By Jenny Harrison
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)
Leaving home for college is not easy, especially when you are miles away from a familiar face. I vividly remember a young lady that lived on my floor in the college dormitory. She was originally from Texas but moved to Utah at the young age of two. Moving back to Texas at eighteen years of age took some adjusting on her part.
It was winter in Texas with no snow in the forecast. Our new friend was not only missing her loved ones, but all the winter activities she normally enjoyed. She had grown up a mile from the largest ski resort in the state.
She was a happy, positive person but one evening we witnessed clear and strong signs of homesickness. Being the “scholars” we were, it didn’t take long for us to come up with and execute a brilliant plan. We would recreate a winter wonderland guaranteed to chase away her blues.
When fully prepared, we summoned her from her humble quarters and asked her to join us in the hallway. “What is going on?” she asked as we rounded the corner. In all our wisdom, we had sprinkled the hallway with mass amounts of talcum powder and decided to drag her up and down the hallway on a sled (which strangely resembled an over-sized beach towel).
She was way too kind-hearted not to go along with our surprise and jumped onto the “sled”. What she didn’t expect was the ride of a lifetime. With lightning speed, we twisted and turned up and down the hallways with powder (I mean snow) flying everywhere. I am not sure if we couldn’t breathe because of dragging a human up and down a long hallway, laughing hysterically, or having a near asthma attack from inhaling powder. I suspect it was a combination of the three.
When it was all said and done, our friend was still homesick but grateful beyond words for the many blessings in her life, including friends that would reach out during a hard time.
This memory of college came to me as I read the following passage in Hebrews:
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
Hebrews 11:8-10 (NLT)
I think I can relate to Abraham. I am blessed beyond words. I have an amazing home, husband, son, and daughter-in-law. There are not enough kind words to describe my precious ministry sisters on the Breath of Life team. Each day I sincerely thank my Lord for my wonderful friends, church family, and co-workers. God has given me the opportunity to work at a career I am passionate about. But there are times I feel misplaced and restless. I know I have a purpose on this earth for the short time I am here, but like Abraham I am confident I will someday reach the city with eternal foundations built by God. This world is not my home. But for now, I want all of you to know how much I love and appreciate you. I am a better person because you are in my life.
So for now, we shall tarry down life’s highway until we meet our Father in our glorious and eternal home. I “can only imagine” the joy we will feel as we round the corner to the wonderland laid out before us!
Copyright © 2013, Jenny Harrison, all rights reserved, Breath of Life Women’s Ministries. Image taken from Pinterest. Scriptures from Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. New Living, NLT, and the New Living Translation logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.
