I Still Have Joy

In Amidons’ book ‘Fifty-five Anthems for the Small Church Choir‘. Sung here by the Amidons (Sam, Stefan, Peter, Mary Alice) and the Armstrong/Parks (Jennifer Armstrong and her daughters Susannah Park and Georgia Rose Park) on the Amidons album “Hymns & Ballads“. The Amidons learned this gem from the Whiteville Gospel Choir, all members of UNITE Loal 1077 in Whiteville, North Carolina, who perform their blend of labor and gospel songs at union events and folk festivals. Listen to this gospel classic led by Dorothy Norwood. Here is the story behind “I Still Have Joy”.

LYRICS

I Still Have Joy
by Danny Mccrimmon, Joseph Calvin Jackson

CHORUS
I still have joy, I still have joy,
After all the things I’ve been through
I still have joy.
I still have joy, I still have joy,
After all the things I’ve been through
I still have joy.

There are times in my life when I felt I couldn’t go on
But the Lord He blessed me  and he made me strong
I kept the faith and I held on through the night
This is my testimony, he’ll make every thing all right

I get joy when I think about all he’s done for me
He even broke the habits trying to conquer me
I spoke to the mountain and it ran down to the sea
I can’ began to tell you what He’s done for me.