Love Without End

When I was about eleven, I started going to church with my neighbors. They had a boy my age. One Sunday morning, I arrived early. The family was gathered in the front room, just getting ready to pray together before leaving. They invited me to join them. I have never forgotten the warmth I felt as I listened to the words spoken to God, as loved ones bowed their heads together in reverent humility. After that, I tried to arrive early whenever I could, just so I could be there for those family prayers.

The hymns became very influential in my life. I taught myself to read music by practicing the notes from a borrowed hymnbook. Each Sunday, after sitting on a bench with the congregation, the first thing I always did was look up the hymns for that meeting. Every day after school, I would spend sometimes an hour or more at the piano, playing and singing the words to those sacred songs.

"I Need Thee Every Hour," "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "How Great Thou Art," "Master, the Tempest is Raging,"and "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" were among my first favorites.

It is hard to believe that so many years have passed since I decided to be a church-goer. As I sing each week, surrounded by the family I helped create, I find I am always touched by a phrase or a sentence from one of the hymns. I try to carry that message with me into the week.

They are like messages from God just to me.

And like an answer to a prayer, yesterday, these were the words that stood out to me: "Forgive, that God may us forgive, that love may still increase."

And so I will try, because I know God knows what is best for me.