But to make a holiday record that involves favorite American songs and then also get to sing about Jesus birth, it just seemed like a real easy, subtle way to combine a couple of things that I love.

In May 1979 while at the album release party for her second album My Father's Eyes Grant met Gary Chapman writer of the title track (and future husband). He played it over the phone and Amy Grant was offered a recording contract five weeks before her 16th birthday.

During the 1980s and 1990s Amy Grant became one of the first CCM artists to cross over into mainstream pop on the heels of her successful albums Unguarded and Heart in Motion the latter of which included the No.  1 song in a duet with Peter Cetera "The Next Time I Fall". Grant has won 6 Grammy Awards 25 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and had the first Christian album ever to go Platinum.