Hymn Story: God Give Us Christian Homes
Baylus B. McKinney wrote the hymn “God, Give Us Christian Homes” which is very fitting for Mother’s Day. He wrote […]
Read moreRebel to Redeemed…Sharing HIS Kind of Love
Baylus B. McKinney wrote the hymn “God, Give Us Christian Homes” which is very fitting for Mother’s Day. He wrote around 150 songs and composed music for about 115 more songs. McKinney served as music editor for the Robert H. Coleman Company and on the faculty at the School of Sacred Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also pastored […]
Read moreCharles F. Weigle wrote the hymn “No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus” in 1932. Mr. Weigle wrote over 1,000 Gospel songs and spent his career preaching and song writing.
Read moreSpring is in the air making us think about the song “Spring Has Sprung.” The song was written by Thomas Chisholm, a Methodist minister and hymn writer. He dedicated his life to Christ around 1893 (age 27) during a revival led by Henry Clay Morrison. After his 1903 ordination, he only served as a minister for one year before his […]
Read more“Shine, Jesus, Shine” is a popular praise song. It was written in 1987 by Graham Kendrick. Kendrick recounted that he’d written three verses and road-tested them. The song didn’t seem to come together and he put it away for a while. Sometime later the phrase “Shine Jesus Shine” came to his mind and he wrote the song in less than […]
Read more“Come and Worship” is a hymn written by Fanny Crosby. Over her career as a hymn writer, Crosby’s words were partnered with melodies of numerous composers. Phoebe Knapp is the composer of this hymn and wrote over 500 hymn tunes. Her best-known song with Fanny Crosby is “Blessed Assurance.”
Read more“Scars in Heaven” is a song by Casting Crowns about hope in the midst of loss. Mark Hall wrote the story as his grandparents slowly passed away. To learn more about the story behind this song watch Mark Hall discuss what inspired him. During this journey, he was inspired by an event following the resurrection in the book of Luke.
Read moreThe Passion or oratorio “St. John Passion” was written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was written during his first year as director of church music in Leipzig and was first performed on April 7, 1724, at Good Friday Vespers at the St. Nicholas Church. There are two halves, which are intended to flank a sermon. The Passion narrates the Passion […]
Read moreToday it’s my pleasure to welcome Chris Maday Schmidt, as she tells us about her newest release. Welcome, Chris! I can’t wait to hear more about the llama and alpaca. Tell us about your latest release: A FATHER’S VOW—my debut novel with Love Inspired that released on March 26—is a contemporary inspirational romance about a veterinarian and a single dad […]
Read moreSamuel Crossman, a Puritan minister, wrote the hymn “My Song is Love Unknown” in 1664. At the time he wrote the hymn, he’d been exiled from the Church of England for his opposition to the Act of Uniformity (public prayers and sacraments rites) 1662. Crossman rejoined the Church of England the following year after writing this hymn. He continued to […]
Read moreIt’s a joy to introduce you to Sally Jo Pitts today. 1. Tell us about your latest release- Sweet Deceit is about a waitress who has an attempt made on her life and as she works with the newly appointed sheriff to find her assailant, the two find themselves in the middle of Sweet County’s dark secrets. 2. What inspired […]
Read moreWilliam C. Martin wrote the 1902 hymn “My Anchor Holds.” Martin was born in 1864 in Hightstown, NJ. He served as a minister to churches in New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Mass., and Florida and wrote numerous hymns. He and his wife, Euretta May Wilcox, had at least three children together. He died in 1914 in Rialto, FL.
Read moreJohn Milton (1608-1674) wrote the hymn “Let Us with a Gladsome Mind” in 1623. Milton composed various musical versions of some of the Psalms. This hymn is based on Psalm 136. The tune “Monkland” is rooted in the text of “Fahre fort” (1704) by Johann A. Freylinghausen’s. John Antes (1740-1811) significantly altered the tune to the composition known today. He […]
Read moreJohn Bowring wrote “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.” Bowing was born in Exeter, Devon, England on Oct. 17, 1792. He is considered a great linguist, having been self-taught, he mastered five languages. He translated many literary works, served in the House of Commons for 2 terms and in 1854 was knighted by Queen Victoria and appointed as governor […]
Read moreToday it is my pleasure to welcome Karin Beery. Her newest release is Finally Forever and it’s a wonderful read. Karin tell us about your writing journey and new release. Author of hopeful fiction with a healthy dose of romance, Karin Beery lives in northern Michigan with her husband and pets. They drink too much (decaf) coffee, put up their […]
Read moreTo You Alone was written by Fred and Ruth Coleman. The hymn is often referred to by its first line “Let us join our hearts together and give thanks in one accord.” The hymn has appeared in the hymnal Hymns Modern and Ancient. I’ve been unable to find any additional information on the composers or song.
Read moreJames Montgomery wrote the hymn “Stand Up and Bless the Lord.” The hymn was written for the anniverary celebration of the Red Hill Wesleyan Sunday School in Sheffield, England. Montgomery was born in 1771 Scotland. His parenty died on the mission field of the West Indies while he was a young man in boarding school. He inherited a strong religious […]
Read moreFanny Crosby wrote the hymn “My Savior First of All.” The hymn is also known as “I shall know Him.” Crosby, who was blind, wrote many hymns. She stated “If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind…for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour.”
Read more“They’ll Know We Are Christians” is a hymn written by Father Peter Scholtes in the 1960s for an Ecumenical event. By the 1980s, Scholtes left the priesthood. He’d go on to become a business management consultant and author. He died in 2009. The title of the song originates in a phrase that non-believers used to describe Christians believers of early […]
Read moreMosie Lister wrote “How Long Has It Been” which took him “little more than 10 minutes” to write. According to Lister, usually “I sweat blood over most of the songs I write.” He spoke in an interview about growing up in a Christian home and saying bedtime prayers. As an adult, he’d learned to talk to God in “other ways.” […]
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