Today is Mary’s 85th birthday. I’ve had the joy of knowing her – and singing alongside her – for about three decades now. Her birthday falls ON “Birthday Sunday,” the first Sunday of the month where we pray (and sing!) for those in the congregation celebrating birthdays in the coming month.

Leon chose an anthem arrangement of It Is Well With My Soul for us to sing, as it’s a favorite of Mary’s (the rest of the choir loves it too). She sang a beautiful solo on the first verse, and it was all I could do to come in singing when the rest of us joined in because it was so moving.

It is a hymn that bears special meaning, and when you know the story behind it, you can really understand why this song touches the spirit so deeply.

Horatio Spafford and his wife had already lost much – the death of a son, followed closely by the great Chicago fire and destruction of his business – all in the same year, 1871. Two years later, Spafford was planning a trip to Europe for himself and his family. A last minute problem with his business delayed him, but he sent his wife and children on ahead with plans to take another ship and meet with them in a few days.

The ship carrying his wife and four daughters was struck by another ship and went down. His wife survived, but his daughters did not. Spafford immediately went to join his wife, and it is said that he wrote It Is Well in the area where the ship carrying his family went down.

The melody, written by Phillip Bliss, is called Ville du Havre – after the name of the ship that went down.

After the tragedy, the Spaffords had three more children, with one dying of scarlet fever. They eventually moved to the Holy Land and led lives devoted to service.

Their story is incredible, as is their faith. It’s hard to imagine having such soul-ripping events – and still be able to say it is well with my soul. I don’t doubt that the Spaffords had moments of deep anguish and despair. But the words strike right at the core of what is most essential, and beautifully so:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

(And the final verse:)

O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul.

Source: https://hymnary.org/text/when_peace_like_a_river_attendeth_my_way

You may also find the hymn listed as When Peace Like a River.

Peace can be like a river – sometimes quiet, sometimes turbulent and nonexistent. But whatever my lot, there is refuge in God’s promise. This line that doesn’t appear in every hymnal:

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Sometimes that’s all it is, and all it takes; just hearing that whisper. We can cling to it as we would a raft in a turbulent river and hold on, knowing that somewhere at the end of that rope is peace, even if we can’t quite grab it yet. This is the promise of God, the promise of Christ, the promise of Love.

Happy birthday, Mary. And thank you for giving us a gift with your voice; a beautiful and heartfelt reminder that while hearts may be breaking and we may feel we’ve given up, it is still well with my soul.