A Broken Heart Leads to Reminders that "It Is Well, With My Soul"

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

The design for June's Encouragement Kit is based off of the extremely popular hymn called "It Is Well". The words were penned by Horatio Spafford, while the somber music was written by Philip Bliss. 

The story behind the words of the hymn is utterly heartbreaking.

Spafford sent his wife and four daughters on a European trip for some rest and relaxation, while he planned to join them days after. The ship that his family was on was struck by another vessel and sank within minutes. Only his wife survived. 

Spafford immediately left to be with her, and the words of this hymn is said to have been written as he approached the area of the ocean thought to be where the ship carrying his daughters had sunk. 

Instead of focusing on what he lost, Spafford focused more on where hope can be found. His heart turned to the faithfulness of God in the midst of loss and the work of Jesus to rescue sinners. “This hymn does not diminish or gloss over pain and tragedy, but rather proclaims that God is present in them and greater than them.”

When asking Pam about the story behind this design, this is what she had to say, “There have been countless times in my life when the storms of life felt as if they would leave me lifeless and hopeless. I’m sure you can say the same. But in His goodness, the Holy Spirit has faithfully brought reminders from God’s Word and stories like that of this beloved hymn to my remembrance. The writer says, “thou hast taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul”. I am in agreement! He IS teaching me!! It’s not our natural response to turn to God… it is learned. It is a choice. “The central basis of Chrisitan assurance is not how much our hearts are set on God, but how unshakably His heart is set on us.” A quote from Timothy Keller. It is in continually reminding ourselves of these truths before & during the storms, that our heart is being trained and taught. And when the storms do come crashing in, our hearts can more naturally say: “it is well, it is well with my soul”.”

You will find this design on several products in the June Encouragement Kits, including an *exclusive* 6x6  Metal Decorative Tile. Just like with all of our encouragement kits, each product is carefully selected to create a beautiful display for your home and to be a reminder of Truth and Hope. We pray that they will bring you & others hope each time you see the design and read their words.