Pam Thum was the only child of traveling evangelists Bruce and Ruth Thum, producers of the very popular and unique drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. The experience, which never kept them in the same place for more than a month, had both positive and negative effects on Pam.
Thum's parents were very dedicated Christians and carried Jesus into every aspect of their lives. They taught her a great deal about prayer and helped give her the assurance that Jesus was always with her. Still, Thum grew up in a very adult world and often felt quite lonely. She learned to depend on Jesus at a very early age and often made up little songs to sing to Him to help her not feel so lonely and scared. Jesus was one of the only constants in her life and she knew she never wanted to leave Him.
Pam's music career began when she was three years old and started singing on stage. As the years went on, Pam began to realize the effect music had on people and the hope that the words she sang often gave them. "I wanted them to feel the peace I did when I sang to God. I wanted them to feel as though Jesus were hugging them through my music."
And so it began. Pam Thum started writing songs when she was 16 and decided to pursue songwriting and performing as her own full time ministry. In 1987, Pam was offered a songwriting contract after her song "We Are An Army" was recorded by Trace Balin. She was offered a recording contract in 1992 and released her self titled debut album in 1993. The record was a huge success, with six of the songs making the top ten. She also received a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year.
Pam Thum's albums:
Pam Thum, 1993
Faithful, 1994
Feel the Healing, 1995
Believe, 1997
Thum's geatest influences have been her parents and her Aunt Myrtle. Aunt Myrtle was a bundle of energy and was always hugging someone, taking people to church, baking cookies, teaching Sunday School, or singing joyfully to the Lord. Thum's greatest desire in her music is to be like her Aunt Myrtle and to love others where they're at and point them to Jesus.
Perhaps one of the most surprising things that came out of Pam's immediate success was her popularity in South Africa. Shortly after the release of her first album, the readers of JOY Magazine, a Christian publication in South Africa, named her Best International Female Artist of 1993. On her first trip there, she was greeted by an enormous group of fans and a hotel room filled with flowers. Thum believes that God has given her a special platform in South Africa and she desires to use it for His glory.
Today, Pam is married to Stephen Marshall and together they have built Pam Thum Ministries, which is partnered with several other "world-changing" ministries. Her mission remains the same - to fearlessly share the Good News of Christ with the world and encourage others to do the same. "We have the greatest news for this world," says Pam, "and we've spent too many years acting as if we're in some kind of secret club. People are living and dying without Jesus -- hurt, hatred, sickness, and fear have ruled for too long. I just feel an urgency that we've got to shake off the apathy in our lives and get bold and direct about our faith."
Life Is Hard God Is Good
Pam Thum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then close the door behind you
Drop your bags on the floor
You reach for the light
But there's darkness deep inside
And you can't take it anymore
'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good
You start to cry
'Cause you've been strong for so long
And that's not how you feel
You try to pray
But there's nothing left to say
So you just quietly kneel
In the silence of all that you face
God will give you His mercy and grace
Jesus never said
It was an easy road to travel
He only said that you would never be alone
So when your last thread of hope
Begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you
On this journey home and He knows
Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good
The lyrics of Pam Thum's song "Life is Hard God is Good" embody the emotional depth of everyday struggles and the ultimate triumph of faith in God despite the hardship. The song opens with a heart-wrenching scene of coming home to darkness and helplessness which symbolizes the overwhelming feelings of sadness, exhaustion, and defeat that could consume a person going through life's challenges. Despite the hopelessness, the chorus affirms that God is good and every tear shed has a purpose that will be ultimately understood.
The second verse of the song starts with the acknowledgement that often, especially when one has been unyieldingly strong for an extended period, one may reach a point where there seems to be no words left to pray. But even in those moments of silence, God's mercy and grace are still available, and He can give the strength and courage to go on. The final part of the song encourages the listener to remain steadfast and not give up, even when things seem impossible. The lyrics remind us that Jesus never said the journey of life would be easy, but he promised to be with us through it all.
The song's heartfelt lyrics and simple melody aim to inspire people to hold on to their faith, no matter how tough the journey gets. In a world where everything seems to be falling apart and life's troubles are overwhelming, the song's message of enduring faith and hope in God's goodness resonates deeply. It acknowledges the difficulties of living and the burden it can create but assures its listener that they are not alone in their journey.
Line by Line Meaning
You turn the key
You come home after a tiring day and try to distract yourself from your problems
Then close the door behind you
You isolate yourself from the world to relax
Drop your bags on the floor
You let go of the weight on your shoulders
You reach for the light
You search for a bit of brightness in your life
But there's darkness deep inside
You are deep in despair and sadness
And you can't take it anymore
You have reached your limit and don't know what to do
'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
Living can be exhausting and drain you of the energy to keep going
And sometimes living is all you can do
Even though it's hard, you keep trying because that's all you can do
Life is hard, the world is cold
Life can be cruel and unforgiving
We're barely young and then we're old
Life passes by quickly and we age faster than we realize
But every falling tear is always understood
God knows and understands your pain, and is there to comfort you in your sorrow
Yes, life is hard, but God is good
Despite the hardships of life, God is always loving and kind
You start to cry
Your emotions get the best of you and you begin to weep
'Cause you've been strong for so long
You've been trying to be tough and push through your struggles for a long time
And that's not how you feel
You aren't actually as strong as you've been pretending to be
You try to pray
You attempt to connect with God and seek guidance
But there's nothing left to say
You don't know what to ask for or how to express your pain anymore
So you just quietly kneel
You submit yourself to God and silently hope for His help and comfort
In the silence of all that you face
Amidst all the chaos and turmoil, you find peace in God's silence
God will give you His mercy and grace
God will always extend His compassion and kindness towards you
Jesus never said
Jesus didn't promise an easy life
It was an easy road to travel
He never made it sound like a simple or effortless journey
He only said that you would never be alone
He promised that He would always be there for you, no matter what
So when your last thread of hope
When you feel you have no more hope left to cling on to
Begins to come unraveled
When all seems lost and hopeless
Don't give up, He walks beside you
Even in your darkest moments, Jesus is right by your side for support and guidance
On this journey home and He knows
He accompanies you on your life journey, and is aware of your struggles
Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Crystal Marchette
Love this song, remember this song lifting me up way HK in the 90's when I first got saved, life is hard, BUT GOD IS GOOD!!!!😊
Susan hazlehurst
Suffered from depression 5 years ago. This song will always be a part of me in my journey home!!
TheRueann4
I understand ❤️
Laurie Carney
I love this song, I have remembered it since it came out many many years ago
Cliffside Acres
She still has the voice I remember when we were in college together; a beautiful voice inside a beautiful person!
ventronics98
I was telling my kids that this may be the greatest Christian song ever done. And here it is. Sooo underrated.
Tootsie Sunshine
THANK you for posting this amazing song! Pam has such a crystal clear voice and you can "hear" her smile. I LOVE this song. Such a true song! Oh I am so encouraged!
BLACK.LIKE. ME
What a powerful song! I sing this a million times a year for comfort! A timeless classic indeed!
poetryindeed
I still love this song! God is good!!!!
David Callaway
This is a great song, it has such meaning to me! My life these past 3 1/2 yrs has been quite an adventure. I walk each and every day just counting on Jesus to hold me through these days of uncertainty. Yes, I believe this was written for me also! I definitely can relate to this song, Thank you for your inspiration, each and every time I listen to it, I appreciate it even more~