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! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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!. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

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 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more

This is another wonderful history that does not have a sad story behind it.  It is simply about a man who was lost, got saved, and was so sure and thankful for his salvation that he made a song about it.  It cannot get much better than that. A few admin notes:  The sound quality of the last episode, this one, and the next few are sub-par.  I did not have access to my regular equipment; please bare with me.  Also, this is a missionary awareness episode.  To provide some more context, the missionary that will be discussed is Michael Shaver, who lost his wife to canc ..read more

Many of our song's stories are epic by nature.  Some of them are even too good to be believable.  Often, this is the case.  However, that does not mean there isn't some truth worth retelling!  Listen how one hymn took nearly one thousand years to be completed, from pen to music sheet.  While this story may not be as good as well all would like it to be, we can still give God the glory! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stories-about-hymn/support ..read more