What Is Your Anchor?

Miguel Lebron • September 22, 2020

On July 9th, 2018, I sat down with Bruce and Cindy Anderson, the owners of Alpha & Omega - Parable Christian Store in Rochester, New York. They were preparing for the big 20th anniversary of their bookstore. Ahead of the celebration, I drove to their Greece store location, and we sat down in their store backroom to talk about faith, family, ministry, and business. At the top of the conversation, we spoke about their marriage and the advice they received as they said: "I do."

Cindy's father, who was a preacher, is the one who conducted their wedding ceremony. Being that he was a preacher, he would many times conduct the wedding ceremonies in their local church, and Cindy was usually present. Cindy was the organist for their local church, and she was familiar with the wedding ceremony he would usually conduct, known as God's Knot - Cord of Three Strands.

The Cord of Three Strands [God's Knot] symbolizes the joining of one man and one woman by God into a marriage relationship. This wedding ceremony focuses on the concept that marriage takes three; the groom, the bride, and God. The key verse for this ceremony is Ecclesiastes 4:12, which stats that "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." This teaching is one that has overflowed into all aspects of their life, including business.

In our conversation, I asked them if there was a pivotal moment that made them feel confident in opening a book. Bruce quickly replied with a story on how he and Cindy had tried teaching Bible class together but soon realized they both had different styles. At the time, the idea of leading a Bible class together seemed like something impossible, and yet some years later, they decided to take ownership of two Christian book stores that were up for sale in Rochester, NY.

As we sat in their store backroom, they reminisced on the community they had served and the people who have been apart of the journey. We also spoke about finding a balance between family, faith, and business. They both agreed that in their earlier years, it was a challenge, but as they have matured, they have found a balance that puts God in the center of it all; much like it did in their wedding ceremony.

Recently I was reminded of the conversation I had with Bruce and Cindy, and the time I spent as their employee. While I worked there, I saw their hard work, dedication, and the attention they gave to the community we served. Everyone who was part of the staff was like family, and as such, there were moments of joy and moments of headache, but never did I feel as though we were not aiming for something. There is something powerful that happens when you can get people to buy in and make the vision their own.

As leaders, we should strive to create a balance, but as I learned with Bruce and Cindy, that balance is distinct for everyone. Having the ability to go to church on Sundays was important to them; it was their anchor, and it allowed them to recharge and realign with the one who brought them together, God.

What is your anchor? It's easy to get caught up with all the responsibilities that come with leadership, but we must maintain our sight fixed on what got us where we are. Take a moment today to meditate on the journey, visualize how far you've made it, as this can help you take inventory for what lies ahead.

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