bible – Spiritual Sun Pennies

95) Antidote to Desolation

Our spiritual journey is often a roller coaster ride, with the highs and lows of consolation and desolation. Consolation draws us deeper into the love of God, and desolation leads us farther away from Him. St Ignatius teaches us that this is normal, and offers ways to regain our peace in his Rules for Discernment of Spirits.

When meeting with directees who are experiencing desolation in their spiritual journey, we hear thoughts of self-pity, isolation, confusion and general discouragement, all tools of the enemy to lead them away from God. What can we do to combat these lies? How can we regain that inner peace we so desire, and live in the victory Christ has won for us? God doesn’t leave us without resources, and one of those is the practice of praise! How does that play out in our daily walk? There are three simple steps that can lead us out from the shadows into His Light once again.

First, and always, we need to have our spiritual radar on to be aware whenever our inner peace is disturbed. St John of the Cross states, “Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it.” We become aware of that inner disturbance, which is the source of our desolation.

Step two can be reaching into our arsenal for a good tool to access. Rule Six of the Discernment of Spirits notes several weapons to have in that arsenal (prayer, meditation, much examination, and by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance). The one we’re focusing on today would fall into the prayer category, as praise is a foundational element of prayer.

The third part, which will begin the process of moving from desolation and returning to consolation, is to put this into practice! “God inhabits the praises of His people,” (Ps 22:3), and where the Good God is, the enemy flees! We can go to favorite Praise Scriptures, or to multiply the grace, we can sing them! He who sings, prays twice!

I’m reminded of my Mom’s response when things got too overwhelming in caring for Dad with his Alzheimer’s. She would go into the bathroom, shut the door, and sing the Doxolgy loud and clear! “Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below! Praise Him above Ye Heavenly Host, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!” This would renew her inner strength, and give her the grace to carry on with whatever needed to be done, knowing she was not alone, but rather accompanied by the Good God Who had been faithful to her all her life, even as she had been a faithful Christian all her life!

There are so many beautiful praise and worship songs available at our fingertips. A holy priest friend once advised me, when I was relating a tale of woe about being under dire circumstances, “what are you doing under the circumstances? Get out of there!” Look up, sing praise to God, and allow Him to restore your peace.

Thank You Lord, for reminding me of Truth when I come to You for help. Reminding me to praise You in all circumstances, for Your Word tells me that You inhabit our praises, and where You are, evil cannot endure! May I always come to You quickly, in haste like Mary, and not linger in desolation. Jesus, I trust in You!

94) Advent Peace

We’re about to enter the third week of Advent, and the words “peace” and “forgiveness” have been on my mind a lot! It seems the two go together – we can’t really experience peace without living a forgiving life. I deeply desire to live in peace – the peace that keeps my heart at rest no matter what the outward circumstances are. I have an icon of St Seraphim of Sarov next to my desk, to remind me of one of his famous sayings: “Acquire interior peace, and many will find salvation near you.” I hope to help others grow in their relationship with God, to gain the salvation Jesus has suffered and died to give us. Living with interior peace brings a grace to others that may help open their hearts to God’s grace for them.

When walking with others in spiritual companionship, the topic of forgiveness often surfaces. I’m often prompted to share the YouTube by Larry Christenson on Unilateral Forgiveness, and in particular one of the stories he relates in it. He tells of a good friend who is deeply hurt and troubled by an injustice, such that she becomes embittered against the one who hurt her. She finds a deep peace in the quiet of a church that allows her to release the bitterness, and this is followed by a word from the Lord that has helped me a lot in my own life. She heard in her heart, “you never lose your peace over someone else’s sin, but only over your own.” She had lost her peace through her bitterness toward another, and not because of what they had done.

There are steps to take here, tied to the desire for peace and forgiveness. First is to acknowledge the injury, and to allow oneself to gently lean into the pain it has caused. We don’t want to over react to it, nor diminish it, but to name it and feel it.

The second step is often overlooked. We take our eyes off of the injury, and ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of how our own reaction may be in need of God’s forgiveness. In the case mentioned above, the need was to acknowledge the bitterness that had taken root in her heart, and to ask the Lord to forgive her for that. This is then followed by His gift of peace, freely given to every soul that honestly confesses their own sin, and seeks forgiveness. It also takes our eyes off someone else’s sin, and paves the way for us to offer a blessing for them, rather than ill will. In his article, Larry speaks about “beaming out forgiveness” to others, unilaterally. That is, from one side only – we don’t wait for them to ask for it, we offer it first. “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,” can only be done from the heart when we have allowed the Lord to cleanse us of our own sin, and receive His gift of peace.

Peace and forgiveness, partners hand in hand. May our Advent preparation include time to examine how we may have reacted and lost our peace in some circumstance, and allow the Lord to restore it through a good confession and extending blessing to others.

Lord God, I desire to be an agent of your peace and mercy. Help me to take my eyes off others’ failings, and allow you to use me to help others on their journey of faith. Thank you for Your gift of forgiveness – may I allow You to convict me quickly, that I may live in Your grace…

Link to Larry Christenson’s YouTube audio:

Larry Christenson – Unilateral Forgiveness & Empathetic Repentance

Track 1 – empathetic repentance. (20:25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8w7ihVid8

Track 2 – unilateral forgiveness. (19:27 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MBGwHO0MeM

93) Communion of Saints

November 2 is celebrated in the Catholic Church as the Feast of All Soul’s Day. This day is specially designated as a day to pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, especially those who are believed to be in purgatory, awaiting their journey to heaven. Purgatory is the place of “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1031). This purification is needed, for “nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven.” (Rev 21:27)

It was Sunday, Nov 2, the Feast of All Souls Day, and my friend shared how she felt a particular spiritual energy at the early Sunday morning Mass she attended. She had recently lost a loved one, and that loss magnified the meaning of the Feast for her. It was an experience of a friend of hers at the second Sunday morning Mass that has blessed me, and all those with whom I’ve shared it.

Her friend shared how at a certain point in the Mass, the priest became visibly shaken, and turned away from the altar for a few moments to regain his composure. He finished the celebration, and at the conclusion shared what had happened that caused him to react like that. As he was looking out at the congregation, he began to see, seated in the pews, all the people at whose funerals he had officiated in this church. And as he continued to see them, members of his own family who had passed away were also present there. Overcome with emotion, he had to stop and turn away, so moved by this vision granted him by the Lord.

Her friend had recently lost her husband, and she also shared that as she stood before the priest to received the Eucharist, he paused. Something had caused him to wait a short time before offering her the Host. She stated that she truly felt the presence of her departed husband there with her in that precious moment.

What a gift they had all been given, and how blessed they were that their priest shared with them what he saw! As I heard this story, what came to my own imagination was a church filled with people I know who have passed away, all present there at the Mass, and asking my prayers to speed them on their journey. Holy anticipation filled the atmosphere, and joy at the thought of all those good people now praying for me, and for all those I hold in my heart. The communion of saints became more real, along with the recognition of the magnitude of this gift, and thanksgiving to the Good God Who has so arranged it!

Each time I hear a “glory story,” it strengthens my faith and encourages me to be more attentive to the invisible world that surrounds us. It‘s a catalyst for expectant faith, awaiting the next surprise the Lord has in store. “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see You” is the refrain from a praise and worship song. It’s the refrain of my heart too!

Lord God, help me to pay attention and be aware of Your Presence in the everyday circumstances of life. Give me the courage and the means to share these gifts, that others too may be blessed. I don’t want to miss You passing by…

91) Do It Now

Procrastination has been a challenge for me all my life. I’m reminded lately of my mom’s acronym, DIN! Do It Now! How I need to respond to that command, and recall how often in Scripture things were done “immediately,” “with haste!” Perhaps my problem has been with discerning just what it is that needs doing now! There are so many options, and it’s time to start whittling them down to the essentials, in the hope that actually doing it now can be accomplished! Where to start?

Making a list of non-negotiables can be a starting point. For me at this time in my life, this would include daily Mass whenever possible, and daily rosary, always possible. Checking the calendar to note appointments or meetings that are necessary should come next. Daily exercise of some sort has become more important, as I find myself spending way too much time sitting, often at the computer. So I’ll put a daily walk, and also my exercise video high on the list. I try to keep the kitchen tidy as my main contribution to housekeeping chores, and basic bedroom tidiness too. And that’s really about all of the essentials!

That leaves lots of room for the non-daily activities, like laundry, other cleaning, paying bills and other paperwork…. This is when I get bogged down, seeing the giant list of things that don’t demand immediate attention, aren’t on the daily essential list, but need to get done “sometime.” Ah, sometime… that smells like procrastination to me! Methinks I need a better plan ~

This brings me to mom’s second acronym – HIC = Help Is Coming! And the help she knew was always available came from the Lord! He would send people help, inspirational help, a Word from the Scriptures – but always something to get going and do the next right thing. Over and over the Scriptures remind us to ASK! So I’m asking now, Lord – help me to discern how to spend each moment of each precious day that You give me in a way that glorifies You and helps to fulfill the plan and purpose You have made me for today. I don’t want to just spin my wheels and waste the gift of time You’ve given me. I know that this isn’t about being more “productive,” but rather living in Your will for me each day, which naturally includes accomplishing whatever tasks You have set before me. I recognize these will include times of rest, times of silence with You, time in Your Word. I think of Bp David Rcken’s advice: “Each day, no more, no less, no sooner, no later than what the Lord asks of you.” Harmonize my life, Lord, that the music it produces may be pleasing to Your ear and create a symphony that will bring blessings to others. DIN and HIC – thank you mom!

Lord God, help me to live well the days remaining to me! I ask to hear Your Voice throughout each day, leading me on the path that accomplishes what’s necessary, and brings glory to You! Thank you for my mom’s wisdom, that whispers in my ear…

90) Surrender to Grace

This last weekend was spent in helping my sister-in-law pack up and leave the cabin she dearly loves, to return to her residence in a retirement community. She had spent several weeks solo at the cabin for many years, but last year due to health challenges it hadn’t happened. Missing that time at the cabin had been really hard for her, and a time of depression had set in.

It was a long drive, and she thought she could do it alone this summer. When I offered to help her get there, she readily agreed to the offer, so my son and I picked her up in July and made the trip North, planning to do the return trip in September.

It was a time of great blessings, and also of a surrender to the grace of God as she realized the reality of physical limitations due to health and age – she’ll be 90 in October! Blessings included many evening meals shared with extended family visiting at nearby cabins, being back in the woods able to see the lake and savor the deep quiet. Short trips to nearby towns with easy and beautiful country driving were a joy!

It wasn’t all easy though – some of the things she most wanted to do were not do-able; the dock was too wobbly and her legs too unsteady to sit on the bench at the end of the dock. The lovely and peaceful bench on a little lake in the woods surrounded by a bog was unattainable, as the board walk was unstable. The shot received to reduce the pain in her legs began to wear off as the weeks went by, and the constant pain began to return.

All of this reminded me of Paula D’Arcy’s story told in her book SACRED THRESHOLDS, where she relates her time as a therapist with Morrie Schwarz. (TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE). Morrie had ALS, and was slowly losing his ability to do all the things he had loved in this life. Paula walked with him through this journey, as he shared the stories and they re-lived them together, savoring and celebrating the joys, and then letting them go, one by one. This was what my sister-in-law was able to do. She was in the place she loved, remembering the special joys she had experienced there, and then by God’s grace being able to let them go. The reality of not being able to do what she thought she could was acknowledged and accepted, and she said she was blessed with peace as she realized this would be the last time she would spend being at the cabin solo like this. And it was ok, for the frustrations had been replaced by peace.

What a gift the Lord had given to her! As Paula writes in her book about Morrie, she had found the path of surrender to the grace of God. I think of my mom, the last time she came to the cabin. We walked all around the property, visiting the special spots which had been like home for her for over 60 summers. She said goodbye to each one, with gratitude in her heart for all the blessed memories, and ready to let them go and be passed on to the next generations. The words she wrote to the family about the property are a precious legacy –

“Each of us is responsible for our brief moment here on earth. All of us have a love for this small piece of God’s handiwork. May the future find that it has been nurtured and cared for during our lifetimes. All that we have is God’s alone. We are blessed to have each other with whom we can share it.” Please God that we may take these words to heart and live them!

Thank you Lord, for the path of surrender to Your grace! What a gift that has been modeled for our family! My I learn it well as I too am being called to savor the memories and experiences, and then to return them with deep gratitude to You, the source of all that has blessed me in this life…

89) Prison to Praise

What do I do when I fall into a funk? When I’m stuck in self-pity and feeling discouraged? When I want to run away, to hide in my room? Only remedy: sing praise to my God!

My friend Loretta introduced me to the book PRISON TO PRAISE by Merlin Carothers many years ago, and it’s offered an answer to my prayer for help again and again. “God inhabits the praises of His people,” (Ps 22:3), and where the Good God is, the enemy flees!

Here I am once more, feeling lost and confused, and down in the dumps. Thank You Lord, for reminding me of the antidote! I’ll sing Your Praises, and thank You for this situation just as it is, trusting that You know all about it! Nothing is ever a surprise for You, and You have a plan to follow in every circumstance, to bring good from every adversity. (Rom 8:28) I need to listen to You first, and not to trust in the world’s advice!

I’m reminded of Mom’s response when things got too overwhelming in caring for Dad with his Alzheimer’s. She would go into the bathroom, shut the door, and sing the Doxolgy loud and clear! “Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below! Praise Him above Ye Heavenly Host, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!” This would renew her inner strength, and give her the grace to carry on with whatever needed to be done, knowing she was not alone, but rather accompanied by the Good God Who had been faithful to her all her life, even as she had been a faithful Christian all her life!

How grateful I am for the foundation of Faith in which I was formed as a child! There was never any doubt that God was Real, He loved me, and He would be with me in whatever circumstance I found myself. He’s with me now, in every question, every challenge. I don’t need to spend time speculating on the “what ifs,” but rather make an act of faith, of hope, and do the next best thing. For me today, it’s been to sit down and write this, to remind myself of Truth, and allow the Lord to re-set my attitude. I’ll move from “poor me” to Praise God!

87) The Presence of God

While visiting with friends, I joined them for Sunday Mass. I don’t like to spend time critiquing a service, but rather to be grateful for the Mass, to give thanks and intercede for loved ones, to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! I love to sing the hymns, and it was good to be there with those I love.

This day, however, I found myself grading everything – the pastor, the choir, the congregation – not what I want to be doing. The pastor was not a native and it was a real struggle to understand him, along with a sound system that wasn’t working correctly and was fluctuating between loud bursts and silence. The music leaders were difficult to hear, and tricky to follow. I was finding it challenging to enter in and be fully present to the liturgy, being distracted by what I was perceiving as a less than “quality” service. I’m ashamed to even admit it, as I recognize how uncharitable my attitude had become.

The moment came, however, when that all changed! It was at the time of consecration – the priest was saying the sacred words that changed the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ – and the atmosphere changed! God showed up! I could sense it in a very real and tangible way – His peace was there, His Presence permeated the room, and the liturgy became alive! I don’t know if others experienced this as I did, but it changed the entire service into a time of worship and gratitude, shifting my critical attitude back to one of thanksgiving and appreciation to be there! Praise God!

As I thought about this, it reminded me of other times when I had experienced God breaking through, and indeed changing the atmosphere. We used to have a small jail ministry that met monthly with the county prisoners, to offer them a time to gather and hear God’s Word. I clearly remember that almost without exception, about half way through our time together, God would show up! I would know this, and would let others know: God is here! He’s with us, and He wants us to know that He’s here! This seemed to usher in a time of grace, when the inmates became more open, and there were beautiful sharings of sacred moments in their lives.

It reminded me too of David Wilkerson’s book, THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE, about his calling to minister to the street gangs of New York. He would rent a space for a meeting, and would invite the gang members to attend. They were a very unruly bunch, to say the least, and his initial efforts to preach were met with loud interruptions and cat calls, and total disrespect. But then, something would happen! As he realized that his human efforts were ineffective, and of himself he could not control this crowd or succeed in sharing God’s Word, God Himself would show up! Not in the flesh of course, not that others could see Him, but He would make His Presence known. A hush would come over the room, the gang members would often find themselves in tears, and God would begin the work of changing hearts.

This is what I felt at that church service with my friends. It was as though a hush came over the congregation – you could hear a pin drop, and sense that something beautiful was happening in people’s hearts. We all left having been blessed and renewed, in God’s tender quiet way. I know in my mind that He is there with us always, but what a grace to truly know this in a deeper way that changes everything!

Lord God, thank You for Your Presence, with us always! Thank You that in unexpected and delightful ways You sometimes make that Presence known in a sensible fashion. Would that I may be open to recognize You at that time, to proclaim Your Presence and invite others in to receive Your Love and Mercy…

 Lord God, thank You for Your Presence, with us always! Thank You that in unexpected and delightful ways You sometimes make that Presence known in a sensible fashion.  Would that I may be open to recognize You at that time, to proclaim Your Presence and invite others in to receive Your Love and Mercy…

86) Sweet Hour of Prayer

How often the lyrics of a song come to mind with just the right words to bring hope and comfort when I need them! Or they may be words of peace and joy, of playfulness or mercy – not pre-meditated, but erupting spontaneously from the files in my memory bank. Many of them are hymns learned through the years, sprinkled among popular or folk music, contemporary praise and worship – so many blessed words!

What comes to mind today is a memory of a time of difficulty, many years ago, yet it remains so clear in my mind. The specific occasion of the trial eludes me, all I remember is driving aimlessly out in the country, fighting back tears and a deep sorrow from a relationship difficulty. In Ignatian terms, this would be a non-spiritual desolation, which could lead either to spiritual consolation, or spiritual desolation. Because the words of a hymn came to mind, the grace of spiritual consolation was given to prompt me to turn to God and receive His help to weather this current inner turbulence. The hymn is “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” written in 1845 by William Walford.

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

How often I need the reminder of the graces that come from the consistent practice of a daily hour of prayer! Prayer that is grounded in Scripture, where the living Word of God has the power to transform and re-align my clouded vision to conform to God’s perspective in any situation! As I heard the words of the hymn in my mind, and struggled to sing them through my tears, His holy peace began to filter back into my spirit, and I regained His perspective on the current time of distress. He knew, He was with me, and He would help me through this!

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting heart to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Even as I remember this moment from many years ago, it becomes present to me now to remind me of the gift of prayer, and to strengthen the peace that God has put in my heart. He bids me seek His face, believe His Word, and trust His grace! “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you,” is His Word from 1 Peter 5:7. With Your songs in my heart, may I keep singing now and into eternity!

Thank You Lord, for inspiring men and women through the ages to put the truths of Your Word to music! Thank you for their transforming power to change the spiritual atmosphere and restore Your peace where there is anxiety and discord. May I not neglect daily time in Your Word to honor You and to receive Your grace to live a life of blessing for others…

84) I See You

On a recent pilgrimage / retreat, we were matched with a fellow pilgrim, whose identity we wouldn’t know until the end of the journey. It was suggested that we hold that person in our hearts, and during one of the quiet times during the trip, ask God for a word or image that would be meaningful for them. I had received words and images from others in prayer ministry, and recognized the gift this can be, so happily set aside a quiet moment to receive this grace for my secret fellow pilgrim.

As I prayed, the image of someone standing under a white blossoming tree came to my mind, and the Scripture where Jesus sees Nathanael under a tree and recognizes him as someone in whom there is no guile. I felt the Lord was saying to this person, “I see you. I know you. I know what’s on your heart. Come close to Me.” To test this thought and image, I returned to the exercise several times before the end of the pilgrimage, and the image and words remained true, and clear.

At the end of the pilgrimage, we gathered together and discovered who our secret partner was. I didn’t know her, and had not interacted with her on the trip. We were instructed to share what the Lord had given us for this person, so I told her what I had seen and heard. When I began, telling her Jesus had seen her standing under a white blossoming tree, she was visibly moved! She explained that at home she had a lilac tree that every other year had displayed beautiful purple blossoms, but for an unknown reason, this year the blossoms were white!

The words of Jesus, “I see you. I know you. I know what’s on your heart. Come close to me,” along with the image that was so very personal, were a blessed gift from God for my partner! There was no possible way I could have known she had a tree like that; God in His love and tenderness wanted her to know that He sees her, He knows her, He knows what she carries in her heart, and He desires that she come closer to Him! How much the Lord wants us to know that He knows everything about us, that He cares, and He desires an intimate relationship with us!

As is always the case when the Lord gives us the gift of bringing a blessing to another, the image and the words blessed me as well. God’s Word is filled with assurances of His love and and care for us. Ps 139 comes to mind here: “I have probed you and I know you. I know when you sit and when you stand. Your journeys and your rest I scrutinize. With all your ways I am familiar…”. These words from Scripture bring peace to our hearts, and when coupled with an image that only God could know, they are a powerful witness to the truth of His personal knowledge of us.

The second part of this word was the story from John 1:47 where Jesus declares “here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” I looked up the word “guile” and found this definition for the spiritual meaning of guile: “to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy or dishonesty in thought or deed.” Ps 32:2 says “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit (guile).” My partner struck me as just this sort of soul, which added another dimension to the story. The Lord knows her heart, and wants her to know she is blessed by the Lord for her pure spirit.

Praise God for this little prayer exercise that brought blessing to us both, and to others I have shared it with. How we desire to be seen, to be known, and to be called into deeper intimacy with Him! I’ll remember it whenever I see a white blossoming tree!

Thank you Lord, for your gift of the Holy Spirit which puts into our minds a word or image to bring blessing to another. Grant us this gift of the Spirit that we may be agents of Your love and mercy to our brothers and sisters, drawing us both into a deeper intimacy with You…

83) It is Well

Our parish hosted a recent Day of Reflection focused on the theme “It is Well.” The theme corresponded to the beautiful hymn, “It is well with my soul,” written by Horatio Spafford in 1873. I was especially blessed with Fr Wratkowski’s reflections about just what it means “to be well.”

He began with the story of the writing of the hymn, a tale of deep faith in God in the midst of tragedy. Horatio and Anna Spafford had experienced financial disaster after the Great Chicago fire, but were now able to plan a trip to Europe to visit family and friends, and to celebrate Christmas in Paris. Horatio had to wait to finish some necessary business, but bid Anna and their four daughters bon voyage and Godspeed on the French steamer SS Ville de Havre.
Off the coast of Newfoundland their vessel collided with an English ship, the Loch Earn, ripping a huge hole in the hull, and causing so much damage that their ship sank within 20 minutes. Fr Wratkowski spoke of how before the ship sank, Anna gathered her children to pray, seeking God’s help. She prayed not only to be spared, but “for the grace to endure whatever might come.”

What came was the tragic loss by drowning of all four of their daughters, with Anna alone surviving. She was rescued by a life boat, and ten days later arrived in Cardiff, Wales, where she sent a telegram home to Horatio with the simple message “Saved Alone.”

He took passage on a ship to join her as soon as he could, traveling the same sea route where his children had perished. The captain of the ship called him when they came to the very spot where his daughters had drowned, and it was there that Horatio looked not down at the sea, but up to Heaven where he trusted his loved ones to be, and the words of the beautiful hymn, “It is well with my soul,” began to live in his heart.

He arrived and joined his grieving wife, and also met with their close friend, evangelist Dwight Moody. In relating their story to him, they were able in faith to say, “It is well. God’s will be done.” This phrase remained in Horatio’s heart, and was the kernel of grace that produced the words of the hymn. There’s much more to the story, and well worth reading, as from this tragedy the Spafford family’s life bore great fruit in service of God’s people.

There’s a beautiful YouTube presentation, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the hymn, and a theatrical re-enactment of the story that includes “the rest of the story.”

There are so many hymns that we’ve come to know and love. How much more this one means to me now that I’ve heard the story behind it’s composition. I return again to one of my favorite Scriptures, Romans 8:28. “All things works together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Praise God for His Word, for HIs Promises, and for the grace to endure whatever may come, knowing that nothing is outside of His Providence.

Thank You Lord, for the beautiful witness of faith that has been handed down to us throughout the centuries, and inspires us to trust You in all circumstances. Help me to remain close to You always, and know that indeed, it is well with my soul…

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When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain: It is well 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 hath 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 the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.