Hello everyone, and thanks for visiting Oddwalk’s “Super Sam” page.
As part of his full-time parish position, Oddwalk founding member, Shannon Cerneka, serves St. Peter School in Fulton, MO as a music teacher. One of Shannon’s kindergarten students, a little boy named Sam is currently battling a very rare and very aggressive childhood cancer called Rhabdomyoscarcoma. Sam is currently in stage 4, but battling hard. If you would like to read more about the journey that Sam and his family have been on, please visit their Caring Bridge site here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samsanthuff
When people you know are struggling, how do you offer comfort and hope? What do you say? How do you offer hope, when life offers no certainties? As Shannon was thinking about Sam and his family, he was grappling with these very questions. He ended up turning to scripture, to John 1:1-5 to be exact, for answers.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:1-5
Through reading and meditating on that passage, Shannon found the ‘certainty’ he was looking for, namely that: 1. God is, was, and always will be. 2. Our God is a God of life. 3. No darkness will ever overcome God’s light. Does this mean that bad things won’t happen? No. What it does mean, though, is that our God is with us through it all. Through this process, Shannon felt led to put this passage to music, ultimately writing “His Light” as a way to offer prayer, support, hope, and encouragement to Sam and his family, but also to anyone who needs to be inspired and lifted up during difficult times.
Press play to listen to “His Light.”
His Light – by Shannon Cerneka, arranged by Shannon Cerneka and Orin Johnson
His light, His light Shines through the darkness,
Shines through the darkness, His light.
From the beginning of time our God has been, And to the end of time our god will remain.
God reigns! God Reigns! Our god is shining his light.
No evil, no pain, No sin, no foe, No struggle, no death, No storm, no cold,
No shadow, no darkness can ever shut out His light.
His light, His light Shines through the darkness,
Shines through the darkness, His light.
All things came to be through him, and without him nothing is.
What came to be through him was life.
All things came to be through him, and without him nothing is
What came to be through him was life.
His light, His light Shines through the darkness,
Shines through the darkness,
His light, His light Shines through the darkness,
Shines through the darkness, His light.
No evil, no pain, No sin, no foe, No struggle, no death, No storm, no cold,
No shadow, no darkness can ever shut out His light.
No shadow, no darkness can ever shut out His light.
© 2014, Shannon Cerneka, © 2020 GIA Publications
Thanks to Oddwalk band members Dan Lang (bass) and Rick Turcotte (drums, Flatlander Sound Studios)
for their assistance with this project and for their support!
To join in the ongoing battle to rid the world of Rhabdomyoscarcoma,
please support the efforts of the Super Sam Foundation here.
To support Sam’s family and the foundation in prayer and to download the song for free,
just leave a comment below, and/or right-click this link:
Click Here to Download HQ Album Art!
9/19/14 – Super Sam Santhuff passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014. He fought very hard and was very brave to the end. Please continue to pray for Sam and his family. Also, if you are so inclined, please use the links above as a way to pray for and support Sam’s family.
10/24/20 – Sheet music for this piece is now available via GIA Publications – click here to find out more!
