BE ENCOURAGED (3) STORIES BEHIND THE HYMNS “All The Way My Saviour Leads Me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

[9] And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Most songs were borne out of a faith journey that was often punctuated with various trials. Hardships inform our faith through the experience of God’s grace at work in our lives. Many of us have crossed over many difficult times in our lives and we question how we got over. It could only have been by the grace of God.

This great hymn was written by Fanny Crosby (1820–1915). When Fanny was 6 wks old, she caught a slight cold & had inflamed eyes. The family physician was away. Another country doctor was called in to treat her. He prescribed hot mustard poultices to be applied to her eyes, which destroyed her sight completely! It was later learned that the man was not even qualified to practice medicine. Fanny never felt any resentment against him, but believed it was permitted by the Lord to fulfill His plan for her life. This is what she said to her mother one day: “Mother, if I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind … for when I die; the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour.”

Fanny’s spiritual development came from her grandmother who cared for her while her mother worked as a maid. Her father died when she was 12 months old of an illness. A landlady, Mrs. Hawley, helped Fanny memorize the Bible. Often she learned 5 chapters a week!  She entered the New York City Institution for the Blind around 1835, completed training, and taught there from 1847 to 1858. In 1858 she married a musician, Alexander Van Alstyne, who was also blind. Under her own name, as well as under a curious assortment of initials and pen names, she wrote over two thousand hymns, including: “I Am Thine, O Lord”; “Praise Him, Praise Him”; “Sweet Hour of Prayer”; “Blessed Assurance”; “Safe In The Arms Of Jesus “; “To God Be the Glory”. 

“All The Way My Saviour Leads Me” was written in 1874. Fanny needed five dollars one day and she just knelt down and told the Lord about it. Soon after a stranger knocked at her door as he just wanted to meet her. As he left, he pressed a five dollar bill into her hand. “I have no way of accounting for this” she said, “except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money”. “My first thought was that it is so wonderful the way the Lord leads me, and I immediately wrote the poem”.

All the way my Savior leads me;

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well;

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

What comforting words to start the day with! May the Lord guide and bless you as you let Him lead you through this day and always.

Shalom

Folake Olukoyede