Hope and Anchors

It feels silly to write about my life in quiet Connecticut when the world is falling apart at the seams and needs our hands to piece it back together.  But I also believe there are stories to be heard and we need to keep sharing, to keep speaking hope into the world. Not the fake hope, the privileged hope, or the hope of people who don't suffer much, but the hope that all humanity shares in the deep of the soul and the dark of the night. The hope for morning, for light, for the world to stop bleeding. The hope as an anchor of the soul.

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the veil"

In my son's room there is an anchor on the wall. In my bible, Hebrew's 6:19 is covered in thick neon-yellow highlighter. My wife's bracelet has an anchor hanging from her wrist. My journal has sketches of anchors with words of triumph and hope around them. But then it all seems foolish when you read the stories from across an ocean, or down the street. Why am I obsessed with hope when many others face a much more hopeless dawn today?

But I know why. It's because we must hope. It's in our blood. Even when life seems easy, we know the truth and we must hope in the midst of war. Some of us get to sit at a computer and write about fear while others are whispering their last breath of hope into the air, praying it isn't shot down before it reaches His ears.

We have a part to play, and it goes beyond the fake hope. The real hope is something we act upon. Real hope is believing that the world doesn't have to be this way, and even if it does, we won't stand by quietly. Real hope is people with resources giving to those who have none. Real hope is using your time and talent to lift others out of despair. Real hope is believing that time and space can't stop us from loving in a tangible way. 

Giving money isn't the only way to put hope into action, but it's one way: 

Are you a writer? Maybe you need to write about this. Are you a doctor? Perhaps you should travel and provide aid. What is a unique way that you can put hope into action? If it's not about this particular devastation, there are plenty of other options. Whatever you do, remember that Hebrews 6:19 is about a hope that goes so far beyond a feeling, into the core of our existence, and it calls us to be a people of the cross who do more than talk. 

Embrace the Leak

We bought a house this past summer and absolutely love having our own space. We repurposed antique drawers and used them as shelves. We found restored end tables to sit aside our couches and added character and personality to every corner of our home (except for the playroom which looks like Toy R Us and the McDonald's ball pit made an explosive love child). 

It's been mostly amazing. I say mostly because, since moving in, we've broken one window, put a hole in a wall, had a water leak from the bathroom go through all three levels, scratched and dented door frames, lost one dryer, and today, our roof started leaking. So…yes, just mostly amazing, but amazing nonetheless.

Not to fear though, because there's a lesson to be learned in all of this (I had to come up with something otherwise I'd be soaking my keyboard with anguished tears of betrayal). At some point, we need to make something our own, whether it's a home, a passion or a career. The only problem is that once we leave the protection and insulation of condo living, our dreams and efforts face broken windows and leaky rooftops. Problems arise and you may wonder what, exactly, you were thinking going out on your own. It would have been easier to stay back and watch everyone else give it a shot, right? Sure. Easier but not better.

There is a time for condo living, for watching, for weighing your options and learning how the world turns, but at some point you will need to jump. Yes, there's risk involved and you'll need to have faith. You'll need to believe and work and be fearless. But it's worth it, I promise you. When you own something and put your sweat and blood into it, you are building a legacy and contributing your uniqueness to the world. We need you to be one of the few who take that leap. 

I don't regret choosing to be a homeowner because of a leaky roof. I don't regret being a photographer because of a saturated market. I don't regret choosing the family life with a beautiful wife and two children who I adore even though the stained couches and late nights require divinely imparted perseverance.  I don't regret these things because it's in our nature to take something and make it ours. It's our responsibility to give our utmost to make this world a better place, a more beautiful place, and we can't do that by waiting for the moment when everything gets easier so we can leave the comfort of our cave. 

So, with all that said, I encourage you to embrace the leaky roof and discover what you really have to offer. By the way, all of these crazy things that come along with a life well lived are good, temporary, and always have solutions. Expect setbacks but persevere and don't fear, you're never alone!