Blessed Assurance
This morning, I woke up with cramps from my period, and instead of staying curled up with my electric heating pad, I felt the urge to sing gospel music. The physical discomfort somehow led me to a place of emotional release. In my vlog, I explore the nuances of gospel music by examining four versions of the hymn Blessed Assurance, written by Fanny J. Crosby in 1873. This hymn has been recorded over a hundred times, but I focused on these four versions:
I believe that gospel music allows for vulnerability and honesty in expression that feels deeply connected to my gratitude toward God. This is part of why I’ve been drawn to this song over the last year, narrowing my favorites down to these four versions.
There’s something about the emotional depth of gospel music that’s hard to match in other genres, and I think part of this has to do with the unique emotional strength that women possess. Experiencing chronic pain, like menstrual cramps, for much of our lives often builds a resilience that allows us to tap into deeper emotional expression, especially when we sing. When women sing gospel, there’s a raw, emotional depth that seems to come from the strength developed through enduring pain.
The versions I gravitate towards are meditative, evoking a sense of tenderness, and emoting such emotional depth. This experience made me appreciate singing as a form of therapy. I’ve dabbled in vocal technique, so I know enough to know that there’s so much more to explore on the healing power of singing.
I vlogged immediately after experiencing this because I wanted to capture the emotions I was feeling in real time. The words and feelings I shared came directly from that raw emotional place. It wasn’t just me speaking; it was the pain, the release, and the healing all blossoming together. I wanted to document this experience as it unfolded, to show how deeply the music was intertwined with my healing process.
December 2nd, 2024
