Behind the Song: One Day at a Time

Many times it is difficult to see the path ahead.  All we can do is take things one day at a time.

Marijohn Wilkin

Marijohn Wilkin

The song “One Day at a Time” was written by Marijohn Wilkin when she was fifty-three years old.  By this point she’d known considerable success as a songwriter of country music.

However, she’d also suffered extreme heartache and loss.  Her first husband was a pilot and killed during World War II.  She later struggled with alcoholism and depression.

Wilkin wrote that for all of her success she was miserable.  She sought out a local minister who was unsure of how to best help her.  After all, she was driving a Cadillac and wearing a full length mink coat and sparkling with jewelry.

The minister eventually asked her, “Have you ever thought about thanking God for your problems?”

She left and immediately returned to an empty house.  Sitting down at the piano, she sang the entire chorus to “One Day at a time.”  She recognized that the song was a prayer and would become a hit. She pulled out an envelope and one daybegan to write as fast as possible.  What would become the second verse soon flowed forth.

She’d not been attending church in a while and wondered if God remembered her.

Wilkin realized she needed a start for the song.  She called her friend, Kris Kristofferson.   Working together the first verse was written in about 20 minutes. I try

The song has been recorded by numerous artist and hit #1 on multiple charts.  Marijohn Wilkin recorded several albums.  The first, I Have Returned, held the track for One Day at a Time.  This was her statement of faith to let the world know she’d returned to Christ.

She has since written hundreds of gospel songs and won a Dove Award in 1975.

I know this is a reminder I need on a regular basis.  Do you take one day at a time?

2 comments

  • John Foley

    Hi,” One Day At a Time Sweet Jesus” is exactly what The World needs right now as, the Planet is being destroyed by Greed and Corruption. Unless change occurs and a return to accepting The Holy Bible as Gods Word and Lord Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior there will follow a total collapse of Civilization as we know it. Just in case You forgot it Lord Jesus Christ Himself said “I am the Way the Truth and the Life So with Lies becoming the language of today. before warned the Truth is Lord Jesus Christ……..John Foley.

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