Songs of Hope

I'm in the process of planning the music for church for the next few months.  As I flipped through the hymnbook, I found 3 songs that I absolutely love that we don't sing very often.  One of the reasons we don't sing them often (even when I'm choosing the hymns) is that people comment that they are depressing or that they are funeral songs.  While appropriate as funeral hymns, that's not what they are.    They are hymns of hope and light, hymns of encouragement, hymns of peace.

"Lead, Kindly Light" is one of my favorite texts and melodies. This arrangement by Mack Wilberg lets us hear the Light (yes, with a capital letter) that is in this song.  You can read the full text here.



Eliza R. Snow's beautiful poem "Though Deepening Trials" does speak of trials, ills, and tribulations, but it also proclaims, "press on, press on"and "lift up your hearts" and "ye shall have peace".  Seven verses are printed in the LDS hymnbook.



"Each Life that Touches Ours for Good" is a lovely hymn that is very appropriate when dealing with the loss of someone you love.  I think that message is bigger than one of comfort.  I think it is a reminder of how God works through his people.  The song is also a challenge to be one of those people that touches other lives.  It doesn't have to be big.  I can be as simple as a smile.