It happened again last Sunday. A friend and I were talking at church, and she said, “It’s like you hear all the time—‘God never gives you more than you can handle.’”

I hate it when people say that.

It’s not that I think they mean to be trite. It’s just that the statement isn’t true. I know lots of people who have more than they can handle. Chronic sickness, traumatic loss, crushing grief, emotional turmoil…God never intended for us to bear these burdens of life on our own, and He did not make us strong enough to carry them on our shoulders. 

Not convinced? Even the Bible tells us of people who encountered storms above what they could handle in human strength. 

Even the Bible tells us of people who encountered storms above what they could handle in human strength. Click To Tweet

Noah had more than he could bear. The storm Noah and his family went through was beyond what we can imagine on every level—including physically and emotionally. 

Elijah had more than he could bear. That’s why he ended up under the juniper tree and begged God to take his life. 

Job had more than he could bear. One messenger after another came to him with wave upon wave of devastating news. And then his own friends accused rather than supported him. 

Jonah, David, Jesus’ disciples, Paul, and others faced storms—physical and personal—that were above their capacity to overcome. 

You face storms too. All of us face storms. 

Sometimes people know about our storms, and sometimes our storms are intensely personal. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t call us to face and overcome these storms in our own strength. He doesn’t see us struggle and chide us for being so weak. He doesn’t hold us at arm’s length until we “get it together.” 

He comes to us, He infuses us with His strength. And He gives us anchors. 

Anchors of truth. 

Anchors of promise. 

Anchors that are strong enough to hold us and for us to hold to through the most tempestuous storms. 

God doesn’t see us struggle and chide us for being so weak. He doesn’t hold us at arm’s length until we get it together. He gives us anchors of truth. Click To Tweet

Our problem is that instead of attaching ourselves to these anchors, we tend to reach for substitute anchors: friends, isolation, distraction, food, social media, and sometimes trite sayings like “God will never give you more than you can handle.” 

What we need are true anchors—solid and trustworthy—that can hold us through the storms of life. 

This need is why I recently wrote Anchored: Finding Stability in God’s Word for the Storms of Life. 

Written as a Bible study, this book goes through ten storms in the Bible—actual physical storms God’s people endured—and draws insights on how we can find stability from God and His Word through the personal storms of our lives. 

Here’s a quick overview: 

1. Reach for God’s Promises (Noah) 
2. Listen for God’s voice (Elijah) 
3. Respond to God’s grace (Jonah)
4. Hope in God (David)
5. Be Patient (Job)
6. Trust God’s Care (Disciples)
7. Find Victory in Christ’s Presence (Disciples)
8. Praise God (Paul and Silas) 
9. Serve Others (Paul)
10. Build a Strong Foundation (Sermon on the Mount)

(Click here to download a free sample of lesson 1. And click here to download a free corresponding week of material from the study guide.)

Download a free sample lesson and corresponding study guide material from the new Anchored Bible study! Click To Tweet

Frequently Asked Questions

In the past few weeks since this study was published, I’ve been asked a few of the same questions several times. 

How long did it take you to write Anchored?

The short answer is that it took three years. The more detailed answer is that I first wrote and taught these studies three years ago. Even as I prepared the outlines for my ladies’ Sunday school class, I intended to turn them into a book. But I had a few years of indecision on if they should be a book or a teaching curriculum. (See the next question on how I resolved this dilemma.) I started writing this in earnest in the fall of 2020. I set aside nearly every Sunday afternoon and about an extra full day each month to work on it. Near the print deadlines, I wrote every chance I had. 

Is this study for personal use or a group?

Both! As I mentioned a moment ago, I really struggled with how to share this material. Because I had first developed it as teaching outlines, I wanted it to be shared in a way that is easy to teach in Bible studies, Sunday school classes, or other groups. 

However, the idea for the study began related to a personal need in my own life, and I wanted it to be accessible for anyone to use as a personal study as well. 

The compromise is that it is printed as a group study with teaching suggestions and discussion questions in the margins. But it works well as a personal study if you ignore the margins. 

Do I need the leader guide or the study guide? 

The leader guide is the heart of Anchored. The study guide provides five daily devotions for each week as well as outlines for those listening to a leader present the lessons. 

You need the leader guide if

• You are using Anchored for personal study. 
• You are the leader/teacher of a small group presenting the lessons. 
• You are a member of a women’s Bible study in which everyone is reading the same book and then meeting to discuss what they have read. 

You will want the study guide if

• You are using Anchored for personal study and would like extra devotions to go along with the study. (Do not, however, get only the study guide.) 
• You are the leader of a group study and would like to get one for each member of your group to have outlines as you teach as well as devotions to read throughout the week.

Can I see a sample?

Yes! Click here to download a free sample of lesson 1. And click here to download a free corresponding week of material from the study guide.

Where can I get a copy?

These books are available in paperback through strivingtogether.com (leader guide and study guide), and they are available in kindle through Amazon (leader guide and study guide). 

Is there anything I can do to help you get the word out?

Okay, so this isn’t actually a “frequently asked question.” 🙂 But I do have three requests!

1. If you read and enjoy the study, would you take a moment to leave a review on Amazon? It would be an encouragement to me as well as an encouragement to others who are considering the book!
2. Would you share Anchored on your social media? 
   • If you are using this Bible study, post a picture of it or share a way the Lord has spoken to your heart through it. 
   • Share one of the graphics below with a quote or verse from the book that has been meaningful to you. 
   • Share a link to this blog post. 
3. Will you pray with me that the Lord uses Anchored to encourage and help many ladies?

(To save these graphics, right click and select “save image as.” Or long tap on your phone, and select the option to save to your photos. From there, you can set these as your lock screen or share on social media.)