MEET ADELE
Adele LaCombe is one of our Anchor Board members as well as the CEO of Debbie Macomber Inc., overseeing the day to day operations of the business and its partnerships and representing the Macomber family regarding their philanthropic goals.
She has been married to Kevin LaCombe for twenty-seven years. They live in Gig Harbor, Washington and have three children (Cameron, Madeleine, and Isaiah).
THE GIFT OF MUSIC
Back in the late 90s, when I first began my journey with Jesus, I started listening to worship music for the first time. In my excitement for this newfound love of the genre, I made music CDs for family members.
The CDs made their way to some of my nieces, and it created a unique bond that we have to this day. Songs like “Live Out Loud” by Steven Curtis Chapman and “Day Like Today” by Out of Eden make us break into dance and sing to this very day. It takes us back and it connects us!
I’ve found through the years music has been a go-to gift that connects me to another person on a myriad of occasions – often when there are no other words and the item on the store shelves feel impersonal and disconnected.
When my brother passed away in 2011, I created a playlist of songs that spoke directly to my soul, often worship songs I heard on Sunday morning. Songs that began to slowly heal me, putting my broken heart back together. I shared this with my sister who was the manager of a gift store. She played it on repeat at the shop for months, letting it wash over her and her customers who knew what she was going through. When a friend faced a similar loss, I shared the playlist with her, adding a few songs that seemed to speak to her situation. I knew I couldn’t change her situation, and I knew she was going to be hurting for a while. I only thought maybe these songs, when played, would let her know she wasn’t alone.
"I only thought maybe these songs, when played, would let her know she wasn’t alone."
That began a journey for me. Anytime a friend was hurting or going through a trial, I created a playlist just for them. It has become a sheer joy to listen to songs with them in mind. Searching for music with key words, phrases and praying for them as I create it.
So many people are choosing a word of the year. For a dear friend this year, her word is BRAVE. Her husband filed for divorce, and she knew she was going to need courage, strength, and bravery to face the road ahead. For the weeks leading up to her birthday, I sent her items for around her house with the word BRAVE on them. Then on her actual birthday, I sent her the playlist with 92 songs all having to do with the word “brave.” Of all the things I had done, this one gift was the GREATEST gift of all. She knew it would take her a long time to get through the playlist, so for weeks to come she would be able to enjoy these doses of encouragement – these shots of bravery.
A gift like this has no cost, but it comes straight from your heart and it connects you to another’s. And often when someone is going through an exceptionally difficult time, these are the things they need to know: that others care and are thinking of them. In our pain we often need space, and yet also need to feel the comfortable assurance that we are not alone, music can be a way of letting our friends know we are thinking of them, we love them, and we care.
There are so many ways to make playlists other than CDs these days. If you’re over 50 (like myself), you may want to ask the youngest person in your household for help. For me, I have an iPhone and use Apple music. So, I create a playlist there and share it via text message with my friend. I can continue to add songs to the playlist for them to enjoy as a surprise. They can even share this same playlist with others. You can also create a playlist on Spotify or through other music apps.
With all the talk of music and playlists, I thought it appropriate to create a playlist just for you, my sisters of the Anchor.
So below you will find The Anchor Playlist, a playlist of songs that have been sung on our Anchor at Home videos as well as some songs that include the word Anchor in them. I hope you’ll add the playlist to your music library and enjoy the music wherever you go.
The Anchor Playlist on Apple Music
The Anchor Playlist on Spotify
The Anchor Playlist Track List
- Anchor of Peace (feat. Desi Raines) – North Point Worship
- Promises (feat. Joe L Barnes) – Maverick City Music & Naomi Raine
- Burn The Ships – for KING & COUNTRY
- Lighthouse – Brandon Heath
- Smile – Nat “King” Cole
- Rescue – Lauren Daigle
- Way Maker (Single Version) – Leeland
- Till I Found You – Phil Wickham
- Your Hands – JJ Heller
- Face to Face – Natalie Grant
- Glorious Unfolding – Steven Curtis Chapman
- It’s Alright – Brandon Heath
- Blessings – Laura Story
- Fix My Eyes – for KING & COUNTRY
- Anchor – Skillet
- The God Who Fights for Me – View Worship
- Anthem – Phil Wickham
- Cast My Cares – Finding Favour
- The Anchor Holds – Nate Toulson
- You Make Me Brave (Live) – Bethel Music & Amanda Cook
- Anchor (Live) – Bethel Music & Leah Mari
- For a Moment (Live) – Elevation Worship
- Eye of the Storm (feat. Gabe Real) – Ryan Stevenson
- Cornerstone (Studio Version) – Hillsong Worship
- You Won’t Let Go – Michael W. Smith
- Surround Me – Elevate Church Music & Alexis Ruiz
- King of My Heart – Kutless
