I want to thank CF4K for a review copy of Fanny Crosby.
Blessed Assurance
As a child, one of my favorite hymns was most certainly Blessed Assurance. I would stand in church (or in the kitchen with my broom) and belt out:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.”
My favorite part of the hymn was always the refrain:
“This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.”
O, how I longed to be that girl… praising my Savior all the day long.
Fanny Crosby Story
Blessed Assurance was written in 1873 by a remarkably gifted woman named Fanny Crosby (1820-1915). Blind at the age of just six weeks old, Ms. Crosby was able to memorize and recall the Scriptures early in her life. She was blessed to have a grandmother and later a boarding house matron who helped her accomplish this task. Fanny Crosby had a remarkable feel for poetry, and using her gift for memory, was able to compose poems and hymns quickly without forgetting them.
Fanny Crosby is credited with writing at least 9,000 hymns in the course of her long life.
Prior to her decision to use her remarkable gift for the glory of the Lord, Fanny Crosby also wrote many, many poems and secular songs.
However, once she decided to follow Christ with her life, Fanny Crosby not only dedicated herself to writing popular hymns, she also spent her life speaking to society’s downtrodden. Fanny Crosby was a frequent visitor in the run-down tenements of New York, in prisons and in shelters. In spite of her commitment to the poor, Ms. Crosby was also known worldwide. Among her friends were D.L Moody, Ira Sankey, and President Grover Cleveland. In fact, Fanny Crosby’s songs were frequently used in Moody’s evangelistic campaigns.
Fanny Crosby Biography for Kids
Lucille Travis has written a fantastic biography of Fanny Crosby’s life for ages 8-14. Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song (Christian Focus Publications, 2013) is an encouraging story of a woman blind from infancy, her use of the Lord’s gifting, and her refusal to allow a disability to rule her life.
Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song is the 35th book in the Trailblazers series. I love, love, love the series and we use them frequently to study Christian history. I appreciate the Gospel focus of the Trailblazers books.
I highly recommend Lucille Travis’ Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song. It’s the story of a woman committed to God’s glory, and God’s hand in her life.
Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song coordinates well with studies involving:
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Character Traits: Creativity, Joy, Commitment
- God’s gifting (and using it to his glory)
- The development of schools for the blind and braille
- The 1800’s or early 1900’s
- The cholera epidemic in New York City in 1849
- Poetry or hymn studies
- The American Civil War (1861-1865)
- The Second Great Awakening (Evangelical movement in America)
Purchase Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song:
Fanny Crosby: The Blind Girl’s Song (Trail Blazers)
Christian Book:
More Christian Focus Trail Blazers Books for Your Kids
Our family loves the Christian Focus Trail Blazers books. They’re perfect for ages 7-14. We read them as we studied history! Check them out.
Bible Resources for Your Kids
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Christian Biographies for Kids | Christian History for Kids | Theology for Kids
Christian History Matters for Our Kids.
History matters. Now, more than ever, we see how important it is for our children to know and understand history and the Bible.
Here’s why:
- God is the sovereign ruler of all things. It’s important for our kids to see his hand in the history of nations and in the lives of both peasants and kings.
- Christian history is the story of our family history. Our kids get to see how people who love Jesus follow him.
- Understanding history can help our kids learn historic and biblical theology. They learn what the Bible says and what that means for us. They also see when the study of Scripture has taken important turns that have changed the Church.
- Reading Christian biographies and history can be a wonderful way for kids to think outside their own time and culture. God’s Church spans centuries and includes people from every nation.
- Christian biographies help kids consider their own faith, walk with Jesus, and the impact their witness may one day have on others–and on history.
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