Episodes

Send us a text Ever wondered what makes Advent so special? What are those deep-rooted traditions that make us anticipate this season? Let's unravel together, as we embark on a journey to explore the true essence of Advent in this special series of The Bright Forever: Hymns of Advent. Get ready to d…

Send us a text Join us as we embark on a journey through time as we unveil the vibrant history and profound yet simple message of the hymn "Count Your Blessings," crafted by the esteemed hymn composer, Johnson Oatman Jr. Uncover the life of this prolific writer, who gave us more than 5,000 hymns. H…

Send us a text Are you ready to uncover the deep, transformative power of hymns? Join us on a captivating journey into the heart of Charles Wesley's masterpiece, 'Arise My Soul Arise.' This isn't just a hymn; it's a profound reflection on Christian assurance, a call to cast away guilt and fear, and…

Send us a text Ever wondered about the profound impact and transformative power of hymns? Join us on an enlightening journey as we unravel the remarkable influence of Martin Luther's enduring hymn 'A Mighty Fortress is Our God' on congregational worship and faith. As we recount the captivating tale…

Send us a text Have you ever felt the joy and solace that hymns can bring to your life, especially during challenging times? We have a special guest today, my mother, Janet Peavyhouse, who shares her insights on her favorite hymn, 'He Keeps Me Singing,' also known as 'There's Within My Heart A Melo…

Send us a text With one of the most well-known hymns of all time, we begin our new season by diving into the history of the creation and various translations of "O Store Gud" (O Great God) that led to what we know of today as "How Great Thou Art" by Swedish poet and preacher, Carl Gustaf Boberg. Bu…

Send us a text In our last episode of the season, we are celebrating what this podcast is all about...THE CROSS! Fresh off the heels of the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. We are looking at one of the m...

Send us a text Right in the middle of Holy Week, we dive into a beautiful hymn about looking to the example of Jesus every day of our lives. The disciples weren’t perfect men, but they were teachable. Thickheaded many times, but with a humility to be taught through the example of the Savior. And th…

Send us a text This week we explore a little less known hymn than usual. First published in 1847, "Through the Love of God Our Savior" by Mary Peters is one of security found in our Savior, Jesus Christ. "The only way to combat the lies of the serpent is with our strongest weapon…God’s Word. When J…

Send us a text One of the classic commitment hymns of the church, this consecration hymn calls us to a life fully and completely surrendered to Christ. Join us as we dive into the person and the purpose found behind this beau...

Send us a text Born out of a fight between two opposing theologians. This poem, turned hymn, is one of the most beautiful songs of grace ever written for the people of God. As well as being one of the most famous English hymn...

Send us a text A little more obscure hymn than we usually do here at The Bright Forever... This is a hymn I had never heard of until a "retuning" of this song was first recorded by Caedmon's Call in 2001. It is actually just a little older than our country here in the United States. First published…

Send us a text This week we look at the conversion anniversary hymn of Charles Wesley. "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" is a beautifully poetic look into the heart of a man deeply changed by God's saving grace. My hope is that when we look closely at the words of this song, we will see our own sa…

Send us a text In this episode, we talk about friendship. Can God be our friend? For some, friendship with Jesus seems to diminish his glory. Does what Christ did for us lose significance when we focus on his friendship? We w...

Send us a text Based on the passage from Luke 24:29, Henry Lyte wrote one of the most beloved hymns of all time. A hymn of prayer for the nearness of his Savior in his final days, Lyte penned a beautiful picture of our need for Christ in everyday of our lives. Join us as we explore the story of "Ab…

Send us a text This is our new ad running throughout the U.S. right now. Please share it with your friends and family and spread the word about The Bright Forever. Support the show www.thebrightforever.com All songs used by p...

Send us a text There has been a ton of exciting things that have happened during the break and I can't wait for you to hear about it all. As we come back to finish this first season strong, we are beginning this new year with...

Send us a text One of my most favorite poems, turned Christmas carol, is "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. If you have only heard the song you may know it as "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". I hope you enjoy this reading of such a timeless poem. Merry Christmas everyone and have…

Send us a text I couldn't let this festive season pass by without talking a little bit about my favorite time of year! We explore three carols in this Christmas special: Angels We Have Heard on High, What Child Is This? and G...

Send us a text What was meant to be a children's song has become one of the most recognized hymns across denominational lines! Listen as we explore the depths of this amazing hymn and an unusual story that comes alongside it. Support the show www.thebrightforever.com All songs used by permission.

Send us a text 25 words, just 25 words. Known to many around the world today as “The Doxology,” comprise what is likely the single best-known verse of all Christian hymnody. This “Doxology” is cherished by so many different c...

Send us a text What do you do when you have more to say, but don't want to add more time to your regular podcast? MAKE A BONUS EPISODE!!! Enjoy this short mini episode as we talk to those Watts-like, non-conformist, worship ...

Send us a text I cannot think of a hymn that so perfectly captures the aguish and the beauty of the cross quite like "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" by Isaac Watts. Watts is one of my most favorite hymn writers. Not just because he writes great hymns, but for the fact that he helped revolutioniz…

Send us a text As one of the greatest lyrical songs in all of hymnody, "The Love of God" stands apart from many. Frederick M. Lehman's hymn is astoundingly beautiful in its use of language and yet even with its amazing imagery it calls itself out for not being able to truly expound upon the vastnes…