The Grace-Filled Poet

Born on Christmas Eve in 1866, hymn writer Annie Johnson Flint learned about Jesus first from her parents, Eldon and Jean Johnson. When she was just three, Annie lost her mother and gained a new baby sister.

Annie’s father had limited resources and sent his daughters first to stay in the home of a relative who found it difficult to care for the girls and her own children.

Then God, in His providence, brought Annie and her sister into the household of Mr. and Mrs Flint, who would soon become their adoptive parents. The Flints continued to teach the young ladies about God and young Annie soon came to the Lord for salvation at a local evangelistic meeting.

As a child, Annie demonstrated a remarkable gift for poetry and started a two-person literary club with one of her friends. The two children would meet together to read poems and write poetry and they had a grand old time doing it!

Not long after high school Annie developed the beginning stages of arthritis which led to a life of physical pain in a wheelchair. Yet Annie’s poetical gift flourished along with her continual joy and service to others.

For the rest of her life, Annie supported herself by selling her poems to Christian magazines. She also made her own greeting cards and poetry books to sell to her growing audience of loyal readers.

Annie lived hand to mouth but made it clear to all that while it was her mouth, it was God’s hand!

Grace was a common theme in Miss Flint’s work including the hymn, “He Giveth More Grace” and this short poem:

His grace is great enough to meet the great things,
The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,
The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,
The sudden storms beyond our life's control.
His grace is great enough to meet the small things,
The little pin-prick troubles that annoy,
The insect worries, buzzing and persistent,
The squeaking wheels that grate upon our joy.