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Be still, my soul! The Lord is on thy side; bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; in every change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul! Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul! Thy God doth undertake to guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, the confidence let nothing shake; all now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul! The waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwealt below.

Be still, my soul! The hour is hast'ning on when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul! When change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Catharina Amalia Dorthea Von Schlegel was born on October 11, 1697 (according to the Julian calendar) which translates to October 21, 1697 in the Gregorian calendar. Due to a clerical error in translation of the calendar and century dates, her actual birthday was October 22, 1697. Catharina was born into German nobility and was the sixth of eleven children, to Wolff and Helene. After her parents died, she and her younger siblings were sent to live in a convent in Halle for 3 years. Sometime between the time she lived in the convent and before 1725, she became a lady-in-waiting for Princess Agnes Wilhelmine. After Princess Agnes passed away in January 1725, she moved into a residential area for unmarried Protestant women. She lived in the residential area until she passed away, never marrying. In 1726, she began writing letters to a Lutheran preacher and philanthropist, August Francke. A few years later she began writing to August’s son and daughter-in-law. In addition to her duties for the church, she began collecting money and sending them to foreign missionaries in India. Catharina wrote many hymns and poetry and had most of them published. Her most famous hymn is “Stille Mein Wille”, which translates to “Be Still, my Soul”. It is one of her few hymns translated into English. Catharina passed away on Christmas Eve 1777.