Like the woman at the well I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy:

And then I heard my Savior speaking:

Draw from my well that never shall run dry

Chorus:

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There are millions in this world who are craving

The pleasures earthly things afford;

But none can match the wondrous treasure

That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Chorus:

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you

Leave hungers that won't pass away,

My blessed Lord will come and save you,

If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

Chorus:

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

The story of the woman at Jacob's well, found in John 4, is the inspiration for this song. Jesus' words, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst," becomes in the song "Draw from My well that never shall run dry."

Richard Blanchard, who wrote both words and music, was a Methodist minister who was ordained in 1950 and served a number of large Methodist churches in Florida. In 1958, while waiting for a marriage counseling session at the church, he sat down at one of the pianos to soothe his frustrations, and within thirty minutes had completed this song.

He was born in Chungking, China to Methodist missionary parents Ralph and Grace Kipka Blanchard. When the Blanchard family returned to the United States, Richard grew up as a child and youth in Indiana and North Carolina. Rev. Ralph Blanchard moved from Wolcottville, Indiana, to Tryon, North Carolina, in 1942, bringing his family with him. Blanchard was a senior in high school and graduated from Tryon High School in 1943. During that year, he worked at a Tryon bank, putting his income into war bonds. This financial tactic eventually enabled him to buy lakefront property in Orlando, Florida, in 1953.

There were other interests and hobbies that were consistent throughout Blanchard's life: He loved boating and dining by the water. He was also an avid traveler, whether conducting tours or driving on his own, in over 75 countries. Above all, Blanchard enjoyed meeting, learning about, and helping people. By 2000, Blanchard's health began a serious decline. He and his wife, Anne, moved to Swannanoa to be near their children. He lived there until his death on April 19, 2004.