Heart Reflections Live
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
You Must See "Amazing Grace"!!!
It takes the promise of a really good, edifying movie to get my husband & I to the cinema. In the past 5 years we have only been to see "The Passion of the Christ", "Finding Neverland", "The Phantom of the Opera", "The Search for Happyness" & now "Amazing Grace".
We'd been much anticipating its release here in Australia, after seeing the trailer, when first released overseas, & I must say we were not disappointed. It was one of the best Christian orientated movies we have ever seen.
Amazing Grace is one of our favourite hymns, & it gave added dimension to my faith, when years ago I studied the life & testimony of John Newton & his transformation from cruel slave trader to humble Pastor. I knew little about William Wilberforce however, except that God used him to put an end to the slave trade in England. This movie filled in the blanks for me.
I won't spoil it for you but I'll just say that the plot is gripping- never boring, Christ & His redemptive work is exalted, the characterisations & acting are beautiful & sensitively portrayed, & it will ignite in you a passion to change the world for Christ. The ending is powerful- take plenty of kleenex! We'll definately be getting the DVD.
I think it's time for a new Reformation... Have you seen "Amazing Grace"? How did it affect you?
Labels: Amazing Grace, Hymn writer, movie, review
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Fanny Crosby- A Life of Contentment
How inspiring to me is the life of the great hymn writer, Fanny Crosby."She hath done what she could..." was the very apt scripture portion used as her epitaph.And what she could do!!Fanny was determined from childhood not to be seen as handicapped.She could climb trees & even ride horses bareback!! Her lack of sight helped her develop her listening & memory skills to the point where she could recite by rote not only the entire Pentateuch, & all 4 gospels, but also many Psalms, all of Proverbs, all of Ruth, & Song of Solomon!! By the end of her life, she had written around 8000 hymns.
Fanny's secret was true contentment in Christ, and God's Providence. She saw the doctor's error, that caused her blindness, not as a lifelong personal tragedy, but as a great gift. Her life is testament to that fact.
Here is one of the first verses she wrote, at the age of 8:
Oh, what a happy child I am,
Although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be!
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't!
So weep or sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot- nor I won't.
We all have things that hinder us, things we can & can't do. Let's take a contentment leaf from Aunt Fanny's book, resolve to do what we can, be at peace about what we truly can't & Bloom where we are planted with all our might for Christ!!!
Labels: contentment, Fanny Crosby, Hymn writer, Poem, Quote
