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Anchors in My Sea: A MEMOIR
What readers say about Anchors in My Sea ...
“A well-written story woven with love, heartbreak, and triumph.”
“A must read for people who call the rural South home or city folks who love wide open spaces.”
“Proof that hope heals.”
“This memoir is full of heart!”
“A real-life example that determination can overcome obstacles and make big dreams come true.”
“An inspirational book of how faith can carry you through grief.”
This is a story about a sheltered young girl who grew up with loss, hard work, and a hero for a mother. It’s a love story that describes how she found her soulmate early while still a tender innocent. It’s a story of growth from a lowly place despite countless struggles to reach lofty goals through grace and endurance.
With equal parts humor and compassion, the author relates how she waded life’s waters to survive and succeed. It speaks of how she lived her dream of having a happy family, how she went from a high school dropout at age fifteen to college at thirty to become a teacher. It’s a story about how she earned a Ph.D. with support from her family, how she lost her husband to suicide, how she joined the ranks of only a few women who sat in the top seat as an Alabama school superintendent. Anchors in My Sea is most of all a story of resilience and hope.
“A well-written story woven with love, heartbreak, and triumph.”
“A must read for people who call the rural South home or city folks who love wide open spaces.”
“Proof that hope heals.”
“This memoir is full of heart!”
“A real-life example that determination can overcome obstacles and make big dreams come true.”
“An inspirational book of how faith can carry you through grief.”
This is a story about a sheltered young girl who grew up with loss, hard work, and a hero for a mother. It’s a love story that describes how she found her soulmate early while still a tender innocent. It’s a story of growth from a lowly place despite countless struggles to reach lofty goals through grace and endurance.
With equal parts humor and compassion, the author relates how she waded life’s waters to survive and succeed. It speaks of how she lived her dream of having a happy family, how she went from a high school dropout at age fifteen to college at thirty to become a teacher. It’s a story about how she earned a Ph.D. with support from her family, how she lost her husband to suicide, how she joined the ranks of only a few women who sat in the top seat as an Alabama school superintendent. Anchors in My Sea is most of all a story of resilience and hope.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 27, 2026
In a word, this memoir was incredible.
As someone who has always admired Lisa Stamps and believed she and her family had it all together, it was an eye-opening read, but only in the most sensitive and powerful of ways.
There is a melody in Lisa’s words- a gentle ballad that pulls the reader in and keeps them engaged. She paints beautiful word pictures that make the reader see and feel what she describes. The gentle phrases she uses to describe heartbreaking or joyful occasions guide the reader into feeling like they are there, too, grieving or rejoicing with the family. In the recollection of her son’s birth, I teared up and had chills at the realization of how close they were to losing him. It was inspiring to watch how God’s grace and Lisa’s faith carried her through immense storms in her life.
I slipped myself into some of her memories. I recall sitting on the porch with my Momo and other matriarchs, shelling peas until my thumbs were raw. Looking the peas was an art form. And to be on the receiving end of those summer garden bounties was a sure blessing. I enjoyed reflecting on these sweet remembrances.
The precious courtship with Robert and their early years of marriage made me smile. The pride Lisa felt in getting her GED, and college degrees was evident and well-deserved. The anguish of addiction and the joy of seeing Robert fight to overcome it gave me pause and weighed heavily on my heart. Knowing the outcome of their love story made the final chapters hard to read, but answered many questions I as an outsider had asked.
It was gratifying to see Lisa triumph as she followed her dreams. I grieved with her in her long seasons of loss. The way she didn’t let the world take her sense of hope and resilience in the face of abject disappointment and hurt is nothing short of miraculous.
I’m in awe of the person she is and the strength of her faith.
Well done.
As someone who has always admired Lisa Stamps and believed she and her family had it all together, it was an eye-opening read, but only in the most sensitive and powerful of ways.
There is a melody in Lisa’s words- a gentle ballad that pulls the reader in and keeps them engaged. She paints beautiful word pictures that make the reader see and feel what she describes. The gentle phrases she uses to describe heartbreaking or joyful occasions guide the reader into feeling like they are there, too, grieving or rejoicing with the family. In the recollection of her son’s birth, I teared up and had chills at the realization of how close they were to losing him. It was inspiring to watch how God’s grace and Lisa’s faith carried her through immense storms in her life.
I slipped myself into some of her memories. I recall sitting on the porch with my Momo and other matriarchs, shelling peas until my thumbs were raw. Looking the peas was an art form. And to be on the receiving end of those summer garden bounties was a sure blessing. I enjoyed reflecting on these sweet remembrances.
The precious courtship with Robert and their early years of marriage made me smile. The pride Lisa felt in getting her GED, and college degrees was evident and well-deserved. The anguish of addiction and the joy of seeing Robert fight to overcome it gave me pause and weighed heavily on my heart. Knowing the outcome of their love story made the final chapters hard to read, but answered many questions I as an outsider had asked.
It was gratifying to see Lisa triumph as she followed her dreams. I grieved with her in her long seasons of loss. The way she didn’t let the world take her sense of hope and resilience in the face of abject disappointment and hurt is nothing short of miraculous.
I’m in awe of the person she is and the strength of her faith.
Well done.
June 12, 2026
Anchors in My Sea is a phenomenal book. I was mesmerized from the very beginning until the end. It was as if I was watching a movie script!!!!. It was inspiring and also heart rendering. She overcame so many obstacles and endured so many heartaches and yet has achieved so much in her lifetime thus far. I so hope it is a movie one day. Look forward to hear more from her in the future.
March 1, 2026
One of the most incredible books I’ve ever read. She makes the most ordinary things seem magical. The story is very compelling. I listened to the audio version of it and having the author read it is just so special. What a rich life. And what a beautiful testimony.
July 9, 2025
Wonderful!!!
Beautifully written story about the importance of having faith, family, and hope as anchors when navigating life. Loved this memoir so much!!
Beautifully written story about the importance of having faith, family, and hope as anchors when navigating life. Loved this memoir so much!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews