From the age of six months. As a baby, she was blinded in both eyes. She never saw anything. And you know, during her lifetime, so many people would say, even after she became so famous for the hymns she was writing, they would say things like, oh, miss Crosby, so sorry for your handicap. It must be awful to have dealt with this for so long, things like that that people would naturally say, And her response every time was the most optimistic, uplifting thing you can imagine. She would say, thank you. But I've often wondered how much I might have missed if God had given me the gift of sight.

From the age of six months. As a baby, she was blinded in both eyes. She never saw anything. And you know, during her lifetime, so many people would say, even after she became so famous for the hymns she was writing, they would say things like, oh, miss Crosby, so sorry for your handicap. It must be awful to have dealt with this for so long, things like that that people would naturally say, And her response every time was the most optimistic, uplifting thing you can imagine. She would say, thank you. But I've often wondered how much I might have missed if God had given me the gift of sight.

Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach an inner city Memphis. And the last part led to an oscar for the movie about our team. That film was called Undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses on CNN and Box, but rather by an army of normal folks. Guys, that's us, just you and me deciding, hey, you know what, maybe I can help. That's exactly what Fanny Crosby did. And today, along with Larry Reid, the author of Real Heroes, we pay tribute to her as part of our special series An Army of Normal Dead Folks. I cannot wait for you to meet Fanny Crosby. Right after these brief messages.

Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach an inner city Memphis. And the last part led to an oscar for the movie about our team. That film was called Undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses on CNN and Box, but rather by an army of normal folks. Guys, that's us, just you and me deciding, hey, you know what, maybe I can help. That's exactly what Fanny Crosby did. And today, along with Larry Reid, the author of Real Heroes, we pay tribute to her as part of our special series An Army of Normal Dead Folks. I cannot wait for you to meet Fanny Crosby. Right after these brief messages.

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Skipping into chapter sixteen, this one was really interesting to me. Fanny Crosby.

Skipping into chapter sixteen, this one was really interesting to me. Fanny Crosby.

Oh yes, my gosh. You know, I love talking about Fanny Crosby on the lecture circuit. And when I do that, I start out by saying something like, how many presidents do you think the record holder met? A person who met more American presidents than any other living or did man or woman in American history.

Oh yes, my gosh. You know, I love talking about Fanny Crosby on the lecture circuit. And when I do that, I start out by saying something like, how many presidents do you think the record holder met? A person who met more American presidents than any other living or did man or woman in American history.

If you'd have said that, I would have said, either a general who may be a worked for him, or possibly a journalist like maybe Walter Concride or something like that.

If you'd have said that, I would have said, either a general who may be a worked for him, or possibly a journalist like maybe Walter Concride or something like that.

That's my guess, yep. And even then if you said five presidents that they met, that would be extraordinary.

That's my guess, yep. And even then if you said five presidents that they met, that would be extraordinary.

Five would be extraordinary because that's at least thirty years count, you know. To Yeah, and just to have been alive and active long enough to meet thirty presidents or be extraordinary.

Five would be extraordinary because that's at least thirty years count, you know. To Yeah, and just to have been alive and active long enough to meet thirty presidents or be extraordinary.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, Fanny Crosby lived to the age of ninety five. She was born in eighteen twenty died in nineteen fifteen. But she met twenty one American presidents.

Well, Fanny Crosby lived to the age of ninety five. She was born in eighteen twenty died in nineteen fifteen. But she met twenty one American presidents.

I mean that's fine, almost.

I mean that's fine, almost.

Half of all the people who served in that office. Now, some of them she met after they were president, like John Quincy Adams. He was president in the eighteen twenties, and he later served for seventeen years in the US House as a representative from Massachusetts, so he was an old man and a former president when he met Fanny Crosby, but still to meet every president from John Quincy Adams through and including Woodrow Wilson twenty one. Raises the question, well, why was she given such access? What was it about her that so many presidents wanted to know more or wanted to meet her? Well, she had done some remarkable things in New York City during a cholera epidemic in the eighteen forties, when thousands left the she stayed behind and ministered and nursed the sick, contracted cholera herself but recovered. That would have earned her at least a footnote in New York City history. She also was the first woman to address the United States Congress, so that suggests, wow, she must have done something else rather famous. It turns out she still holds the record for having written the lyrics to more songs than any other man or woman living or dead, some three thousand hymns, nine thousand hymns, and most Americans.

Half of all the people who served in that office. Now, some of them she met after they were president, like John Quincy Adams. He was president in the eighteen twenties, and he later served for seventeen years in the US House as a representative from Massachusetts, so he was an old man and a former president when he met Fanny Crosby, but still to meet every president from John Quincy Adams through and including Woodrow Wilson twenty one. Raises the question, well, why was she given such access? What was it about her that so many presidents wanted to know more or wanted to meet her? Well, she had done some remarkable things in New York City during a cholera epidemic in the eighteen forties, when thousands left the she stayed behind and ministered and nursed the sick, contracted cholera herself but recovered. That would have earned her at least a footnote in New York City history. She also was the first woman to address the United States Congress, so that suggests, wow, she must have done something else rather famous. It turns out she still holds the record for having written the lyrics to more songs than any other man or woman living or dead, some three thousand hymns, nine thousand hymns, and most Americans.

Sam Harold, and you for writing this book in a year not fous exactly.

Sam Harold, and you for writing this book in a year not fous exactly.

Yeah, Well, she wrote nine thousand hymns, and many of them are being sung to this day. You have heard, I'm sure to God be the glory, blessed assurance. Those are Fanny Crosby hymns, but still haven't told you them.

Yeah, Well, she wrote nine thousand hymns, and many of them are being sung to this day. You have heard, I'm sure to God be the glory, blessed assurance. Those are Fanny Crosby hymns, but still haven't told you them.

I'm going to be in church thumbing through hymn noments Sunday because my church hymnal at the top right hand corner has the composer of the hymnals. Right, I'm gonna be looking for Crosby. F Crosby, F Crosby.

I'm going to be in church thumbing through hymn noments Sunday because my church hymnal at the top right hand corner has the composer of the hymnals. Right, I'm gonna be looking for Crosby. F Crosby, F Crosby.

You'll see, I think you will. But the most remarkable thing about her is that Fanny Crosby never had any memory of having seen anything. And I say that because from the age of six months as a baby, she was blinded in both eyes from a botched operation. She never saw anything. And you know, during her lifetime, so many people would say, even after she became so famous for the hymns she was writing, they would say things like, oh, miss Crosby, so sorry for your handicap. It must be awful to have dealt with this for so long, things like that that people would naturally say, And her response every time was the most optimistic, uplifting thing you can imagine. She would say, thank you, but I've often wondered how much I might have missed if God had given me the gift of sight. In other words, she made the best of a bad situation. She counted her blessings, not the other guys, in spite of this horrific handicap, and she made the best of a wonderful life. And when she talked to Congress first woman to do so, her message was not, Oh, I have a handicap, where's my check? Her message was we are all called, regardless of our circumstances, to do whatever we can to inspire others and do what's right. And that's why when she died at the age of ninety five. In nineteen fifteen, she was widely regarded as the most revered, most beloved woman in the United States.

You'll see, I think you will. But the most remarkable thing about her is that Fanny Crosby never had any memory of having seen anything. And I say that because from the age of six months as a baby, she was blinded in both eyes from a botched operation. She never saw anything. And you know, during her lifetime, so many people would say, even after she became so famous for the hymns she was writing, they would say things like, oh, miss Crosby, so sorry for your handicap. It must be awful to have dealt with this for so long, things like that that people would naturally say, And her response every time was the most optimistic, uplifting thing you can imagine. She would say, thank you, but I've often wondered how much I might have missed if God had given me the gift of sight. In other words, she made the best of a bad situation. She counted her blessings, not the other guys, in spite of this horrific handicap, and she made the best of a wonderful life. And when she talked to Congress first woman to do so, her message was not, Oh, I have a handicap, where's my check? Her message was we are all called, regardless of our circumstances, to do whatever we can to inspire others and do what's right. And that's why when she died at the age of ninety five. In nineteen fifteen, she was widely regarded as the most revered, most beloved woman in the United States.

She was blind, Yeah, and stayed back in the city of New York to nurse the sick. Yeah, she was blind. How to even do that?

She was blind, Yeah, and stayed back in the city of New York to nurse the sick. Yeah, she was blind. How to even do that?

I don't know how. She even taught for a time at the New York Institution for the Blind. She was a teacher of the blind as well as being blind herself. That's how. By the way, one of the twenty one presidents she met, she met him. Well, he taught, not yet a president. Well, he taught at the New York Institution for the Blind, and that was Grover Cleveland.

I don't know how. She even taught for a time at the New York Institution for the Blind. She was a teacher of the blind as well as being blind herself. That's how. By the way, one of the twenty one presidents she met, she met him. Well, he taught, not yet a president. Well, he taught at the New York Institution for the Blind, and that was Grover Cleveland.

That's unbelievable. I also think about nine thousand hymns, she didn't write the words, she wrote scale yeah, yeah, yeah, How in the world does a blind person write nine thousand hymns to musical scale?

That's unbelievable. I also think about nine thousand hymns, she didn't write the words, she wrote scale yeah, yeah, yeah, How in the world does a blind person write nine thousand hymns to musical scale?

Well, it's often been said that when she noted this as well, that when someone loses one of their senses, one or another sense or ability is magnified, and in Fanny's case, it seems that she developed an incredible memory. Biographers have written about how there was one instance where a music company had the music to about forty songs, but they didn't have the lyrics, and they commissioned her to write the lyrics to these forty pieces of music. She never wrote anything down. She wrote them in her head, went to the music place and just recited those words from memory, just having heard the music. She wrote the words in her head, I mean, and memorized them.

Well, it's often been said that when she noted this as well, that when someone loses one of their senses, one or another sense or ability is magnified, and in Fanny's case, it seems that she developed an incredible memory. Biographers have written about how there was one instance where a music company had the music to about forty songs, but they didn't have the lyrics, and they commissioned her to write the lyrics to these forty pieces of music. She never wrote anything down. She wrote them in her head, went to the music place and just recited those words from memory, just having heard the music. She wrote the words in her head, I mean, and memorized them.

That's phenomenal, unbelievable. Yeah, and she came from meager beginnings of believe.

That's phenomenal, unbelievable. Yeah, and she came from meager beginnings of believe.

Oh, she sure did, and never lived in any lavish way, even after nine thousand hymns. She was never a wealthy person in the nineteen teams. See she was ninety when this happens, so it must have been about nineteen ten. She performed at age ninety at Carnegie Hall in New York City to a packed house. They sang Fanny Crosby Hens with her on the stage for thirty minutes, and she spoke. And there are just many stories of people who in New York City over the years would give her a carriage ride. She would get into carriage to go someplace and then the driver would realize who it was and break down in tears. Amazing, just because she was such an inspiration she'd never let her handicap be anything but a reason to be inspired.

Oh, she sure did, and never lived in any lavish way, even after nine thousand hymns. She was never a wealthy person in the nineteen teams. See she was ninety when this happens, so it must have been about nineteen ten. She performed at age ninety at Carnegie Hall in New York City to a packed house. They sang Fanny Crosby Hens with her on the stage for thirty minutes, and she spoke. And there are just many stories of people who in New York City over the years would give her a carriage ride. She would get into carriage to go someplace and then the driver would realize who it was and break down in tears. Amazing, just because she was such an inspiration she'd never let her handicap be anything but a reason to be inspired.

And if a blond woman can do all of that, what possibilities await any of us who just want to get involved in is something positive?

And if a blond woman can do all of that, what possibilities await any of us who just want to get involved in is something positive?

Yeah? Yeah, absolutely, what an example. We have so few excuses to make about handicaps we may face when you learn what Fanny Crosby did in the face of hers.

Yeah? Yeah, absolutely, what an example. We have so few excuses to make about handicaps we may face when you learn what Fanny Crosby did in the face of hers.

And thank you for joining us for this special series. An army of normal dead folks.

And thank you for joining us for this special series. An army of normal dead folks.

You're gonna laugh every time. I can't.

You're gonna laugh every time. I can't.

It's funny. I just it's it's so irreverent and horribly horribly funny, an army of normal debt to respect the dad. That's not my intention, though, well I know it's no disrespect, but it is irreverent. But it's funny. And you know what it is. They're dead folks and they're normal. If they were alive, we would try to get them on the show. And since we can't and they're dead, but they're an army of normal folks. We're highlighting them. So why aren't they an army? And I don't know why I find it so humorous, do you know?

It's funny. I just it's it's so irreverent and horribly horribly funny, an army of normal debt to respect the dad. That's not my intention, though, well I know it's no disrespect, but it is irreverent. But it's funny. And you know what it is. They're dead folks and they're normal. If they were alive, we would try to get them on the show. And since we can't and they're dead, but they're an army of normal folks. We're highlighting them. So why aren't they an army? And I don't know why I find it so humorous, do you know?

I hope everybody else?

I hope everybody else?

All right? Well, anyway, thanks for joining us for the special series An Army of Normal Dead Foes.

All right? Well, anyway, thanks for joining us for the special series An Army of Normal Dead Foes.

You didn't have to repeat it.

You didn't have to repeat it.

I can't help it.

I can't help it.

I really, I'll just ring the bell the top it off.

I really, I'll just ring the bell the top it off.

That's it.

That's it.

Here we go.

Here we go.

Oh, you know what clarent says when a bell rings, somebody gets their wings. It's a wonderful life. That's appropriate for dead folks.

Oh, you know what clarent says when a bell rings, somebody gets their wings. It's a wonderful life. That's appropriate for dead folks.

Army.

Army.

All right, where are we? Oh? If Fanny Crosby or any episodes have inspired you in general, or better yet, by taking action by making your own stand in our time buying Larry Reid's book Real Heroes where the story came from, or if you have story ideas for this series, meaning if you know of someone who's dead who if they were alive, we would want to put on the show. Well, that's what we're looking for.

All right, where are we? Oh? If Fanny Crosby or any episodes have inspired you in general, or better yet, by taking action by making your own stand in our time buying Larry Reid's book Real Heroes where the story came from, or if you have story ideas for this series, meaning if you know of someone who's dead who if they were alive, we would want to put on the show. Well, that's what we're looking for.

You rerely had to spell that os for fun.

You rerely had to spell that os for fun.

Well, yeah, I mean dead people. That's what we're looking for on this one. Please let me know I'd love to hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill at normal Folks dot us, and I promise I will respond and enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and on social Subscribe to the podcast, y'all subscribe to the podcast, Please rate it, review it. Join the army at normalfolks dot us. Consider becoming a premium member. There any and all of these things that will help us grow an army of normal folks. Thanks to our producer, Iron Light Labs, I'm Bill Courtney. Alex is sitting on my left until next time.

Well, yeah, I mean dead people. That's what we're looking for on this one. Please let me know I'd love to hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill at normal Folks dot us, and I promise I will respond and enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and on social Subscribe to the podcast, y'all subscribe to the podcast, Please rate it, review it. Join the army at normalfolks dot us. Consider becoming a premium member. There any and all of these things that will help us grow an army of normal folks. Thanks to our producer, Iron Light Labs, I'm Bill Courtney. Alex is sitting on my left until next time.

Do what you can

Do what you can