You exactly what you were saying in your story. In my story, I see it. I was like, wow, I would have never, this steps would, I would have never taken these steps, but God, these are steps you have for me. And that's always a good place to trust, right? It's good.

It's so good. Man, this is so rich. So there's a question I ask everyone who comes on the Well, Let's Go podcast. And the question is, what is the best piece of advice you've ever been given? You've always given us so many that we could take with us. But what is the best piece of advice that you have been given? Because that seems to be the thing that we're all after. Oh, that's good.

I've been given a lot of incredible advice that I could go down through. Gosh, it just flood me right now of different people in my life that have said things that are incredibly important at times. I would tell it maybe with a story and it's kind of fun is Years ago several years ago. I was out of the tour my wife sent me a text Lauren and she said Hey, I want you listen this song And she'd never sent me a song before never sent me a text before I mean, I sent me a text But never sent me a text of a song before, never seen me at text before. I mean, I see me at text, but never seen me at text of a song before she listened to the song. She just doesn't do that. And I was

down the road and said, you have to completely forgot to listen to the song. I neglected it. The complete forgot. Get back home. She's like, did you listen to that song? I said you. And I was like, I was like, okay, this is a good couple of ways here. I was like, you know, babe, I'm out on the road, I'm sitting on the bus, they had the day doing nothing. I didn't get to it. And she's like, listen, listen, the song right now. She puts it, she puts it so she goes, I just feel like this song you would connect with. She plays me the song and this little chorus starts, you're a good, good father to you. And it's a demo of the song,

and I was like, oh my gosh. I just remember hearing it going, what is this? I remember it instantly texting, I mean, it's a googling who, trying to write the song in the fan, my buddy Pat Beret. Anyway, ended up calling Pat and, and we connected on the song and I said, I want to record this song. I want to, I want to sing this song every night till I die. I mean, this song is going

to be, I just know people here, this song, so say all that to say, what's the best advice because when I was is listen to your wife Because I was thinking man of all the things my life has been saved so many times too long Do my wife God gave me an incredible mate and Her wisdom to me and her her gift to me of being a steady for me. And so when I was getting married to friends of mine said, how you need to listen to her. You need to listen to her. She's got things to say. And it's amazing that probably the biggest song,

greatest song that I've ever recorded of my career came from. My wife saying, listen to this. And me not paying attention. and her having to say, no, I'm telling you, listen to this song is for you. And it's a funny, it's a little funny way of saying that, but it's true that God puts people in our lives to for you, you know, he connects us. And for a long time, I was single for a long time. And God gave me Lauren and knew exactly what I needed. And I'm so grateful for that. And then via she's in the things she's given me,

but to listen to her. And I think that's probably the most important thing that's ever happened to me is her. And just the things that she said along the way in listening to her in the way it's shaped my life and changed my life. And a great way is, it's been very powerful. And then my buddy, Pep Jackson, who just passed away a few years ago, he's a legend. He was a legend in our faith.

And I remember he said, the best thing you can give people is a legend. He was a legend in our faith and I remember he said, the best thing you can give people is your friends. And I was always like, that's the advice he would say, give people the best thing you can give people is your friends. Now it's always like, wow, that's so special. I think about the relationships that connecting relationships I've had and introducing people with friendships and how friendship at the end of the day, and you know this and people know this at the end of the day, it is all about relationship. All this other stuff is all about the people around us at the end of the day, who you

got, who you got. You know, when it's all said and done, it's gonna be those people and you're right there, just those, your family, your mate, your children, your friends, in the day, that's what it's about. And I'm always trying to remember that, that nothing is more important than those closer to how many relationships around me.

Yep, gosh, that's so good. Our whole thing at L.O. Live Original, that's behind me, our whole thing is to.O. Live Original that's behind me, our whole thing is to be a good sister and a friend of those who don't have one. And so we are all about sisterhood, friendship, community, because you're so right. At the end of the day, that is what matters.

It's your people. It's people you do life with. And man, last night we had a long day at work. We are getting ready for a conference next week. So we've been staying up super late, but it was one of our friends bird days. So we're like, all right, we got to go celebrate him. It was so funny because all of our friends were all like kind of young, married. I have my daughter with us and we were, it was supposed to be a surprise party, but we didn't think about the fact that we

all parked in the front. And we were all hiding as if he didn't know we were all there, but we parked in the front and it was so funny. We're like surprised. He's like a saw y'all's cars but it was so funny and it was just so great but it's like those people we the group that was there last night we meet everyone's a day and we just we just talk about the real stuff and it's like you know those things you just those are the things that matter those are your people those are the those are the things that matter, those are your people, those are the things that make life good. It's just the people around you and yeah, life,

it's hard sometimes there are hard moments in that, but that's just like the sweetness that God allowed us to have with friendship and people around us. I love your advice, it listens to your wife, that's a well that's a good moment. So a lot of people that listen to his podcast are in their 20s, you know, college students or younger 20s, young moms.

And so these are the people that love the bachelor, okay? The bachelor, this is like, this is these types of people. And I've heard that the way that you proposed to Lauren was pretty epic. So I think we should end on this story because I was like, when I heard this, I was like, dang, that is good. And Lauren deserves all of it. So you got to tell the story. Well, I'm not supposed to learn.

So I had this idea that I'd heard about this place down in Antigua, Guatemala, in this beautiful old, it was an old monastery. It's turning to hotels. I've cleared this beautiful place. And I've never been there, but I've seen pictures of it was an old monastery. It's turning to hotels. I've cleared this beautiful place And I've never been there, but I've seen pictures of it and I've and I've seen like what they had done Like this somebody talked about they had seen a proposal there and how beautiful they made this place and so They had an old like I don't know it wasn't maybe an old wine cellar and it was turned into this this room that had a dining room and

I knew that this would be really special and so I thought this would be a great place. How do I how do I convince Lauren to go there and like how do we get there and I said so because she goes and we never done a trip and I got a trip like that dating and so you think something's up. So I was like, okay, here's the deal. I said, I said, guess what? You know, interesting, Lauren, the president of Guatemala has contacted me and I said, you know, this was, they went, my song got to the city. They want this, they want to do something for the nation. And they asked me if I would do this song,

and it's like a really special thing. So they're taking this, they want to put me up with this really nice hotel. And like, would you come, I wonder if you want to come with me? And she's like, and she's like, well, is it, you know, And she's like, well, is it really? Is it a big deal? I was like, well, I made a present and I asked me, she goes, I got this sorority thing.

I was supposed to be doing it. And I get it with my sister. And I was like, oh, yeah. I need this pretty big deal. I think she should do it. And she goes, well, she goes, I had this, it's a big deal. I was supposed to do a Saturday. And I said, it's this Saturday with President. And she goes, well, she goes, I had this, it's a single site. It was a big deal. So it's a little Saturday. And I said, it's this Saturday with

president. She goes, well, this Saturday, I just, I can't, she goes, I just, I can't do it. I have to do this thing. And I was like, so I was like, okay. So I called her back and said, I said, guess what? The president moved the thing to Monday. You're not going to believe this. But he moved the event to Monday. And she's like, really? I was like, yeah, it's all gonna work out Monday. She's like, okay, I'll go with you. So we go down there. And so I'm on the plane going to,

we're going to go on a mollet. And the funny thing is, I'm just remembering all this. And again, is that I'm going to, obviously I'm going to propose, but she thinks we're going to meet the president. So I just want to say, you gotta have a nice dress. You can go do the other thing.

And I was trying to remember his name, and I was like working on the Spanish, and I was like, this is how we introduce ourselves, and all this kind of thing. So bring something nice, and she said that. And so on the plane, no no lie are these two youth groups and that are on the same plane and they're like Christalman, that's hey yeah he goes um what are you going what are you going to go all them off for it oh no well well I'm doing this um I'm doing

this thing with the president so now I'm lying to the youth groups and you know just as long as I'm like do this thing with the president go out of my, I'm doing this thing and they're like, oh, we're coming. They're we're we're. Oh, no. That's so good. And I was like, I was like, well, that's a private. It's interesting, it's a private event.

I think it's private event. And sometimes I don't think you can come. And I'm like, well, we're gonna look for it. I was like, okay, be like, but I'm gonna look at for it. I think it's private. So we get there and we roll in and I said, okay, so here's the vent and we're going to meet the president. It's behind these doors

and I was like, I think the vent is through this room. And I had asked these guys and they spoke very little English. Hey, I want this room set up really nice and I see the picture what they did. It's like all rose petals, flowers all over the floor. The whole thing is the whole floor is flowers. Wow. And this beautiful, beautiful old ancient building. And there's one table in the middle. And with the candle light kind of thing. And it's all flowers.

I was like, all right. And so there's thin there. And I love the Guatemalan people are so sweet. And they're just the sweetest people. And these little and they're tiny people. Like felt tall there which made which is the first time in my life and so they were like and I walked up to this room and I said Lauren's dressed up and she's like I'm nervous about me the president I'm never met president and I'm not crazy and so and I said so And I'm looking at the guys like, do we have this?

Is everything good? And they're smiling at me like, see, see, see. And so open the door. And the door opens. And it's just all the rose petals. And it's all of this, all of the, you know, it's on table there.

And she's like, where, where, and she's like, what, what's going on? What's going on? And uh, where is the, where is the, where is the president? And uh, she's looking at me like, where, where is the president? Like, what, where is everybody? Because it's this big room. And I was like, I was like, well, there is no president here. I don't know, I don't know the president of Guatemala. He did not ask me to come here. And, um, the reason I'm asking, there is no one you'd president here. I don't know the president of Guatemala. He did not ask me to come here.

And the reason I'm asking, the reason why you'd be here, and I got down on the, and asked her to marry me, and I had learned it in Spanish, what you mean to say. That's awesome. That's awesome.

Come on. A little touch. And she said yes, and it was was just a really fun surprise for her. And it's good for me. So that's kind of what we did. That was the thing. Epic, I love it so much. The president thing got me.

I was like, that is like full sin. That is why we are going all out. And even think about the fact that you would get recognized in the airport and the kids would be like, oh, we're going. That's awesome. Because every time we go overseas too, you know, there are so many youth groups are going. They're so excited. We're going, we're going, we're going to go into that. It's just so good. Oh my gosh. Well, hey, look, I hope guys are listening to this. I know some of you are.

If you're listening, if you're a girlfriend sending you this, it's for a reason. You're just gonna get up your game a little bit, start thinking, learn very amine Spanish, fake that you know the president, you know, wherever you can get her. But that's so good. Well Chris, you have been such a joy to talk to. I know so many people are gonna be inspired by who you are, first and foremost, but also so much of the advice you gave on leading worship, doing live, being just a humble friend. Man, this is so good. So thanks for being on the way to the SCIP Highcast. We appreciate you and everybody go listen to his new album. That is Al, you don't want to miss it. It's his 30th

something but it is so important and you don't want to miss it. You don't want to miss it. Chris, thank you so much. Thank you, Sayy. I'm honored to be here and honored to be with you and I love what you do. I'm an incredible, incredible, incredible what you're doing. So God bless you. you