Anchors: Reflections on Faith, Family, and the Things That Keep Us Grounded

At 7:48 a.m. on May 29, 2016, I walked into First United Methodist Church of Winter Park.

If you had told me the day before that walking into church that morning would change the trajectory of my life, I probably would have laughed.

It's not that I didn't believe in God.

I did.

I just wasn't attending church regularly. Like many people, I mostly found myself in churches for weddings, funerals, and the occasional special event.

A few weeks earlier, however, I had the opportunity to give the invocation at the Leadership Winter Park Class 26 Graduation Ceremony.

As I prepared for that prayer, I found myself reflecting on faith, purpose, service, and the idea of being a light for others. The experience stayed with me longer than I expected. Looking back now, that invocation feels like one of the first nudges that set me on a different path.

At the time, my business was growing, life was busy, and from the outside things looked pretty good. I wasn't in the middle of a crisis. I wasn't searching for a dramatic transformation. In many ways, I was doing exactly what I thought I was supposed to be doing.

But I've learned that success and fulfillment aren't always the same thing.

While I was making progress professionally, there was a deeper part of me that wanted more grounding, more purpose, and more connection. Looking back, I don't think I fully understood what I was looking for. I just knew I needed something.

That Sunday morning became the beginning of a journey that continues today.

The Power of an Anchor

When most people think about anchors, they think about boats.

The purpose of an anchor isn't to prevent wind, waves, or storms.

The purpose of an anchor is to keep you from drifting when those things inevitably arrive.

Life works the same way.

Over the past decade, I've experienced business growth, market cycles, leadership opportunities, marriage, parenthood, community service, personal growth, disappointment, joy, and more than a few unexpected detours.

The storms still came.

The difference was that I had something stronger holding me in place.

For me, those anchors became Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finance.

They aren't perfect categories, nor are they a magic formula. They are simply the four areas that, when nurtured consistently, help me stay grounded no matter what season of life I'm in.

Faith Changed More Than Sundays

Returning to church wasn't about becoming a different person overnight.

It wasn't about suddenly having all the answers.

It wasn't about perfection.

It was about creating space to grow.

Over time, faith stopped being something I did on Sundays and became part of how I approached every area of my life.

It changed how I handled uncertainty.

It changed how I led my business.

It changed how I thought about service.

It changed how I approached relationships.

Most importantly, it gave me perspective.

As entrepreneurs and professionals, we often carry tremendous responsibility. We solve problems, make decisions, lead teams, and care deeply about outcomes.

That's important work.

But faith reminded me that I didn't have to carry everything by myself.

One of the things I appreciate most about my faith journey is that it taught me that conviction and openness can coexist.

I know what has been transformative for me and my family.

I know the role faith has played in helping me become a better wife, mother, business owner, friend, and member of my community.

At the same time, I recognize that every person's journey is different.

I've never felt called to convince someone else to believe exactly what I believe. What I do hope is that people stay open to growth, purpose, and the possibility that there may be something bigger than themselves.

For me, that openness led to one Sunday morning that changed everything.

I was baptized in February 2017.

Over the years, church became more than a place I attended.

It became a place where I served.

I had the opportunity to welcome people as an usher, serve as a trustee, participate in Bible studies and small groups, and build relationships with people who have walked alongside me through some of life's biggest milestones.

Those relationships didn't happen overnight. They developed through years of showing up, serving, learning, celebrating, grieving, and simply doing life together.

Looking back, some of the most meaningful friendships in my life can be traced back to that decision to walk through those church doors on a Sunday morning.

Since that day, I've built lifelong friendships, served in ministries, watched both of my children be baptized, navigated the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and discovered a deeper sense of purpose than I knew I was searching for.

Ten years ago, I walked into church by myself.

Today, I walk into church hand-in-hand with my children.

That realization hits differently when I stop and think about it.

The Role of Community

One of the greatest lessons I've learned over the past decade is that meaningful growth rarely happens alone.

We celebrate independence in our culture.

We admire self-made success stories.

But behind every successful person is a community of people who encouraged them, challenged them, supported them, prayed for them, and helped them become who they are today.

Some of my closest friendships were formed through church.

Some of the people who have supported me through difficult seasons entered my life because I simply walked through those doors on that Sunday morning.

Community gives us perspective when we can't see clearly.

Community gives us accountability when motivation fades.

Community reminds us that we aren't alone.

That is also why our recent transition to Markham Woods Presbyterian Church was more emotional than I expected.

We weren't leaving a building.

We were leaving a community that had been woven into the fabric of our lives for nearly a decade.

We wanted to be closer to where we live, closer to family, and continue building a strong spiritual foundation for our children. But saying goodbye to a place that had shaped so much of our journey wasn't easy.

At the same time, growth often means embracing new seasons while remaining grateful for the ones that came before.

While the vessel changed, the anchor didn't.

Success Is a Terrible Anchor

One of the greatest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that success creates stability.

In reality, entrepreneurship often creates more uncertainty.

Revenue fluctuates.

Markets shift.

Employees come and go.

Deals fall apart.

Growth creates new challenges.

The longer I've been in business, the more I've realized that external success is a terrible anchor.

Anchors have to be deeper than achievements because achievements can disappear.

I love what I do. I genuinely enjoy helping business owners, investors, and families make decisions that impact their futures.

But my identity can't be tied solely to production, awards, transactions, social media metrics, or what happens in a given quarter.

Those things are outcomes.

They are not foundations.

Foundations have to run deeper.

Light and Leadership

Looking back, that Leadership Winter Park invocation wasn't just a speech.

It was a moment that challenged me to think differently.

As I prepared those remarks, I spent time reflecting on what it means to be a light.

Not a spotlight.

A light.

Someone who encourages others.

Someone who serves.

Someone who helps illuminate a path forward.

Someone who leaves people, places, and communities better than they found them.

The world doesn't need more perfect people.

It needs more people willing to use their gifts, talents, experiences, and influence to help others.

Anchors keep us grounded.

Light helps us guide others.

I believe we need both.

A Reminder From This Week

Ironically, as I write this article, I'm recovering from an unexpected trip to the ER.

What started as a normal day quickly turned into intense pain and a diagnosis of a rupturing hemorrhagic ovarian cyst.

It definitely wasn't on my bingo card for the week.

Thankfully, I'm okay.

But experiences like that have a way of reminding us how little control we actually have.

No matter how organized we are.

No matter how productive we are.

No matter how carefully we plan.

Life still happens.

Health scares happen.

Business challenges happen.

Family needs arise.

Plans change.

The anchors become most valuable during those moments.

Not because they eliminate the challenge, but because they help us navigate it.

Questions to Reflect On This Month

As we move into June, I encourage you to spend a few minutes reflecting on your own anchors.

Ask yourself:

• What keeps me grounded when life feels overwhelming?

• Where do I turn when I need perspective?

• Am I investing in the relationships that matter most?

• What habits consistently help me become a better version of myself?

• Which areas of my life feel strong right now?

• Which areas need more attention?

• If a storm arrived tomorrow, what would keep me from drifting?

• Am I spending as much time on my foundations as I am on my goals?

There are no perfect answers.

The goal isn't perfection.

The goal is awareness.

Three Ways to Strengthen Your Anchors This Month

1. Reconnect with One Foundational Habit

Choose one habit that you know serves you well and recommit to it.

Maybe it's attending church.

Maybe it's exercising.

Maybe it's reading.

Maybe it's journaling.

Start small and be consistent.

2. Invest in Community

Reach out to someone you've been meaning to connect with.

Schedule coffee.

Join a group.

Volunteer.

Attend an event.

Community rarely appears by accident. It grows through intentional effort.

3. Create Space for Reflection

Many of us spend so much time reacting that we rarely pause to think.

Block thirty minutes on your calendar this month to reflect on where you're headed and whether your daily actions align with your values.

You may be surprised by what you discover.

Looking Ahead

As I reflect on the past decade, I'm incredibly grateful.

Grateful for the people I've met.

Grateful for the lessons I've learned.

Grateful for the opportunities to serve.

Grateful for the ways God has worked through seasons I didn't fully understand at the time.

Most of all, I'm grateful for the anchors.

Because life will continue to change.

Businesses will grow.

Children will get older.

New opportunities will emerge.

Unexpected challenges will arrive.

The storms aren't going away.

But I've learned something important:

When your anchors are strong, you can weather far more than you ever imagined.

For me, those anchors are faith, family, fitness, and finance.

The storms still come.

The difference is that I no longer face them untethered.

And for that, I'm incredibly grateful.