Your Anchor in a Storm
Copyright 2005 Daniel N Brown
Many times, when we fall into trials we may be tempted to ask, "Where is God? Well, God is there even when we can't see Him.
On gray, gloomy, rainy days, high above the overcast sky, the sun continues to shine. We can't feel its warmth or see its beauty, but it still exists.
God's beauty and His love for us are real even when our circumstances are difficult. If we think "above the clouds," we can have hope knowing that God is still there.
Just as gray, gloomy, overcast skies are temporary, so are our difficulties. If you are facing a discouraging situation in your life right now, remember that God is still there and rejoice in the fact that this too shall pass.
Sometimes, things are a little more intense than just a lttle rain. Many times, there are huge storms that come into our lives.
But again, these shall pass as well.
God uses these storms to produce good fruit in us. The bible says we should rejoice and "Count it all joy when we fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience so that we may be made perfect, complete, and lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4).
Stories have been told about the only thing that saved the lives of people aboard a ship in a storm was a strong anchor. But, there are also stories of those who perished when their anchor did not hold.
Luke and the Apostle Paul were aboard a ship that was tossed by a raging storm. Luke writes in Acts 27:29, about the actions of the crew, "Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, we dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight."
It is written, "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows them who trust Him" (Nahum 1:7).
God is a strong anchor! Those who perished when their anchor did not hold apparently had weak anchors. What, or who, are you depending on to hold you in your storm?
Is it some person? Is it money? Or, is it God?
God should be your anchor because salvation can be found in no other.
Jesus said, "I do not pray that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from evil" (John 17:15). This is a promise that God will be our anchor in the storm and that He will keep us in His care, but only if we let Him.
A chorus in Ray Boltz' song entitled, "The Anchor Holds," goes like this:
The anchor holds
Though the ships been battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I face life's raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm
What a great message for those who are in the midst of a storm in their life!
In times of fair weather we have comfort of knowing our anchor is there. But, in a storm, our faith will be tested and then we will be challenged to believe that our anchor is still there.
Be encouraged if things are not what you want them to be. God has a wonderful plan for your life and He may be just using a storm to work on the inside of you right now. Ask Him to hold you up, strengthen you, and help you learn what He is trying to teach you.
God is faithful and "Blessed is He who endures" (James 1:12).
God clearly wants us to trust Him. So sometimes, to remember the strength of our anchor, we will need to feel the strength of the storm.
.
A Berry Holiday Treat
A tiny berry and so traditional! Its very color is perfectly suited to all Holiday mealtimes and home decor as well. A string of cranberries mingled with popcorn, dried frui, baubles, and sprigs of holly or evergreen add a nostalgic touch to your home. Dried cranberries are fragrant and emit an essence that reminds everyone who enters your home that the true Holiday spirit is here and is being celebrated. **A quick idea: put cranberries into the water in a clear vase before adding your flowers and greenery-instantly you have a Holiday accent. **There is the very basic cranberry sauce:2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, l lb.
(4 cups) fresh cranberries Combine sugar and water in pan; stir to dissolve sugar. Heat to boiling; boil 5 minds. Add cranberries; cook till skins pop, about 3 minds. Remove from heat. Serve sauce warm or chilled.
Basic, beautiful and a decorative touch of Holiday Cheer to mealtimes! **Add a historical accent to your holiday meals with a colonial drink called...
A Berry Holiday Treat
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Albertson's Makes Life Easier - Better Tasting with The Original Ceylon Tea Company!
DALLAS, TX (ContentDesk) February 26, 2004--Albertson's, the store dedicated to ?helping make your life easier,' has added The Original Ceylon Tea Company products to it's stores to make life taste better, too.The Original Ceylon Tea Company offers tea lovers 100% pure, high mountain grown tea from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in flavors and blends sure to please the most discriminating palate.
Tea lovers can choose from traditional English Breakfast Tea, Green Tea and Earl Grey, as well as Raspberry, Mango, Passion Fruit.
For those seeking to reach new heights in organic tea, the company is the exclusive North American source of the world-renowned Needwood Organic Tea; the first plantation to receive international organic certification.For the more adventurous, there's 1001 Nights.
This masterful blending of premium green and black teas is caressed with the cut blossoms of roses, orange blossoms and sun flowers, then bathed in the sweet liquor of red, ripe strawberries.
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Custom Embroidery
Do you represent a corporation, company, organization, club, sports team or non-profit that is looking for promotional products, employee and customer incentives, customer appreciation gifts or uniforms?
If you are, you may wish to consider custom embroidery.
Using custom embroidery, you can stamp your Brand or Logo onto any garment. Your sports team or club will look sharp and professional in their uniforms. Corporations and companies can increase their ability to touch new and existing customer using garments that have branded custom embroidery that look good and make a statement.
Is custom embroidery an effective sales tool?
In one study, a company desired to increase sales of their fruit bakery products by 25%.
In order to create this increase, approximately 70 supermarket stores were shipped a t-shit and visor with custom embroidery for their staff to wear, promoting the Fruit Harvest Theme as well as a different button...
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De Bortoli Noble One Back Vintage Tasting, Ten Vintages: 1982 - 2003
Adelaide, Australia (ContentDesk) August 19, 2005 -- A back vintage tasting of De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon at one of Adelaide's top restaurants yielded some pleasant surprises for Mark Wickman of Wickman's Fine Wine Auctions recently, with earlier vintages showing off how Australia's greatest wines can mature with age. Noble One is one of Australia's premier dessert wines and is on par with the likes of Australian icons Penfold Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace and is as good if not better than some of the best French Sauternes.De Bortoli wanted to do a bit of a promotion in Adelaide, South Australia and decided to team up with Chris Jarmer@Air restaurant on North Terrace and present a tasting of their famous Noble One Botrytis Semillon.It was an excellent evening and a rare opportunity to try these wonderful wines that were superbly matched with an array of fine food. All were served from 750ml bottles and each flight was introduced by the winemakers, either Julie Mortlock...
De Bortoli Noble One Back Vintage Tasting, Ten Vintages: 1982 - 2003
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A Christmas message, Live from Lapland...
(ContentDesk) December 10, 2005 -- Coming up with original gift ideas for the kids gets more difficult with each Christmas that passes or it did, until new website, LiveFromLapland.com came along. LiveFromLapland are set to put the magic back into Christmas this year, with their innovative videogram service, which allows your kids (or even adults!) to receive a personalised video message from Santa. "Everyone remembers the excitement of visiting Santa at the mall," said a spokesman for the company....
Your Anchor in a Storm
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Best Car Alarms
In this day and age, simple siren-based car alarms just aren't enough. There is a need for a hybrid alarm that not only deters theft, but also recovers after it has been stolen. An audible alarm system, a disabler/immobilizer, and a tracking system are three components that, when integrated together, make the best car alarms.
Car alarm manufacturers are finding ways to mass-produce hybrid car alarms that satisfy the National Insurance Crime Bureau's "comprehensive approach to auto...
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Your Anchor in a Storm financing
Who Says You Cannot Use VoIP on Dial-Up Connections?
The 3WTel VoIP patented software phone now enables those with dial-up, broadband, wireless, and satellite connections to make unlimited worldwide calls for free from their PC.Because 3WTel VoIP works on its own private network and platform using a very high end encryption codex program, it assures its users maximum security and privacy. In Europe, 3WTel has been rated #1 for VoIP security.The computer softphone can be downloaded for a 7 day free trial at
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Detroit, Hybrids Are Not Just Cars Anymore
It seems that Detroit is not the only ones listening and delivering on what the consumer expects when shopping for a better more efficient gas powered car and as the result Detroit spent hundred's of millions of dollars in creating and improving HYBRID vehicles. This push to satisfy consumers in every aspect of buying a new vehicle is evidenced by the consumers ever increasing relevance of internet shopping where a person in pajamas at home can purchase a new vehicle. Purchasing on the World Wide...
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