For thousands of years, civilizations have left behind many different kinds of “markers” along the roads of their lives. In the Old Testament we read that often the people of God would build altars along a roadway so that every time they passed by these “stones,” they – and future generations – would remember and retell the story of God’s faithfulness. Many of these altars symbolized definitive events in their faith pilgrimages – times when God delivered them from danger, answered their prayers, or miraculously provided for their needs. Other civilizations communicated in “codes” known only to them and though some are still a mystery, in almost all cases these “markers” communicated something about (1) the distance to another village; (2) territorial boundaries, or (3) an important life-event that happened at that place. Eventually the purpose of many “markers” changed from being symbolic to becoming instructive. Boundary signs and posts defined property lines. Where two roads intersected, a fellow traveler would make a crude sign that showed the name of a distant city with an arrow that pointed the way. These stones or posts reassured travelers that they were following the right path and also indicated certain important points along the journey. The “half-way” marker was most common, as evidenced by the many states that still have a town named “Half-Way,” dating back to an old marker or building that was there. At other times markers were placed as warnings: “Danger! Drop-off ahead,” “Bridge Out”, or “Road Under Water.”

Things have changed a lot over the years. Now metal mileposts define the miles that fly by as we travel the interstates, broken only by occasional memorial or historical markers.

Even though actual milestones are rarely seen any more, we have kept the term “milestone” to refer to very special moments on the journey of life. Graduation from high school is one of the first big “milestones,” followed by other major events: college graduation, marriage, the first home, the first job, the first child. These milestones are significant because not only are they symbols of major accomplishments, but because they are also reminders of a progression of life-events that define both who we are and how we have chosen to live.

I think there are also “milestones” on the Christian journey that help us remember who we are and, most importantly, Whose we are. This collection of hymn arrangements for piano is about these milestones. Unlike the milestones in life, these events may not progress in the same sequence for each individual. And on our spiritual journey there are special moments that we may want to revisit from time to time to help us find direction and renew our strength for the road of life. As you explore this collection I hope that you will find both the arrangements and devotional thoughts to be meaningful experiences of reflection and worship.

I wish you the very best – and God’s blessings – on the journey!

My family and I had the opportunity to visit Pike’s Peak in the summer of 1990 while we were vacationing in some of the western states. Although driving to the top of Pike’s Peak appealed to the “daredevil” in me, I soon had second thoughts about it when I learned that there were no guard rails on the narrow, curvy road. Thankfully, caution and good judgment prevailed and we traveled to the top of Pike’s Peak riding the historic Cog Railway. At ground level there were wildflowers blooming everywhere, lush green grass, and beautiful flowering bushes, plants, and trees. After we had traveled up the railway a few thousand feet the vegetation began to change. Now there were only occasional patches of flowers among the many small bushes and trees. Moving up the mountain even further, bigger and sturdier trees began to appear. Then before long we were surrounded by a dense forest. By the time we approached our final altitude of over 14,000 feet, the landscape was almost barren, with only a few tundra-type flowers and mosses braving the cold. Although the view from the top was spectacular, it was very, very cold, so we took a few photos and went inside the warm railway station to wait for the next ride down.

Sometimes people think they would like to go from one “mountaintop experience” to another in their spiritual lives – but soon discover that it is impossible to go through the Christian life on one long, continual “high.” And if we become obsessive about these exceptional times of inspiration we can even make these moments and experiences into gods. We need to learn from Pike’s Peak that it is in the valley that growth occurs. The view from the mountaintop may be phenomenal but there’s not much growth there.

If you are in a valley right now, keep your eyes and ears open for lessons God might be trying to teach you. The “valley experience” can become a time of intense personal and spiritual growth for you – and one day you may look back on this “valley” as a very significant milestone on your spiritual journey. It’s all in how you receive it.

The text for the first hymn in this medley was written by Katharina von Schlegel, a German woman, who turned inward and listened to the Spirit speaking to her soul. Her text has encouraged thousands of people to trust God during the “valleys” of life:

Horatio Spafford wrote the lyrics to the second hymn in this medley after losing his four daughters in an accident while they and his wife were on a trans-Atlantic journey. Spafford's triumphant hymn lives today not only as a tribute to the faith of a loving Christian father, but also has helped multitudes of believers find courage, strength, and assurance for the difficult times of life – and say, “It is well with my soul” – even through their tears.

Few of us have received invitations to spend the weekend at the White House or visit with world leaders. Should we receive such invitations, we would undoubtedly feel highly honored – and also probably very nervous about meeting and talking with such important, powerful people. I would have to study protocol for several weeks just to be sure that I didn’t do the wrong thing at the wrong time! But there is an invitation that comes to us all from One far greater than any person on earth.

The great God who formed the universe with His hand also made and formed us; He who calls the stars by name also calls us by name and knows every intimate detail about our lives; He whose “robe is the light” came in the person of Jesus to bring light to a dark world and into our dark hearts. From the beginning of time God has been surrounding us, calling us, and relentlessly pursuing us with His love. C.S. Lewis expresses his encounter with the love of God this way: “I never had the experience of looking for God. It was the other way around: He was the hunter and I was the deer. He stalked me, took unerring aim, and fired." Once God finds us – or we find Him, He speaks a simple invitation to us: “Come!”

If you are oppressed by sin, come! If you need forgiveness, come! If you need rest, come! An Invitation from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has been personally delivered to each of us. All we have to do is respond.

John H. Stockton, an ordained Methodist minister from Pennsylvania, wrote both the words and music to “Only Trust Him.” All that anyone needs to know to accept Jesus as Savior is contained within the four verses of this simple hymn. Stockton’s original text for the chorus was, “Come to Jesus” but it was changed to “Only Trust Him” when the hymn was used in Ira Sankey’s revival crusades. Regardless of the words, the invitation is always the same: “Come.”

In the city of London, England, Charlotte Elliott, an invalid since age thirty, was hearing God’s Invitation. When she asked Cásar Malan, a well-known minister and musician in London, how to find the joy and peace that Jesus promised, he replied, “Charlotte, Just come as you are to the Lamb of God. Bring your fears, hate, temper, and pride to Him and He will give great love in their place.” God used these convicting words to bring an instant transformation in Charlotte’s heart, which later led to the writing of “Just As I Am” in 1835. This text, from the heart of a bed-ridden young woman, is now synonymous with the Billy Graham Crusades. It demonstrates a basic cornerstone of the Christian faith: If people come to Christ with their faults, failures, and sins, He will pardon and cleanse them. Charlotte Elliott wrote:

A milestone on the journey occurs when we respond to The Invitation that has been issued from a loving God. We don’t have to be nervous about it or worry about protocol. He longs for us to simply trust Him and come to Him—just as we are.