Have you ever faced a storm so fierce, you questioned everything? Louisa Stead found her unwavering faith tested when tragedy struck at Brighton Beach. Our latest episode is a profound exploration of how this remarkable woman channeled her grief into the timeless hymn "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus." We recount the sorrowful event that inspired a song of hope, and how her steadfast belief provided solace amidst the waves of despair.
Journey with us as we examine the life of a woman who, through her loss and longing for missionary work, composed a hymn that continues to inspire trust in the divine across generations. Louisa's single, profound contribution to hymnody serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, faith can be an unbreakable anchor. Her story, beautifully interwoven with music and history, offers a compelling narrative that echoes the enduring power of trust and the strength found in surrender to a higher power.
Have you ever faced a storm so fierce, you questioned everything? Louisa Stead found her unwavering faith tested when tragedy struck at Brighton Beach. Our latest episode is a profound exploration of how this remarkable woman channeled her grief into the timeless hymn "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus." We recount the sorrowful event that inspired a song of hope, and how her steadfast belief provided solace amidst the waves of despair.
Journey with us as we examine the life of a woman who, through her loss and longing for missionary work, composed a hymn that continues to inspire trust in the divine across generations. Louisa's single, profound contribution to hymnody serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, faith can be an unbreakable anchor. Her story, beautifully interwoven with music and history, offers a compelling narrative that echoes the enduring power of trust and the strength found in surrender to a higher power.
My website is https://www.godslovingsacrifice.com
Speaker 1:
Today we're going to talk about a hymn about rust. There's so many times when people have bad things happen to them that they turn away from God. Some people turn towards God, some people turn away from God, but when something very tragic happens, it's hard not to let it get to you. And there was a woman in the 1800s in England named Louisa Stead and she wanted to be a missionary. She spent her life when she was 12, when she got saved, living for God. She moved from England to the United States around 1870s and she lived in Cincinnati. She was at a camp meeting in Urbana and her calling to be a missionary really intensified. But she wanted to be a missionary in China, but she was much too frail to be able to do that. So let's think about this young woman who wants to be a missionary, who's medically too frail to be able to go where she would love to go be a missionary. She gets married and she has a daughter and they're happy. It's in the 1800s. They go to church, they take care of their family.
Speaker 1:
In one day In 1880, her and her husband George and their daughter Lily decided to go on a vacation to Brighton Beach on Long Island Sound for a picnic outing. So there they are at a picnic, being happy, called by God, wanting to do what God called them to do. And while they were sitting there, they saw a child struggling in the water against an offshore tide, and George went out to save him as Louisa and Lily watched, the little boy and George both drowned and she was devastated. But though she was shattered by this, she never lost her hope in God. Through her grief, she prayed and she cried and she tried to take care of her daughter. And while she was praying, this inspiration began in her and she had to sit down and write it down. You hear the song that's playing. If you know this song, you'll know it just by the music. But think about the hope and the trust you would have to have in Christ to get through a tragedy like this. Her story reminds me so much of Horatio's story, with it as well with my soul.
Speaker 1:
This woman wasn't a Fanny Crosby. She didn't write 8000 hymns, or even a Dottie Rambo and write 2000 hymns. She was never given any big awards, but she wrote the song that has touched the hearts and the lives of millions of people over the years, and this song is about the trust and the faith and the love that we have for Christ and the way that he can take us through the most trying, difficult times and we can come out of the other side of those times trusting in Jesus. The song that she wrote was "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus", and those words sometimes give me cold chills. I love this song, I love this hymn.
Speaker 1:
You listen to these words and realize we cannot lose these hymns. We have to bring these hymns back. The words say "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus", just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise and to know thus saith the Lord, jesus, jesus, how I trust him, how I've proved him o'er and o'er. Jesus, jesus, precious Jesus, o'er grace to trust him more O'er. How sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust his cleansing blood and, in simple faith, to plunge me neath the healing, cleansing flood. Yes, tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self, to cease, just from Jesus, simply taking life and rest and joy in peace. I'm so glad I learned to trust the precious Jesus, savior, friend, and I know that thou art with me, will be with me till the end.
Speaker 1:
Can you imagine writing those words. You've lost your husband, you're left alone with your daughter and she trusted in Jesus. She could find strength in Jesus. She was telling other people that no matter what the storm is, no matter what the rile is, just trust him. I knew my husband was going to go be with the Lord. He had lived a long life. It was hard to say goodbye but I knew where he was going and I knew that he was tired and it was easy to trust God in that. But imagine a young married couple with a small child out having a vacation and her and the child watches Husband and father die along with another child. Just trust him. Do you trust him? Do you trust him with your life today? Have you put your life in his hands? Go listen to that song, hear the words of it. Learn to trust him. It is so sweet to trust in Jesus.
