SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

Hey, KLTT listeners, it's TJ back with you, and we are joined by Trey Lewis. He's the author of Anchored, A Journey Through Vision and Faith. Trey shares a powerful story of walking through uncertainty and just learning to trust God's direction and finding purpose, even in the middle of all the storms that life brings us. It's a conversation about what it really means to stay anchored when everything around you is shifting. How you doing, Trey? I'm doing great. How are you doing, TJ? I'm doing great. Thanks for asking. So let's just start about the book. The book is called Anchored, A Journey Through Vision and Faith. And you can find that on Amazon and I'll let Trey give you guys all the details there. But tell us about the book, just 35,000 feet. What's it about? What do we get into?

SPEAKER 02 : 0:44

Well, thank you so much, TJ. The book is about my life's journey. As I said in the book, it's not everything about my life, but just the struggles you have gone through and how faith, family, and friends helped me pull through the valleys and the people in your crew matters.

SPEAKER 01 : 1:07

Yeah, that's great. And I'll tell you, in reading the book, one of the things I really appreciated about it was, you know, we read books all the time about people who climb Mount Everest or, you know, fought a bear or whatever, but it's just normal. It's so accessible to everybody. You go through from your college years all the way up until current stuff. So... What kind of sparked the writing of the book for you? What was the impetus there? Was it totally a God thing? Was it something you've been looking forward to doing?

SPEAKER 02 : 1:41

It was actually a God thing, as you said. It was... People my whole life told me I should write a book. And I dismissed them, waved them off, like no one wants to hear my story. It's not that exciting. But after ruminating in prayer and feeling an urge in my heart, I felt like God was telling me, write something down. After writing and deleting and just going through the process, eventually I knew once I had my opening chapter i knew the rest would come out of me and then i started out with something i know dearly So I just wanted to start out with the clicking of an MRI machine and the wet rest just got through the borders in my head.

SPEAKER 01 : 2:34

You really did a good job of putting us there. So let's talk a little bit about that, if you're willing. Yeah. Like your childhood, you had some disabilities that other folks don't have to deal with that sort of bring us into your world a little bit. So let's talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER 02 : 2:49

Yeah, I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1, I know it's a big word, at the age of 3. And from there, I lived a normal life, but just had some more scans than a traditional kid. Going through the journey, I just went through, played sports. but started losing my vision, which we found out later on that I had a tumor on my brain, which I had to use chemo and go through all of that. And going through the chemo, which damaged my vision worse, to having countless MRI machines and CAT scans, PET scans, and multiple scans over the years.

SPEAKER 01 : 3:37

Yeah, and I should tell you, over the years, I met Trey in music school in Oklahoma City. I had just left the Air Force and was looking to get a degree, and I met Trey. And I always tell people, Trey, that even as a blind person, you use a cell phone better than most people who can see just fine.

SPEAKER 02 : 3:58

Well, thank you a lot. That means a lot. But I, yeah, and I remember meeting you as well. And we had some good times there whenever I was in college. So, and I really thank you for accepting me in with your group and everything, just with, even though my blindness didn't help me back.

SPEAKER 01 : 4:17

Yeah, and it was great to know you and still is, of course, but I think you definitely grabbed the bull by the horns and get life done anyways. I was impressed then and I still am now. What did being, the book's called Anchored, so what did being unanchored feel like?

SPEAKER 02 : 4:34

Well, being unanchored just felt like, a lot of times in my life, I felt like the waves just come crashing in and I always knew that God had his hand on me, and I just felt like Anchored was the perfect thing because I love the water. I love anything to do with the sea. But Anchored is a beautiful metaphor of how God is an anchor for our lives in rough waters or through calm waters.

SPEAKER 01 : 5:10

And how did God start to redirect or clarify your path? One of the things I really like in the book is you talk about how standing outside a door that won't open for you isn't a solid plan. So you need to knock on other doors kind of thing. So what did that feel like to you? How did God redirect you or clarify that path?

SPEAKER 02 : 5:31

Well, as I talked about in the book, I had a plan in my life. I thought I was going to go in one direction. But the old saying goes, you make a plan and you hear God laughing. God had other things for me, and he took me down some pretty dark valleys. As he described in the book, I went through – I love David's story, how he knew he was meant to be king way before he was king. But he had to literally dodge arrows from Saul. And he was hiding out in caves from Saul and how God still was preparing for the journey ahead. And I went through some pretty rough seasons there. And after graduating from college, where I did not want to walk down any of those seasons, but it took me until I started my job now that I felt like God was treating me like David. I had like a David movement in my life.

SPEAKER 01 : 6:38

Yeah, for sure. What about for if somebody is listening to this right now and they feel like they're unanchored or drifting, see where do they start? Where did you start or where can they start?

SPEAKER 02 : 6:52

I started by praying, reading the Bible, and even just going down my own journey, listening to music. Music has always been the driving force behind my career throughout my whole life's journey. Little songs will help me through rough seasons. So music, Bible, and just prayer and having people in your life to support you. Is there a favorite scripture that carried you through those moments? Yes, there's a couple. One that I talk about in the book is Romans 12, 12. Be patient, hope, pray, have faith through everything, and pray at all times. The Acts 14, 14 is the Lord will go before you and fight for you.

SPEAKER 01 : 7:41

That's it. Nice. I love it. So what's the biggest lesson from this journey? What have you, on the other side of all the struggle, on the other side of all the closed doors, what's the biggest lesson that you've learned? And what can you let readers, or listeners, excuse me, walk away from this interview with?

SPEAKER 02 : 7:58

Yeah, just know that God has your back at all times. I've been in many wrestling matches with God and even with myself. Just know that God has you at all times in his arms. And no matter if the waves feel like they're crashing in on you, just know with the faith, family, friends, and whoever you add to your boat will matter at the end of the day.

SPEAKER 01 : 8:26

Excellent. That's Trey Lewis. He's the author of Anchored, A Journey Through Vision and Faith. Trey, tell us how to find that book of yours.

SPEAKER 02 : 8:33

Yes, it's on Amazon, Kindle, and Amazon regular paperback, and on Audible.

SPEAKER 01 : 8:42

Audible. That's my jam. I love Audible. So, Trey, thanks so much for joining. His story is just a reminder that even when the seasons are uncertain, God's still working. He's guiding, shaping, he's strengthening us, and he's assisting those of us who stay anchored in him. And you heard him. Go to Amazon.com. You can find this book. Check Audible in a couple weeks. It should be there to listen to. Trey, thanks so much for joining us today.

SPEAKER 02 : 9:08

Thanks so much, CJ.