Welcome Home. Here, Us, Now.
A space for all of us seeking what's real and sacred in a world that rushes past the soul.
Welcome Home. Here, Us, Now.
What If “Taste And See” Is A Life Plan? Anthony, Family and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
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He showed up to Texas with one clear goal: get back into his kids’ lives after years apart. “Trying to make it work” turned into being unhoused even while holding a job. This is Anthony's story.
Welcome And Guest Introduction
SPEAKER_01Welcome home, here it's now, a podcast of the Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County, a space for all of us seeking what's real and sacred in a world that rushes past the soul. I'm Eric Englman, a volunteer at UGMTC, and your co-host, President and CEO of UGMTC, Charles Wolford.
SPEAKER_03Well, good morning, my brother, my friend, and my brother Eric. It is so good to see you as always as we share this time here in our uh podcast. You know, Eric, this is like our living room, like we're at home or sitting at the coffee table and just having uh a time with the Lord and just sharing the goodness of God. And let me tell you, uh, here in our living room and in this wonderful podcast, we have one of our friends and our brothers here, uh, Anthony, and our listeners are going to be blessed today to hear uh his amazing testimony and story. But again, good to see you. Anthony, welcome to the Welcome Home podcast. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. So you get an applause. There's a whole audience and a crowd just cheering you on during this time. The push of a button. The push of a button. Anthony, thank you so much for joining us. Um as we served earlier, sir uh uh spoke earlier, Eric, just as you've done, I had the pleasure of sitting and having a conversation with Anthony on the conversations on the bench back in October of 2025, right? Yes, sir. And that seems that seems like a long time ago, but it wasn't too long ago, right? Not too long ago. Yeah, and from our conversations, we've had multiple since then, just in passing, whether it be in the kitchen or the cafeteria. I was so impressed with you and your your testimony and the amazing work that God has done in your life. And so we just want to pick up from that conversation, Anthony, and just give a lot and give an opportunity to have a little bit more of a dialogue and talk through your journey and what God has been doing. I'm reminded of what is the psalmist said, oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34 and 8, I believe it is, and the goodness of God is resident in your life. Anthony, if you would not mind, fully introduce yourself, where you're from, and where we where was your genesis at, and then we'll ask a few questions just about
Grandma’s Faith And Family Roots
SPEAKER_03your journey.
SPEAKER_00Well, my name's Anthony Lawrence. I'm from Wilmington, North Carolina. That's a small town on the coast, East Coast. A lot of people don't might not know what that is. I'm just from humble um background, beginning um just a father that came here to be with his three children. They weren't in my life for a while. Wasn't by my choice, but their mother brought him here. I hadn't seen him for like 10 years, and during that time I was like in a real little dark place, and I didn't know I was gonna do it myself. At the same time, I was taking care of my grandmother. She was 92. Um, God rest her soul. That's how long she lived too. And before she passed, she's like, You're gonna see your children again, you're gonna get back in their lives.
SPEAKER_03Wow.
SPEAKER_00Right before she passed, right after she passed, my um, one of my children had called me. And it was like, hey dad, you know how you doing? Me and my brother having problems, and just uh talk to him and hear him, it was like she knew it was just like a premonition, so I just packed my bags and I came here running. I only had like a $500 in my pocket. I saw him, got with him, you know, be taught, talked to all my kids and had a dad decide to stay here, but I didn't have money, didn't have a job. I originally got a job, which was working in Taco Bell, not the glamour's job, but it was something. Yeah, yeah. But I was staying with my middle son and his girlfriend, and I was like, well, you know, that's fine, but I I didn't come in to do that. I didn't come in to be a burden to him. So I stayed with him like a month or a month, and then I got on my own, but I was on the streets, I was, you know, still working, had a job, but you know, just didn't have a place to stay.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Just just so that we can make sure we unpack that a little bit. So from Wilmington, North Carolina, and you are taking care of grandma. Yes, sir. And now this is the same grandma who has this amazing recipe for a pineapple upside down cake, right? Yes, she does. Eric, let me tell you something. It's gonna change your life. So you get some of this pineapple. People are waiting in line for Anthony's pineapple upside down cake. So just just tell us a little bit more about grandma, what what she meant to you and your time with her. Let's let's tell let's talk a little bit about that.
SPEAKER_00I'm one of four. I'm the oldest. My grandmother basically though, she's the one that raised us. Like, say from humble um or poor beginners, but she was a Baptist cook. Um always cooked for the church.
SPEAKER_03So she your grandmother was a grandma who was at the church cooking all the time. Okay. Yes, sir. Okay. Cooking at home. Oh, cooking at home too, as well. Okay. Okay. I got the picture now because most people can relate to maybe having a grandma who was in the kitchen or at the church cooking a lot of times. So that what was your grandmother's name? Emily Millette. Emily, Miss Emily. Okay. Is that what you is that what you called her?
SPEAKER_00I called her grandma.
SPEAKER_03You called her grandma, okay.
SPEAKER_00Okay, you know, old old subtle school. You yes, ma'am, no ma'am.
SPEAKER_03And you know, we've gotten away from that, haven't we? The yes, ma'am, the no sir, you know. Some something's missing with that. Uh I grew up in that same era, Anthony, where it was polite to say, yes, ma'am, no, sir, Eric. I don't know. Did you did what did you grow up with in that history and and that tradition? Yes, ma'am, no, sir, Eric? Not not especially.
SPEAKER_02Not especially. I mean, I you know, I I I said dad and and mom. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_03What about your grandparents?
SPEAKER_02Sometimes please. Uh-huh. My grandparents, well. Um just had to be careful around them. Um I don't quite remember. I uh I don't think I had to say yes, ma'am, and yes, sir. But if but the obedience was prime.
SPEAKER_03And you know what's interesting, I I I don't want to go down a bunny trail, but historically, uh a lot of that comes out of our slave tradition when we were required to address slave owners as yes, ma'am, no, sir. So we that was adopted in the context of the African American tradition and we carried over into our families as a as a way to address um seniors or elderly as well. So back to grandma. Let's talk. We we talked about the pineapple side down cake. That was one of her recipes that she passed on to you. Were there other recipes that you gleaned or that you you held on to with grandma? Um yeah, 30-day cake. Um, 30-day cake?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um, what you do with that is you have like a bolo jar and you add different fruits every day and let it sit for like a week, and you add another fruit, add another fruit, add another fruit. Uh-huh. And then 30 days, it's like uh it's like a mash or mixture of uh of the fruit that's blended together, it's been sitting so long. And like you put cherries in, pineapples, maybe mangoes, whatever you like, and it's like a nice sour mix, but then you add sugar and stuff to it, and it's sweet, and you add to the cake mix. And it's just like making a sweet fruit cake.
SPEAKER_03I've never heard of that. Have you ever heard a 30-day cake? No. And so does it create its own roux, like a sauce? Yes, it has its own distinct taste. I bet it does. And so some of that would be fermented to some degree. It probably has a little bit of a teeny bit, not a lot. Okay, okay, okay. It kind of you're creating creating a little brew there. That's what it sounds like. So that was one of grandma's specialties. What else? Ooh, seafood. Um, limering, okay, um, coconut. It's it's up here just Yeah, yeah. But probably with so many great recipes. So Grandma spoke into your life and just through her spiritual journey with you, she prophetically said to you,
The Call That Brought Him Back
SPEAKER_03You're going to see your kids again. Wow, that's powerful. And so from that, after grandma went home to be with the Lord, you get a phone call from one of your kids. Tell us a little about that. So one of your sons or daughters? One of my sons, um, his name was Jordan. Jordan, okay. His name is Jordan. Joe Jordan called and said what? What would what did Jordan say at that moment?
SPEAKER_00Well, he had his older brother stand with him. Okay. His girlfriend stand with him, and they got in a big argument and disagreement. I was like, Well, you, you know, y'all brothers, you're gonna disagree, you know, you you argue, but you you have to stay together, you know, just remember that's your brother, you got to love him. You know what I'm saying? You love him, he loves you, you're gonna not agree all the time.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know, I tried to get my father advice from my father, but I felt like I really needed to beat up for him because when you're in your twenties, they're 21, 22, you think they don't need guidance, but they still do.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, absolutely. And and you had mentioned there had been some years that you all have been apart at that point, right? So you said I think I heard you say about 10 years. Yes, sir. Okay. Yes, sir. So you were separated from your children for about 10 years. Yes. And your co-parenting or your other parent who had your kids was here in Texas, is that correct? This was she uh her family's at, and um that's where I was born in Texas. Say that again? I was born here in Texas. Okay, you were born in Texas, okay. And and so, but she was here as well. Where about in Texas was she? San Antonio. She was in San Antonio, okay. All right, continue with the story. So you you make a decision to come to Texas, you spend some time with your son, but you moved out of that residence and then re you found yourself uh with w unhoused, is that correct? Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00For a couple of weeks though, I w I was just working, had to find somewhere to stay, or you know, if I did have for a hotel room, I find a bit somewhere to sleep.
SPEAKER_03Wow.
SPEAKER_00Um, but then someone told me about Union Gossip Mission, and it was that was about Christmas time. So I came and for alcation out, and and they was like, Well, we don't have the people here, they're on vacation, and um, you can't prostitute after the new y'all like, oh Lord, you know, say what I'm gonna do, you know what I'm saying? But it was one gentleman, Mr. Thomas, that you know very well. He he took a chance, like, well, come on in here, I'ma have you stay, we're gonna sign you up for the um overnight program. Um, you just make sure you go to work, you stay and come every night, don't miss a night, and we'll see about getting you taken care of. And that's what I did.
SPEAKER_03Wow, wow, what a blessing. So your journey, you were what bench surfing it sounds like. So your conversation on the bench that we had was very real. Because you probably had a lot of conversations on the bench with God and everybody else,
Working While Unhoused In Texas
SPEAKER_03huh?
SPEAKER_00Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_03And that led you to Union Gospel Mission, and from that, uh, what happened when you arrived at Union Gospel Mission that led you uh to where you currently are?
SPEAKER_00Well, um, after a month, you know, just make sure I was here every night, just come to stay overnight. I met Miss Carroll, she became my counselor, mm-hmm and uh had went and told her about my about my background and my interest in cooking, and she told me about a call net program that they had started, but it didn't work out, so she like, would you like to try it? So I'm like, sure, I'll try it. Can can can I give a shout-out to Kara right real quick?
SPEAKER_03Yes, sir. Uh Eric, Kara is a superstar case manager here, and I'm telling you. She she is a godsend to so many, and she advocates like none other. We're grateful to all of our case managers. We have some amazing team members who step in the gap, and Kara is absolutely
Union Gospel Mission Opens A Door
SPEAKER_03one of them. So Kara's your case manager. Yes, sir. She helps you get connected with a resource for culinary. Tell us a little bit about that as well.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's through the Taste Community Project. It's the one they have on Main Street.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um they're like a nonprofit organization. They feed the homeless. Anybody that wants to come in, just give what you got. You don't have to five dollars, maybe it doesn't matter. Just come on in. They um they do five-star restaurant um work. Um, I got London Chef, um, Denise, Denise Fuller, um Fuller. Um, she and her, um, Miss Dani Danielle, the two chefs I trained under. Um I did that four weeks, I mean excuse me, four months. Um, and also out of that, um, we had to go through the um Tamant County, um, kind of like um the workforce, and they provided me um money for clothing, um, transportation back and forth. I had to get up eight or seven o'clock in the morning, be there at eight, yeah, and then I would prep and cook and stuff.
SPEAKER_03I remember seeing you going back and forth, yeah, very much so. But just as a pause, for those of our listeners who may be interested in the TASE project and the taste program, they are an amazing partner organization that Anthony and so many of our neighbors get a chance to be of. So shouts out to Taste Community and Eric. What the premise behind that is they actually help our neighbors like Anthony who's interested in culinary. There's a training program for them. You and I, or anyone, can go into the Taste Cafeteria, the kitchen, sit down and eat. The menu that's laid out is five-star menu of food that you get a selection from, and then from that you choose how much you want to pay. There's not a price set. It's like if you were eating the meal of the day and it may be worth in a restaurant and community a thirty dollars or forty dollar meal. You choose to give, and that money then goes back to the advancement of that particular organization. So it's a great concept uh there. So you start with taste, you tell us about your journey. So you've completed that program, I'm assuming. You can tell us about that. Okay.
SPEAKER_00And the one thing about it is they will help you find a job, job placement.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Now, I got a job working at um a museum here in Fort Worth, Stephanie's Museum, and then that was at Wolfgang Pucks Catering.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um, it was an okay job, but because of my age, I was competing with a lot of 20-year-olds when I'm 50 in my 50s now.
SPEAKER_03Okay, okay. It kind of didn't work out for me. It didn't work out. You know, Anthony, I I got a name for that. I got some 20s in my life. I call them young Thundercats. Is that what that's my name?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I was with a bunch of young Thundercats.
SPEAKER_03A bunch of young Thundercats. So, okay, that that tell us about that. That was a little bit of a challenge for you. Okay.
SPEAKER_00I was, you know, I was I could move, but I couldn't move faster than them. Or I didn't have as much experience they have because a lot of them had went to culinary schools in like for four or five years before they got the job there. Um but I did learn a a bit about refining the stuff that I had learned, like um prepping and how to store things and um how to make certain dishes. Um, but when that didn't work out, I had reached out again to find another job, but it was kind of sketchy. Then I let had let came back, let y'all know about it, and you came up with the idea like, well, hey, we do need some kitchen style. And you look had the people look into it and everything. Was I able to be eligible? And it was like, yes, okay. So um I filled out the paperwork, I went through the um the um processes about um the f the things I need to know and how it had to be to work for UDM. And as I say, the rest is history. Um I've been almost there for a full year to cook. Amen. Um, I'm able to give back, I'm able to talk and inspire other people and let them know about the Cornell program
Culinary Training Through TASTE
SPEAKER_00or about the journey I had that, you know, just put the work in. Yeah, yeah. And leave it to the Lord and let him handle it. And he he got you. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_02And that that put the work in, that goes, you know. I noticed when you were talking about uh bench surfing, you had a job but and you were faithful with a job, you were just looking for a place to sleep. That's a good order. I mean, if if you have to do that, showing that you are faithful with with what you've got and what you know. Looks like it paid off.
SPEAKER_03It really has, but let me give some context to working with Anthony in the kitchen. Uh over the winter holiday, uh, we were seeing more neighbors coming in than we've ever seen before because it was it it was a freeze during January and the the ground was frozen, people were not moving, so we have some essential responsibilities because when all of the businesses close down, UGM opens up. So our numbers increased by almost a hundred more people or two hundred more people during that time. And frontline cooking for this explosion of individuals coming into UGM was Anthony. Anthony was really running the kitchen during that time, and I got a chance to work with him. But let me affirm you, Anthony, you were did an amazing job running the kitchen working. We had volunteers that were coming in, he would give us assignments, and Anthony was my boss for those days. He made sure I stayed in line. If I didn't do something right, he corrected me and made sure I was like, I'll do no bulk correctly. He was fired. I think I almost got fired one time. I think. He was fired, he was fired, he was fired. Yeah, he but he um he did you did an amazing job. I could not have been more proud of you and how seeing how you stepped up to the plate and how you command your leadership style in the kitchen. God has completely um blessed you with so many skills and talents. We're so very grateful for that. So uh kudos to you. Uh let's let's talk a little bit more about how the relationship is going um with your your kiddos now. How is that going and what what's happened there?
SPEAKER_00I have three kids. Um I have 18-year-old, well, excuse me, 19-year-old daughter, 22-year-old son, and 23-year-old son. Um, since I've been back, I've tried to bond with my daughter and my middle son, but they're in a place right now, they're not ready to, I guess, to fully accept that I'm here and I'm trying to make amends. So I'm just being patient right now.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00But I have an older son who was going through a tough time. He didn't have a job and stuff, and he was blessed with a job at B B N S Railroad.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And that's a major railroad company here in Fort Worth. He's got a job being like a maintenance guy at the um head central headquarters. Um, he didn't have a ride to work, so I would get up at seven o'clock in the morning, take him back to
Kitchen Leadership And Serving More Neighbors
SPEAKER_00Fort Worth every day. And now he's on the verge of getting his own car.
SPEAKER_03Wow, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Well, I want to encourage you in that space. One of the journeys that God calls us in the space of parenting is pursue, to pursue relationships with our sons and our daughters. And so uh that's gonna be top of our prayer list, and as God gives you opportunity and open those doors to build relationships, he, as he's answered so many of your other prayers, he clearly will be able to do that. And so our prayer will be that he would continue to give you guidance and direction and that there will be a soft place in the heart of your children to find some connectivity there, and we'll just be asking that. So uh Anthony, what a joy it is to have you as a part of our family, to be a part of our staff and team here. We are proud of you and what God is doing in your life and what he has done, and we are the better because you have journeyed with us, and we look forward to seeing how the amazing things that God's gonna continue to do. We look forward to the next pineapple upside down cake and maybe even some collard green and dips. Who knows what God may be doing. But as we close our time together, we want to lift up you and lift up a prayer for your sons uh and your daughter to that God would continue to chart a pathway for that for you all. And if if I know nothing else, I know time does help heal all wounds as it relates to God being able to show his love and his providence to us all, no matter what our journey is. I'm reminded of Luke the 15th chapter with a son who was prodigal and who made his way into foreign lands. And most of those stories are about the son who was prodigal who went away, but as another son who is at home, and I would submit that he was just as lost. God pursues relationships with each and every one of us, and just because a son is at home does not mean that he is connected. It's sometimes those who are are in the house even who are just as lost. And so I just want to encourage you to find uh the grace that God provides for you and your family and your sons. So, Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for our friend and our brother Anthony. We're grateful for his story and the success that he gets to enjoy as he is building his relationship with you as well as with his sons and his daughter. God, we just ask that you would just continue to use him in a mighty way, that he would be the instrument of your divine providence, and he would continue to experience the joy that you have set before him. We finished where we started. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Amen.
