This I Know Stories

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing ~ When I began to plan a CD featuring hymns, I e-mailed my friend, Dr. Richard J. Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary. He and I share a love of hymns, so I asked him if he might tell me some of his favorites. He kindly obliged with a short list, including this piece. Fortunately, it was also one of my favorites! Moreover, I have always loved Christian artist Ashley Cleveland's version, which I have often heard her perform live and which is featured on her 2005 CD release Men and Angels Say. One thing uniting Dr. Mouw, Ms. Cleveland, and myself is an appreciation of reformed theology and its emphasis on God's firm grasp on his children. Indeed, how encouraging it is to "raise my Ebenezer" and give thanks that "Thus far, the Lord has helped us" (I Samuel 7:12). Ironically, this hymn also describes our being "prone to wander" away from God, in spite of His love. This phrase from the lyrics inspires me to seek an ever closer walk with God, and so I begin and end my arrangement with the portion of the traditional melody that accompanies these poignant words.

'tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus ~ As this hymn's refrain states, I have indeed "proved Him o'er and o'er," often most clearly during tragic times. My own faith began very early (sometime before the age of 4), and I quickly found occasions to trust Jesus (like when I was frightened to learn that my parents could not stay with me when I began school)! Throughout my life, I have found God to be the only One who has never let me down, whereas I have been the one to "let me down" the most. This trust is not merely a simplistic ability to predict God's behavior, for often I cannot understand His actions. I have learned, however, that I can trust God's character, and I can rest in the confidence of who God is. Indeed, how good to know that I can "take Him at His word!"

Day By Day ~ My life remains grounded in God's amazing grace. I love this hymn's lyrics (Lina Sandell-Berg, 1865), which speak of God's caring presence and provision in the daily life of His children. The old Swedish melody (Oskar Ahnfelt, 1872) was a favorite of both my parents. It transports me to childhood, where I relished warm limpa (Swedish rye bread) in my grandparents' kitchen. They did not speak much Swedish, but I can still hear them saying "Tack sjalv mycket" (thank you very much) as though it were today. This hymn debuted on Impressions In Black And White.

Fairest Lord Jesus ~ This was one of the first hymns I ever learned, as a five-year old Sunday School student at Grace Church in Ridgewood, NJ. The teacher presented the lyrics on a large flipchart with colorful pictures, which helped me memorize the words even though I could not yet read them! I have always loved the beauty of creation, as evidenced by the titles of many of my compositions. As I grew older, this song helped me to conceptualize God as being far more beautiful than anything or anyone I could imagine. At the same time, it helped inform my growing experience of God as being completely approachable. In a sense, this hymn helped convey Jesus' words to me, "Let the little children come unto me" (Matthew 19:14).

Holy, Holy, Holy ~ November 10, 1990 will always be one of the most important dates in my life. As a morning rain fell outside the old white church in Lawrenceville, NJ, just south of Princeton, my best friend Sharon and I sealed our mutual commitment with marriage vows. For our wedding processional, we chose this classic hymn of praise to God. Sharon and I believe that marriage is a three-person relationship, with the third Person being God, to whom we commit our lives both jointly and individually. Whereas we walked down the aisle to a traditional version of this hymn, my arrangement is intended to be meditative and emotive, transporting the listener out of the midst of the hectic here-and-now to a place of quiet peace. This hymn debuted on Pure Piano Panoramas.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross ~ In my life, the image on the Shroud of Turin has served as a powerful visual reminder of Christ's sufferings. In a similar sense, I view this hymn as an equally powerful lyrical and musical reminder. I am deeply moved by Isaac Watts' (1707) words: "See from His head, His hands, His feet; sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?" My own Protestant tradition depicts an empty cross because Jesus is risen. I have often felt, however, that empty crosses (which are often fashioned of shining brass bearing no resemblance to the actual cross) tend to encourage Christians to minimize the great cost to God in the death of His Son. Indeed, "love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

It Is Well With My Soul ~ I always enjoyed this hymn growing up, but it seemed a bit melancholy even as it encouraged focus on trusting God in all circumstances. Then, in the early 1990s, I was asked to accompany the singing of this hymn as part of a baby girl's dedication at our church. Her mother, I learned, was related to Philip Bliss who composed the melody (1876). Intrigued, I read about this hymn and discovered that the author, Horatio Spafford (1873) had written the lyrics after losing his four daughters in a shipwreck. Thereafter, this piece became a favorite, and my own faith has been encouraged by Spafford, whose faith was severely tested yet remained in tact.

Jerusalem ~ This classic old English hymn is a favorite of mine for several reasons. First, I love the melody. Second, it was used as the theme for the movie Chariots of Fire (1981) which takes its title from lyrics of this hymn. This film tells the story of Eric Lidell, the Scottish Olympian who refused to run on the Sabbath in 1924 (see Be Still My Soul below). The link to this movie is also powerful for me because both my father and his father were runners. In fact, my grandfather was about the same age as Lidell. I have circa 1918 track team photos of my grandfather, and he looks like he stepped right out of the film. This hymn debuted on Pure Piano Portraits.

O, The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus ~ This hymn touches me both musically and lyrically. Its description of God's love matches my own personal experience: "vast, unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me." As such, my arrangement of this piece attempts to depict the steady, constant motion of ocean waves. Whereas actual waves of physical ocean water could no doubt promote an overwhelming sense of fear to a hapless "man overboard," my hope is that the listener can experience an overwhelming sense of warmth and love from the ocean's Creator. This hymn debuted on Pure Piano Panoramas.

Give To The Wind Thy Fears ~ Many listeners will recognize this melody (George J. Elvey's Diademata, 1868) as Crown Him With Many Crowns. The tune is also used with this hymn, however. The lyrics exhort the listener, "Give to the winds thy fears. Hope and be undismayed. God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears. God shall lift up thy head." This hymn--with Diademata as the tune--was perhaps my father's favorite as he grew older and dealt with more serious anxieties regarding health and life. He knew that it is often challenging to give our fears to the wind. Thus, in my arrangement, a repeating bridge and the coda were created to remind the listener of the wind. We sang this hymn at Dad's memorial service in 1991. Even as we grieved his death only days before his 66th birthday, we also rejoiced knowing that he was now in Heaven with God, where "perfect love casts out fear" (I John 4:18).

Be Still My Soul ~ Classical music lovers know this me90CDF3lody as8DCFF4 the penultimate section from Finlandia (Sibelius, 1899). This hymn (Katharina von Schlegel, 1752) is particularly dear to me because it was Eric Liddell's favorite hymn. If I were to name personal heroes, Liddell would be one. In addition to his integrity demonstrated during the 1924 Olympics, Liddell also followed in his parents' footsteps and became a missionary to China, where he had spent his boyhood. When the Japanese invaded China during WWII, Liddell was imprisoned in an internment camp. There, he continued to be an encouragement to others, emphasizing that surrender to God was the secret to his peace. In 1945, still imprisoned, a brain tumor took his life. This hymn debuted on Impressions In Black And White.

All Creatures Of Our God And King ~ I have always admired St. Francis of Assisi. My wife and I share his love of animals, and we were also led to a deeper respect for this humble man through the life of one of his modern-day brothers, the late Rich Mullins. Most recently, as I read G. K. Chesterton's splendid biography of St. Francis, my appreciation grew even more. Thus, whereas this hymn is typically sung as a majestic song of praise, my arrangement attempts to convey the gentility with which I envision Francis enjoining his fellow creatures, "Lift up your heads and with us sing." No doubt, he would have sung softly so as not to frighten the smaller woodland inhabitants!

Be Thou My Vision ~ This is perhaps my favorite hymn. Jesus Christ is my personal "vision" and I seek to live a life that honors Him. Without him, I am nothing. Words like these are cheap, however. To this end, I appreciate St. Francis' charge: "Preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words." Not only are the lyrics of this hymn inspiring, but the ancient Gaelic melody seems timeless. Due to the simple beauty of the melody, this arrangement attempts only minimal improvisation. My hope is that the mus8DCFF4ic can encourage the listener deeply. This hymn debuted on Pure Piano Portraits.

Softly And Tenderly Jesus Is Calling ~ The short list of favorite hymns given to me by Dr. Richard Mouw also contained this jewel. I share his love for this hymn, which so wonderfully portrays the caring heart of God, who "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). Its lyrics are reminiscent of the prodigal son's father, who seemed to be "waiting and watching" for his erring child to "come home." Many hymns beautifully express the awesome majesty of God, but this one seems to personify His "still, small, voice" (I Kings 19:12). It is this still, small, yet powerfully loving voice that I hope to convey with my arrangement.

Jesus Loves Me ~ This song provides the title to this CD, expressing the profound yet simple truth that "Jesus loves me, this I know." The arrangement was actually part of a medley I created in the late 1970s. It consisted of my arrangement of Albert Hay Malotte's The Lord's Prayer, bookended by Jesus Loves Me's verse and refrain, respectively. Whereas my rendition of The Lord's Prayer was energetic, I quietly encapsulated it with this Sunday school song's gentle strains to more fully express my experience of God. Indeed, the mighty God of the universe is also my "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15), the One who comforts "as a mother comforts her child" (Isaiah 66:13).