Home. This is a difficult concept to define- especially while traveling for 11 months. Home is a place that is comfortable, a place where I can be completely myself. Home is where I feel loved and valued. The thing that I’ve discovered about home the past few weeks is that I can have home wherever I am because I can find rest and comfort in the Lord. He can provide me with all the “comforts of home” I could ever ask for no matter where in the world I may be. For these 11 months, rather than a physical home, He has given me a group of people who can comfort me and give me strength to press in when things are difficult. So, what does that mean for the next 11 months? It means that my home is where Y squad is.
Home is where David and Susan give each other riddles to solve.
Home is where Leah jumps rope in the mornings while Madison runs, often with a pack of dogs following her.
Home is where Chase plays Whiskey Lullaby on the guitar every chance he gets and Nichol practices her ukulele.
Home is where Paxtyn and Kat can be found water-coloring on quiet afternoons.
Home is where we can play ridiculous games and laugh together.
Home is where Mack is always encouraging everyone.
Home is where Zachery and Carly plan travel days and enjoy shooting imaginary darts at each other and pretty much everyone else.
Home is where Lyndsee can be heard singing “Morning’s Here” when we get up before 6 am to meet our bus.
Home is where Allina wears her new alpaca (llama?) jacket absolutely everywhere.
Home is where Erika never seems to run out of snacks and Reece always seems to have a Coke in hand.
Home is where we all gather together to pray over meals and eat with one another.
Home is where Kenna laughs so hard she snorts and Kirsten laughs so hard she cries.
Home is where Monica turns the bathroom into a salon.
Home is where we come together and worship passionately for hours because the Holy Spirit is alive in our hearts.
Home is wherever the Lord calls us because though we may wander, we are not lost. When we trust completely in the Lord and allow Him to take control, He becomes our home. He is all we need to feel comfort, rest, and acceptance.
So, even though our all-squad month is coming to a close and I won’t get to spend every day with my whole squad, I know that the Lord is working in and through every single one of us. Our “home” will change again in just a few days but our eternal home in Christ will always be our true home. For the rest of these 11 months, wherever one Y Squad team can be found, we will find our home in one another but most of all, we will find our home in Christ.
