The Anchor Holds

Howdy Folks...Winter Is A Comming!

In 1988, my boss and his wife gave me  A Daily Walk Bible with Devotional Helps for my 40th Birthday.  I don't know how many times I've read this book through from cover to cover.  It's one of my favorite Bibles because I've written notes all through it.  Sometimes I think I'm going to remember something but then again, it slips my mind.  I've started reading it again and it just warms my heart.

Bill and Ivey also sponsored me on a Walk to Emmaus weekend given by the Methodist Church.  I'd never been to anything like that before that stirred my soul as much.  The women were so open and vulnerable as they gave witness.  Because I had so many secrets in my own life, I admired their courage to speak without fear of rejection.  I personally think that it was their example that gave me courage to give my testimony in the late 1990's at Grace Community Church.  To allow the Holy Spirit to speak through me scared me to death and yet, the words flowed.  Do you remember the cartoon "Love Is..."?  Well, the title of my testimony was "Loneliness Is..."  I spoke at 2 services and my knees shook through both talks...yet, there was such a peace...  No more secrets that I knew of at that time.   So many people approached me telling me that I had touched their hearts.  Who me?  Little did I know what was around the corner.

Today I worked in one of my gardens winterizing it and giving it new color.  I always enjoy getting my hands dirty, planting waves of color and standing back and looking at my new creation.  I was thinking about when we accept Christ and become new creations.  Our old selves must die to newness of life!  I was baptized as a baby in the Lutheran Church in January 1947 and was baptized in the pool of my home on September 17, 1999.  What a party that was with nearly 100 friends in attendance.  I had a spiritual awakening that day and I can say with all honesty that the Holy Spirit became alive inside my heart.

God prepared me one step at a time in recovery.  I had a vision one night - God spoke to me and said that I would find my answers in John 21 - also that I should contact Pastor George and be baptized.  It was also then that I knew that I needed to carry on my Grandmother Maggie's legacy.."take care of my sheep" ... "feed my sheep".  I was being prepared for ministry.

This is my favorite song ... the story of my life...God bless all of you this day and may your heart be open to what the Lord says to you.

The Anchor Holds
Words and music by Lawrence Chewning and Ray Boltz

I have journeyed
Through the long, dark night
Out on the open sea
By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet His eyes were watching me

CHORUS:
The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

Ive had visions
Ive had dreams
Ive even held them in my hand
But I never knew
They would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand

CHORUS

I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty
That these eyes have seen
But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh, that's where God proved
His love to me

I can promise you, it's in the storms of your life that God will prove his love for you too! 

God Bless!!