Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) was an American poet and hymn writer. She became blind shortly after birth, and a year later, her father died. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, and their landlady helped her to memorize Scripture from the Bible. At age 15, she entered the New York School for the Blind. During that time, she learned to play the piano and guitar and to sing. After she married, she wrote hymns to support herself while devoting her life to working with the poor. She wrote over 8,000 hymns, including "Blessed Assurance." The short video below tells her story.

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Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was an English hymn writer. Raised in a Nonconformist home, Watts’ father was imprisoned several times for his refusal to belong to the Church of England, and Watts himself attended a college for Dissenters—those who opposed state interference in religious matters. After returning from college, Watts published a book of hymns. His songs spread all over Europe, but he was heavily criticized by those who believed that only the Psalms should be sung by the church. Despite this, he continued to write hundreds of hymns over his lifetime, many of which we still sing today, including I Sing the Mighty Power of God. The short video below tells his story.

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Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was a leader of the Methodist movement and the younger brother of John Wesley. He founded Wesley Chapel and is also remembered for the thousands of hymns he wrote. Though raised in a fervent Christian home, it wasn’t until many years later that Wesley sincerely gave his life to Jesus. Wesley hit a low point in life after experiencing a failed missionary trip to Georgia, as well as contracting a disease called pleurisy. In the midst of these experiences, he finally found true hope and peace in Jesus. He became passionate to share the love of Christ and began penning his many hymns. The short video below tells his story.

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John Newton (1725-1807) was a slave ship captain who was changed by God and went on to become an Anglican pastor, hymn-writer, and opponent of slavery. As a young man, he was pressed into service on board a ship working in the slave trade, and he lived a debauched life as a sailor. Then during a voyage his ship encountered a terrible storm. Newton called out to God in desperation, and that experience marked the beginning of his journey toward Christ. However, it took many more years and even further service on slave ships before his true conversion took place. He went on to become an opponent of the slave trade and influenced his friend William Wilberforce to fight for its abolition. He also pastored two churches and penned over 300 hymns, including the beloved Amazing Grace. The short video below tells his story.

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Vintage Church:

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Johnny Cash (1932-2003), a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, struggled with heavy drinking and drug addiction early on in his career. In 1968, Cash attempted suicide while under the heavy influence of drugs. He crawled into Nickajack Cave to lose himself and die, but passed out from exhaustion on the floor instead. While in the cave, Cash felt God’s presence in his heart and managed to find his way out, seeing the struggle out of the cave as his rebirth. He quit drugs after this experience, and rediscovered his Christian faith in the following years.

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Philip Bliss (1838-1876) was an American hymn writer. Born into a humble home, he had no formal education aside from the Bible. At age 11, he left home to make a living. While working, he attended school off and on to further his education, eventually becoming an itinerant music teacher. He became a well-known singer, teacher, and composer, but chose to give up his financial success with music to become an evangelist.

Rain City Hymnal

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Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) was an English poet and hymn writer. Around the age of 30, she became an invalid and remained so for the rest of her life, suffering from inexplicable pain and weakness. Convicted by a minister’s words about her bitterness and anger towards God because of her illness, Elliott turned to Jesus Christ for peace. She penned around 150 hymns, including Just as I Am.

Horatio Spafford (1828-1888)

Horatio Spafford was a prominent lawyer in Chicago. After losing his 4-year-old son to scarlet fever, he sustained a great financial loss in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Horatio and his wife Anna worked tirelessly for two years helping the other victims of the fire put their lives back together. Then the Spafford family decided to travel to England for a holiday. Delayed by business, Horatio sent his wife and daughters ahead of him. On the way to England, their ship collided with an iron sailing vessel, and all four of their daughters drowned in the wreck. Through his great grief, Spafford held fast his trust in Jesus, writing the lyrics to the well-known hymn It Is Well with My Soul.

William Cowper (1731-1800) was one of the most popular English poets and hymnodists of his time. However, he suffered from periods of insanity and severe depression throughout his life, attempting suicide multiple times. Despite his suffering, he found refuge in Jesus Christ during his stay in an asylum, and as a result of his faith, he produced many well-loved hymns for believers.

Robert Robinson (1735-1790) was an English minister. After the death of his father, a young Robinson lived a life of drunken recklessness and destructiveness. He changed his life course after hearing a sermon preached by George Whitefield, and at the age of 20, he reformed his ways and became a Methodist preacher, penning the well-known hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.