"There's no place like Home"

It seems like its Homecoming weekend at every high school and college right about now. Which means that people are coming in from all over the place to reconnect with friends that they shared a common “home” with at some point in their life. I experienced a few “homecomings” in various areas of my life over the last few days that caused me to ponder my relationships with the people in the many places that I have called “home”.

Homecoming #1: My sisters!! I got to see my baby sister (Courtney) and my sister-in-law (Liz) for dinner on Thursday night. My sister’s friend from high school (Shelley) also got to join us!  These are seriously some of my favorite people in the world… and it feels like I hardly ever get to see them. I carry them around in my heart and mind on a daily basis, but I only get to experience them in person when we are able to “come home” to each other.

Liz, Me, Shelley, Courtney

Homecoming #2: Duke!! My best friend from college chased her dreams of writing out to L.A. last year. She is incredibly gifted and talented; I could not be more proud of her. The thing is… L.A. is as far as she could physically be from me in the continental United States. PROBLEM. It takes a lot of planning and effort to keep cross-continental, 3-hour time difference, long-term friendships afloat. But continuing to prioritize each other and invest in each other from afar makes our “homecomings” all the more special : )

Duke Alums before the homecoming game on Saturday!

Homecoming #3: Fellows!! I “came home” to the fellows last night after a weekend away visiting friends at Duke’s actual homecoming. We celebrated Tripp’s (our program director) birthday with a surprise party and a murder mystery game. I had only been away from everyone for a few days, but I still could not wait to be reunited with the fellows family… they are becoming one of my “homes”.

Birthday Boy Tripp and the lady Fellows :)

Sitting in church this morning, the sermon caused me to reflect on my “homecomings” from this week. I was thinking back over the various reunions that I had enjoyed and how thankful I was for those relationships had endured the test of time.

Then I felt like the Lord gently prodded me with the question: Where is my true “HOME”? Where do I identify with the most deeply? Where is my heart fully invested?

My answer: the person of Jesus Christ. What a beautiful realization, that although my other “homecomings” require travel, money, and planning… my true home is always accessible to me. I wander astray from Him on a daily (let’s be real, probably minute-ly) basis… and He still let’s me call Him home. I put other people above Him all the time, I take His love for granted, I don’t invest in my relationship with Him as much as I should… and He still opens Himself to me and welcomes me into the beautiful “Home” that can only be found wrapped up in the arms of Jesus. "There's no place like home"... especially when "Home" is Jesus.

Lord, thank You for your patience as my fickle heart constantly pursues things other than You. Thank You for gently pulling me back to yourself when I get too focused on the good gifts that You have given me and less focused on You, the Giver. Thank you for “demonstrating you love for me in this: while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me” Romans 5:8. You alone are my true and rightful Home, thank You for faithfully drawing me back to Yourself. I love you. Amen