It will not come as a surprise that my favorite guitar player is Per-Olov Kindgren. His music is beautiful and often sooths my soul. However, this evening, I am thinking of another guitar player whose music has made an impact on my life.

I learned recently that Ron Hamilton (affectionately known as Patch the Pirate) is on his death bed. Some of you might not know him. But he has been a prolific song writer of conservative Christian music for about 50 years. His wife shared that he wrote just short of 1000 songs in his lifetime. Many of them were written to be accompanied by his guitar.

One of his more memorable pieces was written after he lost his left eye to cancer. Instead of complaining, he thanked God for being with him through his trials. The song is called, O Rejoice in the Lord. It is a song we will always love to sing. Tonight I came across this classical guitar arrangement on Youtube. I hope you enjoy it.

God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;
In darkness He giveth a song.

Chorus:
O Rejoice in the LORD
He makes no mistake,
He knoweth the end of each path that I take,
For when I am tried and purified,
I shall come forth as gold.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;
So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day;
Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;
God strengthens His children and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging more fruit I will bear.