Ray Boltz – The Anchor Holds lyrics

My heart breaks to know the power this song held in my life in 1996 to communicate the love of jesus into my darkened, blinded and storm filled life as I struggled to leave behind the tugs of the homosexual life. It hurts me to know the man who wrote and sang the song that was an anthem of promise for me has lifted anchor and set sail into the raging seas of sexual confusion and desire. I too rejoined the crew of homosexually driven men and women from 1998-2009, even captaining a mighty vessel of recruitment (a nightclub in g** palm springs). Today, as I listen to the song again, I hear my savior calling to me again to "fall down on my knees as i face the raging seas" and believe again that the anchor holds. Our lord has plans for you and I ray, but we must be sure to remember we are crew members on his ship of salvation and continue to follow him with confidence, that in spite of torn sails, poor decisions, falling overboard, jumping ship, mounting mutinies and questing worldly treasure he still has us in his grip and will bring us home. I love you ray and keep you in my prayers. God bless you. A sinner saved by grace and child of the king.

56 years ago tomorrow, in 1956, I was brought into this world like my siblings before me, very premature, but unlike them, I lived. My father changed my name to victor, leaving his name as my middle name, because I survived. I became the oldest of four carrillo children. Of my 56 years, I've been married to my wife, janet, for just over 33 of them. With her, we brought into the world two wonderful daughters, kathleen and melinda. Both have grown up into wonderful and beautiful women that we are very proud of.
That leap year of 1956 was a very, very long time ago. I watched the advent of many things we think of today as commonplace. I have watched myself grow from wiry to wide, healthy to haggard, clear minded to clueless. Some benefits of tomorrow include senior coffee prices at mcdonalds, senior discounts at china buffet, and the ability to park, not in the handicapped spaces, but those designated for "our senior customers" at hyvee. All that aside, I know that I'm on the downhill side of my existance here on this earth. As such, I know I have to take better care of myself, and I will. Tomorrow.
One thing that I am most thankful for is my introduction to jesus by my wife 33 years ago. Since that time, I have seen his and his father's interventions through our lives. I thank them daily for their love and protection.
What brought this diatribe to mind is that I woke up to the words of this song. It was this verse that was going through my head when I woke up.
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, trough the storms of my life.
Oh, that's where god proved his love to me.
I am a blessed man. Despite the troubles I've seen in the last 56 years, I am where I am today, not on my own power, but by handing myself over to the person that knows my purpose. As I yield more and more to him, and less and less to my own understanding, I find that his purposes for my life are much greater than those I thought of myself. So, as I round another bend, I want to do so less focused on myself, and more focused on god and my savior.

When my husband passed away. I was heart broken and didn't know what I would do with out him. I was watching Jimmy Swaggart preaching. And he sang this song. It made me cry. But God showed me I'll be ok thanks to this song. Thank you so much. You helped give me my life back. I'll always play your song. God bless you.