There’s no way to have a bad day after seeing and hearing the Voices of Hope Children’s Choir sing “Oh Happy Day”—it just can’t be done! If you’re feeling discouraged, these kids, ranging in age from 5 to 17, will refresh your faith in today’s young people and restore your hope for the future!

We see first a brown-eyed beauty, freckles dotting her nose and cheeks, as she enters a sanctuary singing the opening lines of the song. As she strolls in, she gives a nod to a girl to her right and another to her left, and now there are three. These young ladies are sisters Faith, Kennedy, and Mackenzie. They are long-time members of Voices of Hope, and they take the lead on this soul-quenching performance.

Dozens of youth are arranged in pews on either side. They fall into line behind the girls as the whole group walks into a large performance room. The boys and girls are dressed in t-shirts of blue, green, pink, and yellow. They create a pleasing palette, all wearing sneakers in similar shades of white, and jeans. Not one denim leg has a tear, hole, or rip anywhere! How about that!

More importantly, though, these young singers sound amazing! They harmonize and hit the high notes, and they deliver a dancing, snapping, rousing, and renewing song of praise. And, it seems certain that their strains are made more glorious as they pass through their mile-wide smiles. Check out the blond boy in yellow near the front. He wears the most joyful grin!

Voices of Hope Children’s Choir is a ministry of Shepherd’s Grove Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California. That explains the tropical plants and trees seen in the video, as well as the sunshine pouring into the practice room. That’s happy thing #25! The choir performs regularly on the Hour of Power television show. They have also appeared on The Voice.

Of course, it is impossible to miss the group’s gorgeous and talented director. Ms. Sarah Grandpre leads her little lovelies while accompanying them with equal exuberance. Ultimately, it’s the words of the song itself that deliver the most happiness. “Oh Happy Day” was recorded by Edwin Hawkins in 1967, a gospel arrangement of a hymn written way back in the 1700s.

Here are a few lines:

When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
Oh when he washed (When Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (Oh happy day)

It’s an old song and an older message shared in a new way by young people. And, it is indeed happy!

“praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,” Psalm 150: 4