09/08/2026
HYMNSTORY
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
Thomas Chisholm (1923)
Being highly intelligent and ambitious from a young age, Thomas Chisholm was born in Kentucky in 1866. Though he found success in his early years, Thomas found his greatest success at the age of 27 when he accepted Christ as his personal LORD and Savior.
In 1903, Thomas started a family by marrying the love of his life: Catherine Vandervere. It seemed to Thomas that his path in life was now set, that he would be a minister for the remainder of his days, but the following years showed him otherwise. Indeed, GOD has a different plan.
Throughout his term as pastor, Thomas' health deteriorated, and in 1909, these problems caused him to step down from pastoring. Financial troubles also emerged in the years that followed as a result of multiple healthcare costs. In the midst of a health and financial crisis, many individuals would have become angry with God, but Thomas had exactly the opposite reaction.
~ Yes, he was no longer a minister but now had more time to focus on writing hymns.
~ Yes, he had health problems but also had loving support from his wife and two daughters.
~ Yes, he faced financial struggles but found a job selling life insurance, allowing him to keep up with the bills.
No matter the struggle, Thomas always chose to see God’s faithfulness.
Thomas' view on life remained optimistic, and in 1923, he picked up a pen and a piece of paper to create his most well-known poem, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." He sent the poem to Reverend William Runyan, musician of Moody Bible Institute and editor of Hope Publishing Company in Chicago.
Truly, despite of the struggles Thomas Chisholm faced in life , he continued to express his love for God through poetry and wrote nearly 1,200 poems throughout his life. Many of these poems became published hymns that have further spread the message of God’s faithfulness.
