Can we say with the hymn writer, "It is Well With My Soul"?-Song and story behind the hymn

This hymn was written after traumatic events in Horatio Spafford’s life. The first was the death of their only son from Scarlet Fever in 1870. Second was the 1871 Great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago which was decimated by the great fire). His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873 at which time he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre. In a late change of plan, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.<sup>[3

~All information taken from Wikipedia</sup> 

^{Sung by Chris Rice}  

It Is Well With My Soul
(Original lyrics)[1]

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,

 It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin — oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! —
My sin — not in part but the whole, —
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
A song in the night, oh my soul!

"know" (at the end of the third line) was changed to "say".
  "A song in the night, oh my soul" (last line)
was changed to "Even so, it is well with my soul".

~Taken from Wikipedia

^~Breanna

Is Your All on the Altar?

When I woke up this morning and was thinking on a difficult situation, this old favorite hymn came to mind.  It’s been a while since we’ve sung it, and I was amazed as I read the words.  I guess the Lord wanted me to hear this message this morning.  It is my hope that this song will minister to some of you as well.  May the Lord bless, and guide, and strengthen you, and may He help us each to lay all things on the altar so that He can fulfill His perfect will in our lives.  I know someday we will see the bigger picture.

~Brittany

Is Your All on the Altar?

You have longed for sweet peace,

And for faith to increase,

And have earnestly, fervently prayed;

But you cannot have rest

Or be perfectly blest

Until all on the altar is laid.

Would you walk with the Lord,

In the light of His Word,

And have peace and contentment always,

You must do His sweet will,

To be free from all ill,

On the altar your all you must lay.

Oh, we never can know what the Lord will bestow

Of the blessings for which we have prayed,

Till our body and soul He doth fully control,

And our all on the altar is laid.

Who can tell all the love

He will send from above,

And how happy our hearts will be made,

Of the fellowship sweet

We shall share at His feet,

When our all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart, does the Spirit control?

You can only be blessed

And have peace and sweet rest,

As you yield Him your body and soul.

Have you decided to follow Jesus, no turning back...even if, no matter what????

200 years ago a revival took places in Whales England.  Many missionaries chose to go to north India , what could only be described as "savage". The tribes were famous for the head hunters that would take their enemies heads and hang them on their walls, and of course Christians were not very welcome.  These Missionaries came and they knew God called them and they continued to share their faith and finally had reached out to one tribe family and they accepted Jesus, and that family became contagious leading others to Jesus and the tribe chief got word of what was happening.

He called a tribe meeting and captured the man and his Wife and 2 kids, told him renounce Jesus or we will kill your children.  The man looked at his children and said "I have decided to Follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back".  The archers drew back their arrows and killed his children in front of him.  His sons lay before him dead and the chief said "renounce Christ or I will kill your Wife".  The man looked at his sons and then his Wife and remembered scripture said to always profess Jesus as Lord, and the man said "Though none go with me still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back" The archers killed his Wife.  With his Wife and sons dead before him, the chief said to him, this time renounce Christ, or you will die.  The man realizing he had nothing left, looked up in heaven and said the last line of the song "The cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back"  the chief gave the order and the archers killed the man....

After killing the man and his family the chief stood speechless and couldn't believe the man gave his family and himself for God and that this Jesus must be real. On the very spot the reports say the chief accepted Jesus as Lord and through the weeks the tribe accepted Jesus, though one man willing to give up everything he had.

~Posted by Breanna

Thoughts at 21 . . .

This was the hymn that Breanna woke up with in her mind on her 21st birthday. 

Click here to hear Brittany and Breanna singing this hymn.

Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

My Ways Are Not Your Ways

I was reminded of this song while talking with a dear friend tonight.  A precious elder of ours shared this several years ago with us and it has since been a family favorite. 

::My Ways Are Not Your Ways::
1) Oft the way to the goal seems so weary and long,
Trials almost take away my song;
Then we sigh and we cry and we ask,
‘Father why does this life my wishes all deny?’

Chorus-
My ways, my child, are not your ways,
My thoughts are higher than thine.
Let me lead you each step of this long weary day,
Let me clasp thy trembling hand in mine.
2) It is my hearts desire to do His blessed will,
And to serve my Master every day;
But when things all go wrong and the world doubts me still,
Then, oh Lord, I can-not understand.
3) So I’ll leave all to  Him, He has promised to share
All my load and ev’ry care to bear.
There is joy in my heart and on my lips a song,
Even tho’, Lord, I don’t understand.

A Truly Beautiful Piece of Art!

 Lovely piano arrangement of How Great Thou Art with Moonlight Sonata by Phyllis Morgan Chetakian. Phyllis began playing piano by ear at the early age of 3 years, when one Sunday afternoon, she sat down at her grandmother's piano and played a hymn that had been sung that day in church. Over the years, she has performed as a concert pianist and also toured with and accompanied Norma Zimmer (the Champagne Lady of Lawrence Welk) and Thurl Ravenscroft (aka Tony the Tiger and vocalist in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." I hope you find this piece uplifting.  ~Lori Hugill

Instrumental music at it's finest!  (In my ever so humble opinion. :-) )  Mom found this one yesterday, and I thought it was just too amazing not to share here.
~Brittany

The Cry of My Heart

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing