Firm Foundation
Story Behind the Song
By Nancy Gordon

from the web site 
http://www.integritymusic.com/worship/story/1-01.html

A few years ago, Jamie Harvill and I co-wrote a country song called "Belle of the Ball." It was a beautiful song that affirmed the love between a father and his daughter. Suzy Luchsinger, Reba McEntire's sister, was a new recording artist with Integrity Music and was looking for new songs to record. When Suzy first heard this song, out came the Kleenex. Jamie and I were so excited that she was deeply touched by our song and we were hopeful that she might record it. But as we all know, things change and by the time Suzy went into the studio to record her album, our song was not included on the list.

The day that Jamie and I discovered our song didn't get recorded, we were very disappointed. Our hopes had been dashed. I remember reading my morning devotional the day before Jamie and I talked on the phone about our sad news. Somewhere in that devotional I read the phrase......"I have a living hope." I had a deep desire to sing those words to myself. While on the phone with Jamie, our conservation was like a "volleyball game of encouragement." We were both aware that we had misplaced our hope in a song and not in our God.

Through the ministry and gift of encouragement, Jamie and I actually talked ourselves into the song "Firm Foundation." Almost line for line we were exhorting one another to not be discouraged in the circumstances, but to put our hope in God's Holy Word. Most of the lyrics were written over the phone. Afterwards, we got together a couple of times to fine tune and tweak the song. I can still remember Jamie's wife, Brenda, commenting to us, "Well, country music didn't get a good song, but the church got a great one!"

It is truly amazing how a song can be carried in the Spirit to people and places we will never see or go. We are continually blessed by the stories we hear about the powerful encouragement "Firm Foundation' has been to people everywhere. We're forever grateful that we worked through our disappointment with the "living hope" of God's eternal word and we still celebrate the joy of having written this song.

 
Nancy Gordon is a prolific songwriter and has written hundreds of songs such as "Firm Foundation," "Because We Believe" and "Come Expecting Jesus." Nancy created the character "Miss PattyCake Praise," and was the Creative Consultant and primary writer on the NAPPA gold award winning Integrity Music "Just for Kids" Lullaby Tapes. Through Mother's Heart Ministry, she is available to speak to your church/choir/ women's groups. She can be reached at MHM1862@aol.com.

Jamie Harvill is writing, producing, leading worship concerts and worship seminars all over the US and abroad. He can be reached through his new worship resource website- www.vitalworship.com