Never Alone

September 2025

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Max Lucado, in his book, Grace: More Than We Deserve, tells the true story of two sisters who were taken captive by Indian warriors in colonial Pennsylvania in 1755. The two girls did all they could to stay together and keep each other encouraged by often singing a song their mother had sung to them. It began, “Alone, yet not alone am I… I feel my  Savior always nigh.”  The Indians chose to disperse and separated the sisters, taking them in opposite directions. They became slaves to the tribes and were not allowed to speak English or German.

Barbara escaped three years later and sought help from the soldiers at Fort Pitt but was told it would be an impossibility to find, much less rescue, her sister, Regina. Barbara was reunited with her mother and brother, would marry and begin raising her own family.

Six more years had passed when she received word that over 200 captives had been recovered from the Iroquois. She and her mother traveled to Fort Carlisle in hope of locating Regina. The captives were so thin and emaciated and confused, none answered their calls of her name.

The colonel asked if maybe a song from childhood would be recalled by the girl, so they walked slowly up and down the rows singing, “Alone, yet not alone am I…”  No one responded at first, but then Barbara heard a loud cry. A tall, slender girl rushed out of the crowd and  began to sing the verse learned so many years ago. Regina had forgotten how to speak English and German, but she remembered the song that had been placed in her heart as a young girl.

Sometimes the trials of life can cause the song of God’s grace to ebb low in our hearts. But if we listen carefully, He will come and sing the sweet song learned years ago and refresh our passion for His service!

 Dr. Lynn Hardaway