Anchored: Hope That Holds in Every Storm
Posted on Nov 1, 2025
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” — Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)
If you’ve ever spent time around middle schoolers, you know how quickly their world can shift. One moment they’re confident and carefree; the next, they’re overwhelmed by the weight of friendships, expectations, or fears about the future. It’s not just them, most of us feel those waves too. Life seems to come in squalls, and even for those of us who have followed Jesus for years, the storms can sometimes feel stronger than our strength.
That’s why I love this year’s Quake theme: Anchored.
When everything around us is unsteady, the image of an anchor brings such relief. It doesn’t stop the storm. It doesn’t make the waves go away. But it holds us, steady, secure, unmoved. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that our hope is not an idea or an emotion; our hope is a Person. Jesus is the Anchor who holds us fast, not because we are strong enough to cling to Him, but because He refuses to let go of us.
I think about how much today’s students need that message. They’re growing up in a world of constant change, including shifting identities, digital noise, endless comparison, and you could probably think of several more ways youth are constantly experiencing change. They’re tossed by so many conflicting messages about who they are and what matters most. But truth doesn’t shift. Christ doesn’t change. His promises are firm and secure.
And yet, before we can help students see Jesus as their Anchor, we have to be anchored ourselves.
Youth ministry can be exhausting. There are days when it feels like we’re paddling against the current, trying to hold families together, maintain faith programs, and care for young hearts that are struggling in ways we never imagined. It’s easy to start thinking that the stability depends on us. But friends, it doesn’t.
The anchor isn’t our performance, our programs, or even our passion. It’s God. Christ is the steady presence when the waves hit. The Holy Spirit is the One who keeps us from drifting when we’re too tired to steer.
As you lead, teach, or parent, my prayer is that you’ll feel that deep assurance that you are held. You don’t have to manufacture spiritual momentum. You simply have to rest in the One who never changes, who is both the hope you hold onto and the hope that holds onto you.
If your heart needs renewal this season, or if you’re longing to see your students rediscover the steady peace that only Jesus can bring, I invite you to check out Quake. Quake is a hotel-based weekend youth event designed to help students encounter the unshakable hope of Jesus in community with others who are walking through the same storms.
Learn more about this year’s theme and upcoming events at quakeevent.com.
Amanda Clark is a veteran youth worker, having worked at camps, churches, and youth-focused non-profits for 25+ years. Want to continue this conversation? Amanda can be reached at [email protected].