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Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, God Will Provide Direction: Chris Tomlin and Kelvin McElroy

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Jesus Calling

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.61.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 January 2023

⏱️ 26 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you ever been driving somewhere, or even walking in the city or on a trail, and found yourself hopelessly lost? In the era of smartphones and GPS, this has become a lot less likely, but we can all recall moments where we didn’t have the tools at our disposal to lead us back to where we needed to go, and we ended up wandering, trying to remember where we came from and how to get back to that spot. It’s a scary feeling not knowing where you’re going, and even more scary when life presents situations to us where we’re just not sure what to do or who to turn to to help us get where we need to be. When we feel lost in life, confused about what to do next, God promises that “He will stand by us and strengthen us, so that through us His message can be fully proclaimed.” (2 Timothy 4:18).

Grammy-award winning worship leader Chris Tomlin knew from a very young age that he wanted to connect with the people around him in meaningful ways by playing and singing music, but wasn’t exactly sure how that would pan out in his life. As a young man, he found himself speaking a prayer that he didn’t really understand at the time, but has been a constant throughout his life: “Whatever You want, for the rest of my life, I’m available and will follow you.” Brigadier General Kelvin McElroy was raised to believe that committing yourself strongly to anything you wanted to pursue would get you where you wanted to be, but still needed a nudge from others who believed in him when he himself couldn’t see his own potential. Both of these men would go on to powerfully lead others into lives of service and commitment to God, using what God gave them to point people in His direction.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Kevin Olusola

Upcoming interview: Cam Ayala

2 Timothy 4:18 NIV

Chris Tomlin

Always

Kelvin McElroy

Department of the Space Force

Department of the Air Force

Scott Air Force Base

Interview Quotes:

“I just like it when people sing. I don't really like standing up there and playing with everybody watching me. I like when people join in.” - Chris Tomlin

"I wasn't trying to [become a worship singer]. Never looked to do it. Wasn't something I set out to do. It was just God opening up the doors in an incredible way." - Chris Tomlin

"When you hear my songs, those don't come from just making something up. It really comes from God. Some of the prayers come out in public because they're my songs." - Chris Tomlin

"Our willingness is our wealth, our soul is the soil, and God's word is the seed." - Kelvin McElroy

"When you serve others, you will always find that no matter where you go, people are faithful and willing to pull you in and take care of you." - Kelvin McElroy

“God's Word is our one. Right? It leads us, it guides us, and if we take the time to listen and apply God's Word, the answer’s already there, and He's given us everything that we need.” - Kelvin McElroy

________________________

Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7

Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C

Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj

Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u

What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj

Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY

________________________

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Follow the Bible in a year with Jack Graham Podcast today.

0:04.0

Begin your New Year's resolution with the Bible and see why millions have already started Bible in a year with Jack Graham.

0:11.0

This podcast was created to help you solidify your faith as you experience the story of the Bible through live action recordings and emotional orchestral music.

0:22.0

Listen to Bible in a year with Jack Graham on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

0:30.0

For listeners that are sensitive to certain topics, this episode contains mention of suicide and traumatic events.

0:38.0

I think for me it's always been a route trying to help people connect to God in music.

0:44.0

And even for a young kid, just wanted people to worship God. I don't even know what all that meant, but I've always tried to write songs to help people worship God and write those kind of simple songs.

0:55.0

Never would have dreamed. It would have taken me to places who just taken me, but I'm so grateful for it.

1:04.0

Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. Have you ever been driving somewhere or even walking in the city or on a trail and found yourself hopelessly lost?

1:14.0

In the era of smartphones and GPS, this has become a lot less likely.

1:18.0

But we can all recall moments where we didn't have the tools at our disposal to lead us back to where we needed to go.

1:24.0

And we ended up wandering, trying to remember where we came from, and trying how to figure out how to get back to that spot.

1:31.0

It's scary feeling not knowing where you're going, and even more scary when life presents situations to us where we're just not sure what to do or who to turn to to help us get to where we need to be.

1:41.0

When we feel lost in life, confused about what to do next, God promises that He will stand by us and strengthen us so that through us His message can be fully proclaimed.

1:52.0

Grammy Award-winning worship leader, Chris Tomlin, knew from a very young age that he wanted to connect with the people around him in meaningful ways by playing and singing music, but wasn't exactly sure how that would pan out in his life.

2:06.0

As a young man, he found himself speaking of prayer that he didn't really understand at the time, but has been a constant throughout his life.

2:13.0

Whatever you want for the rest of my life, I'm available and will follow you.

2:18.0

Brigadier General Kelvin McGellroy was raised to believe that committing yourself strongly to anything you wanted to pursue would get you where you needed to be, but still needed a nudge from others who believed in him when he himself couldn't see his own potential.

2:33.0

Both of these men would go on to powerfully lead others into lives of service and commitment to God using what God gave them to point people in His direction.

2:43.0

Let's start with Chris's story.

2:45.0

My name is Chris Tomlin, and I grew up in a very small town in Texas. The town is called Grand Selene. It means big salt. We have the Morton Salt Mine there.

3:00.0

The Salt Shakers with the Girl with the Yellow Umbrella and it says when it rains it pours. That's Salt Shaker. That comes from my town.

...

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