This week, we sit down with Chris Blair, the owner of the Listening Room Cafe in Nashville, a place known not just for great music, but for the spirit of generosity that lives within its walls. Chris came to Nashville chasing a dream, but what began as a pursuit of music slowly became a calling to create space for others—space where stories are honored, community is formed, and giving back becomes more important than getting ahead.

Later in the episode, we’ll also hear from country artist Cyndi Thomson, who experienced a rapid rise to fame with her debut album My World and hit song “What I Really Meant to Say.” At the height of her success, she began to struggle with panic attacks and a deep sense that God was moving her in a different direction. She shares the private process of wrestling with this decision, and how after walking away from her career, her focus became on the one individual over the accolades of the world. 

 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview:Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary

Upcoming interview: Jeremy Rosado

 

Chris Blair

The Listening Room Cafe 

Tootsies

Brian White

Bridget Tatum

Danny Myrick 

Hands On Nashville 

www.chrisblair.com

www.listeningroomcafe.com

 

Cyndi Thomson

My World 

www.cyndithomson.com

 

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!” If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/

 

Interview Quotes:

“At The Listening Room, we connect people with the stories behind the songs. That’s our mission.” - Chris Blair

“Part of the reason that I wanted to start the Listening Room in the first place [was] to bring in and spend thirty minutes to an hour with individual artists and songwriters and really share their story of not just the songs, but how they got started, their struggles, their wins, and all of that.” - Chris Blair 

“We went through a lot of hard times in the early days, but that was the early dream of what I wanted people to experience when they walked into the doors of The Listening Room for the first time—that they just felt like they belonged and that they could walk out feeling like they were connected to the stories behind the songs in a way that they had never heard and couldn’t wait to come back.” - Chris Blair 

“Because I’d come out of a bullying experience, I didn’t know what I was. [A teacher] was the first person to really call out what God had put on my life. She saw an anointing that I didn’t see, and I needed a teacher like that in my life.” - Cyndi Thomson

“Looking back now, [walking away from my career] was self-preservation, and it was obviously the Lord’s hand on my life. So that decision came with much prayer. I remember having this moment where I was like, Okay, Lord, if you really want me to do this, I need something supernatural from You only.” - Cyndi Thomson

“I think that time with the Lord on a daily basis can either make or break your day. How many times can we call it out by the end of the day, like, I didn’t spend my time with the Lord? You just know it. It just runs so differently when you do.” - Cyndi Thomson

“God really does care about the ‘one,’ and He’ll go to any length to reach them.” - Cyndi Thomson

________________________

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 

________________________ 

Connect with Jesus Calling

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Website

TikTok

This week, we sit down with <a href="https://www.chrisblair.com/business">Chris Blair</a>, the owner of the <a href="https://listeningroomcafe.com/">Listening Room Cafe in Nashville</a>, a place known not just for great music, but for the spirit of generosity that lives within its walls. Chris came to Nashville chasing a dream, but what began as a pursuit of music slowly became a calling to create space for others&mdash;space where stories are honored, community is formed, and giving back becomes more important than getting ahead.
Later in the episode, we&rsquo;ll also hear from <a href="https://www.cyndithomson.com/">country artist Cyndi Thomson</a>, who experienced a rapid rise to fame with her debut album <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6g0XOOpvGabMVRmJ7OCrVP">My World</a> and hit song &ldquo;What I Really Meant to Say.&rdquo; At the height of her success, she began to struggle with panic attacks and a deep sense that God was moving her in a different direction. She shares the private process of wrestling with this decision, and how after walking away from her career, her focus became on the one individual over the accolades of the world.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/">Jesus Calling Podcast</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/">Jesus Calling</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-always/">Jesus Always</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-listens/">Jesus Listens</a>
Past interview: <a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/giving-love-away-getting-more-back-old-friends-senior-dog-sanctuary-beth-guckenberger/">Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary</a>
Upcoming interview: <a href="https://www.iamjeremyrosado.com/">Jeremy Rosado</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.chrisblair.com/business">Chris Blair</a>
<a href="https://listeningroomcafe.com/">The Listening Room Cafe&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.tootsies.net/">Tootsies</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/45kyLFJs5SIEqyzfVopuSc">Brian White</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0cgzQbMLA5Mx2jsSFz1yPf">Bridget Tatum</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2VnIRUWeM04JHxZvYkxJWv">Danny Myrick</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://handson.unitedwaygreaternashville.org/">Hands On Nashville</a>&nbsp;
<a href="http://www.chrisblair.com">www.chrisblair.com</a>
<a href="http://www.listeningroomcafe.com">www.listeningroomcafe.com</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cyndithomson.com/">Cyndi Thomson</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6g0XOOpvGabMVRmJ7OCrVP">My World</a>&nbsp;
<a href="http://www.cyndithomson.com">www.cyndithomson.com</a>
&nbsp;
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. &ldquo;Whether we&rsquo;re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!&rdquo; If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org/</a> 
&nbsp;
Interview Quotes:
&ldquo;At The Listening Room, we connect people with the stories behind the songs. That&rsquo;s our mission.&rdquo; - Chris Blair
&ldquo;Part of the reason that I wanted to start the Listening Room in the first place [was] to bring in and spend thirty minutes to an hour with individual artists and songwriters and really share their story of not just the songs, but how they got started, their struggles, their wins, and all of that.&rdquo; - Chris Blair&nbsp;
&ldquo;We went through a lot of hard times in the early days, but that was the early dream of what I wanted people to experience when they walked into the doors of The Listening Room for the first time&mdash;that they just felt like they belonged and that they could walk out feeling like they were connected to the stories behind the songs in a way that they had never heard and couldn&rsquo;t wait to come back.&rdquo; - Chris Blair&nbsp;
&ldquo;Because I&rsquo;d come out of a bullying experience, I didn&rsquo;t know what I was. [A teacher] was the first person to really call out what God had put on my life. She saw an anointing that I didn&rsquo;t see, and I needed a teacher like that in my life.&rdquo; - Cyndi Thomson
&ldquo;Looking back now, [walking away from my career] was self-preservation, and it was obviously the Lord&rsquo;s hand on my life. So that decision came with much prayer. I remember having this moment where I was like, Okay, Lord, if you really want me to do this, I need something supernatural from You only.&rdquo; - Cyndi Thomson
&ldquo;I think that time with the Lord on a daily basis can either make or break your day. How many times can we call it out by the end of the day, like, I didn&rsquo;t spend my time with the Lord? You just know it. It just runs so differently when you do.&rdquo; - Cyndi Thomson
&ldquo;God really does care about the &lsquo;one,&rsquo; and He&rsquo;ll go to any length to reach them.&rdquo; - Cyndi Thomson
________________________
Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7">https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7</a>&nbsp;
Bonus Podcasts: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw">https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw</a>&nbsp;
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:&nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C">https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C</a>&nbsp;
Peace for Everyday Life: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj">https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj</a>&nbsp;
Peace in Uncertain Times: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u">https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u</a>&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s Good? &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj">https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj</a>&nbsp;
Enneagram: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY">https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY</a>&nbsp;
________________________&nbsp;
Connect with Jesus Calling
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesuscalling/">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JesusCalling/">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/Jesus_Calling">Twitter</a>
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Jesus_Calling/?eq=jesus%20calling&amp;etslf=5858">Pinterest</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Jesuscallingbook?sub_confirmation=1">YouTube</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/">Website</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jesuscalling?lang=en">TikTok</a>

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling

When Giving Back is More Important Than Getting Ahead: Chris Blair & Cyndi Thomson

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/06da9c03-be9b-4626-ac9f-b3d301699f18/transcript