I am not a singer. Really I am not. When I sing hymns at church, my husband puts a finger in his ear to block out the sound of my singing voice. Singing is obviously NOT of my talents.
Talented or not, I love to sing hymns. I experience an uplifting, intensely powerful joy when I “speak up and let the Lord hear my voice” (Footloose), when I “sing, sing a song, sing out loud, sing out strong” (Carpenters) in a church setting. I feel like I am, indeed, singing with choirs of angels and I love the feeling.
As much as I love singing the hymns, I love the hymn’s messages even more . Repeatedly, at crossroads in my life, refrains from hymns have come to my mind, reminded me of important truths, and influenced my decisions for good. Following are ten hymns whose messages have changed my life for good.
Love at Home
“There is beauty all around, when there’s love at home,
There is joy in every sound, when there’s love at home.”
Mom sang this song to Wright and I when we fought. I knew, as a child, that I would hate the song when I “grew up”, that it would remind me of contentious times. I was wrong. I do not hate the song. In fact I love the song. It reminds me of eternal truths. It reminds me that love at home is the most important thing, that when there is love at home, there really is beauty ALL around. I love the song now...and not just at home. It is my go-to song for peace and calm. When I find myself in situations that cause anxiousness, elicit stress, or catalyze contention, I hum this song to myself.
How Firm a Foundation
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh be ye not afraid
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
This song streams through my head when I am confronted by challenges. He is with me!!! He is MY God. He will help me. He will strengthen me. He will stand beside me and guide me and uphold me with His almighty hand. What have I to fear? No one. Nothing. Bring it on!!
Did You Think to Pray?
“Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
“Oh how praying rests the weary,
Prayer will change the night to day.
So, when life gets dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.”
Did you think to pray? Good question!! Have you lost your keys, your son or your confidence? Do you need help making a decision, a commitment, or a loaf of bread? Are you facing a friend, a foe or a fear? Did you think to pray?
This beautiful hymn reminds me to pray. Prayer can change night to day, figuratively and literally. It reminds me to pray, especially in the morning. Prayer is the answer.
Where Can I Turn for Peace?
“Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?
“Where is the quiet hand, to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
“He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.”
I love this hymn because it describes my pain--wounded heart, anger, malice--and expresses so eloquently what I do to myself….”I draw myself apart, searching my soul”. I love it also because it points me to the only source that can always make me whole. Where is my solace? There is peace in Christ.
Count Your Many Blessings
“When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
“Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your blessings;
See what God hath done.”
What a fabulous reminder this hymn is to do what research has proven to be an extremely effective way to battle the blahs…. Practice gratitude. Be thankful. Count your many blessings and see what God hath done. I sing this song to myself when discouragement threatens. And it works. Counting my blessings puts discouragement down for the count.
Do What is Right
“Do what is right, let the consequence follow.”
Over and over and over again the phrase from this hymn has helped me act with integrity. Choose the right regardless of the wake. The important question is “What is right?”; it is NOT “What will happen as a consequence of my choice?”. Do what is right, Teresa, and deal with whatever happens next.
We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet
“We thank thee, O God, for a prophet,
To guide us in these latter days”
I am so, SO grateful to have a living prophet to guide us today. I am so, SO grateful for a watchman on the tower who can see the approaching evils and can prepare us for their arrival, for a revelator who can speak to us as Christ’s spokesman, for a righteous man, chosen of God, who leads, guides and directs Christ’s Church according to His will. As the people in Noah’s time had the opportunity to follow a prophet to safety, as the people of Moses’ time had the opportunity to follow a prophet to safely, as the people of Joshua’s time had an opportunity to follow a prophet to safety so do we, in this time, have the opportunity to find safety in following the guidance of a prophet. And I am so, SO grateful for that opportunity.
Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
“The world has need of willing men
Who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.
“Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.”
I love to sing this song when I am working. There is work to be done. Pitch in! Help move the work along. The world needs you...and me. Let’s do this thing! And let’s do it cheerfully, with hearts full of songs...or hymns.
Because I Have Been Given Much
“Because I have been given much, I too must give.
Because of thy great bounty Lord, each day I live,
I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see
Who has the need of help from me.”
This is the song I sing to myself when I am feeling selfish, put out that I have to help, or upset when it seems that I am required to do more than my fair share. I truly, TRULY have been given much---much more than I deserve actually--and because I have been given much, I truly, TRULY must give. Singing this hymn inspires me to share my gifts with others who may need my help.
I Know that My Redeemer Lives
“I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
“He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
“I know that my Redeemer lives.” When I sing this song, I know that I know. As I hear myself sing the sentence, I know that I do know that my Redeemer lives. And this knowledge brings me sweet joy.
Talented or not, I love to sing hymns. I experience an uplifting, intensely powerful joy when I “speak up and let the Lord hear my voice” (Footloose), when I “sing, sing a song, sing out loud, sing out strong” (Carpenters) in a church setting. I feel like I am, indeed, singing with choirs of angels and I love the feeling.
As much as I love singing the hymns, I love the hymn’s messages even more . Repeatedly, at crossroads in my life, refrains from hymns have come to my mind, reminded me of important truths, and influenced my decisions for good. Following are ten hymns whose messages have changed my life for good.
Love at Home
“There is beauty all around, when there’s love at home,
There is joy in every sound, when there’s love at home.”
Mom sang this song to Wright and I when we fought. I knew, as a child, that I would hate the song when I “grew up”, that it would remind me of contentious times. I was wrong. I do not hate the song. In fact I love the song. It reminds me of eternal truths. It reminds me that love at home is the most important thing, that when there is love at home, there really is beauty ALL around. I love the song now...and not just at home. It is my go-to song for peace and calm. When I find myself in situations that cause anxiousness, elicit stress, or catalyze contention, I hum this song to myself.
How Firm a Foundation
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh be ye not afraid
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
This song streams through my head when I am confronted by challenges. He is with me!!! He is MY God. He will help me. He will strengthen me. He will stand beside me and guide me and uphold me with His almighty hand. What have I to fear? No one. Nothing. Bring it on!!
Did You Think to Pray?
“Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
“Oh how praying rests the weary,
Prayer will change the night to day.
So, when life gets dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.”
Did you think to pray? Good question!! Have you lost your keys, your son or your confidence? Do you need help making a decision, a commitment, or a loaf of bread? Are you facing a friend, a foe or a fear? Did you think to pray?
This beautiful hymn reminds me to pray. Prayer can change night to day, figuratively and literally. It reminds me to pray, especially in the morning. Prayer is the answer.
Where Can I Turn for Peace?
“Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?
“Where is the quiet hand, to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
“He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.”
I love this hymn because it describes my pain--wounded heart, anger, malice--and expresses so eloquently what I do to myself….”I draw myself apart, searching my soul”. I love it also because it points me to the only source that can always make me whole. Where is my solace? There is peace in Christ.
Count Your Many Blessings
“When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
“Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your blessings;
See what God hath done.”
What a fabulous reminder this hymn is to do what research has proven to be an extremely effective way to battle the blahs…. Practice gratitude. Be thankful. Count your many blessings and see what God hath done. I sing this song to myself when discouragement threatens. And it works. Counting my blessings puts discouragement down for the count.
Do What is Right
“Do what is right, let the consequence follow.”
Over and over and over again the phrase from this hymn has helped me act with integrity. Choose the right regardless of the wake. The important question is “What is right?”; it is NOT “What will happen as a consequence of my choice?”. Do what is right, Teresa, and deal with whatever happens next.
We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet
“We thank thee, O God, for a prophet,
To guide us in these latter days”
I am so, SO grateful to have a living prophet to guide us today. I am so, SO grateful for a watchman on the tower who can see the approaching evils and can prepare us for their arrival, for a revelator who can speak to us as Christ’s spokesman, for a righteous man, chosen of God, who leads, guides and directs Christ’s Church according to His will. As the people in Noah’s time had the opportunity to follow a prophet to safety, as the people of Moses’ time had the opportunity to follow a prophet to safely, as the people of Joshua’s time had an opportunity to follow a prophet to safety so do we, in this time, have the opportunity to find safety in following the guidance of a prophet. And I am so, SO grateful for that opportunity.
Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
“The world has need of willing men
Who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.
“Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.”
I love to sing this song when I am working. There is work to be done. Pitch in! Help move the work along. The world needs you...and me. Let’s do this thing! And let’s do it cheerfully, with hearts full of songs...or hymns.
Because I Have Been Given Much
“Because I have been given much, I too must give.
Because of thy great bounty Lord, each day I live,
I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see
Who has the need of help from me.”
This is the song I sing to myself when I am feeling selfish, put out that I have to help, or upset when it seems that I am required to do more than my fair share. I truly, TRULY have been given much---much more than I deserve actually--and because I have been given much, I truly, TRULY must give. Singing this hymn inspires me to share my gifts with others who may need my help.
I Know that My Redeemer Lives
“I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
“He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
“I know that my Redeemer lives.” When I sing this song, I know that I know. As I hear myself sing the sentence, I know that I do know that my Redeemer lives. And this knowledge brings me sweet joy.
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