What an inspiring and hopeful book, even in the midst of their grief. This was very well written. Even though it was heartbreaking, you could see the book offers more!

Growing up a youth group kid, I was very familiar with Steven Curtis Chapman's music from a young age. Albums like <i>Declaration</i> and <i>This Moment</i> mark special memories for me; every time I out on those releases on, I am transported back to that time period. I can map my life out by Chapman's songs. In 2007, a family that we went to church with went through a tragedy: the young daughter died in a car wreck. She was five years old. That family and mine were always together; the young girl had older siblings whom I considered best friends. That day — the day of the accident — was like losing a little sister. A few months later, Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest adopted daughter was also killed in a vehicular mishap. I remember that day clearly, and I remember mourning for his family so deeply (I was a strange and emotional adolescent, 'k?). After all these years, SCC has written a book not just about that dark year; he writes about all the years before and after, too. This is the story of a life: the life of a musician whom I've admired for years. It was a joy to read.

Chapman has a very folksy, unique way of telling stories, which makes sense as he has been sharing stories from the stage in his concerts for decades. He loves to tell stories, and that shines through this book's pages. So many tales in this story I had never heard before, especially the stuff from his early years. It's especially interesting to see how drastically the music business has changed since the '70s and '80s, when Chapman was working hard to become established. My favorite parts of the book were the sections that dealt with inspiration for certain songs, or the planning of concert tours; that kind of stuff fascinates me most. I like to see how the sausage is made. And, of course, there are chapters dealing with the tragic loss of Maria, the Chapmans' youngest adopted daughter, which are very hard to read. They are well written, and perhaps that's why they are difficult to get through: Chapman so clearly conveys the horror that is losing a child.

This book is a gift; I thoroughly enjoyed it. As someone who has followed Steven Curtis Chapman's career for years (and though I am not the faithfully religious kid I once was, I still occasionally spin a SCC album while writing), I couldn't put this book down. At times it rambles, hence my docking a star . . . But I was rather impressed with this autobiography. Highly recommended.