10th - 16th November 2025
An Anchor for the Soul
Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
For many of us, the anchor isn’t just a nautical symbol, it is a reminder of real hope, steady faith, and the unshakeable presence of Jesus.
I first came to know Jesus personally when I was 11 years old. The Boys' Brigade, especially the godly leaders there, played a big part in showing me what it looked like to follow Jesus in a real and authentic way. I joined the Anchor Boys in 2nd Newtownabbey BB at Whiteabbey Presbyterian when I was 6, and I stayed right through to the Company Section until I was 18.
The anchor was everywhere, stitched on our uniforms, on our belt buckles, lapel badges, insignia on our hats, sung in our anthem “Will Your Anchor Hold,” and etched into our hearts. Even when I didn’t fully understand it, it stood for something steady, something sure.
In Anchor Boys, I learned simple but life-changing truths: Jesus loves me. He is with me. I can trust Him. I didn’t know it then, but those were the first threads tying me to the Anchor himself. Those truths would begin to shape what “sure and steadfast” really mean for me.
As I moved through the Junior and Company Sections, faith became more than bible class attendance, memory verses and badges. It became about personal choices, integrity, discipline and brotherhood and the importance of repentance from my sin.
Through parades and camps, devotions and drill, football matches and friendships, I was quietly learning how to keep my soul steady when life’s winds began to rise.
Two captains, Robert McFetridge and George McClelland, stand out in my memory. Only heaven will truly reveal the impact they had on so many of us boys at that time. They poured their hearts and souls into 2nd Newtownabbey BB. With a strong team of officers alongside them, they set a standard of care, faithfulness and love for Jesus, providing us with a safe environment to discover, learn and mature. I will always be grateful for their guidance and encouragement.
The anchor has remained a symbol to me that life is not lived in calm waters. We all go through storms; grief and loss, waiting and uncertainty, stress and anxiety, strained relationships, forgiveness and reconciliation, loneliness, questions of identity, illness and diagnosis, singleness, childlessness, financial worry, caring for ageing parents with dementia or poor health, standing up for our faith in a world that denies God’s existence … the list goes on.
In those moments when the waves rise and God seems distant, Jesus, our Anchor, has never moved. He remains firm and secure. We may not see him beneath the waves, but he holds us fast.
An anchor doesn’t stop the storm. It doesn’t silence the wind or calm the sea. But it holds the ship. It whispers, “You might be battered, but you will not be broken. You may feel tossed, but you are not lost.” That is our hope in Jesus, not wishful thinking, but a steady assurance that no matter what comes, we are held by someone stronger than any storm.
When I look back on my years in the Boys’ Brigade, I don’t just see uniforms and ceremonies. I see friendships that taught teamwork and loyalty, leaders who modelled faithfulness, devotions that sowed truth into my heart. Through it all was hope, quiet and constant, like the pull of an anchor beneath the sea.
And today, wherever you find yourself, whether your faith feels strong or you’re barely holding on, Jesus remains the anchor. His promises have not changed. His grip has not loosened.
So, when the clouds gather and the storm begins to swell, remember the emblem of the BB and what it represents: Hope in Jesus anchors the soul. It doesn’t promise calm waters, but it promises you will never drift beyond his reach.
Written by David Mairs
MONDAY
Hope Anchored in Christ
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19–20
Dear Jesus, thank you that you are the anchor for my soul – firm, secure and unchanging. When my heart feels unsteady, remind me that your hope holds me fast, that you steady me along the way. You have gone before me, into the very presence of my Heavenly Father and you intercede for me even now. Help me to rest in the reality of your faithfulness, trusting that my life is secure in your hands. Though storms may come, remind me that you never let go. Teach me to live anchored in your promises rather than relying on my emotions. Today, I fix my eyes on you, my steadfast hope. Amen.
TUESDAY
Peace in the Storm
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” Mark 4:39–41
Jesus, you are Lord of the storm. You see when fear rises and peace feels far away. Just as you calmed the waves that night on Galilee, speak peace over the storms within me. Help me to remember that you are always in the boat with me, never distant, never unaware of my struggles. Strengthen my faith when I am tempted to panic and remind me that your word still carries authority over chaos. You are my peace in the wind and my calm in the storm. Today, I choose to trust in your power and rest in your presence. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
Steadfast Love
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you … By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:5–8
Heavenly Father, when my soul feels heavy, remind me to place my hope in you. Your love never changes, even when my feelings do. You direct your love by day and sing over me at night. Thank you, Father. Help me to talk to my soul rather than listen to my fears, help me to say, “Hope in God.” Anchor me in your unchanging, loving kindness when life feels uncertain. You are my Saviour and my God, the one who steadies my heart. May my praise rise from an awareness of your presence and an assurance of my faith, not dependant on my feelings. Let your song of love quiet my thoughts today. Amen.
THURSDAY
Strength in Weakness
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
Lord Jesus, thank you that your grace is enough. In every weakness I feel, will you reveal your strength to me. When I feel inadequate or weary, remind me that you never asked me to be perfect, rather to just depend on you. Teach me to see my frailty as the very place where your power rests. I don’t have to hold everything together because you hold me. Help me to delight in your sufficiency today. Amen.
FRIDAY
Trust in God’s Faithfulness
“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” Lamentations 3:21–24
Faithful Father, thank you that your mercies never run out and your faithfulness never changes. When I am tempted to despair, help me to call this truth to mind. Each morning, your love greets me afresh. You are my portion, everything I need. Help me to wait quietly and patiently for you, to rest in your goodness and to hope even when I am unsure of the outcomes. Anchor my heart in the certainty of your love and compassion for me. Let gratitude replace worry and praise rise instead of fear. Great is your faithfulness, O Lord. Amen.
SATURDAY
The Gift of Community
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up … Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
Heavenly Father, thank you for the people you place in my life – family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. You never designed me to walk alone but rather you have shown me the strength of standing with others in relationship and community. Remind me to lift others up and allow them to lift me. Bless the friendships that draw me nearer to you and let Christ be the third strand that binds us together. Help me to encourage, forgive and love with patience and humility. Make our unity a witness to others of your love and grace. Amen.
SUNDAY
Looking to the Eternal
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain … He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” Revelation 21:3–5
Lord Jesus, thank you for this promise of hope. One day you will make all things new and every tear will be wiped away. This is the anchor for my soul, when I will sing with my heart restored and that pain and loss are not the end of the story. When I grow weary, lift my eyes to eternity. Let the promise of your coming kingdom fill me with joy and perseverance. Until that day help me to live faithfully, loving others and holding tightly to your word. My hope is safe and secure in you. I love you, Amen.