Singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, 62, has an impressive list of accomplishments: five Grammy awards, one Oscar, and one Golden Globe award. He won them all back in 1981 and 1982, based on his debut album (which included hits like "Ride Like the Wind" and "Sailing." But Cross's sudden rise to fame came to an abrupt halt after 1983. While several of his songs entered the charts in 1984, none rose to the top ten; after 1986, his chart success came to an end. Cross has continued to compose and sing over the past three decades—eight albums, 90 songs, 100 gigs per year—all without king-sized kudos. His music career was described by one news outlet as "top of the music charts, then dropped down to Nowheresville."

In recent interviews, Cross said, "I had a nice 15 minutes [of fame] …. My fall from grace was traumatizing, very hard to deal with and very disappointing and disillusioning. Success is like money—it's much harder to have it then not have it than never to have it at all." Now, Cross says, his reminder of past fame comes when some "sweet young thing" asks him for an autograph ... for her grandmother, that is, who's an ardent fan.

But his fall from fame hasn't been all bad. Cross says, "[Now] I've got other priorities. I've got kids and I want to spend time with them."

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Fame; Success; (2) Service—Are we just as willing to serve Christ when no one notices? Or are we more motivated to serve when the spotlight is on us? (3) Parenting—Fame and success are fleeting, but our kids need us now.