Anastasia…Pieces of My Journey

JESUS my Lord and Savior

All Rights Reserved ©2009-2010…”JESUS my Lord and Savior-ANASTASIA DIAMOND’S Prayerful Reflections…and Photographs on a Spiritual Journey from Darkness into HIS Light” Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Anastasia Diamond is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given author/photographer and with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Hi there, my name is Anastasia Diamond. I will continue to add to this page as time and recall permit. I am looking forward to sharing my journey with you – so please come back often.

May our heavenly Abba Father bless you with HIS overflowing abundance of grace, mercy, wisdom, guidance and love.

I wanted to be lots of different people when I was this wee little one peeking out from behind such a serious face.

Such a serious little face

I enjoy photographing people, places, and things that speak to me…and have taken all the pictures you see sprinkled on this blog. That is…with the exception of the ones on this page.

I  must give credit to a gentleman with a camera, goat, and cart, for taking this picture. Though I was only three years old, I  vividly remember the preparation and posing so many years ago in the streets of the South End of Boston.

If I look a bit bewildered, I was. You see, I was sitting in a goat cart next to my brother, who at one and half years older, had seniority to take the reins away from me…and not let me hold them too. Just an FYI: I have forgiven him. : )

Interestingly – there are no baby pictures of me. I don’t think taking pictures was a top priority by the time I came along, as I am the youngest of five children, and we didn’t have much money. Therefore, this picture is  the closest thing I have. My brothers and sisters are also in the original photograph…which is the only one in existence, to this day, of all five of us together.

You may be interested in visiting other posts on my blog that are prayerful reflections of my childhood memories:

1. Learning Forgiveness, Compassion and Thankfulness: http://bit.ly/LearnForgiveness

2. My Daddy Died–He Can’t Wear a Tie. But…My ABBA FATHER Loves Me Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: http://bit.ly/MyDaddy

3. Another Mother’s Day Without You: http://bit.ly/AnotherMothersDayWithoutYou

I dreamed of becoming a Social Worker, Nun, Artist, Writer, Archaeologist…and more.

Seeking HIS Truth at Sixteen

How fascinating the meandering turns our lives take; providing opportunities to explore our gifts and experience our dreams…though not always in ways we anticipated.

I have watched that childhood dream of social work manifest. For…many of my adult working years have centered around providing a variety of social services to persons in need of guidance and a listening ear.

I am so wonderfully blessed every day in my work as a Counselor Program Manager in a non-profit agency providing work training and counseling services for adults with developmental disabilities.

Born and raised Catholic – fortunately, I knew about Jesus.

But, unfortunately for me – I did not know Jesus.

It seemed my childhood, teens, and young adult questions always spurred on other…more penetrating questions…which for me, were never answered sufficiently to quench my spiritual thirst. Therefore, my deep and ever-present desire for truth, and to know HIM, remained as I explored my spiritual options.

Calling Me into HIS light

I wandered through various metaphysical practices, occult beliefs, and false teachings on my journey toward Jesus. That was many years ago. Thankfully, HE continued calling me into HIS light…and I continued seeking HIS truth.

Believers in the body of Christ prayed for me…as I stumbled through my broken, sin-filled, and un-submitted life.

After some time…years actually…t here came that precious, life changing illumination on the day when I knew the truth: HE was there all along!

HE was there…right beside me!

God, the Creator of all that is, or ever has been, knew me before He formed me in my mother’s womb. HE was there!

The One true Son of God cared for me in my most unlovable state of sin… loving me through every dark moment of my soul. HE was there…right beside me all along!

HE offered HIMSELF on the cross in full payment for all of my sins. No longer a wanderer, adrift in the wind…searching for an illusive truth. HE was there! I repented of my sinful life choices and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

I never became a Nun, nor am I perfect. However, I am a forgiven blood-bought body of Jesus Christ.

Today, I am a renewed, refreshed, restored, re-membered, blood-bought, Holy Spirit-filled, Christian woman…who is humbly honored to be called HIS child.

I am a blood-bought child of my Abba Father

I am a prayerful believer, who is forgiven, and knows that I am HIS for eternity.

I am submitted to HIM to do HIS will, and committed to continue the process of sanctification on my journey…in,  through, and with HIM.

Today, I am  very humbled and blessed with the honor and privilege of providing a counseling  ministry to my church… and ministering wherever, and to whom ever the Lord directs.

Am I an Artist?  Well…yes. God blessed me with some ability to draw and paint. When I was young, some of my best friends were pens, pencils, paint and paper. Even into adulthood, I was always doodling and drawing something.

In the early 1980′s I had the wonderful opportunity use my artistic ability to become a porcelain artist. At the time, I remember thinking and saying, “I will paint now, and write when I am older.” Well, I am considerably older now…and do write instead of painting.

NEW Inspirational Book!

Twenty-two authors share their ‘Stories of Success, Hope & Possibility’ to remind you of the future and hope God has in store for you.

CONVERSATIONS of COURAGE

Stories of Success, Hope & Possibility

Today, I am so very honored and delightfully blessed to announce that I am one of the featured authors in the NEW inspirational anthology compiled by ‘The Courage Giver’ – RJ Jackson, and Starla F. Porter of Zoe Life Publications.

My story…

From Darkness…into HIS Light

explores my spiritual journey seeking HIS truth

I knew about Jesus…but I did not know Jesus

Let the Conversations Begin!

Order your signed copy today!

E-MAIL or COMMENT for information

Many continuing blessings, as you travel ’Light’ on your journey… Anastasia

Click this LINK to learn more

http://jesusmylordandsavior.wordpress.com/book/

To those who have asked…

Yes, I am still writing the book based on my inspirational poem

ON YOUR JOURNEY

A Pilgrim’s Guide for All of Life’s Journeys

http://jesusmylordandsavior.wordpress.com/on-your-journey/

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- Porcelain Thimbles-

It is such a blessing that my artwork traveled to places I have only dreamed of.  My hand-painted porcelain thimbles and other collectibles were displayed and sold nationally and internationally for more than a decade. Now and then…I smile when I see a piece offered on Ebay.

Here is just a small sample of my hand-painted porcelain thimbles