Who is Lina Sandbell Berg?

Psalm 46:1 God is my refuge and strength, An ever present help in trouble. (NIV)

 Born on October 3, 1832, Carolina Sandbell Berg, a young Swedish woman, learned that when pain and tragedy strike, God may allow    trouble to help us grow. When she was 26 years old, she and her Father, a pastor, were traveling on a boat across a lake when the boat lurched and her Father fell overboard.  In hopeless horror she watched him drowned before anyone could rescue him.

When this incident happened Lina could have let it destroy her or give her greater faith in Christ through the tragedy.  She chose to grow in the Lord and give her new sensitivity in her music.

Her Mother died three years later.  When she married, her first child died.  These circumstances continued to build her faith.

During her lifetime, she wrote 650 hymns.  “Children of the Heavenly Father” is the one that is most familiar to English-speaking congregations.  Listen to the verse and imagine Lina thinking of her Father’s death as she writes, /”Neither life nor death shall ever/From the Lord His children sever/ Unto them His grace He showeth,/ And their sorrows all He knoweth.”*

Lord Jesus, help us today to decide to know you better. Amen

*some info. from sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/children-heavenly-father

Carolyn M. Steele st.petrie  January 2019