You may or may not have heard the news that my squad returned to the States 1.5 months earlier than we were originally scheduled. It feels weird to be back after being away for 9.5 months.
Many things are different when living abroad or on the World Race in comparison to living in the States. For example, normal for me became being a foreigner, not speaking the country’s native language, living in a room with at least 6 other people, and being stared at while in public. Normal was changing beds or cities every 3 weeks or less on average. Normal was living out of a 40-50 pound backpack and only owning the amount of clothes and possessions that can fit into that backpack. Comfort & convenience are not king in other countries as they are in the States. Plus, being back feels even more weird as we are miles away from the people we spent everyday with for the last 270+ days.
But we are world travelers! We should be used to being in places that feel weird or aren’t normal to us! We should be able to quickly adjust back to our home in the States because as World Racers we become really good at making ourselves at home anywhere we go. On the Race, we would make ourselves at home in a house or hostel before the host could even tell us to make ourselves at home.
But what even is home? Some people believe home is where you feel most comfortable or safe. Others call home a place where one can truly be who they truly are. Some say home is where your heart is or where your mom is. For others, home is an apartment or their family or a person or a place. One definition I found says home is “a place where something flourishes, is most typically found, or from which it originates.”
Even though I have come back to my home in Florida this week, I have actually been home all along. I’m not coming home, I already was home. Not because I found home in another country. Not because I found home in my teammates.
In reality, Home is with me wherever I go. For me, Home is in Christ. He is where I find peace and rest. He is where I am safe to be truly myself. He is my protector and provider and refuge. He is the only person who has ever loved me perfectly and unconditionally. He is constant and steadfast. He never changes nor lets me down.
Find your home in Christ. He doesn’t disappoint; He fulfills. The invitation is open to anyone and everyone. He doesn’t ask you to be perfect or pure or worthy. No one is banned from His home. Come as you are.
“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” John 14:23
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Find you home in Jesus, not in the things of this world which are fleeting and unfulfilling.
