The first draft of “Hear My Cry” was written in January 2020 upon the passing of Larry Smith, who served as an elder of the North Church of Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I regret that I did not have more time to know him here, but am thankful for the few years I did have. As our church was mourning his loss, my mind turned to his wife, Cindy, and the complex waves of grief she must have been feeling at the time.
Now, as I perceived Cindy, she spent her life humbly serving others, and as I would not have wanted to cause her any degree of embarrassment, I’m not sure that I would have shared that I had written this song while thinking of her. In either case, the choice was sadly never presented to me, as Cindy also passed away just a few short weeks later. As they have both realized their reward in the Lord, I have no hesitation to share the story now, hopefully to the benefit of all who sing it while they also navigate through challenging journeys of grief.
Until our griefs come to an end and our faith becomes sight, we rely heavily upon Jesus to understand and sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), and the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf (Romans 8:26), carrying our feelings and burdens to the Father, even when we can’t find the right words to say.
As I said, this song was first drafted in 2020, and it wasn’t until the end of 2023 that I decided to publish and release it, after 3 years of meditation and revision. Since then, I have experienced periods of personal loss that have woven their way into the song’s message. It has continued to evolve in its meaning to me, and reflect all of those feelings I’ve gained along the way.
While this hymn is protected by United States copyright, I have made it free and publicly available for private and congregational use (not for profit).