She was born in 24 March 1820 in south east New York USA. At the age of six weeks, she lost her sight due to an eye infection caused by medical ignorance. She was brought up by her Christian grandmother, Eunice Crosby, because her father died when she was of a young age and her mother had to find work as a maid. Eunice Crosby discovered that Fanny had an amazing capacity for memorising, and read to her large portions of the Bible. By 10 years of age, she could memorize the Pentateuch, the Gospels, Proverbs, Song of Solomon and several Psalms.

She enjoyed writing poems from a very young age and would indulge in her own poetry until her principal remarked “We have no right to be vain in the presence of the Owner and Creator of all things.”

Fanny herself said “It may seem a little old-fashioned, always to begin one’s work with prayer, but I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration.” Can we be like Fanny Crosby, to commit all that we do to God, that God will bless us through life’s journey?

Despite being blind, it did not hinder her in her hymn writing. In fact, a well-meaning pastor commented, “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” Her response was “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind?” said the poet, who had been able to see only for her first six weeks of life. “Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.” Can we be like Fanny Crosby, who would rather be born blind, that she would not be distracted by the world from her work for God? It is thus, that the Lord empowered Fanny to write over 9,000 hymns, so that Fanny had to write under several pen names, for fear that the publisher would find that the hymn book was filled with too many hymns by one writer.

Indeed, Fanny Crosby saw sight as a distraction which would have taken her from the beautiful and interesting things around her, and she might not have sung hymns to the praise of God. How many of us, if we were to be blind, would see the blindness as a blessing from God, as Fanny Crosby, instead of seeing it as a handicap?

She is regarded as America’s hymn queen, just as Johann Strauss was considered the “Waltz King”. One of her most famous hymns is “Blessed Assurance”, which was written in under 40 minutes, when William Doane rushed to her before catching the train to present the hymn. She was able to write very complex hymns, compose music with a more classical structure, even to improvise on it. Yet, she chose to write simple, sentimental verses that could be used for evangelism. Can we be like Fanny Crosby, who chose to write simply, for the furtherance of the gospel, instead of writing in a complex way to exhibit her prowess in writing hymns.

Despite all the religious upbringing, it was not until 31 years old, that Fanny Crosby felt the assurance of Christ’s love and pardon. Despite Eli being the high priest, his sons had committed grave sins, that God pronounced against the sins that the Eli’s sons had committed, in 1 Samuel 3:14: “Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” We should never take for granted that one who comes to church is saved. Like Eunice Crosby, we should bring our children up in the Word of God, so it will speak to their hearts and souls. Unlike Eli, we should spare no effort in sharing the Word of God with our children and ensuring their salvation.

We have much that we can learn from Fanny Crosby – her faithfulness and humility.