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Her parents loved her dearly; she was such a bright baby. They were sure that they would be very proud of her, she was such a darling. She wiggled her little toes and tiny fingers and said, “Goo, goo,” like all good babies do. But as she began to grow older and to walk about, her eyes grew weak and tired until at last they could not see at all. Fanny Jane Crosby, for that was her name, In spite of being blind so young, Fanny Jane could never stand having people pity her. God helped her make up her mind that she would be a happy girl. When she was only eight years old she wrote, “To weep and sigh because I am blind I cannot, and I won’t. Oh, what a happy soul am I Although I cannot see!” Fanny Jane decided that if she could not see with her eyes, she could perhaps see things through her mind. She trained her keen mind to commit to memory many beautiful words in the Bible. Then she learned to write poetry, even as a child. ****
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She grew into a lovely young girl, and when she became a woman, everyone loved Fanny Jane Crosby, the famous blind writer of beautiful hymns. Perhaps you have sung her hymns in our Sunday church school, and I am sure your parents have often sung many of her sweet songs. She wrote hundreds, even thousands, of poems that have been set to lovely music. one of her best known hymns called, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine!” You will remember the chorus: “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long.”****
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Yes, Fanny Jane Crosby was a happy, happy soul, because she loved God, even though she was blind. she wrote over 8,000 hymns. To this day, the vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. She saw many reasons to be thankful and to be always singing praise to God. One of her songs beautifully vibrates with her praise to God. Let us sing it this morning.*** *
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