Matthew TwoSix:ThreeNine

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3 NIV I was looking through various translations of Proverbs 16:3. I found that I received each one differently. For as long as I can remember, I have considered this as a verse that makes me think of success. If I commit my actions to God, He will be in my plans. Almost like God is some sort of genie in a bottle. It's a transaction based understanding. If I do A, God will do B for me and B happens to be something I planned out.   The New Living Translation seems to support my understanding as it says, "Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." Essentially, if I commit MY actions to God, MY plans will succeed. I seem to be the central focus of this approach.   There seems to be a flaw in my understanding. If I am the one whose plans are being fulfilled, how can my actions honor God? If I were to truly commit my actions to God, could I still have my ...

On the Friday of my eleventh week, I found myself filled with gratitude.   Thankful for West Bradenton Baptist Church for allowing us to use their fellowship hall.   Thankful for Max with Sir Speedy who went above and beyond to fill my order.   Thankful for Trish and Pam’s flawless control of the check in and check out process at the banquet.   Thankful for Del Monte and the numerous pineapple we were able to share with our Anchor House family.  Thankful for my wife Julie and her vision for the baskets and help putting together a concept for centerpieces.   Thankful for Dotty and Helen for helping to set tablecloths, decorating tables, making punch, and creating a great environment.  Thankful for Tim’s comedy and the word God put on Mark's heart.  Thankful for the volunteers who serve in the center and/or driving the van (Michael, Dennis, Keith, Nancy, Pam, Bernie, Pam, Ron, Jan, Anita, Matthew, Calli, Dotty, a...

 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 1 Peter 2: 13-14 This is one of those selections of scripture that we like to gloss over while reading the Bible. This letter is written by the apostle Peter to the churches of another part of the Roman Empire. The people were located in what is now Turkey and were facing persecution for being Christians.  Christians were the new kids on the block when it came to religions. I'm sure it felt uncomfortable to the people of the time. I'd think they'd have felt similar as we would about a new cult popping up in our neighborhood.   Peter tells the church, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (1 Peter 2:12). He basically says be...

This past week was week 10 at Anchor House. When I run into friends who I used to work with at State College of Florida or friends I haven't seen in a while, the first question is, "How do you like it?" I typically reply, "I love it." This week I've been challenged about that answer. It just won't do. It is too generic of an answer to truly describe what I am experiencing. It's too simple to describe the blessing of God working through you. It is too plain to explain the feeling of knowing you are right where God has planned for you to be.  I always thought I had purpose in my career. I know we are to worship God through the work He has provided for us to do. At times, however, the work I previously did seemed mundane and lacking purpose. I felt like I could do God's work where I was, but I had this feeling as if there was something more.  A week or so ago I was with one of our partner churches sharing how God works through Anchor H...

One of the blessings of serving at Anchor House is I get to visit quite a few churches. One of the downfalls is that I get the messages intermixed from week to week. I show up for a single Sunday and don't get the benefit of the continuity of hearing an entire series.  This week I decided to re-read the creation story. It has been one section of the Bible that has been a part of many of the sermons I've heard lately. The story of God making the land has captivated me. Genesis 1:9 we see the creation of land "And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' And it was so." He created the land then put it to work. God doesn't stop with creation, He continues with providing purpose. "Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so" (Genesis 1:11). The land ...

The deeper I get into my new role the easier it is to seek routine. At the SeaPort very few things are routine besides break time and lunch time. Everything else is subject to weather, shipping schedules, and numerous other factors. As I was told by Trish when I started, flexibility is key.   Coming from the dynamic environment of intercollegiate athletics there are many similarities. Flexibility was needed in that role too. Rain has forced many a delayed game or the rescheduling of a game. I think for most of us there is some degree of flexibility required in our lives. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is quoted as saying, "The only constant in life is change."  I am guessing most of us have heard this saying or some variation of it. It is something we can, most likely, appreciate. This is especially true after the last 24 months we have endured. We saw global change at a rate we've never seen before. Behaviors and cultural norms all shifted seemingly o...

Our annual banquet is upcoming March 25th. For me this will be the first I have been a part of at Anchor House. Of course, I have been to other banquets, but not one for a mission I have the privilege of serving with. As the new guy, I am looking forward to meeting new people and sharing what the Lord is doing at Anchor House. Of course, the banquet is more than just a time for us to gather and enjoy each other's company. It is one of the major fundraisers to support the ministry.  That purpose is not lost. I have been amazed at the generosity of the many people who have given to Anchor House for the banquet. Whether it's purchasing a ticket, sponsoring the night, or giving and in kind gift for our silent auction the support for the ministry is overwhelming.  2 Corinthians 9:6‭-‬8 says, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your...

Today my prayers were filled with the word "coward". I went to God with my feelings and shared my heart. My heart breaks for the cowardly. As I dialed in on the world leaders whose cowardice results in the loss of innocent lives. God stopped me right where I was. He reminded me of what Jesus said in Luke 6:42. How can I worry about the faults of someone else and neglect my own short comings. In my own brokenness I fail to live out God's words to be strong and courageous. When I am called to pray with someone and I let fear and feelings of inadequacy rule I am being a coward. Or when I am supposed to be bold like Paul for Jesus and I hide in the crowd, I suffer from cowardice too.   Let me be clear of my understanding of the impact of our failure to do what God calls us to do. Anytime we fail to follow what he has called us into it creates a divide in our relationship with God. From the beginning He has called us into relationship, leadership, responsibility, ...

Have you ever found yourself aimlessly perusing the internet or social media? Just the other day I was scrolling through Twitter looking at articles about Ukraine. As I read, I felt my heart beat increase. I could physically feel anxiety from what I was reading.  It just so happened that I was doing this when I was supposed to be reading my devotional. In the morning I like to read a short devotional to get the day started. This particular day, however, I chose to see what was taking place in Ukraine.  As I was hit with my anxious feelings, I drew back to one of my earlier writings titled “Wrong App.” However, this time I was moved differently. It made me reflect on the term spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines can be thought of as the practices we participate in that help us grow in our relationship with God. They include Bible reading, meditation and prayer, serving, worshiping together, and many others.  Some use the term spiritual practices bu...

This past week it became clear to me that one of the unspoken core values of Anchor House is family. Last Monday was President's Day in the United States. That meant no school for the kids.  Anchor House was filled with grandkids and kids who chose to serve on their day off of school.  There was cooking, baking, ship visiting, envelope stuffing and sealing, kitchen work, and cash registering (not sure that's a word) all being done by kids with servants' hearts. On Presidents day, Anchor House looked a bit different than most other days.  Later in the week I had the chance to see old pictures of the Anchor House.  It was in the early days when a trailer was used and the current space was being built out. As I looked at the photos, I couldn't help but notice the kids. Some were posing for a photo and others were caught in action as they were playing foosball with seafarers.  Nonetheless, their presence indicates something special about Anchor House....