Hope For The Hopeless

Several people have asked me to share my story. Well, we don’t have enough space to write a book, but I will share a few pieces of my life.
If you read our anniversary issue, you know I have had my share of challenges, as all of us. I mentioned being molested as a child.
Actually, it was in more than one circumstance, one being my stepfather. He was only in my life a couple of years, but sadly the damage had been done. By the time I turned 12, I tried to commit suicide.

At 19, I was taken hostage for several hours by a man, who is now in prison for the rape and murder of at least 3 women.
Through the grace of God I am still here to tell the story.

A few months later my biological father, whom I loved very much, passed away. That same year I married, and had my first child, and four years later, our second child would be born. Unfortunately, one woman wasn’t enough for my husband, and our marriage ended in divorce a few years later.

Two months after my husband moved out, my two children and I had our first Christmas, just the three of us. Two weeks later, our house caught on fire, and we lost almost everything, except the clothes on our back. Another two weeks passed, and while driving down I-4 on a rainy night, my little Vega (a car that has no power) just stopped in the middle of the interstate. As I am trying to wave cars around to keep them from hitting the vehicle, with the children sitting on the curb, a woman missed me by inches as I jumped out of the way. She then hit my car, forcing it into the fast lane, and as if we were in slow-motion picture, I watched two other cars slam into it. Needless to say, the Vega was totaled. My grandmother had just found, due to poor eye sight, she could no longer drive her Cadillac. So she graciously offered to sell it. We were fortunate to recover our transportation quickly. Unfortunately, at this point I am virtually comatose after the events of the past few weeks. Now, driving a car that moves when you hit the gas, rather than chugs, within a matter of 6 weeks I managed to get 7 speeding tickets. I remember being fearful to drive, because I thought half of the Orlando Police Department had it out for me.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to get us to go to our knees, and ask
God to intervene.

I believe the Lord allows things to happen in our life, so that we will draw close to Him.

Unfortunately, many times most of us turn to other resources.

In fact, after such a tumultuous past, many turn to drugs, and I was no exception.

Determined to numb the pain,

I would do a line of coke, smoke a joint, and take a drink trying to find the ultimate high.

Thank God I found it....through Jesus Christ!

Sometimes, in fact, I believe most of the time we wait until we are looking up from the bottom of the bucket before we look to our savior.

Why? Because we want to do it our way

And if truth be known, many of us haven’t had a very good father example on this earth.

I remember someone telling me when I was young in the Lord: your earthly father is usually the example we use to relate to our Heavenly Father. What a distortion! As my father left and divorced my mother when I was 5, and then I lost him at 19, I felt abandoned. And what kind of example was my stepfather? A man who would steel my childhood beginning at the young age of 6.

I share this story, not because it is fun to read, or makes me special. Because I believe there are so many out there that have similar stories, and feel there is no hope. I am here to tell you there is hope through Jesus Christ.

There is this small place within us from birth and it was made just for God to fill, but much of the time we don’t understand what belongs there, so we try to fill it, unfortunately, with all the wrong things: drugs, sex, money, pride, etc. It is like trying to put a square peg in a round hole, so we still feel empty. Proverbs 17:24 states wisdom (the word of God), is in the site of him who has understanding (the love of God). But, the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Since we know there is no end to the earth, as it is round, maybe this is God’s way of saying we chase after that which does not exist. The greatest day of my life is when Christ came into my heart. He filled all those empty places and healed me of the pain, comforting me, making me feel whole and someone of value.

He blesses me so much, sometimes I have to say, “Hold up Lord, I can barely contain it.” I get so exited now, about my life and the possibilities.

I know who I am in Christ. We are made in His image, and as it states in Ephesians 1:3, He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. When you commit your life to Him, you are a new creature. It is like starting over, because He promises when you ask forgiveness, He throws your sins as far as east to west, and remembers them no more.

He is the father to the fatherless, and the husband to the widow.
Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. That’s His promise. He is Lord, and we can’t really know how to love or be loved until we allow Him to teach us His love, which is all consuming and unconditional.

My desires have all changed now. I don’t want to be just another number; I want to make a mark on this world. My passion is to help as many in my lifetime as possible to know the truth, and the truth will set them free. There is only one way, John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. He brings light unto the darkness, hope to the hopeless, and joy to those that mourn.

My greatest revelation is, I do not need a person or thing to complete me. He completes me, and He is all I need. I am so in love!

LuAnne Anderson
Founder & Publisher