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It's Still All about God

Whether she's talking about her music, life on the road, or guys, Rebecca St. James says …

by Chris Lutes

No, there isn't a special guy in my life. I really don't have much time to think about guys, dating, and stuff like that."

Rebecca St. James sits on a black couch in the studio where she's been working on her latest album, Christmas (Forefront). And she's talking about guy-girl relationships.

"I think God has protected me from all the complications that can come from a relationship," says the Australian-born artist. "Sure, there are times I think, It would be nice just to have someone to dress up for, or someone special to go see when I'm finished with a tour. But I try to balance those 'romantic feelings' with some of the realities I see all the time. I see so many of my friends who've gone through the agony of a breakup. I don't really want to deal with that kind of pain myself, at least not right now. I'm totally content and at peace about being single."

Even so, Rebecca, who recently turned 20, says she enjoys getting to know guys. But, she adds, it's always in the context of friendship—not dating.

"I really like getting together with a group of friends, both guys and girls. Being with a group allows you to have a good time with a lot of people, without worrying about the whole 'dating thing.' It lets you get to know the opposite sex as friends. That's really where a relationship needs to begin anyway—with friendship, not romance."

As Rebecca and I talk about guy-girl relationships, we get into the whole "looks and beauty thing." We talk about how it's so over-emphasized. How it leaves people feeling awful about themselves. Then I ask, "What about inner beauty? Would you mind passing along some of your own 'beauty tips for the woman of God'"?

"Oh, I'd love to talk about that!

I think the best 'beauty tips' come from 1 Peter 3:3-4: 'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.'

"Now we shouldn't interpret this to mean girls should be quiet little things who don't care about what they look like. You should try to look nice, and there is nothing wrong with being outgoing and full of life. I think those verses are really about having a quiet humility before God. If you have this kind of genuine humility, guys will see it. Now I am not saying, 'Be humble and get a guy!' But humility really does make you a truly attractive individual. Humble people are just enjoyable to be around."

"What about guys, then?" I ask. "What makes a guy really cool to you?"

"I want to be able to 'see' his love for God. I want to know that God is the center of his life. I think this is a wonderful trait. It makes a guy really 'handsome.'

"Oh, and the guy for me is going to have to love kids, because I love kids.

I just love seeing guys who can relate well to young children, guys who'll let little kids climb all over them. If he's good around small children, I think it says a lot about his character. It says he's the kind of guy who's not always thinking about pleasing himself. He cares about pleasing other people—especially little people! That's the kind of guy I'm attracted to.

"But like I said, I'm not ready for a serious relationship. Right now, I just want to keep doing what I believe God has called me to do."

R ight now, Rebecca St. James believes passionately that God has called her to make music that points listeners to, well, God—which is the title of her second album, released in 1996. Her self-titled first album was released a little more than three years ago, when she was just 16.

Since the release of that first album, Rebecca has experienced a good deal of musical success. Earlier this year, God received both Grammy and Dove nominations. Also this year, she was voted "Best Female Artist" by readers of Campus Life and CCM. And her devotional book, 40 Days with God, is a best-seller.

Yet if she's ever tempted to be "taken in" by her success, her personal manager—who's also her father—is there to, well, set things straight.

"My dad likes to say, 'Rebecca, don't believe your own publicity. Don't believe it, because if you do, you'll start thinking you're better than you really are.'"

While she's almost constantly touring or working on new musical projects, she says music is not all she's about.

"Performing doesn't consume me. Singing doesn't consume me. I'm happy doing this, but I think I could stop doing it tomorrow and still be happy.

"I never really had a big desire to be in music. While I was growing up in Australia, my dad was a concert promoter. I've been around Christian music and artists as long as I can remember. I've pretty much always known what it was all about, so I've never had any unrealistic fantasies about being a performer. I've never felt being in music was that big of a deal."

Of course, says Rebecca, her background and her personal manager aren't the only reasons she's kept a "level head" about the whole music thing.

"I honestly want to be in God's will. My passion is just to know and please God. I want to be consumed with him.

I want to be everything he wants me to be. If Christian music is where he wants me right now, I'm content to be here."

As Rebecca talks, she sounds confident. So together. It's tempting to think, She doesn't struggle with a thing.

Wrong.

"Last year I was out on my 'All About God' tour and I was really getting emotionally and physically drained. I just didn't feel like I could go on anymore.

"After each concert, I'd have to push myself to go out and sign autographs.

I felt like I didn't have anything to give anybody. It was hard to look up and smile at people who wanted to talk to me. I'd been giving and giving and hadn't stopped to fill myself up."

By the end of the tour, Rebecca was dealing with big-time stress. She needed

a break. So as soon as the tour ended, she traveled back to Australia for a short vacation.

"I stayed with my grandma, and spent a lot of time praying, fasting and studying Scripture. I just needed to slow down and seek God.

"In Isaiah 30:15, it says, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. … "' That verse is so true.

I needed to find those still moments and rest before God. I came back from Australia refreshed and spiritually rejuvenated.

"I think God had to kind of wake me up a bit during my last tour. I needed to be reminded that the most important thing I can do is worship God and enjoy my relationship with him. That's more important than any record or tour. That's what pleases God the most."

Didgeridoo and Merry Christmas to You!

During our interview with Rebecca, we talked about her new album, Christmas (Forefront), some holiday memories and traditions, and her special Christmas wish for all of you.

So what's on the album?
Well, there's one of my favorite Christmas carols, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." It's so full of rich and wonderful words that talk about Israel and the coming of the promised King. Its melody is so haunting and the lyrics are so worshipful. I love having it on the album, and I love singing it.

Do I hear humming?
Yes! My producer, Tim T, and I wanted to put "Silent Night" on the album, too. But we decided to have me and the other singers hum the words—all but the last line, "Sleep in heavenly peace." We just felt everyone pretty much knows the lyrics anyway, so why not do some cool harmonies while humming?

Are there any guitars?
Yes, we have some "loud guitars," acoustic guitars, drums and even a didgeridoo. Really, the overall sound is pretty much modern rock.

Didgeridoo?
It's an Australian instrument used by the aborigines. It's a big, long bamboo tube that you blow into. We have one at home!

Other songs …
There are more traditional hymns and carols. I've written some songs. And I do a cover of a song called "Happy Christmas." I like "Happy Christmas" a lot. I learned it back in Australia. It's a popular song sung at Carols by Candlelight.

What's Carols by Candlelight?
It's a very Australian thing. On December evenings, people gather in parks, light candles and sing Christmas songs. In big cities like Sydney, people show up by the tens of thousands. It's so cool to hear so many people singing about Jesus!

Do Australians put up Christmas trees?
Yes, but they're ugly, scraggly-looking things. Pine trees don't do well in Australia.

Did you string popcorn?
No.

Cranberries?
No, that's not a tradition down there.

What are some Christmas traditions "down there"?
We loved going to beach, swimming and having a picnic!

And what do Australians call Santa Claus?
Santa Claus. But he doesn't come down a chimney. He just comes in your room when you're asleep and leaves you a pillowcase full of presents. One year when I was around 8, I remember getting a pogo stick, but it didn't fit in the pillowcase. "Santa" just had to lean it up against the foot of my bed.

What's your Christmas wish for everyone reading this?
My wish for everyone is that they have an incredibly deep, wonderful relationship with God. There's nothing more fulfilling and beautiful than this kind of friendship with the Lord.

And I wish everyone would experience the true meaning of Christmas, and delight in the truth that Jesus came as a baby, grew up and died to give us everlasting life.

Copyright © 1997 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail clmag@campuslife.net November/December 1997. Page 26

Read more from 'Bands & Artists'

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