Hymn Story: Now We Thank We All Our God
At the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War, the walled city of Eilenburg, Saxony struggled with overcrowding, deadly pestilence, and […]
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Hymn Story: Now We Thank We All Our God
At the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War, the walled city of Eilenburg, Saxony struggled with overcrowding, deadly pestilence, and famine. This area is part of Germany today. Lutheran minister Martin Rinkart, and his family, opened their home to refuges. By 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor, conducting as many as fifty funeral a day throughout a severe plague. […]
Read morePatriotic song: This Land Is Your Land
I thought we’d look at a popular Patriotic song, This Land is Your Land. The American folk song was written in 1940 by Woody Guthrie. During this time he hitchhiked from Los Angeles to New York City and continuously heard God Bless America played on the radio and jukeboxes. He is said to have written the song in a “flophouse […]
Read moreHymn Story: Christ is made the sure foundation
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation was a Latin hymn written sometime in the late 6th or 7th Century under the title Urbs beata Jerusalem. The original hymn was sung as an unaccompanied plainsong melody. In 1851, John Mason Neale translated the hymn from Latin into English. Many modern versions of the texts vary greatly from his original translations. The […]
Read moreHymn Story: God Be With You Till We Meet Again
God Be with You till We meet Again was written by Jeremiah E. Rankin around 1880. It is undated but he gave a copy to Sankey in 1882. Rankin was born on January 2, 1828 in Thornton, New Hampshire. He received his doctorate in 1869 and served as president of Howard University a few years. He wrote and published a […]
Read moreHymn Story: I Vow to Thee My Country
“I Vow to Thee, My Country” is a British patriotic hymn. Sir Cecil Spring Rice wrote the poem “The City of God” or “The Two Fatherlands” in either 1908 or 1912. The poem described how a Christian owes his loyalties to both his homeland and the heavenly kingdom. In 1908, he was posted at the British Embassy in Stockholm. In […]
Read moreSong Story: Sleep, Dearie, Sleep
Sleep, Dearie, Sleep was played at the end of Queen Elizabeth II funeral at Westminster Abbey. Her bagpiper played this beautiful lament. I’ve been unable to find any additional information about who wrote the song.
Read moreHymn Story: The Lords My Shepherd
The Lord’s My Shepherd is a hymn based on Psalm 23. It first appeared in the Scots Metrical Psalter in 1650 and is usually attributed to the English Puritan Francis Rous. The tune Crimond is generally credited to Jessie Seymour Irvine, daughter of a parish minister of the Church of Scotland during Queen Victoria’s reign. The hymn was a favorite […]
Read moreHymn Story: The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended
This hymn was recently sung at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Rev. John Ellerton wrote the hymn in 1870 to be included in A Liturgy for Missionary Meetings. Two different translations of the text are included in German official hymnals. The theme focusses on the worldwide fellowship of the church. It goes on to offer a continual prayer and […]
Read moreBook Review: When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer
Libby lives in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes in the next. She’s the same person living two different lives. In Williamsburg, she is a public printer who supports the Patriot Cause. As the war draws near, she and the man she loves, Henry Montgomery, put their […]
Read moreHymn Story: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High
O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High was written by Thomas A Kempis. His father was a peasant, whilst his mother kept a dame’s school for the younger children of Kempen. At the age of 12, he became an inmate of the poor-scholars’ house which was connected with a “Brother-House”. He remained there for six years before being received […]
Read moreThe Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers
Kathryn Walsh arrives in 1875 Calvada, a tiny mining town after being banished from her step father. She soon reopens her uncle’s newspaper and keeps finding herself in trouble. Matthias Beck, the local saloon and hotel owner, takes an interest in the outspoken lady. At first they are at odds until they keep finding themselves on the same side. Francine […]
Read moreHymn Story: At the Name of Jesus
At the Name of Jesus reminds us that one day every knee will bow and tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The song was written by Caroline Marie Noel. She was born in Kent, England in 1817 to an Anglican clergyman and hymn writer. By her late teens she wrote poetry but then abandoned it for the next […]
Read moreBook Review: In the Shadow of His Wings by Roslynn Long
In the Shadow of His Wings: 40 Uplifting Devotions Inspired by Birds is the perfect gift for the bird or nature lover. The devotions relate to a love for various types of birds, that go deep and leave the reader with much to ponder. Each devotion is accompanied by breath taking pictures of the variety of animals mentioned. This is […]
Read moreSong Story: Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)
With today being the twenty-first anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks I wanted to find a song about the event. Alan Jackson wrote Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) about those tragic events. He wrote it in October 2001 and said the lyrics came to him “while he was sleeping.” A few weeks later he debuted the […]
Read moreBook Review: The Element of Love by Mary Connealy
Laura Stiles and her sisters run away upon discovering their treacherous stepfather plans to marry each of them off to his lecherous friends. On the way, Laura befriends a mission group heading to serve in California and the sisters soon join their efforts. I’m only about halfway through The Element of Love but I’m really enjoying it and would recommend.
Read moreHymn Story: What a Day that will be (When My Jesus I Shall See)
What a Day that will be (When My Jesus I Shall See) is an upbeat song and often performed on the Gaither Homecoming Videos. The song was written by Jim Hill. He studied to become a professional singer and in the 1940s joined the Golden Keys Quartet as both manager and tenor. He wrote “What a Day That Will Be” […]
Read moreNames of God: Jehovah-‘Uzam
Jehovah-‘Uzam means the Lord is our strength in trouble I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah 49:26
Read moreBook Review: The Power of Aligning Your Words to God’s Will by Hakeem Collins
The Power of Aligning Your Words to God’s Will helps one to dig deeper into the word and issues they are facing in life. This book goes deep and leaves one with much food for thought. At the end are scriptures and decrees over a variety of issues such as spiritual health, emotions, finances and family to help hear God’s […]
Read moreHymn Story: They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
They’ll Know We Are Christians is a short chorus which reminds us to show God’s love. Father Peter Scholtes was inspired in the 1960s by John 13:35. He wrote the song for an ecumenical event. Hymnary.org says: “At the time, he was leading a youth choir out of the church basement and was looking for an appropriate song for a […]
Read moreNames of God: Jehovah-‘Izoa Hakaboth
Jehovah-‘Izoa Hakaboth means the Lord is strong and mighty Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Psalm 24:8
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