Anchor of My Soul

Anchor of My Soul

 Patrick O'Finnegan's 

Hymn and Speech After the Shipwreck

  (August 1, 1745)

 After surviving the harrowing shipwreck on Ascension Island, Patrick O'Finnegan, the ship's first mate and spiritual guide, leads the crew in a hymn that speaks to the heart of their faith. His words offer comfort, strength, and guidance as they continue their journey.

(Anchor of My Soul)

 In the storm and in the fire,  

I lift my voice, I raise it higher.  

Through the winds and through the waves,  

In Your arms, my heart stays brave.

 O Lord, my rock, my shield, my guide,  

In You, I place my trust, my pride.  

For You are the anchor of my soul,  

In Your grace, I am made whole.

 When the darkness blinds my sight,  

Your word alone, my beacon light.  

Through the depths and through the height,  

In Your love, I find my might.

 O Lord, my rock, my shield, my guide,  

In You, I place my trust, my pride.  

For You are the anchor of my soul,  

In Your grace, I am made whole.

 So here I stand, on this frail deck,  

With faith in You, I shall not wreck.  

Your hand will steer us through the gale,  

In Your promise, we shall not fail.

 O Lord, my rock, my shield, my guide,  

In You, I place my trust, my pride.  

For You are the anchor of my soul,  

In Your grace, I am made whole.

As the final notes of the hymn drift across the deck, Patrick O'Finnegan brings the Irish whistle to his lips, playing a soft and reflective melody. The music lingers in the air, quieting the murmurs of the crew as they stand in respectful silence, the dawn’s first light casting a gentle glow over the ship.

With the whistle still in hand, Patrick steps forward, his eyes meeting those of each crew member. He pauses, allowing the weight of the moment to settle, and then begins to speak, his voice steady and full of warmth:

“Lads, ye’ve heard me sing of the anchor of the soul, and I reckon ye know well what it means to cling to something in the storm. We’ve faced the fury of the sea, aye, and we’ve felt the weight of fear pressing down on us. But in that darkest hour, during the shipwreck on Ascension Island, when our ship was torn apart, we were not alone. The Lord Himself was with us, guiding us, holding us fast.

As yer first mate, it’s my duty to remind ye that the storms we weather on the sea are but a shadow of the trials we face in life. But just as we’ve come through that storm, so too can we stand firm in the face of any tempest that comes our way. Paul, a man much like us, faced shipwreck and peril, yet he held fast to the promise of God. In the book of Acts, when all seemed lost, he said to his crew, ‘Men, keep up your courage, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.’ (Acts 27:25).

And what happened? They were shipwrecked, aye, but not a soul was lost. God had a plan for Paul, just as He has a plan for each of us. We might not see the whole of it yet, but I tell ye, it’s there—written in the stars and the tides, in every breath of wind that fills our sails.

As I told ye before, when the waves threatened to swallow us during that storm, our hope is in the anchor of our soul. We stand now on the other side of that storm, not just as survivors, but as brothers, bound by the trials we’ve faced and the faith that has seen us through. And as I’ve sung to ye, ‘In His grace, we are made whole.’ It’s a grace that holds us firm, an anchor that keeps us steady, no matter what lies ahead.

So I ask ye now, as we sail into the unknown, to trust in the Lord with all yer hearts. Remember the words of the good book, ‘Is fearr súil romhainn ná dhá shúil inár ndiaidh’—It’s better to look ahead than to look back, just as Paul urged us to press on toward the mark, to finish the race set before us (Philippians 3:13-14). We’ve been spared for a reason, lads. And it’s not just to live, but to live with purpose, with faith, and with the knowledge that God’s hand is upon us, guiding us to a place we’ve yet to see.

May the Lord bless ye and keep ye, may His face shine upon ye, and may ye always find peace in His presence, even in the fiercest of storms.

  (Call to Action)

What does the anchor of your soul represent? Share your thoughts or favorite scriptures in the comments below.

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