Beautiful Pictures of the Gospel

By Caleb Chapman

I have had the unique privilege of experiencing Show Hope from the very beginning and through many different lenses. Yes, I was an original signee of the contract my older sister, Emily, wrote—explaining how the Chapman children were both willing and able to pitch in and help out however necessary if our parents were to adopt. I was there when Shaoey was placed in my mother’s arms, followed years later by Stevey Joy and Maria. I spent several years working inside the Show Hope offices and have had the joy of seeing the mission of this organization carried all over the world. As a part of my father’s band for many years, I saw countless hearts moved to care for these children. And, now, alongside my brother, Will, and our band, Colony House, we continue to find ourselves overwhelmed and amazed to see how deep and wide Show Hope’s roots have grown.

Throughout all of these different seasons, I have observed my parents walking—and oftentimes faithfully hobbling—along this road we call Show Hope. For anyone who has followed the Chapman story, you know we spend a lot of our time hobbling. There are so many things I could say about my parents and how grateful I am that they helped open my eyes to a world much bigger than my own. But as their son, something I have always been proud of is their willingness to “hobble” for everyone to see. We are living in an age of “smoke and mirrors,” and it is easy to paint a picture that says, “We have it all together.” In my opinion, nothing threatens Show Hope’s wonderful work more than a well-mannered facade. I admire the courage it takes to not only acknowledge brokenness but embrace it—believing that God is faithful to make all things new. The truth is, Show Hope was founded by broken people and is run by broken people to help broken people taste and see that the Lord is good even—and especially—in the ugly moments. “ … In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

When I was asked to write this, the prompt was to explain what the work of Show Hope means to me as a son, a father, and a believer. I could write thousands and thousands of words dissecting all of my thoughts on Show Hope and how much it means to me, but it all, ultimately, comes back to love. One of my favorite scriptures has always been 1 John 4:8, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I see Show Hope like a torchbearer carrying love like fire into the darkness, whether that be for the children who have not known the love of a family or for the families who are laying down their lives for their children. These countless stories are beautiful pictures of the gospel that have defined my faith and shaped my understanding of love. And these will be the true stories I tell my children of how faithful our heavenly Father is.