I will lead the blind
by a way they did not know;
I will guide them on paths
they have not known.
I will turn darkness to light
in front of them
and rough places into level ground.
This is what I will do for them,
and I will not forsake them.
Wait on Me,
I will show you My ways;
I will teach you My paths;
I will lead you in truth;
I am the God of your salvation."
~ Your Heavenly Father
taken from Isaiah 42:16; Psalm 25: 4-5
Born Frances Jane Crosby in 1820,
Fanny Crosby was probably
the most prolific hymnist in history.
She became affectionately known as
'Aunt' Fanny or simply Fanny.
Though blinded by an incompetent
doctor at six weeks of age,
over 8,000 hymns are attributed
to her gift of being able to hear
and see in ways few ever attain.
"It seemed intended
by the blessed providence of God
that I should be blind all my life,
and I thank him for the dispensation.
If perfect earthly sight were offered
me tomorrow I would not accept it.
I might not have sung hymns
to the praise of God if I had been
distracted by the beautiful
and interesting things about me....
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 Crosby
One of her most loved HYMNS
was 'Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine'.
Speaking of how the words
came to her, she said:
"My friend, Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp,
composed a melody and played
it over to me two or three times
on the piano. She then asked
what it said. I replied,
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”
Blessed Assurance
Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
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.
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.
O How WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP
is God's LOVE for YOU and ME
I love that her songs were present O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
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.
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.
O How WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP
is God's LOVE for YOU and ME
with the soldiers in time of war.
The following account blesses my spirit
and causes me to wonder...
how different might our world might be ...
had this 'contributing honor'
been allowed to continue -
considering the war against Christians
in the military these days.
“During the recent war in the Transvaal,”
said a gentleman at my meeting
in Exeter Hall, London, in 1900,
“when the soldiers going to the
front were passing another body
of soldiers whom they recognized,
their greetings used to be,
‘Four-nine-four, boys;
four-nine-four;’
and the salute would
invariably be answered with
‘Six further on, boys;
six further on.’
The significance of this was that,
in ‘Sacred Songs and Solos,’
a number of copies of the small
edition of which had been sent
to the front,
number 494 was
‘God be with you until we meet again;’
and six further on than 494,
or number 500, was
‘Blessed Assurance,
Jesus is mine.’”
Sankey, p. 122
In her lifetime, Fanny Crosby
was one of the best known women
in the United States.
To this day, the vast majority
of American hymnals contain her work.
When Fanny died, her tombstone
carried the words, “Aunt Fanny”
and “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.”
Many of my favorite HYMNS and wealth
of Scripture were largely due to
'Aunt' Fanny's gift of WORDS....
written on her Heart with indelible ink...
and melting with mine.
Blessed Assurance
I Must Tell Jesus
Are You Washed in the Blood
Down At the Cross
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name
He Hideth My Soul
Jesus is Tenderly Calling You Home
Near The Cross
Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It
Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior
Rescue The Perishing
Tell me the Story of Jesus
To God Be The Glory
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
Many thanks to Cyberhymnal
What a beautiful story!!! Not only about her strong faith but her disability that was not a hindrance at all and which God used for His glory! That's a favorite song we sing in the fellowship.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure 'aunt Fanny's eyes are glowing Brighton as she looks at the Savior's face. What an encouragement for me who happened to hurt my neck and had disability knowing that God Who is able will enable me. In fact, I'm working in a few hours and I visited you at His perfect time! Thank you for this post sister. Your Spirit is on fire as I have noticed you've been posting more! Yay! Glory be to God! May He always lead us into His truth.I remember He gave me a song from this verse also.God bless.
"Bright"not brighton.sorry...typo...
DeleteNone of us would choose to be blind ...after spending a lifetime or even a few years with sight. But she was able to see the blessing in her blindness because her sight was in the LORD.
DeleteLikewise, we wouldn't choose a disability. It hurts. It limits us. But blindness did not hinder Fanny. It strengthened her in the things that mattered. the things that are lasting. our faith in God and our relationship with Him...as well as our relationship with people. You know this RCUBE's. You have experienced God's strength in you with this disability. He always has our best interests at heart, doesn't He? He never wastes an opportunity for a turn around anointing! He's done that in you...He allowed you to maintained your presence at the prison...because He has purpose for you there. O to be living and working in the full purpose of God!
blessings to you dear sister
patrina <")>><
Hi Patrina,
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful story about a beautiful lady. I recognize some of those hymns, they are beautiful.
I sure you do!
Deletethanks for visiting Brenda
I *love* the old hymns! SO much truth and encouragement for the follower of our Lord in them! I like this story you shared here today of the soldiers and how they would greet one another with references to the hymnal they shared. SO beautiful! SO wonderful to belong to our Great God and His Family. Blessings to you! Camille
ReplyDeleteIn Christ, we are family!
Deletepeaceful blessings to you Camille