Over a month ago, I decided it would be good to try to help my three-year-old learn some Bible verses, so I made up a little song to help him memorize what is possibly the most popular Bible verse of all—John 3:16.
The tune I composed is simple and repetitive, and I debated sharing it on this platform for that reason, but I believe it makes for a good melody in aiding young children to memorize this verse. Also, after chatting with my husband last night about purpose and recalling the story of Anna Bartlett Warner, the woman who composed Jesus Loves Me,* I felt compelled to share this song.
Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the most impact, but regardless of whether they do or not, we know that a life of obedience pleases God. It’s my prayer that God would be blessed through this song and that He would bless others through it as well.
I’ll tell you right now that I made some mistakes while trying to record this song for at least a dozen times. I don’t know if I’ll ever see the day where I play the piano and sing flawlessly (or have a flawless looking video, for that matter). It is just not in my nature to do so, no matter how hard I try. Nonetheless, I’m reminded of statements in the Bible like that of Paul’s:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
May I learn to see my own weaknesses as Paul did his and to remember that this life isn’t about me but about a good and great God that can accomplish anything, and He can do so through anyone whom He pleases. God bless you as you listen to this, and may you be reminded of just how great His love is.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
I no longer sing lullabies to my son before I put him to bed, and although I’m happy to have one less thing to do in our nightly routine, I’m also a little sad to have stopped. I would still be singing them, in fact, if it weren’t for Liam. He started complaining about the songs sometime this summer, and they seemed to become more of a hindrance than a help in getting him to bed, so they’re tucked away in my mind for now to perhaps reintroduce them to him some other day.
Two of the three songs that I used to sing to him were lullabies I composed. The first one, Te Va a Amar Jesús, came about in early November of 2018 after I began telling my baby boy that Mommy loved him but that Jesus loved him more. After several weeks of telling him this, God gave me this song. It is perhaps the simplest song I have ever composed because the music and lyrics were so evidently God’s doing. He put them in my mind all at once, like a beautiful gift.
The following day, I composed an English version of this song and a couple of word variations, and I began singing it to Liam each night. It was a part of our daily routine for over nineteen months.
I have recorded and shared this song with others before, but I decided to record it again recently. I wanted to post it here as a keepsake but also to give more parents a chance to hear it and sing it to their children, if they so choose.
After recording this song again, I noticed that I was halfway out of the frame most of the time. I also recognize that I do not have a stellar voice. It cracked at one point, and I’m sure my enunciation could have been better. Nonetheless, I’m sticking to this version, because the real impact of this song will not be in how I looked or sounded while making this recording. It will be in parents singing it to their children and the truth of its words taking root into their young hearts. So if you have young children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, or know any other person that you think might enjoy this, please feel free to share it and/or sing it to them. I hope it is a blessing to both you and them. May it ground us more firmly in the truth, that Jesus truly does love us more.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
Lyrics/Letra Te va a amar Jesús (2x) Aún más que tus padres (tíos, primos, tía, maestros, gato, etc.) te ama/aman [Mas que tus ______________ (hermanos, hermanas, amigos, etc.) te aman] Te va a amar Jesús Te ama tanto Jesús (2x) Que con su sangre te ha comprado Te ama tanto Jesús Jesus will love you more (2x) He’ll love you even more than your parents (siblings, cousins, grandma, grandpa, etc.) do/does [He’ll love you more than your brother and sister (grandma and grandpa, etc.) do] Jesus will love you more Jesus loves you so much (2x) So much that He gave His own blood to redeem you Yes, Jesus loves you so much
Lyrics: May God grant you sleep, my child As you lie down in bed May He remind you He’s there right beside you He’ll watch over you as you rest He’s always near you To comfort and shield you May He grant you peace as you rest
Que Dios te guarde en paz Al acostarte ya Y que descanses en El tu refugio El siempre contigo esta El te protege y El te consuela Descansa en toda su paz
I composed this song in December and started singing it to my son every night shortly after that. Little did I know how comforting it would be to me a few short months later. Liam is still too young to understand that we are facing a worldwide pandemic and that the widespread effects of this illness have reached every nook and cranny of society. I am thankful for that.
This song is for those parents whose children go to bed at night feeling afraid and anxious of an unknown future.
We have a Father who holds us in His hands and will never let go. Let’s rest in that tonight.
Liam and I enjoyed flipping through his copy of The Beginner’s Bible a couple of days ago. He enjoys pointing to different people and saying “uh-oh” when he looks through the pages.
One page in particular caught his attention and had him saying “uh-oh!” several times that afternoon. It was a cartoon depiction of Isaac in his old age, his eyes closed to show that he was blind.
Looking at the cartoon-version of Isaac as a blind man made me think of another person I had learned about months earlier through an episode of a Christian children’s program called The Mr. Phil Show. In it, a cartoon elephant and turtle traveled back into time to meet a woman by the name of Fanny Crosby.
While visiting her, they learned that she had become blind at six weeks old when the medicine she was given to cure her eye infection ultimately robbed her of her eyesight.
Despite her limitations, she excelled in music and poetry and was also blessed with a good memory. As a result, she wrote around 9,000 hymns throughout her life, many of which are still known today and sung in traditional church settings.1
As I think of Fanny Crosby’s life, I can’t help but wonder if her blindness was partly to thank for all of her accomplishments. There is no doubt that she would have had many more opportunities in life had she not been blind, but would those opportunities ultimately have served as a distraction from God’s purposes for her?
Fanny Crosby herself seemed to think that this would have been the case and thanked God for her blindness as a result.2
The more I think about Crosby’s story, the more I am amazed by what God did through her. He used a blind woman to give the church a better vision of who He is.
All I can say about it is this; that’s the beauty of how God works.
Thinking of Fanny Crosby’s story led me to think of another story from modern times of a man that has accomplished much for Christ due to his disabilities.
His name is Nick Vujicic, and he was born in Australia in 1982 without arms or legs.
Although he experienced a hard childhood because of his disabilities, he began to understand the value and purpose that God gave him as he grew in a relationship with Jesus. As a result, he began to share his testimony in public speaking engagements and went on to write books about his life.
Today, he is the CEO of Life without Limbs and founder of a company by the name of Attitude is Altitude. He continues his public speaking engagements and has shared his testimony and the Gospel in over 57 countries and with over 6 million people.3
Although many would only see the limitations in front of them with a life like his (me included), God has given him the ability to see the advantages that his disabilities have given him. In his website, lifewithoutlimbs.org, he writes the following:
“It’s been said that doors open to a man without arms and legs much more easily than to anyone else, we thank God for providing that privilege. I’ve been invited into very unexpected places to share about my faith in Jesus Christ and literally millions have responded.”
Nick Vujicic
I am utterly amazed by Vujicic’s spirit and determination and by all that God has been able to accomplish through his life precisely due to the fact that he does not have arms or legs.
It’s incredible to think that God is building the body of Christ through a man who is lacking part of his body. It’s almost too much to take in. Ultimately, all I can say about it is this; that’s the beauty of how God works.
Thinking about Crosby’s and Vujicic’s lives makes me want to reconsider how I see my own faults and areas where I find myself lacking.
Although I do not have any disabilities, I find myself in a season of life where it seems very difficult to do much for Jesus. Having a little child in the house with some minor health concerns just makes life that way (although I’m sure just having a little child would have done that as well).
Nonetheless, perhaps the areas where I find myself lacking are the exact areas in which God is preparing me for what He has for me ahead and for greater ministry opportunities down the road.
Although God has gifted us all with abilities and gifts and talents that He wants us to use for His glory, perhaps it would do us some good to think about our faults, disabilities, and weaknesses as well and to offer them up to God.
After all, if God was able to form heaven and earth out of nothing, what could He do, then, out of all that we offer to Him, even all that we lack?
I know this much; He is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20, ESV). And ultimately all I can say about it is this; that’s the beauty of how God works.
Anticipating Adventure 