The story of Fanny Crosby with her faith, hope and joy even in the burdens of her worldly life, demonstrates a resilience that can only come from one place. That is from a trust in Jesus Christ who is our cornerstone and unmovable rock that we can find shelter behind.
Fanny had 3 significant life events that could have caused many to question their perspective of life. The first was her blindness, caused by a careless Doctor when she was only six weeks of age.
The second was a less-than-ideal marriage. Alexander Van Alstyne joined the faculty at the New York Institute for the Blind where Fanny was already teaching. He became deeply interested in her work and she became interested in him when she heard his sweet strains of music. The two were married…deeply in love on March 5, 1858. No one knows what happened, but years later the two drifted apart and in the end occupied separate addresses.
Fanny’s deepest blow was the loss of her child. To this day, no one knows if it was a boy or a girl. Fanny seldom spoke of the child but she bore the devastation and sadness all of her life.
In spite of these difficulties, Fanny, never wavered in her faith and devotion to her Saviour, Jesus Christ. She
ministered with youthful energy, a zest for life and contagious joy until she passed away at a good age.
Her hymn, HE HIDETH MY SOUL, is really her testimony of unwavering faith in her God, her help throughout all of life.