Horatio G. Spafford was a Chicago attorney who lost everything he had in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Yet he put his best efforts into helping Dwight L. Moody rebuild the Northside Tabernacle, the first building to go back up after that disaster. In 1873 Spafford's wife and four daughters were en route to England aboard the Ville du Havre when it was struck at sea by another ship and sank. Only his wife survived. In the face of such grief, in the pain and sorrow and guilt that threatened to drown him in sorrow, Spafford wrote:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul.

How could he say that? His life was built on a strong foundation, and when the rains came, he knew he was in a house - and his children were in a house - that would stand forever. Remember those other words Jesus spoke about a house?  "In my Father's house are many rooms," he said. "I go to prepare a place for you..." (John 14:1-6).