Brother Shuck's Blog

@the airport

Left the house right at noon. Rain was heavy in spots so traffic slowed because of the rain but we sailed down to the airport. It was pouring when we got to the gate to drop the bags off but we were met by George and Patrick, Peggy and Melissa. Rita Bailey braved the weather and came down to send us off.  It was pouring rain when we pulled up to drop off the bags and four of our five but George and Patrick jumped out in the rain to help unload and then the KLM skycabs rolled two flat bed carts out and we unloaded all the bags in record time. Rita offered and took my Yukon to park it while the rest our us checked in. The people at the KLM counter were super nice and the check-in went without even batting an eye. We are sitting at our departure gate with an hour to wait for boarding. All have scattered to "shop" or stretch their legs for a while. All are excited. 

Anchor

I am not much of an ocean person. I am not very fond of being out in water where critters live that are much bigger than the boat I am in. We've had the opportunity to go out deep sea fishing a couple of times but always stay in sight of the shoreline. We've had the opportunity to snorkel in some beautiful places but staying on top of the water and close to the boat represented safety to me instead of diving deep. Although there might be more rewards for diving deeper, there are also greater risks. I have heard of divers that have gotten separated from their own boats. They surface after a great dive and realize they the boat is no where in sight. They've drifted in the sea unaware of how far away the currents or swells have taken them. When a boat is out on the water, it will plant an anchor, sometimes a few of them to keep the boat in a certain place. Divers follow the anchor down to the bottom of the sea and you've probably even seen this in movies. While they don't have any visibility of the boat on the top surface, they keep a reference on where the anchor is because they know that anchor is their connection to the boat up above. If the divers get carried away with what is in front of them they can literally get carried away from the anchor and away from the safety of the boat. It is the same for us. It is easy to get distracted by the things of this earth. There are many things that can carry us away. There are many things that we can sweep us away, causing us to drift..... stay close to the anchor for it is our connection to our safety and our assurance above.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

Book Review: Clutter-Free Christianity

Summary

When did the Christian life become so complicated?

Your greatest desire is to please God, but with each passing week, your spiritual to-do list grows longer. As you strive to fulfill a never-ending inventory of requirements for being a godly parent, spouse, voter, employee, and more, you feel increasingly disconnected from the God you’re trying to serve.

It’s time to cut through the clutter and get to the heart of what it means to please God. In this liberating look at the core principles of faith, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals the truth about what God really wants from you–and what He wants to do for you.

Through solid biblical teaching and practical insights, Dr. Jeffress points you toward a revitalized faith centered on becoming more like Jesus in action, attitude, and affection. You’ll learn how to partner with God in the process of spiritual transformation as you choose to follow Christ in forgiveness, obedience, trust, contentment, service, and prayer.

Through a renewed focus on experiencing the kingdom of God right now, you’ll find your to-do list shrinking and your spiritual life deepening. It all comes with embracing Clutter-Free Christianity.

Includes a Bible study guide for personal growth and group discussion.