HEAVEN CAME DOWN AND GLORY FILLED MY SOUL

In his teenage years, John W. Peterson dreamed of being a singer and soloist;  he often sang on local radio programs and in churches.  In singing, John felt competent and confident.  He wrote, “Here was at least one place where I could excel.  I knew it, and I made the most of it!”

John found work one summer in a factory running a machine that was very noisy.  He would sing at the top of his lungs for hours on end, making up melodies and imagining he was on stage.  Little did he know at the time that he was actually ruining his voice because of the terrific strain.  There was no way to repair the damage from this overuse and inexperience.  His voice would never again be as beautiful as it had been.  The emotional shock took months to overcome.

In later years, as is often the case with hind sight, he began to look back with gratitude!  If this had not happened, Peterson believes he may never have developed as a writer!  What at the time seemed like a tragedy, God used for good, and his life began to take on a new shape.  Today, Peterson is called the “Dean of Modern Hymn Writers”

In the summer of 1961, John was ministering at Montrose Bible Conference Grounds in Pennsylvania.  During one session, the opportunity was given for people to share a testimony.  ‘Old Jim’, as the man was known, rose to his feet and told of how he came to Christ.  “It seemed like Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!”, the man shared.  That was inspiration enough!  John wrote the song later that week and HEAVEN CAME DOWN AND GLORY FILLED MY SOUL became a favourite almost immediately.  If you have come to faith in Jesus Christ, you will know exactly what ‘Old Jim’ was talking about!