Stories about Hymn

I know! It's been a long time; I'm sorry.  But don't worry, I'm not off the air, just busy living life.  More episodes will come out soon!

The mythicization of hymns isn't new.  We learn this in this episode about a very common song we sing today.  However, the story is still amazing and very applicable to our daily lives.  Whether true or not, this story is uplifting and continues to praise God. Here is a link to the hymn of this story being played in its alternate tune: https://youtu.be/cv4qQgiO5fQ

It's been too long! Trying to catch up on the last few months, in this story we discuss the tragic circumstances that created a song we commonly sing to help encourage us.  An incident in this hymn author's life allowed him to pen these words to help encourage his own mother, and now we can sing it too. Here is the link I reference in the episode where you can see a draft of the hymn in the author's own handwriting: https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/what-a-friend-we-have-in-jesus

This is a new, new song.  In an attempt to highlight some of those beautiful new hymns that are coming out, I tell the story of one woman's struggle to have and maintain her marriage, and the dark moments it brought her to.  But in the end, she wrote dozens of songs to help others in their trying moments and to, more importantly, glorify God.

Mary Baker, survivor of a dying family.  After witness the death of many close relatives, living through near financial ruin onset by natural disasters, and her doubts of God's grace, she is given a life changing opportunity that she took advantage of to see revival and glorify God.  And she gave us a beautiful hymn.  Listen to this episode to find out more. You can find the main source for this episode at https://ldshymnology.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/mary-baker-1832-1925/ You can go to www.visitgcbc.com to provide your support to Missionary Nate Shaver and family.

This is a special episode.  I have a wonderful conversation with Randy Petersen, author of Be Still My Soul, one of the first books I started reading about hymn histories.  He was the first one who made these stories "real" for me, so it was a privilege to speak with the author for so long.  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!.

This is our first, of hopefully many, modern songs.  This one comes straight from the Hamilton Family.  In this episode, you'll learn how tragic events led to one of the most sung Hamilton songs, and how we are reminded that God is always good.

In this episode you'll listen to the story of a song from one of my favorite hymn authors and composers, because this man did both.  His life ended tragically and earlier than this world deserved, but through modern inventions, his work lives on and continues to glorify God.

It is time for an origin story, that is, MY origin story.  In this episode, you'll learn how a Christmas hymn from France, which has its own story, helped create the Stories about Hymn podcast. Here is the link to the video of Joan Baez singing this hymn in its original language: https://youtu.be/Mxfmnk7l_pI

It's the most patriotic time of the year... in America.  I thank the Lord for leading Ben Everson to record a cover of the American national anthem just one month before I planned on covering its history.  In this episode, you'll learn, if you don't know already, the deeper history of the song that goes beyond the Battle of Fort McHenry. In this episode, I refer to an earlier song by Francis Scott Key.  In reviewing the episode, I just realized I forgot to give its title:  When the Warrior Returns.  Here is a link so you can read all of the stanzas:  http://www.potw.org/archive/potw340.html Happy Fourth of July!