Anchor House Week 1: Purpose

As I reflect on week one at Anchor House Mission the word that keeps coming to mind is comfortable. Comfortable is often equated with complacent. The book of Revelation puts it this way,”I know your deeds that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were either one or the other” (Rev 3:15). Complacency couldn't be further from the invigoration I feel associated with this new beginning. If John’s intention was to associate hot with being filled with purpose, excitement, and energy then it certainly describes how I feel.

For me, this feeling of being comfortable is better equated to being at home. Outgoing Executive Director/Chaplain, Alan Howe, has gone out of his way to assure a smooth transition. In addition, he has decided to remain with us and serve as a volunteer chaplain. Manager/Chaplain, Trish Alligood, has never flinched at my barrage of questions. She is one of the most committed individuals I have ever met. Yet makes time to provide training and insight to her new boss. Sandi is known as the Anchor House Kitchen Ninja. She works tirelessly from arrival to departure. Each person who visits the center is sent off with a “Have a blessed day” from Sandi. This is a special group of people. They certainly contribute to my feeling of being at home.

However, that’s not it. There is something more. It is a peace of knowing God has me right where He wants me. A joy associated with a Kingdom purpose.

Seafarers are a long way from home for months on end. They work hard, long days and rarely get a chance to get off the ship. The longshoreman and port employees invest hour after hour to move containers and bulk products in and out of the port. Port security always stands ready to assure the safety of the port, the people, and the contents. Truck drivers file in one after another waiting for their call to load out and move the products out to their final destination. There are so many moving parts and many, many people engaged in the process.

In the first week, it is glaringly obvious the nature of His purpose for us at Anchor House Mission. Our purpose is best described as love. We are called to be a ray of light. We get to simply love our neighbor and let God do the rest.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt

Comments

Anchor House Week 31 - NAMMA

The first week of August, I had the chance to attend the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) Conference. NAMMA is an ecumenical, Christian association of individuals and affiliated organizations involved in maritime ministry throughout North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. I had the privilege of attending the conference with our summer intern, Gabe. For both of us it was the first time we had the chance to be a part of the conference. I enjoyed getting to meet so many individuals who serve the Lord across the globe. Each of us serves at different ports and in unique ways. The exchange of ideas was both enjoyable and informative, especially for me as the new guy. Each of the people I met had a heart for the seafarer and the challenges they face. Their hearts poured out to show the love of Jesus to the men and women aboard the vessels that visit their respective ports. One of the highlights of the trip was me...

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions. It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them. The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold. He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold. When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...

On Mission

Have you ever done something for many, many years? When you've done things for a long time, you create habits and ways of doing things. Your body learns to run on autopilot. You may have experienced it before. Have you ever driven somewhere that you go to frequently and not been sure about the journey there? Something else was on your mind and muscle memory just took over. Voila! You were at your destination. Doing things over and over again makes an indentation on us that lasts a while. For the past 16 ½ years I have driven 5-7 days per week to the college for work. Monday, I will take another path to work. God has called me to serve His people in His ministry. Rather than traveling south to the college, I'll head north to the Port of Manatee for my first day as Executive Director/Chaplain at Anchor House Mission. I first learned of the mission at our church as it was highlighted as a mission we support regularly. At that time, I had no idea that God was t...

Matthew TwoSix:ThreeNine

Search This Blog