I was given this book by Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
The Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon
You have likely heard the saying, “Behind every great man is an even greater woman.” Susannah Spurgeon is just such a woman. Wife of the infamous preacher, Charles Spurgeon, she was an integral part of his life and ministry. She was behind him in prayer support but also beside him in ministry.
Even after reading only the introduction and first chapter I wished that this book had been available to me 30 years ago as I was becoming a pastor’s wife. If I had the time all in one sitting, I would have read this book to completion in a day. What a beautiful example of a Christian wife, pastor’s wife or not.
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
I’ve been feverishly watching Christmas movies this month. And yet, I didn’t watch a single new Christmas movie. Unless you count watching Die Hard with Bruce Willis a Christmas movie. I did sit down and watch that with my son this year. And you’re right; it has nothing to do with Christmas other than it happens at a Christmas party.
We have over 40 Christmas movies in our possession and I was content to watch the ones we had. I didn’t even check out Hallmark Movie Channel and see the line-up of new movies they had. Not a single one. I really wasn’t much into a romance kind of mood this year. When I look at my list here, I see that I was more in a military mood. Though some did have a romance in the story.
Anyway, I watched the oldies (like Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and thought maybe you are looking for something different to watch yourself. Everyone else has offered to traditional and popular ones, so here are a few to choose from that are still around to rent and purchase. Continue reading →
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
One thing I have tried to instill in my children is the love of reading. One way I tried to do this was to purchase each child a classic book each Christmas. At the same time, I also bought myself a Christmas book that I wanted. Usually, it would be in the form of a coffee table book; something pretty to sit around but also available to readers.
Today I thought I would share with you some of the Christmas books I have purchased over the years. Continue reading →
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
Here’s a hymn that is familiar to most of us through the Billy Graham Crusades. George Beverly Shea found this poem lying on his piano, left there by his mother, who hoped it would change the course of his life. George created a tune to go with the poetry and that is the song we know today. It indeed did change the course of his life as a musician on NBC, he gave it up to travel and sing with the Reverend Billy Graham. I’d Rather Have Jesus became one of the most loved songs that he sang.
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name
He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead
Story Behind the Hymn
American hymnals give Rhea Miller credit for the song but Swedish believers so that is was written by Prince Oscar C. A. Bernadotte sometime after the woman he loved introduced him to Christ. She was a commoner and the story is told that he gave up his lineage to the Swedish throne to marry her and serve God.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 & 10 says Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
That is why my we, Mandy and Michele, have decided to join together to hold each other up and at the same time, we hope that you are lifted up as well. We will share about chronic pain issues and raising children with ADHD, Things we’ve learned about leaving a legacy, and then some fun and laughter along the way as well.
We will be sharing about how God helps us through the worst of trials and the best of days. We hope that you will sign up for our newsletter.
The hymn, One Day, was introduced to me in my teen years. We had moved from Ohio to Wisconsin and being in the middle school Sunday School class, I was required to take part in the Easter program. (You know, I was thinking it was Christmas but after reading the lyrics again, it surely must have been an Easter program.)
At the time, I didn’t particularly like the song mainly because it was a bit slow for my tastes. But over the years the song stuck in my heart and mind because it tells the story of Jesus from beginning to end; from the virgin birth to the cross and resurrection and on to the day still coming… His return… Oh, Glorious Day!
I was thrilled when I heard that Casting Crowns had placed the lyrics into a new contemporary song, Oh! Glorious Day. What a beautiful rendition. Continue reading →
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
This is my story, this is my song. That’s what came to mind first with this prompt. This favorite and beautiful hymn that is nearly 200 years old. Some songs just pass the test of time and this Fanny Crosby hymn, along with many others, is one of them.
What’s your favorite?
What is your favorite song that has passed the test of time? It might be hard to choose but I’d love to enjoy a bunch of songs today. So post a favorite “oldie, but goodie” in the comments for me. it doesn’t even have to be a religious song.
Hymn: Blessed Assurance
From the very day she wrote them, Crosby’s words have provided comfort for millions of Christians in the face of fear, persecution, sorrow, and doubt. In spite of all the trials that may come, we know that we serve a Savior who came to bring the Kingdom of God on earth, and as we serve Him, we participate in, and belong to, that Kingdom. We each play our own part in that “glorious foretaste” of what is still to come. We belong to Christ and his Kingdom – what an assurance this is!
Fanny Crosby, byname of Frances Jane Crosby, married name Fanny Van Alstyne, (born March 24, 1820, Southeast, N.Y., U.S.—died Feb. 12, 1915, Bridgeport, Conn.), American writer of hymns, the best known of which was “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.”
Crosby lost her sight to an eye infection and medical ignorance at the age of six weeks. She nonetheless grew up an active and happy child. From 1835 to 1843 she attended the New York Institution for the Blind in New York City. Her inclination to versify was encouraged by a visiting Scottish phrenologist, who examined her and proclaimed her a poet. Thereafter she was the school’s chief ornament.
She contributed a poetic eulogy on President William Henry Harrison to the New York Herald in 1841 and subsequently published verses in other newspapers. In 1844 she published her first volume, The Blind Girl and Other Poems, and in 1851 her second, Monterey and Other Poems. From 1851 she began writing verses to be set to music. With George F. Root, music instructor at the school, Crosby wrote a successful cantata, The Flower Queen. She also wrote lyrics for scores of songs, some of which, such as “Hazel Dell,” “There’s Music in the Air,” and “Rosalie, the Prairie Flower,” were widely popular. After her graduation, Crosby remained at the New York Institution for the Blind as a teacher of English grammar and rhetoricand of ancient history until 1858.
That year she married Alexander Van Alstyne, also blind, a former pupil, and then a teacher at the school, and she published her third volume, A Wreath of Columbia’s Flowers. About 1864 Crosby began writing hymns. Like her poetry, her hymns suffer generally from cliché and sentimentality, but they also display an occasional gleam of more than ordinary talent. In all Crosby wrote between 5,500 and 9,000 hymns, the exact count obscured by the numerous pseudonyms (as many as 200, according to some sources) she employed to preserve her modesty. The best known of her hymns include:
BLESSED ASSURANCE
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Refrain: This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Hymn STory
One day in 1873, Aunt Fanny was visiting with a friend, Mrs. Joseph Knapp, a musician of sorts and wife of the founder of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. During their visit Mrs. Knapp played a tune on her piano, which she had recently written. She then asked Fanny, “What does this tune say?” After kneeling in prayer for a few moments, she rose and declared, “It says, ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!’”
Aunt Fanny began to dictate verses to Mrs. Knapp, who wrote them down, fitting them to the melody just as we hear it sung today.
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
I was takin’ a trip on a plane the other day
Just wishing that I could get out.
When the man next to me saw the book in my hand
And asked me what it was about.
So I settled back in my seat-
“A best seller, ” I said.
“A history, a mystery in one.”
And then I opened up the book and began to read
From Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
CHORUS
He was born of a virgin one holy night
In the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered ’round him underneath the stars
Singing praises to the great I Am.
He walked on the water, healed the lame and made the blind to see again.
And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.
And though he never ever did a single thing wrong
The angry crowd chose him. And then he walked down the road
And died on the cross and that was the end of the beginning.
VERSE TWO
“That’s not a new book that’s a bible, ” he said, “and I’ve heard it all before.
I’ve tried religion- its shame and guilt and I don’t need it anymore.
It’s superstition, made up tales and just to help the weak to survive.”
“Let me read it again, ” I said, “listen closely, ’cause this is gonna change your life.
CHORUS
He was born of a virgin one holy night
In the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered ’round him underneath the stars
Singing praises to the great I Am.
He walked on the water, healed the lame and made the blind to see again.
And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.
And though he never ever did a single thing wrong
The angry crowd chose him. And then he walked down the road
And died on the cross and that was the end of the beginning.
Verse Three
“The end of the beginning, ” he said with a smile.
“What more could there be? He’s dead.
You said they hung him, put nails in His hands
And a crown of thorns on His head.”
I said, “I’ll read it again but this time there’s more,
And I believe that this is true.
His death wasn’t the end, the beginning of life
That’s completed in you.
Don’t you see he did all this for you!”
CHORUS
He was born of a virgin one holy night
In the little town of Bethlehem
All the angels singing praises to the great I am
He walked on the water, healed the lame,
And made the blind to see
(And for the first time here on earth)
Did you know that God could be a friend?
Tho He never ever did a single thing wrong,
He was the one the crowd chose.
Then he walked and he died but
Three days later
Three days later
Three days later
He rose!
Three days later he rose!
You see he came, he lived, and he died.
But that was the end of the beginning.
I couldn’t think of a hymn with the theme of Start but I did think of the beginning. My thoughts went immediately to David Phelps’ song, End of the Beginning. It tells the whole story of Jesus. Go back and read the lyrics or listen below as he tells the story of Jesus Christ raised to save us.
Have you started your journey with the King of Kings? Try Him today. You won’t regret it.
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
Our church has just begun the adventure of searching for a new pastor. It’s a daunting job when you look for the perfect pastor. Basically, because there are no perfect pastors because pastors are people, too.
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
This morning I rose to see that today’s praise is PRAISE. The word alone brought joy to my heart. My first thoughts went to the Doxology. A song we sang every week at the United Methodist Church I grew up in.
Today in the YouVersion Bible app the Verse of the day was about praise as well. It was King David’s prayer as the people brought their offerings as they collected for building the temple. It’s a beautiful prayer found in 1 Chronicles 29. Go read the entire prayer. I’ll give you a piece of it here. Continue reading →
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
As soon as we entered through the doors at Mayo Clinic, we felt peace and hope. We had never experienced anything like the atmosphere and the love and care we felt when we arrived.
When we turned the car onto the campus we felt peace. We saw beautiful landscaping with trees and flowers and water fountains as we drove onto the campus. We drove right up to the building we needed to check into. Continue reading →
Writer/Speaker sharing about how to make it through anything. I married a pastor with two boys who just lost their mom, I homeschooled my own children, led children’s ministries and women’s ministries in the church, and founded and led a homeschool support group. Had to give up much of this due to chronic pain. Like the Insurance, I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot.
