When I was young, every summer meant a week at Lake Powell. We’d pile onto our houseboat, ready for days of sun, swimming, and a little bit of adventure. Most years, it was all blue skies and calm water, but one summer when I was in high school, a terrible storm rolled in. The wind howled, rain lashed the deck, and thunder echoed off the canyon walls. I remember lying awake, feeling the boat rock and shift, convinced that at any moment we’d be dragged out into the deepest part of the lake.

We weren’t alone—boats lined the beach on either side of us. By morning, the storm had passed, but the damage was clear. One boat had been shoved so far up onto the sand that its owners couldn’t get it back into the water. Another had broken loose and was drifting, tipped to one side, way out in the middle of the lake.

Ours, though, was steady. I thought back to the day before, when my grandpa had insisted that we take extra care with our anchors. We dug down, buried them deep, and checked every knot and line. Because of that preparation—because our anchors were strong and secure—our boat weathered the storm almost unscathed.

That morning on the lake has stayed with me. I’ve realized that life throws storms at all of us—some expected, some out of nowhere. What makes the difference isn’t whether storms come, but what we’re anchored to. Those anchors aren’t always ropes and metal hooks. Sometimes, they’re the less visible things: a sense of community, faith, music, creativity, or service. They’re the habits, people, and passions that keep us steady when the wind picks up and we’re not sure how we’ll make it through the night.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a series of posts exploring these anchors—the everyday sources of strength that help teens and families through tough times. From the comfort of faith traditions, to the healing power of music and nature, to creativity and service, I hope these stories and ideas remind you (like they remind me) that no matter how wild the storm, we all have ways to hold steady.

If you’ve ever felt tossed around by life’s winds, I invite you to join me in this series. Let’s dig deep, check our anchors, and discover together what helps us weather whatever comes our way.