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Filled with Astonishing Gratefulness

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  Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960) was born in the tiny town of Franklin, KY. When he was 27, he attended a revival service led by Dr. H. C. Morrison and gave his heart to Christ. He was never in good health. During his lifetime he wrote over 1200 poems. In 1923, he sent a batch of poems to William Runyan, a musician who served at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. One of the poems impressed Runyan so much that he set it to music. He published it privately, little knowing it would become one of the most beloved hymns of the 20th century.   The hymn is known as “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”Runyan said "this particular poem held such an appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry over its message in a worthy way, and the subsequent history of its use indicates that God answered prayer. Late in his life, Thomas penned these words of personal testimony: My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me until ...
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Steadfast in Doctrine and Fellowship

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  Ravensbruck was a concentration camp built in 1939 for women. Over 90,000 women and children perished in Ravensbruck, murdered by the Nazis. A prayer, found in the clothing of a dead child, says: O Lord, remember not only the men and woman of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us: Instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness. In Acts 2 we are told this about the first church, “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers”   (Acts 2:42). They early church was steadfast in doctrine. God commanded Joshua the leader of Israel “ observe to do according to all the law ...
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Strength to Endure Anything.

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                          Great Basin Bristlecone pines are remarkable for being the oldest non-clonal species on the planet . The oldest tree is more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known living thing. The tree is a testament to the extraordinary abilities that exist within the plant kingdom.   Sitting on a lonely mountainside, it is a non-descript natural wonder of the world hidden in plain sight. When researchers initially began studying the Bristlecone pines , the longstanding belief was that in order for something to live for thousands of years, it must live in a near perfect environment with plenty of water, ample nutrients and protection from the elements. However, the Bristlecone Pines were not living in the pristine environments. In reality, it was quite the opposite. These trees generally compete poorly in less-than-harsh environments, making them hard to cultivate. In gardens, they suc...
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