Anchored

Linds and I just came back from a trip down to Cary, NC (visiting the people and the church where we met and fell in love), and it was truly a wonderful time of sharing our vision and calling and reconnecting with old friends. However, as with almost all trips, upon coming back home all the details and little things that had to wait while we were away seem to come flooding back over us, clouding out the joy and excitement we felt while away.

This is SO hard to fight! Anxieties feel as though they can seep in threatening to drown us no matter what is going on in life. In Jr. High I worried over fitting in and having friends; in high school I worried over romance and my emotions; in college I worried over my competency in my studies; after college I worried over the details of bills, money, and plans; in graduate school I worried over papers, deadlines, and my own personal calling; and now that seminary is done I find myself worrying over just about anything my mind can get it's hands on! AH! It's like trying to swim against an emotional rip-tide of doubt, feeling constantly on the verge of being inescapably swept away from solid ground into the deep dark depths of churning anxiety.

Being a subjective being in this life, I find it necessary to have anchors into the objective, ties that hold me into Truth that is greater than I am. It is in these times of uncertainty that I am reminded of Peter, and his response to Jesus after he had offered an extremely confusing rebuke to many would-be followers. Jesus turned to his disciples (who were just as confused as everyone else) and asked "Do you want to go away as well?" Peter laid all his cards on the table saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." The sea was rough and not much made sense, but Peter had an anchor and he clung to it. In these moments of dusk and shadows, when the tide is pulling and chaos threatens, the worst thing I can do is let go of my anchor. Through each of the life stages I mentioned above, as well as the anxieties that went with them, I have weathered the storm because I have an anchor that holds me fast; where else could I go?

As you think of us over the next few days, please pray for the vision to see through the busy details and on ahead to our destination. I'd be lying if I didn't confess that it's hard sometimes, but that is when my anchor in Christ and his Story proves its worth. Thank you for your prayers, and for doing so much to point us back to our anchor.

Drew