50th anniversary of the songbook "J'aime l'Eternel"

“What do you think about compiling a collection of songs in French?” It was my supervisor at Youth With A Mission, Joe Portale, who asked me this question. “Oh yes, that's my dream!” I had already collected 50 Bible songs in French. Touched by verses set to music, my colleagues and I composed new songs. While traveling in France with our teams, I discovered many other songs, as well as numerous composers. Every time I asked if I could have a copy of the song, I was given a sheet with only the lyrics. There were no sheet music! One morning, I woke up with Ephesians 5, which exhorts us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. I understood that hymns should also be included. Then the idea came to add a supplement of songs every two years to ensure continuity, because new songs communicate life and help us express our current experience with God. Fifty years later, we have four volumes of J'aime l'Éternel with 1,200 songs, as well as a collection for children, published in hundreds of thousands of copies and sung in all French-speaking countries. They have contributed to building a beautiful work of unity in the Body of Christ to praise the Lord together.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and songs inspired by the Spirit; sing hymns and psalms to praise the Lord with all your heart. Ephesians 5:18-19 (NBFC)

Linda Panci-McGowen, YWAM Burtigny