Message from Donn Start, Principal West Valley Campus

“If a person does not pray about everything, he/she will be worried about most things.”

--Author unknown

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and grief's to bear!
What a privilege to carry,
Everything to God in prayer!

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?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Perhaps no other hymn has ministered so much comfort and consolation as this simple but meaningful message of hope and cheer. Written by Joseph Scriven in 1857, What a Friend We Have in Jesus was never intended to be published. In fact, Scriven wrote the poem and included it with a letter of comfort to his ailing mother who lived thousands of miles away. The poem was intended to always remind her of a never-failing heavenly Friend.

May you take comfort in knowing that 150+ years later, Scrivens’ poem still speaks the truth and its promises are available to every one of us. Praise the Lord that all of us can have Jesus as our very special friend.