A Nickel-What??? Nyckelharpa!

            Over the last 20 years, my husband Brian has had a stroking condition. And, over those years as each one hit, it would steal a little more from him. The accumulative effect left him nearly unable to speak except in a raspy whisper.

            Can you imagine a missionary preacher/teacher unable to speak?

            Not only that, but the stupid strokes stole some use of his hands. Brian’s an avid musician and music lover. He played guitar beautifully. Singing and playing had been his joys—that and ministering.

            So, when not only his voice diminished but the use of his ability to play guitar, we wondered what to do. First, we tried guitars with a narrower neck. Then less strings. But the time came when Brian despaired that his guitar-playing days were over.

            Brian enjoys listening to all types of instruments—historical ones intriguing him always.    

            One day, as he browsed the internet and listened to some ancient examples on YouTube, he announced, “I’ve found an instrument I think I could play!”

            “Oh, wow!” I exclaimed as he turned his laptop for me to see. I bobbed my head in surprise and wondered at this thing he discovered. “What in the world is THAT?”

            “A nyckelharpa.”

            “A nickel-what???” I raised an eyebrow.

            He slowly repeated, “Ny-ckel-harp-a. It’s a Swedish instrument, nicknamed keyed-fiddle!”

            I could see the joy flow into his expression as he explained further.

            “All I’d need to do to play it is press the keys and bow with my other hand. I could do that.”

            “Then I think we should get you one,” I said, hesitating before asking, “but how much are they?”

            “That’s the problem. They’re really expensive. In the thousands.”

            “Yikes!” I exclaimed.

            We were quiet a bit while we continued to listen to the broadcasted nyckelharpa. The player was amazing, as were his songs.

            When the music ended, I said, “I think you should get one. I don’t know how, but it seems a need—not just a want.”

            “We can’t afford it.” Brian turned his laptop back toward himself and muted it.

            “Well, we’ve asked God for big things before, and He’s done them for us,” I said.

            “We’ll see.”

            Not long after this conversation, our mission board’s regional director visited for our annual review. As Ken asked Brian about ministry then health, Brian shared how playing the guitar had become more difficult.

            I chimed in. “Tell him about your discovery!”

            Ken glanced my way then looked back at Brian. “Discovery?”

            “I’ve found an instrument I think I could play.”

            “What’s it like?” Ken asked.

            Brian picked up his laptop from the side table and fired it up. In minutes he located the nyckelharpa and turned the laptop to show Ken. “It’s a nyckelharpa.”

            “A nickel-what???” Ken exclaimed. “Never heard of such a thing. What’s it sound like?”

            Brian shared a brief sample then explained how he thought this would work for him with his damaged hands.

            Ken smiled and moved to the edge of his seat. “Then you should get one.”

            “It’s not in our budget right now,” Brian said a bit quieter.

            “Then we need to pray. RIGHT NOW! Let’s ask God to give you a nyckelharpa!”

            And he meant it. Ken prayed with conviction of one asking and expecting God to provide.

            What did God do? He answered.

            Long story short, in about 3 weeks a nyckelharpa arrived at our front door, and Brian began learning how to play it.

            Since June of 2018, this trusty instrument has been used for the Lord and now, every Sunday in church.

            The first time Brian brought it to church, our pastor told the congregation, “You need to come up after the service and see this instrument Brian’s got.”

            Folks gathered afterward, and Brian explained, “This is a nyckelharpa.”

            “A nickel-what???” some asked.

            And so the story goes each time we bring this answer-to-prayer to a new place!

            God never failed to meet our needs—ever. He even went so far as to gift my hurting husband with something as strange as a nyckelharpa, which restored some of the joy he’d lost.

            I’m writing this on hubby’s birthday! This memory—one of so many over the years.

            So, to you, hubby dear, you are now entering another year of life—and have added even more chapters of God’s faithfulness to you. I’m so thankful He expressed such love and great care to you through the gift of a…nickel-what???

            “Ny-ckel-harp-a!”

 

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father;

there is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

(Refrain) Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

all I have needed Thy hand hath provided:

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

 

(from the hymn GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923, public domain)

 

And before you go—Here’s a nyckelharpa duet by two excellent players:

Bach Double on nyckelharpa (youtube.com)

         

#answeredprayer #music #strokes #nyckelharpa #bcminternational #Godsfaithfulness