In this moment we are surrounded by the news of the earthquake in Haiti. I’ve heard a lot about it, donated money to help, and I’m praying for the people whose lives have been severely affected. Something very interesting just happened though. I’m sitting in the airport and saw a CNN report that there was a group of Haitian people who gathered this morning (at a collapsed church) to give thanks for the gift of life that they still have despite their world falling down around them. In their tragedy they found time to say “thank you”. We could all learn a valuable lesson from the Haitian people who gathered to pray. Our personal lives may be falling or may have fallen apart right before our eyes but our job as believers is to look past our tragedy and say “thank you.”
Tell me your story. I want to know what’s fallen and what you still have in your life to be thankful for. Leave your comments here and tell a friend to do the same. We can encourage each other by telling the truth about what God’s done.
I’ll start us:
I have had a lot of heartache in the last few years (broken engagement, loss of my grandfather, loss of someone that I initially thought was a good friend) a lot of things in my world fell apart but I’m THANKFUL for the fact that God has used my heartache to be an encouragement to my audiences out on the road.
Thanks for reading,
We’ll talk soon,
Anthony Evans
Heartache and disappointment have been the theme of my life. Born into a family where love was based on what you can give, I perpetuated that in my relationships only to meet people who were only too happy to “receive.” When I reached a point where I started to understood God’s love it was only He and I left standing and to compound matters I lost my job to boot. I am truly thankful that Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me and that His love is truly “free”.
I remember the words of a great poet…”As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to love it more and more.” Life has presented itself to me very challenging over the course of these last few years, from severe depression, to extreme hurt and pain from people, family, and even the pain that stemmed from within, but in all things I have learned to give God thanks! God has used the hurt and pain that I have experience to be a light of hope to someone else who shares the same story of struggle…and for that I am grateful.
At the end of the day nothing really matters except the love that God has for you and the love that he gives to you to share with someone else!
Being from a broken home and being a Pastor’s kid from both dad & stepdad has made me such an eclectic worshiper and survivor. Not one of the storms the grace of God has brought me through, has been the same. I’ve been judged on my results and not on my intent. I too, have lost many people in the last 365 days. People who promised to never leave and people who didn’t have a choice but to. I’ve been academically dismissed from school because I worked instead of going to class. Church people put unrealistic expectations on my ministry as well as my growth. People only love you because of, but God loves us IN-SPITE of. I’ve overcome inferiority and “legitimate” insecurity–now catapulted to confidence in HIM. I always replay my favorite line “When you’re losing hope, He’s still in control…And He’s NEVER letting go, never letting go of you.” I count my blessings before I count the money. With a heart of thanksgiving, i still have joy
Thanks for the space to write. I have found that in losing what we thought was to be: We gain closer intimacy with God and ourselves(our resilience in Him), We learn our own heart’s capacity to forgive and We know that God’s Word is undoubtedly true-Rom.8:28. All things work for the good…. We may not think it is for our good at first but it is. God knows best that is why He allows/gives the test. Whatever isn’t God sent,it is God used. Being and remaining thankful is crucial to our right-standing with God and others. I’m thankful come/go what may. It’s all in how we look at things and in all things we must give thanks to God. If we have God, we have everything. All isn’t lost. Praise Jesus!!!
In October of 2003 I got fired from my teaching position at the jail I was teaching at for sharing my faith. These past 6 years have been ups and downs for me on what Allan Hall (of Selah) calls a faith adventure (thus the name of my blog The Great Faith Adventure). Since I got fired I have either been unemployed or under employed. In the recent installment of my faith adventure I was let go from one of the colleges I was teaching at less than a week before the semester started up, in December someone who was becoming a friend to me cut me off, and I am trying to find employment as I am not sure how exactly all my bills will be getting paid in February (I am currently teaching twice a week at a community college and I have a second part time job, but none will pay the bills – I won’t get a decent pay check until the end of February). I am also still applying for full time positions and am praying that God opens a door for me to get on at a college in the Nashville area as a college counselor.
But on the bright side I am thankful that God has been helping me all along the way and He has been teaching me to trust Him (and I do more than I did after I lost my job in 2003). And I know He has a plan for my life and He is faithful and will not let me down ever.
I’m a girl desiring to fall more in love with Jesus every day. That passion came from having Him walk side-by-side with me, when I was young girl. I didn’t know He was there. But He had His arms wrapped as tightly as he could around me.
Alcoholism and the Navy were the sources of my Mom and Dad’s divorce when I was 4 years old. Mom was left to raise two daughters on her own, which she did an unbelievable job. But with us living in Ohio and Dad stationed in Florida for most of my growing up years, the distance and Dad’s alcoholism tore apart the relationships that my sister and I had with him. I always knew Dad loved us…the alcohol just took away the skills of being able to show us how. Alcohol became the most important relationship in his life…the vehicle which drove him through five more divorces and broken relationships.
Dad did love Jesus. He just didn’t know how to incorporate the freedom that is available from that relationship into his own life. February 8, 2009, Dad went to Heaven, where I believe He is completely free. For the first time in his life, he is experiencing what it’s like to have a relationship with Someone so deeply that nothing else matters. I look forward to the day, where, for the first time, I get to have that same kind of relationship with my Dad.
It seemed to be quite easy for me when I was younger to hide my feelings. You would look at me and see a bubbly little girl who played well with other kids and excelled in athletics and made the honor rolls in school. But deep down inside, my heart was torn. You can imagine the shock when my family found out, when I was 14 years old, that I had been sexually abused for about 8 years, by someone close to me.
Four years of counseling later, I realized that the abuse was not my fault and that I didn’t have to live life as a victim. The broken pieces of my heart slowly began to heal, although, I still felt like there was a part of me missing. I began to realize just how much God wanted me. God really began to show me that he would never hurt me. He showed me that I could trust Him and I never needed to be afraid. He wanted to be my Father. He wouldn’t abandon me or abuse me. I found out that His love is unconditional. I knew that He had what I needed. But it took me more than just knowing about Him – I had to get to know Him personally. I had to open up my heart to this new relationship and let Him in. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16
The source of freedom is forgiveness, and that realization is what allows me to live my life in freedom every day. Jesus died on the Cross to forgive us our sins, which in turn, gave us Eternal Freedom. THAT is what I’m so very thankful for!!!
For years I sang a song entitled “Life is Hard, but God is good.” People would request for me to sing it (even my mother asked me to sing it for my grandmother’s funeral) and I never understood why they wanted to hear it…that is until I experienced the hardship of life myself. It was a broken relationship and it turned my world upside down. Living through that break-up allowed me to experience why that song meant so much to others. It allowed me to be able to sing that song in a whole new way. For months I was unable to make it through the song … even at home when I was alone in my room…but one day the healing had begun and I was able to again sing it. Cried through it, but knowing that God was good, even though my world had been turned upside down and that it was the hardest thing I had been through, got me through it. We may not understand what is happening to us, but God is good and He is with us EVERY step of the way. That is why we are able to praise Him through the storm.
Dear Anthony Our story is not your usual casualties,it’s a very spiritual one I have not shared with anyone,my husband and I were members of The Way International Biblical Research Center for 25 years 250,000 people around the world were members anyway Rev.has many many many affairs,law suits,personal and physical damage to my family occurred yet the word that was taught was so mind blowing it was almost surreal! We chose not to participate in any book deals or law suits as God has blessed my family beyond all I could ever ask,miraculous healing hubby had brain surgery,devil couldn’t shut me up so the Dr finds my vertebrate was crushed I am a cadaver recipient twice so far believing for healing don’t want a third! I started my own pool business when I was 23 and it’s booming to this day and I’m 47, When you get married though it becomes our business Klomburg Pools and proud to bear the scars of my accomplishments to become a stay home mom! So 25 yrs. in business practicing Godly priciples,slow and steady always wins the race, Thanks for doing this Anthony I’d rather not speak on the gossip web for people who have had hardships in the Way as it doesn’t allow me to move forward! Loved you at church by the Glades I had front row seats and lots of healing that evening,Thank you Anthony God Bless you in our living lord and savior Jesus Christ Janet Twitter pools5580 I follow you!
Praying that God continues to inspire phenomenal gems of harmonious music through you to bless the household!
Over the past couple of years, I have dealt with some traumatic experiences. The first being 2 of my precious nieces being abused. At that point, I seen everything in my life crumble to the ground. I left the church that I barely attended anyhow, and lost ALL hope. Following that, my brother in law was fired from the church after having an affair with a much younger woman that he was mentoring. Juggling to support my sister and her children in the midst of their shattered lives while enrolled full time in school and working…Really took a toll on me emotionally. Finally, after dating a man on and off for 5 years, he had come back into my life. Seemed to be getting his life together, I was quite impressed. We had planned on getting married next summer. Well, it did not work out as planned. But at the moment in my life when I realized we could never be. The Lord opened my eyes and my heart. My life began to fill with joy as the tears seemed to fade away. I started attending church regularly and began to change a lot of bad habits as well. I am not sure why or how exactly it happened, but one day I woke up and realized it wasn’t my ex that left me feeling empty inside, it was me…Me keeping the Lord at such a far distance. I realized that I have more than enough, and no matter how bad things may seem to get, the power of prayer is amazing! I am learning to take more of life’s mishaps as blessings in disguise!
What has become amazing is seeing God at work in EVERYTHING. He works in such a way that only He can think of, leaving me in awe of Him. He shows up in the simplest way in the midst of storms to remind me that He will never leave me nor forsake me. His work has stretched my faith leading me to truly BELIEVE that ALL things are working together for my good. I can actually look back on my broken engagement and unplanned pregnancy with great thanksgiving. There so much to say about His goodness, faithfulness, and love that I’m at a loss for words. However, what I once thought was life falling apart was actually life falling into place. My thoughts aren’t His and my ways aren’t His but I’m learning to trust Him.
A few year back I was out of state at a womans conference and I got a phone call about my mother needing to go out of the house by ambulance. When I finally reached her bedside she could barely speak out my name. She came down with a rare neurological disease that went undiagnosed and then slipped into a coma.The doctors finally hung the right medication but said she would not make it out of the come. She woke up and I was the first face she saw and a tear shed out of her left eye. Mom was never quite the same due to permanent brain damage but nevertheless.. she was at her most precious state.I will never forget the smile on and glory on her face as was walking toward me with her walker as she was learning to walk again. Those days I felt so close to Heaven and to her in spirit. Four months later I was at the gym (wow I need to get back to those days..) and I felt something alarming in my spirit man. I immediately left and got a call from the nursing home stating she had a heart attack. My Dad and I drove quickly and then they sat us down to tell us they were working on her heart and she was not going to make it through. They did not want me in the room, but gave me favor eventually (I think I must have smiled real big..) I was in the middle of this code and being a nurse , I knew it was time. We stopped CPR and it seemed like eternity stopped for a moment and I was holding her hands telling her to go ahead.. and there she went. My one prayer was that I would be able to be there and that was exactly what the lord gave me. At moms service I danced to I can only imagine (the funeral direction must have been like WHAT!@#.. not to mention gold and silver flags LOL! Wow to think we can rejoice in death because Jesus has overcome the grave! Every day seems I have to let go a mom a little more. I never thought the god in me could be so strong.. Jesus answered the prayer of his daughter to give our family a second chance to have Mom with us. He gave me a piece of Heaven and hope in my spirit man to prepare me and my family for what would come so that even now I rejoice. I rejoice not in what he did not do but in the miracle of what he did do. And now my tears that have been sowned are bearing new joy. I am still learning to let go a little more each day of Mom but each day pressing forward to the new life that awaits me and of course the crown and mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus..We serve and awesome and might God.
Luv you Jesus!
I recently was the victim of an assault which has left me broken and full of heartache. However in the midst of my storm, I find myself thinking that I am so glad it happened to me and not someone else. As weird as it may seem, God has equipped me with a spirit to be able to find a praise report in the middle of my trials. I am thankful that it didn’t happen to some other young girl. But I am so thankful that it happened to me because I am SAVED and I serve a God that can handle anything. If I’m having a tough time coping, I don’t even want to imagine how hard it would be for someone who has not given their life to Christ. Thank you God for choosing to save me and carry me through my storms.
Anthony, I appreciate your request. As a result of the recent economic meltdown, I lost the best job I ever had in Dec. 2008. It is painful to lose something of value after paying your dues for years. But for the first time in my life I have learned how essential it is for our well being to go through the grieving process and how healthy it is to grieve our losses. As a broken-hearted and neglected child of divorce, emotional support was unavailable to me. So, like most kids, I coped the best I could in a very toxic family environment keeping everything bottled up inside – this resulted in teenage depression and getting a difficult start to young adulthood.
I don’t fully understand the redemptive role of suffering in our lives, but it is somehow spiritual cleansing coping with emotional devastation. I know we must look to Christ and the cross with a greater sense of awe and gratitude when we are suffering.
In this past decade, I lost my parents, grandparents, sister, uncle, cousin, and child (from a miscarriage). Most of this happened within a five-year period. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I found myself in an abusive and unfaithful marriage, which eventually ended. Just this past year, my company did a massive layoff and the best job I ever had closed down. I’ve had friends to backstab, betray, and use me in ways I never imagined even when I needed them the most. Nevertheless! God had shown Himself to be more faithful, mighty, steadfast, compassionate, forgiving, bigger, and incredibly protective than ever.
I sometimes look back on it all and wonder “how and why am I still standing?” but God answered some questions and gave me peace to move on from the ones He didn’t. I’m not saying that I didn’t go through bouts of anger, rebellion, and silence because I did. Mostly because I couldn’t understand why God didn’t help when He was more than capable and the only one who could.
Since this happened, like the Haitians, I’ve witnessed blessings and change that I would not have experienced otherwise. Yes, God has shown me that He was “the one I was looking for” in people and things on many occasions. He’s even shown me that it is not His will for me to even ‘pick up the pieces’. In fact, some of the structures in my life needed to collapse. And He has shown me how to take the rubble and build memorials and altars to praise Him with the ones that didn’t.
I don’t mean to minimize what happened in Haiti by comparing one of my stories. I’m just trying to make a point. Unfortunately, there were casualties and pain. It was out of the control of those who remained standing, but God saw it fit for us to be the ones that are still standing. Now while this isn’t ever good news for the remaining, it’s a motivator in the most unexplainable way.
I went through my years of mourning and loss and in some cases, I still am. But God has strengthened me enough to stop standing there looking around at the ruins. He is continuously restoring and replacing even what I didn’t know I lost. I am now at a place where I believe that He is doing a ‘new thing’ and is delivering me into a new place with a new structure. Now I’m praying for Haiti to get to this point after their season of mourning in the rubble. I don’t always feel this way, but I’m learning not to be emotionally-driven in my decisions about my day, my life, or my God.
I chose to add to this blog to encourage the others to “keep moving” and to also publicly thank AE for letting God use his lyrics to ‘get me through’ on many occasions. I’m not saying that it’s good to hear that you’ve also gone through pain and disappointment, but it is good that you can relate and write from that perspective. Didn’t plan on taking up a lot of space, but I love talking about what God has and is doing with my mess, ruins, and remains.
May God continue to move you to lead us to ‘sing until the gates open’,
Thanks Dude. God bless
Hard times seem to find it way to me. The hardest was loosing my mother at an early age to getting her tubes tide. She is alive but has brain damage today. Even though I miss my mother being just mom. I am thankful for her just being alive.
God is so awesome even in the mist of the pain. See there is a season for everything. There will be dry times and sunshine. There will be fun times and down times all times are in rememberence of God. To give to us all seasons and to grow in us all seasons. We must learn each season for they will come and go. For in each season God is molding us for who he has called us to be. God’s picture is large for us. He wants to build the picture in us to do, say, be, and live. So when we cry God he is always there watching, waiting, and catching every tear. God sees our deepest need. He will bring us our hearts desire as we walk with him in prayer. God sees our smiles and laughter as we let go and give all things to him. For in each season God wants us to endure, as He tests our faith and produce our patience. SO let patience have its perfect work in us that we may be complete lacking nothing.
AE even though I have had so many painful things that have happen to me and you sister (Priscilla knows some) I am so blessed to know the Lord as daddy. He is my heart. So be encouraged and know that pain lasts for a season and seasons do change. Thanks for your heart for the lord your music it really helps me draw closer to HIM. I am thankful for that.
As a young Christian I learned that some of the toughest battles take place when you have to stand alone. I had to endure misunderstanding, rejectiion and lonliness and wait for God to bring me through. He did and still does. Then He gives joy on he other side. Ps 118:6 states it best “The Lord is on my side, I will not fear.”
When one thinks of heartbreak, the mind automatically assumes it is due to a broken relationship. Praise God my heart has been preserved in that area but nonetheless, my heart was broken and torn…and it all occured while serving in ministry. I’ve never felt such pain and disappointment..this was not supposed to happen to “good people” and certainly not those who have dedicated their lives to ministry.
For two years it took every ounce of energy I had just to go to church. My love for Christ never changed but my heart towards “church” and “ministry” certainly had.
The faithfulness of God kept me when I wanted to run and escape it all. HE KEPT ME. In moments when I struggled to even pray, I would worship…the song that ministered the most to me during that season was THE WAY YOU LOVE ME.
What I struggled to articluate with my words, the tears spoke for while listening to this song as it brought healing to my life.
I am overjoyed to share that my heart has found healing and grace….peace has been restored to my life and I feel alive again.
What I “promised” myself I’d never do again, has found its way back into my world…serving in ministry. This time its different. While I honor those in leadership, my eyes are on Jesus and all of my adoration is surrendered to Him.
This was the journey and this is the way HE LOVES ME!
I’m at the point where all that I know about God is being tested!!! To watch love ones fade away, friends look at me as if I’m a stranger, family to turn their back on me and to have the place that I once called refuge (church) to become a prison! Wanting to let go put responsible for so much!!! But, in spite of it all I can still hear God, although faint saying… “I have not forgotten you”! I’m thankful to still be able to hear, even when I think I’ve messed up so bad, gone so far left field…. God still love me!
A Servants Heart,
K’sh
Hii Guys…
Well my history is not differente than any other here. I always fall in the same satan’s trap, and it is really hard for me to feel the forgiveness of God… But I´m really thankful today because I Felt this in this morning, and it is Amazing…
Anthony, I know this may be a bit lengthy, but it is well worth you reading! I pray this some how encourages, & enlightens your spirit, as it did mine at the time.
The love of God through His beloved Son Jesus is phenomenal. I was told once, you need to get your heart busted up a few good times. I’m thinkin “You must not have gotten your heart busted/broken before.” After having my heart broken, it was a very difficult process to get over. I do know that through that adversity it drew me closer to the Lord, because I wanted answers. “Lord why did I put so much into it & it ended? Why couldn’t I be appreciated for who I really was, & who I was becoming in Christ Jesus?” The Lord began to minister to me the importance of getting to know Him first! & allowing Him to lead.
He began to let me know that He is literally “a jealous God”. That He is madly in-love with His children & that He doesn’t want anyone else to have, or govern our hearts but Him. He let me know that out of everyone who says they love me, He loves me the most, & He has my best interest at heart. As I began to establish a personal, & intimate relationship with Him, as my Father I began to understand the kind of love He has for (us) His children. He wanted me to be satisfied & content with just being with Him! The Lord then said to me “Now, give Me your heart, I won’t bust it up, or break it. Instead, I’ll keep it.” It was then I took my heart from people, & put it in God’s hand.
The Lord wraps me up, & protects my heart in His love now. I am single, & desire to be married one day. Since “Daddy” knows best, now that my heart is healed, I trust Him to orchestrate the meeting between my husband “to be” & I. The Lord said to me “I am The Lord God & I change not.” He had me do a study on a few relationships in His Word that He orchestrated, without the help of man. Adam & Eve, Abraham & Sarah, Issac & Rebekah, Jacob & Rachel, and Boaz & Ruth. They lasted, and they loved each other with an everlasting kind of love. God said “and I’ll do the same for you, if you only believe, & trust Me with your heart.”
Now, I am trusting, & waiting (serving) worshiping, praising, honoring, & thanking God for my husband, who will be suitable, & compatible for the anointing that God has placed on my life & I too will be suitable & compatible for the anointing God has placed on his life.
Today I am full of joy of the Lord! Praise be to Jesus! He is our Healer! He is the mender of a broken heart. He is more than enough for us. Jesus is all we need!
My prayer for you, is that you continue to establish a more personal, & intimate relationship with Him, and trust Jesus with your whole heart. Trust that He has someone that will be suitable & compatible for His anointing! that He has definitely placed on your life to be who He has called you to be (freely) with no restrictions.
I pray God’s best for you. That the Lord will feel more & more comfortable abiding with you, in you, & through you. You are what God! says you are. Be that. And the person He has for you, will appreciate most of all, the “God” in you.
Forever In Christ Jesus’ Love
Guess I’d say my story has been one of heartache….something which I thought would be didnt quite become…I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster these past few months really trying to hear God in this situation cos I really believed it was Gods will and things would just work out as I’d hoped… Yea alas it caused me to to reassess my list of prioritiies and place more emphasis on my relationship with the Lord….so I’m on a journey trying to seek Him more than ever….the author and Finisher of my faith!
My story is this: When I was born my mum and dad weren’t married, they separated and then my mum moved away and met a new man. They married and I got a babysister, then my mum got saved, baptised and me and my sis went to sundayschool. When I was eight yrs old I was really close to God and at 9 I baptised. I lived a good life except from the fact that my mum divorced my sister’s father (he was a muslim). Then some hard years came along, by the age of 13 I started to get suicidal, I was in a deep depression and everything was bad. And when I was 15 and should start going in High School (in Sweden we have first 9 yrs and then 3 yrs HighSchool) I moved to my father (non christian) but his girlfriend ruined my life and I moved back to mum. Now I’m finally rising from all my bad experiences (I’m 18 now) and I’m strong in the Lord, it’s only thanks to him that I’m alive today. But I’m eager to get out and do his work and preach and I’m a happy woman now! Thanks to Jesus, my saviour and deliverer!
Have a great day Anthony!
Hi …. Firstly I would like to thank “Shanta” for her post that has spoken volumes to me and prompted me pluck up the courage and leave a comment & Secondly to you Anthony for your song “Letting Go” ….. played it many times, cried many tears. When I first heard it play in my sisters car, I felt as though it was written to me/for me – As I am still “going through” if I am honest, it is hard for me to tell my story right now. But just want to say “Thanks” for the reminder that God is STILL in control and HE will NEVER let me go. (following you on twitter) God bless you
The greatest pain in my life was self inflicted. I say that because it all comes down to the choices I made. I was a young single mother when i met and married a man about 15 years ago that used to beat and humiliate my son and me. In 1997 we had a daughter together and I thought having her would some how make things better but it only got worse.
In January of 2002 things got really bad. By then he had threatened to kill me with a loaded shot gun, he had chased me in my car and tried to run me off the road, he had bitten and choked me to near unconsciousness in front of my children. One of the final straws was when my 10 year old son tried to protect me from my husband and my husband let me go and turned on him. I knew in that moment i had to do something before someone died.
I took my two children and drove from Indiana to Dallas Texas where my mother lived. It was a very sudden decision with a very slim window of escape.
I filed for a protective order but my family had no money for an attorney, I had no job or money and I had no knowledge of the legal system or how things worked and did not know they would notify him of our location. To make a long story short, he forcibly took my daughter from me and the second he got her from me, he drove back to Indiana with her. He immediately filed for a divorce and got on welfare which made our daughter a ward of the state.
I fought for over 5 years in the legal system to get her back. We even had a Guardian Ad Litem appointed by the judge to do an extensive 2 year investigation that told the judge that Emily was better off with me. I thought it was a slam dunk! It was the first ray of hope I had but months later I received a letter from the court that ordered my ex husband to go to anger management classes and counseling and that my daughter would stay where she was.
I was devastated! I was angry with God. I believed that I had done EVERYTHING that He told me to do! I told Him that if I had gone back I would at least be with my daughter. i would be able to protect her and know what was going on around her. He firmly but lovingly told me, “No you wouldn’t because you would be dead. You are right where you need to be.” After I got over my initial disappointment I realized that God loves her more than i do. He can protect her better that I can. He gave her gifts and callings that are without repentance and that despite her circumstance those things will not change. Emily is 12 years old now; I pray for her without ceasing, I remind her that she always has a home with me, I remind her about God’s love. When she stays with me in the summer we talk about God and i teach her about Him and she teaches me about Him. She is becoming an amazing woman and I can see my answered prayer wrapped up in her.
I look at where I was and where I am now. I have a wonderful and gentle husband, I have an amazing son that never adopted a victim mentality but one of an over comer and a beautiful and forgiving daughter. God is great! God is good! He is so faithful even when we aren’t.
I am thrilled I finally got to see you perform! Thanks for coming to Raleigh!! We spoke briefly (I am the person you saw singing all of your songs haha) but what I didn’t get to tell you is why I am such a HUGE fan. In 2006 I had a terrible motorcycle accident. I injured my knee and tibia bone severely. In the emergency room my first question to the doctor was, “will I walk again?” Despite her inability to answer the question, I was immediately overcome with peace. I knew God was going to provide me with a testimony for His glory! To bless others! A surgery that was supposed to take 2 hours took 5 hours. My surgeon said it was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Needless to say, I struggled in physical therapy for months. I was beginning to think walking again was hopeless. I remembering going home from therapy one day and I heard a snippet of one of your songs on the radio. Never before have the lyrics from a song on the radio grabbed hold to my spirit in the way yours did that day. It was so beautiful I rushed to the music store and purchased your first two albums. That was the beginning of my love for your music. You kept me encouraged. In “Even More” when you say “why does it take blue skies that turn to gray before I have something to tell You about…” I just broke down. On that day I began to transform and become a new person. My conviction and love for Christ grew stronger. Well, long story short, clearly I’m walking! Thank you for being so transparent because THAT is what we need from our Christian music artists today!
Anthony, I saw you this weekend in SD and bought your two CD’s (Undisguised) and I’ve been listening to them non stop! I am so incredibly inspired and blessed as each song truly does lead the hearer to the throne room of God, to worship at His feet and just BE in His presence!!! I love the personal ones that we can all relate too, that cause us to reflect and go deeper into our own hearts and feelings, what a gift you have and are! I appreciate your authenticity and joy!!! Such a pleasure worshipping with you!! Take Care!
Rikah