There is no telling how many people to whom this Beautiful song has ministered to including myself! Thank you Sir for sharing your most personal testimony & this anointed song with us! God bless you and your family & may He richly increase you & the anointing through out your ministry! Thank God the anchor holds! Amen
I have always loved this song, but your testimony, Rev. Mr. Chewning, brought tears to my eyes and heart. Thank you for listening to the Holy Spirit and writing this beautiful piece of music. God's blessings to you and your family.
Sori for all e typos. Btw i hail from singapore. Thats how far this song has reached. I am very well recovered from my stroke. Praise the Lord. But this song is still one of my favorites.
I year ago, I was diagnosis with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis it is an autoimmune disease. The red blood cells are fighting against my body attacking my liver. There is no cure, I've been on chemo Feb, 2012, unfortunately, unlike cancer patients, I have to take it the rest of my life. In Sept 8th 2012, my children father died at 52 yrs old, we had been married for 30 years. Due to the hardships of the pass year. I truely feel I have toughed the hem of His garment! God Bless You
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS SONG AS MEANT SO MUCH TO ME AND ALL MY FAMILY DURING THE ABSOLUTE HARDEST TIME OF OUR LIVES,IT HAS GIVEN US HOPE WHEN WE COULD NOT SEE ANY, THANK GOD FOR GIVING IT TO YOU AND FOR YOU LETTING IT BE RECORDED BECAUSE I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE THAT IT HAS MEANT THE WORLD TO ALSO IN THEIR TIMES OF NEED.
This is a very pretty song. This song has kept me hanging on to that anchor after my husband passed away two and a half years ago and then it kept me from falling a part when i lost my youngest son just the first of this year. God bless you for singing the song Lawrence
Thank you for this. My sister in law was just diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer and also miscarried a baby last December. We are singing this in church in the morning. God is good even when the news is bad. Thank you.
In some of the deepest darkest days of my life, I have turned to this song over and over to remind me that He is walking with me. He is carrying me through my life storms. I step away from my faith in that God will take me through. I never knew my dreams could slip away from me so fast, this song touches and reaches to the very heart and soul of me! Thank you for sharing your heart with us~
I just love this song and beautiful story.. may you be blessed in your life Lawrence and completely filled with love & peace of God.. one day your Saviour will wrap His loving arms around you & wipe all your tears away & heal your broken heart! Amen
Lawrence Chewning's testimony of holding on to God!, Anchor of our souls, during incredible trial and pain, has ministered to me over and over in a deeply meaningful way, and his impassioned singing of his song is my favourite of all the other vocal artist's renditions.
Thank you Lawrence for writing this song. It appears you had an "It is well with my soul" song background inspiration while writing this song. I identify with the lyrics of this song on every verse. A Christian backslider in the twenty's while being a U.S. Navy sailor on board a destroyer in some bad storms in the North Atlantic begins the identification. A heavy drinker and a girl in every port while knowing Jesus was always there yet self living for wonder lust and temporary pleasures. After being honorably discharged yet doing this same dead end lifestyle for years until late 1979 when feeling so very guilty of sinning and backsliding, returned to the Lord in an all night repentance all alone in that one room apartment. Weeks later after being baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Lord appeared in a vivid clear dream with an ordination to the ministry. Now thirty some years later still preacher at sixty five years old. Things have happened along the way that make ministry very hard yet one must continue to the end of life never looking back or wishing you where doing something else. Even my wife left me years ago because of hardships in the ministry and had a dream about it one year before it happened. Living a holy lifestyle is what the Lord requires married or especially unmarried. When the wife go up and left me that was a slipping through the hands reality like a gran of sand on those many beaches that have walked upon all over the world. Now I was once young and older now and remember how God's loved was proved to me that night in 1979 when this backslider choose to stop sinning and come home to the loving forgiving Lord Jesus. You know he could have said no and let me die somewhere. But His anchor holds in my life because it is chained to the rock of ages. This ship has been battered over the decades and the sails have been torn at times. But the winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing upon those repaired sails and leading this ship to where the net can be cast into the sea to pull in all those fish yet to be caught. Thanks for the song Lawrence. Finally, its too bad about ray boltz and his confession of coming out. After a while the Lord turns someone over to a reprobate mind (Rom 1:26-28,32) and they think living in sin is ok when it is not ok with the Lord Jesus whose blood was shed to cover a repentant sinner errors. For everyone who deeply reads their Bible they will know the Lord's words on these kinds of matters. Let us continue to pray for Ray for time is running out when the Lord will return to judge all. Rev 22:11-12 Rev. G.
This song was my anchor when I was new to the country. Several years later I hit the perfect storm and had to remind myself that Jehovah will protect you and you will be able to discern when evil forces try to convince you otherwise. Psalms 91.
Amen. You're right believer of Christ. Very, very right. I couldn't have put it any other way better than you have. Inspite of the storm God is still in the midst of it all our affairs if only we can believe & trust Him in His leading. Where He's not recognised, He's not there. We can't expect Him to do what we desire at the click of fingers. In His own time, He makes all things so beautiful. "Thank you God for your blessing on me." He called or created us to worship Him. He's an object of worship and He's got to be praised, thanked and adored.👐🏾👐🏾💜👐🏾
The original writer of "The Anchor Holds" is Lawrence Chewning Ray Boltz only done rearranging of the song cutting it down from a long song, but if I not mistaken, this was all before Ray came out as gay. Even though that sad thing happened with Ray Boltz, God still uses the song to bless people. We arent singing the song and praises to ray boltz, we are singing to God. God can take something that is not necessarily good, but good can come from it. This song has blessed many people over the years. We all, at some point in our lives has messed up, sinned, or whatever, I think we can sing the song recognize the original writer and his purpose for writing the song without giving credit to the rearranger. We must pray for Ray not condemn him...2yrs ago I would not have said that, but after what I've been through and witnessed in the past year and a half, my out look is much different...I do not look the same way at others, that are out in sin or has backslidden as "there for the grace of God go I". So I say we enjoy the song without acknowledging the rearranger and only acknowledge the original writer and his reason for the song...the song is to God.
Learnt from this that God doesn't hate me because of the storm. Serving Him w/o knowing the bible was disasterous. Songs are bringing hope to the hopeless.
THIS IS LEIGH DUNCAN and I will always remember this song. It has helped me threw a bunch of storms. I have told my children for the last year there is a ANCHOR in the sky. Love you all.
I was looking for a song for my dad that is going thru a hard time. Found this song, I have never heard before. It was the song for my dad I know because the Lord began to give me words and scriptures to write down. This song ministered to my dad, and also myself. Thank you for this song. It has such a wonderful message. God Bless.
Thank you God for sending your Holy Spirit to comfort us through this beautiful song given our brother in Christ. Thank you for sharing to encourage all that even the righteous go through storms of life too yet with Jesus in the boat of life our anchor holds in Jesus Name.
You don't know what consolation this song brought to me. I have never heard it in the times of my storm, but today I stand at the other shore and I hear it, and I know it tells perfectly my story, seeing all that has remained now in me.
My heart goes out to this humble servant of God. I went through some traumatic things in my own life and I wondered where God was too. Yes, there is a dark night of the soul when nothing makes sense and we wonder where God is.
Thank You and God Bless you and your family. I love this song-until today I'd only heard Ray Boltz version. I could relate to many of the things you mentioned about your bad year (1992). I am going through a similar time this year (2012). I know God is good, but it is hard to understand all that happens during the seasons of sorrow. I'm thinking this morning of how many people's lives you've touched with your song--that may have not happened without the pain. Thanks for the beauty of this song!!
Thank You For Using Your Painful Personal Story, As A Powerful Testimony, And Your Talent And Gifting To Bless Us ALL With This WORD Of TRUTH. May Our ABBA FATHER YaH In HEAVEN CONTINUE To Be NEAR To YOU And YOUR FAMILY, And May HE CONTINUE To USE YOU In THIS VERY COMPELLING And DYNAMIC WAY, Is My Prayer. In YaHShuWaH'S MIGHTY NAME, Amein.
Thank you for your testimony and for the beautiful and poignant story behind that awesome song. It has been an "anchor" for myself through the tough times I've gone through. May the Lord bless you and keep you and yours under His awesome love and grace!
and to think you went through all that while I was a year old and here I am just discovering this song and this whole concept. God bless you for what you went through
What a beautiful job..This song has been an inspiration to me during some hard times in my life. I thank you . I love Ray Botlz version but your's is equally touching,.God Bless you..Amazing
I lost a granddaughter,Dad,Mom and my oldest nephew all within 1 1/2 year. This is the song that got me through that time. My faith in Christ is just as strong as it always was because I know that Ill see them all again. My heavenly father most of all.
This is my song. .my song of my life. Thank you Lawrence for being Gods vessel for reaching out to those of us who truly understand the pain and loss. God bless you for bringing it to all of us.
I know the storm going through now but Jesus is Lord and will carry me through...I like you style of music how can I can a copy of it.. and what key are yo playing in God Bless you..
Wow ,as I sit here Christmas Day eating alone for the first time ever , this song touched my soul ! And tears flowed ,but southing to the spirit tears . So thank you ,thank God ,the anchor will always hold ,Amen . God bless .
This song brought me comfort after i lost my husband to cancer, I lost a son to a life of drugs and prison, I would listen and cry and pray all night long. God is so good in spite of the storms of life. Thank you for posting this.
This was my son's favorite song. We lost him when he was 21. We played this song as he passed on to Heaven. You'll never know what this song meant to him and us. Thank you
A great song that touches my heart. I am 74 years old and have been through many storms....I have lost 3 husbands..the first to leukemia when I was 44, the second by massive heart attack, and finally the third just in 2014 after a major stroke.. I was brought up in church from a child and have known the Lord since I was 10 years old, but somehow, I got away from God when I lost 3 children by way of miscariage....I too sometimes have wondered what good could come from all of this, but you know.....I am sure God has the answers and hopefully will show me why in time to come. I have several medical problems as well and am now disabled....but you know???? I still believe He has a purpose for all of it...He is the great creator and has the master plan for all of us, so I keep holding on to the nail scarred hand and God has never let me fall too far....He is my anchor and will continue to be regardless of what storms I face......I totally understand how Lawrence and his wife felt going through all of their storms but Praise God, maybe the reason was so Lawrence would write this great song....God bless you Lawrence and I , for one, sure am glad you wrote it as it has helped me get through some of my storms....You are a blessing.
As I am preparing to sing this at church in the morning I have been led to find out the meaning behind the song and found this clip, now I'm not sure I could even make it through it without the tears. Such a powerful song and testimony. Thank you and I pray God's blessings for your family.
Thank you so much for this song. My Dad loved this song and wanted Sister Melinda to sing it at his funeral. She couldn't finish singing; she was so choked up, but that was ok. She loved him as much as we did. This song is so POWERFUL! I want you to know how much this has helped so many people come from the darkness into the light. Whenever I need my Dad, I just listen to this song and I can feel him and our Lord hug me! Thank you and God Bless!
Your story really touched me. And your version of this song is really inspired and so heartfelt--the best version I have ever heard. I lost everything that I thought was important to me two years ago, but chose to hold on to Christ. I went through the same experience as you, of having multiple miscarriages, and suffering extreme heartbreak. God has helped me through this storm.He is our anchor. Praise the Lord for giving you such a gift to touch people's hearts.
This has been a favorite song of mine for many, many years. I am singing it this Sunday at church and I just wanted to listen to the story behind the song again. I truly LOVE this song and it has touched so many people. God bless you!
I like when you say that you weren't writing to be heard, but to share your heart. I know another guy who did that with every song he wrote, even though he did learn what would get on the radio (which made more people hear any particular song). :) Great song, Lawrence. Always love hearing you sing - anything. Carol Boltz
My Mother was a firm believer of this song. When she was laid down to rest this song played. I never knew the dept of this song until about a decade later. At the age of 33 I cling tight to the meaning of these words and my own symbolic likings from a God fearing woman...my mother.
This is such as powerful song.May God bless you Lawrence Shewning. This is one of my favorite song as I am going through my time. This is really coming from the heart.God bless you always.
Wonderful song, and great testamony of Lawrence Chewning. I love the lyrics, Ray Boltz great singing. This song touches my soul deep down, God is good! I love him.
Amen the anchor holds. Jesus you never let go of me. There were times i felt like i was drowning but praise God you were always there holding and loving me. I love you Jesus so much. 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝
no disrespect for Ray Boltz awesome vocals on this, but this version carries a depth and sincerity and vulnerability that only the author could bring to it....thank you for sharing this tender version of your expression of faith.
I heard this song for the very first time at church today. God has used you as a vessel to write such amazing lyrics. May God bless you and thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you for sharing this video. I used it on my blog Daily-Bible-Reading in a post from Psalm 119 which I titled "The Anchor Holds." Your testimony was a blessing to me. I too experienced two miscarriages, so I can understand the feelings you went through. What a beautiful song. I can testify with you that the anchor holds. May God bless you, Deborah H. Bateman-Author.
Beautiful, beautiful Song, uplifts encourages me-------I've been there----Yes, surely the Anchor Holds----Amen----------thank you for sharing Your Inspiring Story, for writing such a profoundly beautiful song--------God bless~
I heard this song years ago when I was going thru a really hard time in my life and felt like there was no hope for me.I was very suicidal at the time and didn't want to live. I felt like God didn't care about me and let me down . Then one day I heard your testimony and the song you wrote and it gave me hope. It tells my life story too. The anointing is on this song and the anointing touched my life. I am a singer and I couldn't wait to get the sound tract so I could sing it and give my testimony. This song gave me hope to keep hanging on to Jesus and anchor my soul in him. I always have it in my list of songs wherever I go. Thank you for writing this song . It ministers to more people than you can imagine. God bless you and your family.
Sarah Silverio Amen! Well said for so many people including me know exactly what you're talking about. My heart breaks for this family especially about the loss of their child but by their sorrows God has turned it into a great testimony & an anointed song that speaks to so many, that encourages & saves lives. I too know what it's like to be so depressed, so low that you really just want to die. God has brought me through so much & I know as long as I give Him my best the anchor holds. Thank you both for sharing his very personal testimony & this beautiful song. God bless
Thank you Lawrence for sharing this painful story behind the song "the Anchor Holds." As I will be using this illustration tomorrow in church in a sermon, (1st Sunday of Advent/ HOPE) your video has inspired me again, along with so many other stories to preach and remember the power of HOPE in God for our World. Joy and Peace ~ Rev. Tommy Wilkes/ FUMC/ Clover SC~ thankful to see a fellow song writer and preacher making a difference.
This Song has always touched my heart when I heard it years ago in church, the tears would always flow, but never knew the story of how it was written. I am facing some trials and taking my troubles to God and crying out as David did in Psalms, It kept going though my head and this over powering feeling I should go and listen to praise videos and just praise God,
He has my problems problem’s under control, and I ran across this video, as the tears ran from my eyes I knew that God in the mist, when were in the valley we need to praise God just as much as when were on high. I thank God for the valleys, the growing and learning times in my life. Them, time may not feel good, but I know God has me in his hands and yes His Anchor Always Holds" God Bless" even when we feel can’t feel Him, just praise Him. He will bring you though your storm!!
Amen I'm so glad our anchor holds, the only sure thing is the faith we have in Jesus to bring us through our trials of life. Thank you for This beautiful song that is truly anointed right from of God and the Holy sprit. we all have trials, life will be sure to beat us down, but Christ lofts us up. Thank you Jesus. God Bless you and your ministry.
When we are broken before God, wonderful things happen! What an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING SONG that goes straight to the heart! This song has ministered to thousands of people! LOVE IT!
Thank you for this song it has ministered to my wife and I during a real storm in our life. The storm started in March 2013 when our then 23 year old daughter was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer and on November 8, 2014 she entered into heaven. We are now raising our 4 year old granddaughter. The storm stayed off shore for six months and then struck again when our 20 year old daughter was killed in an auto accident on May 30, 2015. If not for our faith in Christ we would be lost. We are Childrens Min
t. I cannot imagine losing any of my children. I'm so sorry for what has happened ...faith in God is the ONLY thing that gets us through. your precious daughters are in heaven today. I will be praying for your family and that granddaughter ...once again. I'm sorry.
Wow, what a great testimony! Thank you for sharing this with me and all the other listeners that have or are going through hardships. Indeed the anchor does hold!!!
This has just ministered greatly as we are going thru so much of the similar things...just had our fifth miscarriage and we know Gods timing is the best timing! Thank you Jesus for using this man as an instrument!
I want to tell you what your song has meant to me. I am a former youth minister, maybe some day I will be again. For many years we were told we would never have children and then God gave us 2 beautiful girls. In 2011 my oldest daughter was having health problems none of her tests could give the doctor's a clear answer as to what was going on. But God put doctors in her path that said it looks like Cushing's but we have never seen it. In the middle of trying to get diagnosed my husband lost his job that he had for 12 years and I had just started one but was having difficulties with it. We kept going and in 2012 my daughter was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease, a rare tumor which was in her pituitary gland. At one point we were told it could be cancer but wasn't. There were and still are many other things going on that started back then. During that time i prayed and prayed and prayed to say my faith in God was tested would be an understatement. One day on a break at work. God brought this song into my head & of course living in the time we are in I looked it up and listened to it online. I felt as if God was talking to me through the words of the song and I drew a picture of it and put it next to my computer at work to help me remember that my faith is anchored in Jesus and God had me in His hands and wasn't going to let me go, I wasn't alone, and we would make it through this. God has since given my husband another job where there is room to grow, my job is good i love what i do, and most importantly we just got the news that she is finally responding to treatment after years of surgeries, failed treatment, and being told we got it only to have it come back. Before when I heard the words of your song - it was pretty and I liked it and it had a good message. But now, having walked the road we have been down God has made it so real to me & in my life; as a matter of fact i can't hear it without tearing up and i still have the picture i drew to remind me of it. Please be encouraged that - the year you speak about with how terrible it was, God has taken what the devil meant for evil and has turned it to good. Thanks and to God be the glory
As the storm raged.Jesus was asleep pillow. The disciples woke him, terrified. Then Jesus said "peace, be still;".Immediately the sea calmed. Metaphorically the Christian life is subject to being battered because we oppose spiritual wickedness in high (supernatural, unseen) places. Ephesians 6:12. But Jesus on the cross bought our redemption from sin: thus from fear.
