Elisabeth Elliot: One of the things that I think is so important and often neglected nowadays is the learning of hymns, because it?s an easy way to learn theology. My father was not a theologian, but we sang a hymn every single morning after breakfast.

Lisa Barry: I wonder how many traditions we could start in our homes this week that would have a lasting influence? Singing hymns each morning would certainly be a good place to start, wouldn?t it? If you have a hymnal in your home, take it out and read it along with your devotions tomorrow. If you don?t have one, I?ll bet if you stopped in at your church, they might even give you an old one, or let you borrow one for a while. Hymns are the subject today on Gateway to Joy as Elisabeth Elliot and her daughter Valerie Shepard talk about the ones that have been most meaningful to them and why. And as you listen, put together your own list, and thank God for the encouragement they offer. Now here?s Elisabeth to get us started.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That?s what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking again today with my daughter, Valerie Shepard. I think the subject is hymns again, isn?t it?

Valerie Shepard: Yes. I?d like to share two special hymns that not only have meant something to me, but we have enjoyed as a family. One of them is called "All for Jesus." The music is by John Stainer, and the words are by Mary James, written in 1889. But this is a very easy tune to sing with your children, so I?m actually going to sing it so that you mothers out there, or fathers or grandmothers, can teach this to your children, if you don?t already know it.

"All for Jesus, all for Jesus, all my being?s ransomed powers. All my thoughts and words and doings, all my days and all my hours.

Let my hands perform His bidding. Let my feet run in His ways. Let my eyes see Jesus only. Let my lips speak forth His praise.

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus, I?ve lost sight of all beside. So enchained my spirit?s vision, looking at the Crucified.

O what wonder, how amazing, Jesus, glorious King of kings, deigns to call me His beloved; lets me rest beneath His wings."

Isn?t that an easy tune?

Elisabeth Elliot: That?s lovely. Yes. Simple.

Valerie Shepard: And you can with the children use hand motions. With "Let my hands perform His bidding," we would just do moving our hands about. And "Let my feet"?we?d have them run. "Let my feet run in His ways." And "Let my eyes"?we?d point to our eyes and point up to Jesus?see Jesus only. "Let my lips speak forth His praise." The children, younger ones especially, always enjoyed doing the hand motions.

There is one more verse that is actually not right in front of me on this particular version, but I just remembered now as I was singing it that this is Theo?s favorite verse, because it has the actual word "toys" in it. We would do hand motions with this. It goes like this:

"Worldlings prize their gems of beauty, cling to guilded toys of dust, boast of wealth and fame and pleasure; only Jesus will I trust."

And I don?t know how much Theo has understood of that particular verse, but I?ve tried to explain when we finish the song, several times to him, that Jesus is far better than anything that we can have in this world.

Elisabeth Elliot: Theo is now how old?

Valerie Shepard: He is six years old now. We probably started singing it when he was two or three.

Elisabeth Elliot: Do you have another hymn that you want to share with us?

Valerie Shepard: Yes, I do. There?s one more that has especially meant a lot to me. It?s called "Jesus, I am Resting, Resting."

"Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art. I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart. Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee as Thy beauty fills my soul; for by Thy transforming power Thou hast made me whole. Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art. I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart."

Let me just read the other three verses.

"O how great Thy lovingkindness, vaster, broader than the sea! O how marvelous Thy goodness lavished all on me. Yes, I rest in Thee, beloved, knowing what wealth of grace is Thine, know Thy certainty of promise and have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art. And Thy love so pure, so changeless satisfies my heart; satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need; compasseth me round with blessings. Thine is love indeed.

Ever lift Thy face upon me as I work and wait for Thee; resting ?neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth?s dark shadows flee. Brightness of my Father?s glory, sunshine of my Father?s face, keep me ever trusting, resting; fill me with Thy grace."

I think I discovered this song after I had pretty much come to the end of myself in trying so hard to be the perfect mother with my children?just finding myself fail over and over again and going to Jesus in my quiet times and saying, "Lord, I can?t do this. My sin, my children?s sin, everybody?s sins overwhelm me and I can?t keep cheerful and I can?t keep joyful." I found this hymn and recognized that all I needed to do?of course, I would continue to seek to obey Him. But I needed to rest in what He had done for me.

What a satisfaction that is, instead of struggling so hard in our own flesh to do all that we think we?re supposed to do. We sometimes set even higher standards, if we can possibly do that, for ourselves than God is really wanting of us. He wants just a simple walk of faith, trust, resting, obedience. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." If we could focus more on the "If you love Me," recognizing how much He has loved us, it would be easier.

Elisabeth Elliot: One of the things that I think is so important and often neglected nowadays is the learning of hymns, because it?s an easy way to learn theology. My father was not a theologian, but he was a very, very devout Christian and a writer and an editor of a Christian magazine. But we sang a hymn every single morning after breakfast. Because of that, we children learned hymns by heart without any effort whatsoever. Your children learned to sing without any effort. Little Theo can sing because he hears it, and they remember.

It?s just a crying shame that there are churches nowadays that hardly ever have a hymn sung. They sing the praise songs. I?m not knocking the praise songs, but they?re rather thin theologically very often. I just think it?s a tragic loss. So I want to do everything I can, and I?m glad to have you cooperate with me, Val, in just laying before people the importance of learning the old hymns.

Not very long ago I read this very tragic letter from somebody, one of my radio listeners. Talk about troubles and trials and tribulations! She says, "Pray for my father?s salvation. Pray for my parents? marriage. My cousin Pam is sick. Pray for my cousin Andy. He is not saved. He is in prison. Pray for our finances. I have cerebral palsy. My mother needs a car. I have stomach problems. I have back pain. I have arthritis. I have bowel problems. My grandfather is on dialysis. My grandmother is sick. God bless you in your work."

Well, I took a great sigh of relief when she finished that very sad list. But then I thought of that simple old hymn: "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."

Valerie Shepard: "All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer."

Elisabeth Elliot: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations?" Well, who hasn?t? "Is there trouble anywhere?" Well, of course there is. "We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our trials share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer."

Do you have some final words for us?

Valerie Shepard: Well, I was thinking of how in this day and age, and our natural bent anyway, even if it weren?t in this day and age?our natural bent is to just talk about our troubles with everybody, rather than quietly going to the Lord. And not sharing our troubles with everybody, but taking our burdens. It says, "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you."

But I think our intentions to do something good evaporate in the midst of telling our troubles to other people. We can?t do the good thing we ought to be doing, because we?re always having to list what struggles and what particular problems we?re having and being specific with everybody. I know I do tend to do that. I want to tell every detail of everything that?s wrong with any of my children. It?s not necessary. My older son exhorted me to not tell every detail in every story, because it wasn?t necessary. But if we could learn to take it to the Lord in prayer, rather than burdening other people.

Elisabeth Elliot: How that would simplify our lives, wouldn?t it? Thank you so much, Val, for being with me again today.

Valerie Shepard: You?re welcome.

Lisa Barry: Well, have you compiled your list of favorite hymns yet? One that I clung to for many years was called "Nothing Between." At a time in my life when my faith was growing in leaps and bounds, I wanted nothing to come between my soul and the Savior?not worldly passions, not illusive dreams, not anything. And when I sang that song, every inch of my being would agree. I hope you?ll find that kind of energy from hymns as well.

If you?d like to use this series as a way to bolster your interest in hymns, then I encourage you to purchase a copy. It?s called A VISIT WITH VALERIE. The cost is $11.50. If you?d like an easy way to order this series, then dial up our Web site through your Internet connection. We?re at gatewaytojoy.org. But ordering is only part of what you?ll find on line. It?s an interactive information site with lots of great facts about Gateway to Joy. That Web address again is gatewaytojoy.org.

Or you can contact us the conventional way through the mail at Gateway to Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. Or call toll-free: 1-800-759-4JOY. Today?s program has been a production of Back to the Bible.

Thanks for showing us in a tangible way that you like what you hear. Your gifts make all the difference in the world. Tomorrow Valerie shares a few of her parenting tips, so I hope you?ll join us then for another Gateway to Joy.