GIDEON'S VICTORY OVER THE MAFIA

By STEVE ANTHONY SR.

Step into the memoirs turned telling testimony of how God, the ultimate artist, orchestrated one sinner's life taking him from a troubled childhood to great success; bringing him to a breaking point only to provide a dynamic rescue. From boyhood fist fights in South Carolina to dancing his way into a young woman's heart, Steve Anthony found himself in dealings with the Italian mafia where he fought for life and livelihood. While searching for fortune he found himself desperate for the true giver of life who set him free from a torrid past and offered hope and restoration for him and his family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685700676

Book preview

cover.jpg

GIDEON'S VICTORY OVER THE MAFIA

STEVE ANTHONY SR.

ISBN 978-1-68570-066-9 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68570-067-6 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Steve Anthony Sr.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family: to Ann, my wife of 56 years who asked me to dance way back in 1966. Without her, my life experiences surely wouldn't be as memorable. To my son, Steve Junior, his wife, Margaret, and their three daughters, Meg, Lauren, and Carly. To my daughter, Lori, who pushed me for twenty years to complete this project, devoting much of her time and effort to writing and editing. To Lori's husband, Jamie, and their daughters, Patterson, and Lily. All of whose God-given talents keep me in awe and on my toes as I get older.

A very special thanks to the Gideons in Corpus Christie, Texas, who in 1973-1974 placed a Bible in a hotel room that God would use to focus me on the most important decision any man can make. A decision to follow Christ.

Foreword

It was the spring of 1994. I was anxiously and excitedly waiting at our home on Hilton Head Island for the arrival of my son, Steve Junior, and his beautiful fiancée, Margaret. They were coming home to prepare for their approaching wedding in May. Both were brilliant young professionals who seemed to be doing everything right in life. But I was worried. I had not slept well in days. I was haunted by a memory. The memory of walking out of a hotel room in Corpus Christi, Texas bloodied and broken. The memory of the old man, a mafia associate, that I had left for dead twenty years earlier. The memory of the rage, the hate, and the fear I had experienced when my son was just six years old.

Steve had heard my life's story before, but had it impacted him the way I hoped? I was not certain. My son was coming home for a few days, planning for his future, but what about his spiritual future?

When my son was a teenager, our home was a hub for all sorts of Christian and church related activities. We attended church regularly, we hosted youth group, Bible studies and Young Life from our living room. So, although far from perfect, our home was foundationally solid. Our children grew up with vastly different experiences than me. Here was my son and his future bride sitting in our living room with their laptop computers. Margaret was going over wedding plans and filling in Excel spreadsheets. Steve was preparing a stock portfolio, milling over potential investments, and looking at rental properties. I was so proud of them and their accomplishments as such young adults. They had colossal dreams and I had no doubt they would achieve them. Observing, I thought, the most important things are not found on a laptop. Yet, how would I convey that to my son? How would I show him or tell him? I hoped with all sincerity he wouldn't have to find out the hard way as Ann and I had.

War Wedding

Early Memories and My Grandfather

About Bullies

Functioning Alcoholic with a Dysfunctional Family

Seeds

Can You Dance?

She's a keeper

Beginnings

Real Estate

The Big Deal

Rome

Escape to Capri

Breaking Point

Back to Reality

Picking Up the Pieces

Hearts Mended

And Now

About the Author

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family: to Ann, my wife of 56 years who asked me to dance way back in 1966. Without her, my life experiences surely wouldn't be as memorable. To my son, Steve Junior, his wife, Margaret, and their three daughters, Meg, Lauren, and Carly. To my daughter, Lori, who pushed me for twenty years to complete this project, devoting much of her time and effort to writing and editing. To Lori's husband, Jamie, and their daughters, Patterson, and Lily. All of whose God-given talents keep me in awe and on my toes as I get older.

A very special thanks to the Gideons in Corpus Christie, Texas, who in 1973-1974 placed a Bible in a hotel room that God would use to focus me on the most important decision any man can make. A decision to follow Christ.

Foreword

Gideon's Victory Over the Mafia has truly been a labor of love. It could perhaps go down in history as having the longest process for the smallest feat. But that is by God's design; meant to span four generations this story began in 1945, climaxed in 1974, was first told in 1981, and finally put to paper and published today.

Growing up I had heard snippets of my dad's testimony; I knew he was asked to speak at churches and various Bible studies to share it and was encouraged by a church member to put his story into book form. As an adult, I heard the whole story. The story of how both he and my mama came to know Christ in a way that transformed them and saved them from themselves. It is simply just too good to keep hidden away somewhere in a box. After many years of relentless probing, we pulled it out