Home

A place where the people are "for" you.


A place where you are able to find a haven of rest.


A place where you are loved.


A place where you are protected.


A place where you are free from condemnation... but not necessarily from loving correction.


A place you always feel welcome.



A place where I know what is true.

I am eager to get this beautiful Ethiopian baby home. Home to a momma, daddy, sister, and brother who want to lavish them with love. But isn't Ethiopia home? Is McCook home? I would venture to say that neither is. McCook certainly is "homey" to me, but it is far from where I consider my true home to be.

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek a city that is to come." Heb 13:14

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me (Jesus). In my Father's house are many rooms, If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." John 14:1-4

"Brothers, join in imitation me (Paul), and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Chirst, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Phil 3:17-21

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace...and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility" "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God..." Eph 2:13,16, 19

I was once a stranger and alien to the kingdom of God. In open rebellion to my creator, I was determined to live for my own desires. Praise be to God that He granted me a new heart that I might repent of my sins and joyfully follow my Savior in all things! I am now, as far as citizenship goes, an alien to this world. Though my citizenship is transferred, I remain as an ambassador of Christ until it is time for me to go home :)

Until then, I delight in the home-away-from-home in which we are growing our family. It is my favorite place to be and when we travel it is so wonderful to return to our home. I have been thinking on a verse in 2 Timothy where Paul is exhorting Timothy to be faithful to preach and teach the gospel though times will be tough and people will not listen. I was caught by verse 2:4 which says, "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." Civilian pursuits, to me, seem to be things that are done that offer no benefit to the kingdom of God. It seems evident then that we must be very wise with our time and choice of pursuits. I happen to be a worker-at-home, so what does this mean for me to be avoiding the entaglement of civilian pursuits?

One afternoon as I was sitting on the couch reading books to my kiddos I wondered if this was a civilian pursuit or what a good momma-soldier should be doing...hmmm. Just then, I was reminded that the home that I am growing these kiddos up has been designed for a purpose. Family was imagined and created by the Lord. Our homes were meant to show forth the goodness of God and to help us understand who He is. It suddenly occurred to me that our earthly homes are such an awesome shadow of our heavenly home. Acceptance, truth, grace, a restful and peaceful place, protection, etc. Isn't it gracious of God to give us a shadow of what we look forward to in heaven! These things do not come naturally to me, mind you! I delight that as I seek after Him, all these things will be added to our home. Though sitting and reading toddler books for an hour may not feel very productive, I am convinced that it is going far in laying a foundation for my children to understand much bigger things.