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Will your anchor hold?
Friday 17th April 2026
By David Heathcote
Readers of “Sharing the Journey” the newsletter of Journeying, will know that recent editions have had a picture of an anchor as the header. I have been asked to provide some background information to the photo. My wife Mary and I have visited the Hebridean Isle of Mull regularly over the years. The island's popularity as a holiday destination has increased over this time, but there are still plenty of places to escape the crowds. One such is a little cove in the north west of Mull - sorry, I'm not revealing its exact location! Passing through an unmarked gate on the side of the road, a short track through pasture frequented by sheep and highland cattle suddenly descends steeply, crossing a stream to arrive at a sheltered flat area with a couple of roofless ruined sheds. A pile of creels and rope indicate that a fishing boat still operates from here, and a couple of unsecured kayaks that others use it for leisure. An old pier juts out into the sea, and firmly embedded in its stones is the anchor that you see in the photo. Or should I say “was”. On my visit in 2024 only a couple of iron fragments remained as evidence of what I had assumed was a permanent fixture that even Hebridean storms could not remove.
I am reminded of Priscilla Owens’ hymn…
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
(“Will Your Anchor Hold” by Priscilla Owen. First verse and refrain).