Poet William Cowper struggled with depression much of his life After a suicide attempt he was committed to an asylum But it was there through the care of a Christian physician that Cowper came to a warm vital faith in Jesus Soon afterwards Cowper became acquainted with pastor and hymnwriter John Newton who encouraged him to collaborate on a hymnal for their church Among the hymns Cowper wrote was ldquo God Moves in a Mysterious Way rdquo which contains these words pressed from the crucible of experience ldquo You fearful saints fresh courage take the clouds you so much dread [... more]

William Cowper ndash the English poet found a friend in his pastor John Newton ndash the former slave trader Cowper suffered from depression and anxiety attempting to die by suicide more than once When Newton visited him they rsquo d go on long walks together and talk about God Thinking that Cowper would benefit from engaging creatively and having a reason to write his poetry the minister had the idea to compile a hymnal Cowper contributed many songs including ldquo God Moves in a Mysterious Way rdquo When Newton moved to another church he and Cowper remained strong friends and [... more]

A few years ago a popular song hit the charts with a gospel choir singing the chorus ldquo Jesus walks with me rdquo Behind the lyrics lies a powerful story The choir was started by jazz musician Curtis Lundy when he entered a treatment program for cocaine addiction Drawing fellow addicts together and finding inspiration in an old hymnal he wrote that chorus as a hymn of hope for those in rehab ldquo We were singing for our lives rdquo one choir member says of the song ldquo We were asking Jesus to save us to help us get out [... more]

Praise God for mercies received and mercies to come Pastor Greg Barkman reviews the history of the church on the occasion of the th anniversary [... more]

Jesus has just been invited to the home of a prominent religious leader in first-century Israel but someone else is on His mind Sitting among the VIPs and honored guests of Simon the Pharisee an uninvited and thoroughly unwanted woman shows up a local town prostitute and all eyes turn to Jesus to see how He will respond His response is an awesome example of God's grace and a powerful reminder that all sin great and small comes with the same judgement and requires the same cure [... more]

Harriet Tubman couldn rsquo t read or write As an adolescent she suffered a head injury at the hands of a cruel slave master That injury caused her to have seizures and lapses of consciousness for the rest of her life But once she escaped slavery God used her to rescue as many as three hundred others Nicknamed ldquo Moses rdquo by those she freed Harriet bravely made nineteen trips back to the pre-Civil War south to rescue others She continued even when there was a price on her head and her life was in constant danger A devoted believer [... more]

Legend has it that Augustus Toplady took shelter during a storm in a fissure he discovered in a large rock wall The visual stuck with him and led him to write the first line of one of the most familiar hymns in Church history Rock of Ages Cleft for Me We discussed this and more in our broadcast that aired on If you find this podcast meaningful please consider sharing it with others and supporting it at www hopeforthecaregiver com giving [... more]

Similarities between functional families and healthy churches Christian relationships based on Timothy - Included in the -part series The Power of We CLICK HEREto ORDER this -part series on MP [... more]

Two different caregivers shared the same sentiment to me this past week I'll get help when it's beyond my control When I quietly asked what shape they and their loved ones would be at that point they both gave them same response silence Many caregivers competently and admirably handle enormous challenges The issue however is not how competent the caregiver is today Caregiving takes a huge toll on physical emotional fiscal and spiritual health The time to ask for help is not when we're overwhelmed but to seek it in stages long before the critical point If you are enjoying [... more]

Do you ever feel that God has forgotten you or forgotten to be gracious to you If so you're in good company In this episode from our radio show I used a hymn and a psalm to guide us on answering the anguish and despair in our hearts O God our help in ages past Our hope for years to come Our shelter from the stormy blast And our eternal home www hopeforthecaregiver com [... more]

Set to the tune FINLANDIA Be Still My Soul remains one of the most treasured hymns of the Christian faith It's timeless message reflects a Biblical response to our prone to fret and worry about things beyond our control The stress and challenges of caregiving often cause our anxieties to near deafening levels We discussed this on the show and how this hymn speaks to our anxious hearts www hopeforthecaregiver com [... more]

As caregivers do we listen to words of life This episode is from our radio broadcast We interview Dan Steiner President of Preborn Preborn org take calls and have musical trivia that I offer from the keyboard www hopeforthecaregiver com [... more]

Think back through difficult times in your life when hot tears filled your eyes Maybe when your body was wracked with pain or your heart was broken Did you feel like singing during those times And when they had inflicted many blows upon them they threw them into prison ordering the jailer to keep them safely Having received this order he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them Acts - Since meeting my wife Gracie [... more]

Cleland Boyd McAffee a Presbyterian minister provided the church with one of the most treasured and enduring hymns Like many great hymns however this one also came from great sorrow Two of his young niece died of diptheria but in the family's grief McAffee penned this great hymn that continue to bring comfort and strength to millions One could reasonably state that McAffee's greatest sermon can by found in the countless hymnals around the world There is a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God a place where sin cannot molest near to the heart of God [... more]

Colossians - [... more]