It’s now over 25 years old, it has travelled the world, and speaks many languages, it appears in multiple styles and runs at various speeds. It travels by foot, by bicycle and car as well as on ships and aeroplanes, is equally at home in Cathedrals and shanty towns, and has been heard on beaches and mountain tops. It has been around the block a few times but can also turn up as the new kid. It can go out of fashion then turn up unexpectedly in new clothes.

What is it? It’s a song.

People have celebrated with it, mourned with it, laughed and cried with it, been married and buried to the sound of it, prayed with it and most of all sung it to the glory of God.

It’s turned Silver and it’s still shining, it’s Shine Jesus Shine.

What’s Your Story?

Graham writes: Most places I go and lead worship, perform or speak someone will come and tell me a personal story that relates to one of my songs, what was happening in their life at the time and how the song became woven into their memory and spiritual journey. Often, and unsurprisingly, the song is Shine Jesus Shine which celebrates its 25th anniversary since publication this year. There are many who remember where they were when they first heard it sung, some who tell me they encountered God personally for the first time in the singing of it, those who chose it for a wedding or a funeral, or simply found that it sustained them through a time of pressure or difficulty. Sometimes the stories are quite striking. There was the man who found himself caught up in a war zone watching from his hotel roof as tracer bullets and rockets criss-crossed the night sky. Though a non-believer he felt the need to pray but did not know how. The only prayer he could think of was in a song he had learned at school, and as he prayed what words of Shine Jesus Shine he could remember a spark of faith ignited that became a life changing flame.

Share your Shine Jesus Shine Story

To celebrate over 25 years of this song Make Way Music is inviting you to tell your Shine Jesus Shine story. So if you have one [and it doesn’t have to be dramatic!] or know a friend who does, let’s all hear it! Post on Graham’s Facebook Page here.

You can either post your story directly to Graham’s Facebook Page or email your story to andy@makewaymusic.com