“It really doesn’t matter what you do with us, Lord-just have your way with our lives …”
From such simple prayer came the world’s most loved hymns of dedication and surrender, Have Thine Own Way.
Adelaide Addison Pollard was born in Bloomfield, Iowa on November 27, 1862. By the time she was 18 years old, she moved to Chicago to teach at a girls’ school. During this time, she also began to teach Bible as an itinerant teacher. Her true passion was to become a missionary in Africa. After several years of failed attempts to raise the funds, she spent several years teaching at the Missionary Training School at Nyack-on-the-Hudson. Just before World War 1, Adelaide was able to finally go to Africa albeit for a brief time.
After her return home, she still desired to go back to Africa to work in the mission field. One night, in a state of discouragement, she heard an old woman say the prayer above. After she returned home that night after the prayer meeting, Pollard began to meditate on Jeremiah 18:3-4:
“3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.” (ESV)
The rest, as they say, is history. She penned the words we sing today. She shared her words with George Stebbins who was widely known for composing hymns. The tune itself is called Adelaide. Stebbins began to travel with Dwight L. Moody during evangelist missions.
May our prayer be the simple prayer of one elderly woman each and every day. May we seek God’s “molding” us every day as we live for Him.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Jimbo's Jots 
Thank you for sharing Jim. I feel even tho you do not know my needs Gods nudging you to share this devo is exactly an answer to the prayers I’ve had with God lately. Jim and I retired but I don’t want to live a self centered life here on this earth. My prayers to the Father lately have been for him to make clear how I can use the gifts He has fashioned in me to glorify him here. I cannot just hang out and satisfy my own wishes for whatever time I have left on earth. Covid makes it so difficult to serve as we barely get out.
Your msg made me think that the vessel I was before was good but now God needs something else so I need to worship, praise, study and be willing to be reshaped for another area of his will for my life!
Thank you for letting God use your life to share the thoughts and messages He needs to convey.