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I said it last week — “There’s a lot of talent amongst our chaplains.” Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, Billy Cerveny sings and plays the classic Christmas carol, O Holy Night.

Billy is volunteer chaplain with Nashville SC and the founder of Redbird in Nashville. Billy has been part of the Nashville music scene for many years before going into the pastorate and into chaplain work. His music is self-described as,

If you hated country music and only had one country record it would probably be mine…

Billy Cerveny, on his music style

As Billy sings, O Holy Night, I hope that it helps you — where ever you are to ready your heart for Christmas. I think that many of us are waiting, this year especially, for Good News and a breaking through of the Light.

At the end of the podcast, I share a prayer, usually prayed as Christmas eve turns to Christmas morn. You can find the prayer in one of my favorite books, Celtic Daily Prayer, pages 236-237.

• Celtic Daily Prayer

Also, I want to share with you some of Billy’s sharing to his Redbird followers and friends:

Fact: O Holy Night is the greatest Christmas carol of all time.Am I wrong? It never gets old and I still get goosebumps after 10,000 listens. O Holy Night’s message of waiting, hope and deliverance has always been powerful, but it rings especially true this Christmas. “Long lay the world in sin and error pining” 2020 not only showed the fragility of the things in which we put so much trust, it showed how broken and out of control our world really is. We all felt and feel our hearts pining for peace, resolution and God’s presence. Our hearts pine for those things because they were made to. When you consider the pining of your heart this Christmas, consider what it tells us about the one who made our hearts. It tells us He is a God of peace, resolution and is not only pining with you, He is pining for you.   “Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth” The value of something is determined by the price someone is willing to pay for it. Have you ever considered the price Jesus paid on Christmas? The infinite God left the majesty of heaven to “empty Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:7). He chose life on Christmas so He could choose death and resurrection on Easter. When you see baby Jesus lying in a manger this Christmas, consider the incalculable price He paid in order to be with you and let your soul feel it’s worth.  “A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!” Weary souls rejoice on Christmas because God not only made good on His promise to make all things new, He revealed how and through whom He would continue to keep that promise. This new and glorious morn points to an even newer and more glorious morn when Jesus will come again to wipe away every tear. We can trust this promise because of Christmas. We can trust this promise because He later wrote it in His own blood. So, “Let all within us praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord!” Merry Christmas, my friends. 2020 has been a long year, but it is not the end of the story. I pray you take heart knowing that Jesus has come, He is with you now and He will come again. Peace to you, Billy Cerveny

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.