Many a lost soul has been won to the Lord by wandering over the cobblestones of memory’s lane and hearing again the sweet hymns of the church. When the roll is finally called up yonder, Avis B. Christiansen will find stars in her crown never dreamed of. As poetess and hymn writer, her inspired words have brought easing of pain to broken hearts and, through the Holy Spirit, helped to work the miracle of salvation in many others.
Mrs. Christiansen has both the rhyme and the reason for expressing in heaven-sent eloquence the love and kindness of the Saviour.
Born into a Christian home where whole-hearted service of Christ was accepted as the natural thing, Avis became a child of the King at an early age. The wonder of salvation in her own life has flowed out in her beautiful verses to draw others close to her Saviour.
Her first poem was written at about the age of ten. She was encouraged by her grandmother, a godly woman who loved the music of the soul as expressed in poetry. While still in her teens, Avis was led of the Lord into a ministry of poetry and hymns that is best described in the lines of one of her own works: “Lost in His love! My soul with its sweetness overflows.” It happened in this fashion…..
Author of hymns such as:
O Savior as my eyes behold
The wonders of Thy might untold
The heav’ns in glorious light arrayed
The vast creation Thou hast made
And yet to think Thou lovest me
My heart cries out how can it be
And
Only one life to offer, Jesus, my Lord and King;
Only one tongue to praise Thee And of Thy mercy sing (forever);
Only one heart’s devotion Saviour, O may it be
Consecrated alone to Thy matchless glory, Yielded fully to Thee.
And
And
https://aletheiabaptistministries.org/Blog/in-hymns-and-songs/avis-marguerite-burgeson-christiansen/
One of her first songs that has remained popular through the years is Blessed Redeemer. It was written in 1920 and the music was composed by Harry Dixon Loes. He had studied music at Moody Bible Institute. After finishing school, he served several churches in the music ministry and from 1939 until his death in 1965, he was a member of the Faculty of Moody Bible Institute. It very seldom happens in this order, but one day while listening to a sermon about Christ’s Atonement entitled Blessed Redeemer, Loes was inspired to compose the tune which he named, Blessed Redeemer. Not having any idea for appropriate words, he sent the melody with the suggested title to Mrs. Christiansen and asked her to write suitable lyrics to fit the melody. The completed hymn first appeared in the hymnal, Songs of Redemption, in 1920. It is one of my favorite songs and it is safe to say that the song has remained a congregational favorite through the years.
Chicago Tribune – 1985
The Daily Herald Thu, May 08, 1975
