Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalm 25:5

There are three types of anchors we would like to discuss today, and a fourth we encourage you to explore.

The first anchor we know is the heavy metal one used to stabilize boats or ships.  A second type has to do with a psychological term.  “Neurological anchor” is used to describe an automatic response to a particular stimulation.  For example, at the sound and sight of an approaching fire truck, we are conditioned to immediately pull our vehicle over to the side of the road.  The third type of anchor exists not as a material substance, or a mental reaction, but as an attitude or “happy anchor.”  Here are two stories, one built on the other, to help understand the practical value of choosing to carry a “happy anchor.”

Before you doze off, the first story is about my wife’s wonderful response to my snoring. Cynthia told me one morning that I had snored loudly during the previous night AND, during that time, she was so pleased.  Why?  Because to her, it meant I was getting a great night’s sleep!  Just for the record, if she had been the “snorer” during the night, my options would have been to wake her, get up and move to another location, implant ear plugs, or submerge myself in pillows until deaf.  The “happy anchor” was her perspective with regard to my snoring.  The fact she was truly pleased by what people generally regard as annoying awakened me to a new reality.  It didn’t end there.  The next episode is where real application worked for me.

Some time later, our plan was to gear up for a bike ride down in the Cape Cod area.  When I woke up and looked outside it was pouring rain. Fresh off my wife’s “happy anchor” attitude regarding my snoring, I found myself interpreting this weather condition in a far different way than I would have otherwise. Thoughts like “more drinking water, nature’s lawn sprinkling, happy ducks and a free car wash”, held me firm and secure rather than annoyed with it all.

I pray that we all carry a “happy anchor” with us this week.  Trust me, it worked wonders for the time I could have been knocked off course with what seemed like an unfortunate condition that soaked the plans of our day.  By the way, since then the sun has shone, outdoor activity has taken place, and to set things straight, we realize that it rained because God has a more comprehensive recreational plan; one not to distress, but to bless our life abundantly. You see, the Ultimate Weather Man happens to love us.

So, family and friends, if you’d like to explore the fourth anchor, we encourage you to look up the Scriptures below and see that it is the most enduring of all.

As we move toward the port of victory this week, we boldly proclaim —“Anchors Away!!”

 Hebrews 6:19; Colossians 2:5; Acts 27:29; Jeremiah 29:11