praising through pain // all the way my saviour leads me

All The Way My Saviour Leads Me

Fanny Crosby

 Blinded by an incompetent medical treatment for an eye irritation, Fanny Crosby was blinded in her childhood. Yet, her heart and mind saw more than many with clear vision. Throughout her life, she penned many favorite hymns including "Blessed Assurance", "To God Be The Glory", and my favorite, "All The Way My Saviour Leads Me". 

Fanny was a humble woman who worked as a hymn writer and spent any extra time seeking to bring others to hear about Jesus. She travelled with evangelists such as D.L. Moody to bring the gospel to New York of the mid-to-late 1800s. And though she was known throughout the country for her hymns, she lived in near poverty because she insisted on giving away most of her wages and only kept what was needed for her basic needs. She leaned on Jesus, which was obvious in beautiful lyrics she composed that were birthed from a deep reliance on her Provider.

In 1874, Fanny found herself wondering how she would pay rent one day. She knelt down and prayed. Soon there was a knock on her door and a man she had never met before insisted on giving her ten dollars, which just happened to be exactly how much she owed for rent. Jesus had shown faithful to provide for her pressing basic need of paying rent. That night, these words were penned:

All the way my Saviour leads me;

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy

Who through life has been my guide?

What truth in these words. Jesus has led me all the way. Down the deep pit of inadequacy, shame, and fear. Through the valley of discontent and loneliness. Up the grassy hilltop of joy, peace, and redemption. Oh, yes. Jesus led me all the way. What a blessed truth! When I am in seasons of confusion and restless, His hand is there to lead me through. And in beautiful, joy-filled seasons such as I have entered the past few months, He leads me in His peace and wisdom. 

Yes, oh yes! All the way my Saviour leads me. 

"And the LORD went before them by day 
in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; 
and by night in a pillar of fire, 
to give them light; to go by day and night: "

[ Exodus 13:21 ] 

* * *

"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: 
for thou art the God of my salvation; 
on thee do I wait all the day."

Psalm 25:5

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[source: Ruffin, Bernard. Fanny Crosby: The Hymn Writer. Pilgrim Press, 1976]