Devotionals for the Heart: The Anchor

The Horizontal Tree
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” 

–Psalm 1:3 (NIV)

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon when my family and I decided to take a scenic road trip to visit a relative. On the way to our destination, we passed a lot of rural areas with grassy fields, farmland, cows and horses grazing, and birds flying in formation. The blue skies were so picturesque, especially with the white puffy clouds that had the appearance of cartoon animals.

We had been driving for about an hour with another hour remaining to complete the trip. I dozed off a couple of times, but something caught my attention in one of the fields and I immediately woke up. It was a tree.

I always admire trees wherever I go. There is something about them that fascinates me.

Sometimes it is the height of the tree, or the colorful leaves. It could be the branches completely void of leaves, and sometimes it is the shape of the tree. In this case, none of those features drew my attention. Instead, it was the posture of the tree that raised my eyebrow. The tree was horizontal instead of vertical. It almost appeared to be a fallen tree, except it was not completely touching the ground.

At first glance, I thought the tree was dead, but when I examined it closely, there were green leaves all over the branches. The tree was thriving, even though it was not standing up.

How could this be? My eyes followed the bark from one end to the other, and then I realized that most of the roots of that large tree were completely submerged under the ground. The tree may have appeared lifeless, but that was not the case. The only reason it was able to produce green leaves is because its roots were firmly grounded in the dirt.

As we start this new year, it is important to consider where our roots are planted. Are we wasting time pursing distractions disguised as opportunities or are we investing our time in things that will make an impact and leave a legacy? Are our goals in alignment with the will of God, or have we already started down a path without asking His permission?

The only way for us to experience true happiness along with success in this life is if we are rooted and grounded in God. It is His promise to us when we make the choice to follow His direction. If we continually meditate on God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and obey it, we will prosper in our spiritual growth.

Moreover, the fruit that we bear will serve as a witness to God’s faithfulness.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, Thank You for Your promises. We ask that You guide us as we go through this life. We want to be rooted in You so that we can experience the abundant life that You want to freely give to us all. Help us to spend more time in Your Word and in Your presence. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Anchor Holds” by Ray Boltz. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn (New York) and raised in New Jersey.

She started writing at an early age and realized in elementary school that it was both a strength and a passion. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God, and she is currently working on another devotional book that will be introduced in 2023.

This is Angela's third year as a devotional writer for Alexis A. Goring’s “God is Love” blog. In 2021, Angela was a winner of a devotional writing contest where the entry is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book is titled, Hope When Your Heart is Heavy. The following year, another one of Angela’s devotionals was published in another publication from Proverbs 31 Ministries, called Living Unbroken.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing and speaking.

Angela is a Mom Life Coach. She empowers mothers who want to identify their God-given purpose and live it fully while taking care of their family. Angela develops mothers into mompreneurs by providing them with the necessary tools to be successful and fulfilled in life. These tools equip them to see their value, understand their importance, and reclaim their identity.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson for 18 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 10) and Ryan (age 5). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling.

She treasures spending quality time with her family.

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Connect with Angela:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/
Facebook (personal): https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook (Author page): https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Angela offers free consultations for mothers who want to pursue their dream while taking care of their family. Schedule here: www.ChatWithCoachAngela.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Compassion

Transformational Compassion
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” 

–Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)

Recently, I was introduced to a phrase that caught my attention and has stuck with me: “transformational compassion.”

When I heard it, my mind was stimulated to imagine stories or scenes of compassion that transformed a life. My first thought was a song published by Ray Boltz. 

His song talks about a man who dreamed that he went to Heaven. While there he met many people, he heard angels sing. Then one day he heard someone call his name. When he turned around he saw a young boy approaching him. The boy thanked him for giving himself as a youth mentor and for his consistent invitation to accept Christ. The boy said that he responded to his appeal and God changed his life. He said, “Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed.”

My mind leapt to a story I read years ago about a teen boy walking home from school. On his way, he saw a younger boy walking home with an enormous amount of stuff. 

Uncharacteristically, he offered to help. The younger boy accepted his offer.

As they walked, they talked. Something clicked between them. Upon arrival at the home of the younger boy, the older boy said to the younger boy, “I will see you tomorrow.” Years went by and their relationship grew. On the day of the younger boy’s graduation, he thanked his friend profusely. As the older boy demurred, the younger boy told him that on the day that they met, he was carrying so much stuff because he was taking everything he had at school, home.

He intended to kill himself that evening, but the kindness of the older boy and the last words that he said (“I’ll see you tomorrow”), transformed his gloom into hope.

Jesus spoke of transformational compassion in Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV). He paints a word picture of socio-economic disparity and the moral imperative of individual responsibility:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

The twist in this story is that the transformational effect of compassion was meaningful to the recipients and salvific for the giver. In this story, Jesus Christ was teaching His followers not only that doing right is its own reward, but also that there is a cosmic accounting of the smallest acts of kindness.

In my first example, the life of a child was changed eternally because of the consistent prayer of a mentor. The second example demonstrates how a simple, spontaneous act of kindness, saved a life, created an undying relationship and changed at least two lives.

The object lesson of the Christ is that acts of kindness to the poor, hungry, downtrodden, addicted, imprisoned or different, are really declarations of the giver, into the cosmos, of the caliber of one’s character. In that parable, the purveyors of compassion were ushered into the presence and fellowship of God.

Today, I pray that you may feel challenged to make an investment of kindness into someone’s life. Your deed of kindness may be the catalyst that catapults someone else from doom and gloom to hope and purpose. Your investment of kindness will be noted and affirmed in this world and the next. May dividends flow upon you from the storehouses of heaven in such abundance that you become a greater conduit of grace and kindness than you ever dreamed!

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Author Bio:

Chaplain Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps. 

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees: a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.