Home Sweet Home

There is something so special about HOME. Home is where we feel safe and comfortable. Home is something that I am longing for. Uganda is not my home. I am a stranger here, and it is very evident! People stare at me because it is so obvious that I don't belong here. Even though this is not where I belong, I am still living here for the time being. I live in a house with my international family, and every day we come “home”. God is doing to many incredible things, and I know I am right where He wants me to be. He has made it so clear that this trip is part of His plan for me and I am learning so much, but there is a constant void in my heart. I have a deep longing for my true home and for being where I belong. I long for my culture and just simply familiarity. I long for all the feelings that being home brings. Despite the longing, I am still filled with God's joy! He is so faithful and always gives me strength to carry on each day. In my obedience, He is right by my side. God has helped me with living in the now, and making the most of each day here, and not just “getting through it” and wishing it away. At the same time, there is always a pull in my heart toward home, even when I feel like I am fully present here.

As I work through all my feelings and emotions, I can't help but think about how great of an analogy this is:

"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." -Psalm 84:2

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” -Philippians 3:20

“I am a stranger on earth, do not hide your commands from me.”

 -Psalm 119:19

“For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”

-2 Corinthians 5:5

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” -John 14:1-3

The way I feel when I long for my home in Big Rapids, Michigan, is the way I want to feel about heaven. This is not where I belong. I am not home, no matter where I am on this earth. I know deep down that I belong in heaven, but I want to live every day with that knowledge at the front of my mind. I want it to be evident to people around me that this is not where I belong, and that my home is somewhere else.

While I'm in Uganda, I know that God has me here for a purpose. I know that this is part of His perfect plan, and so I am striving to live each day to advance His kingdom and bring glory to Him. At the same time, I would be overjoyed if for some reason I felt Him calling me to go back home. In the same way, while I'm on this earth, I know that God has me here for a purpose and I want to live each day to advance His kingdom and bring glory to Him. But also, at the same time, I want to live in anticipation of heaven and of Jesus' second coming...

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:14

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” -2 Peter 3:13

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” -Colossians 3:1-4

So as I continue to live in a place where I don't belong, God is teaching me that it is not wrong to long for home. It's actually something that He has instilled in me. Living in another country and in a different culture has been so eye-opening for me and really shows me how I should feel all the time! Heaven is going to be so much better than our imaginations can even begin to comprehend. So all we can do is trust God's perfect plan and believe His word.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” -Revelation 21:1-5

“Behold, I will create a new heaven and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” -Isaiah 65:17

“He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord; we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” -Isaiah 25:8-9

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” -Revelation 21:1-5

Reading those verses truly makes me long for my eternal home. Having the hope of heaven should effect how we live every single day. I am only in Uganda for a short time, when compared to my whole life, and I want to live each day here to its' fullest potential. I want God to work through me in mighty ways! While we are on earth, we should make the most of each day and live completely sold out for God. Our time on this earth is such a tiny portion of all of eternity, and God has us all here for a purpose. He created us with a mission. He has so much He wants to do in all of our individual lives and we just have to surrender to Him and trust Him with everything. So, I will leave you with one of my favorite verses...

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews 12:1-2