3 countries, 3 homes

United States, Mexico, Belgium. Three countries in 4 days, that was the beginning of my 2020. Traveling is awesome and awe-inspiring. In all three of these countries I saw the Lord at work in my own life and in the lives of others around me. I walked the streets of all of them, each uniquely different and captivating. Each language beautifully unparalleled. These countries are about as polar opposite of one another as you can get, and yet my heart is tethered to each one.

Coming back is not easy. Whenever I'm in one place, a little piece of me longs to travel to the other. I think maybe because each place is a little bit of home to me, but not quite. The comfortable bright blue walls of my room in the US, the barking dogs and passing cars on the streets of Mexico, the creaking wooden floors of the common area in Belgium- all of them are special to me. Friendships made and continued, prayers poured out and answered, conversations had and remembered, the Lord has brought me to each of these places.

At this point, when people ask, "Where's home?" I honestly don't know how to answer. Lately I've replied, "Everywhere and no where." It started out as a joke, but has started to really resonate. Is it hard for me to realize that statement is more truth than joke? Yes, a thousand times yes. Deep down, the consistency loving soul of mine longs to say, "Texas!" or "Nebraska!" without second guessing. But that isn't the life that the Lord has had me live! It's only just recently I've begun to realize I am thankful to say that I have so many "homes". The Lord has been so good to me to open up my heart to so many places, peoples, and cultures! I can't imagine what my life would be like without each place.

 "Not quite feeling at home is the very thing God uses to draw us to abide with Him." - Ruth Chou Simmons. Amen & amen to this friends! This is exactly where I'm at right now. So my prayer is that along with the blessing of travel and leaving my heart in so many different places, I would continually seek my eternal home- the Lord Jesus Christ! I pray the same for y'all too!