His name was Horatio Gates Spafford. He was born on October 22, 1828, in Troy, New York. Mr. Spafford became a successful lawyer and real estate investor in Chicago. Yet, he lost much of his real estate fortune in the great Chicago fire in October 1871. He spent the next two years serving those who had suffered in the fire.

After serving his fellow countrymen, Mr. Spafford decided to take a vacation to Europe with his wife Anna and their four daughters. Business delayed him so he took his family to New York and boarded them on a luxurious French ocean liner, the S.S. Ville du Havre. Mr. Spafford planned to meet them later in Europe.

However, their ship never made it. At 2:00 a.m. on November 22, 1873, it collided with an English iron sailing vessel, the Lochearn. The Ville du Havre sank in only 12 minutes. It was the greatest disaster at sea until the sinking of the Titanic. His wife Anna survived by clinging to a piece of the floating wreckage, but his four daughters were among the 226 people who perished. Anna sent her husband a telegram that said saved alone.

Several weeks later on his way to join his grieving wife, Mr. Spaffords ship passed the spot where his four daughters had sunk to the depths of the sea. The loss of his real estate fortune paled in comparison to the sudden and unexpected loss of his four daughters.

Yet, in spite of all his grief, Mr. Spafford was inspired to pen the words to that famous hymn It Is Well with My Soul. Can you imagine the tremendous grief that he must have felt? Yet, his faith helped him to endure his trials and find inner peace.

By having faith in God and focusing on serving the needs of others, we too can find peace in spite of our trials and difficulties. Regardless of our circumstances, we can then say with conviction, "it is well with my soul."