Cinematic | A Beggar’s Prayer (Mindy’s Song)

A BEGGAR’S PRAYER (Mindy’s Song) Cinematic Arrangement I wrote “A Beggar’s Prayer” on November 15, 2008, after receiving the news that my cousin, Malinda “Mindy” Bastian Wadley, had passed away from cancer at the age of 55. Mindy was one of my older cousins, and from the time I was young she had always been someone special to me. She was born in Spokane, Washington, grew up in Colville, and later lived and worked in Seattle before eventually making her home in Portland, Oregon. Some of my fondest memories of Mindy are from when I was younger and she was living in Seattle. I remember spending time with her and going to the zoo with her. They were simple experiences, but they stayed with me. When I received the news of her death, it caused me to reflect on life, faith, and what ultimately matters. A melody began coming into my mind that day. I am not a pianist or a trained composer. I played the trumpet, so I took out my trumpet and began playing the melody I was hearing. I then put words to it and wrote out the melody line. I sent what I had written to a friend, who helped me add chords and accompaniment, and eventually I created sheet music for the hymn. The song stayed with me over the years and was occasionally performed at my church. My friend Kay Hancock, an exceptional organist, would sometimes play it as prelude or postlude music. When my church later announced plans for a new hymnbook, Kay encouraged me to submit “A Beggar’s Prayer.” I considered it, but I never did. All these years later, I’m finally sharing it here on YouTube. Along the way, it has also become an interesting musical experiment. I’ve been exploring how the same lyrics and composition sound in very different musical styles. Each version has its own character, but what has surprised me is how naturally the melody and message seem to find a place in such a wide variety of genres. In some ways, hearing the song interpreted so differently has given me a new appreciation for something I wrote many years ago. ABOUT THIS ARRANGEMENT This is the cinematic arrangement of “A Beggar’s Prayer.” The original hymn arrangement reflects how I intended the song to sound when I wrote it. This version presents the same lyrics and composition in a cinematic style. ABOUT THE SONG “A Beggar’s Prayer” was born from the sadness I felt when Mindy died, but I don’t really think of it as a song about death. It is a prayer about trying to find our way through life, needing God near us, wondering whether He hears us, and placing our hope in Jesus Christ. It is also about recognizing that if we ask God to hear us when we are in need, we should be willing to hear someone else when they are in need. And when our own lives are over, perhaps one of the things we can hope to say is: “That I helped another’s need, As He heard this beggar’s plea.” That thought became the heart of the song and the reason for its title. LYRICS Verse 1 Lord, I say, please, and I pray, Please, as I try to find my way. Need You near me, can You hear me, As I live my life today? Refrain My hope is Christ my Lord, In Him I cannot fail. He will lead me, He has freed me From all my life’s travail. Verse 2 When my life is over someday, Then I hope that I can say That I helped another’s need, As He heard this beggar’s plea. Verse 3 When I see one lost and lonely, May I never turn away. Let me hear another’s pleading, As You hear me when I pray. Verse 4 When at last my road is ending, And I face my final day, May I know I served another, As You led me on my way. A Beggar’s Prayer (Mindy’s Song) Original Song by Neil Dial © Music and lyrics originally written November 15, 2008. This arrangement and recording were created with my stylistic input and the assistance of AI. #ABeggarsPrayer #JesusChrist #ChristianMusic #CinematicMusic #MindysSong