Home. It’s a place we long for, a concept we wax nostalgic about, a term that evokes memories.

But what if your concept of home is very different? What if your memories of home are painful, haunting, or discouraging? What if your definition of home isn’t rooted in one central location?

What if “home” means something very different to you than to the next woman?

I’ve interacted with the concept of home on many different levels in the past year. I spent the majority of my life in one location, firmly establishing my concept of home. Then I moved 6,000 miles away to Nigeria, West Africa, and my definition of home was shaken to the core.

At first, I found myself very resistant to Nigeria as home. I wanted to affirm my midwestern roots. In the midst of a foreign culture, I needed to cling to something familiar. As the months wore on, I began to appreciate all the intricacies of my new surroudnings. I fell in love with Nigeria. I found a new place to belong – a new place to call home.

After I moved back to America, I felt lost, out of place, and homesick. While I was floundering, the women surrounding me spoke 2 truths into my life:

1. I belong in more than one place in this world. This is a gift, not a curse.

2. Ultimately, this world is not my home. My heavenly home will join together all the people that I love and hold dear.

Armed with this truth, I felt reassured. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that we would desire a place to belong–a home and a family–and through His son, provided an eternal home for us.

If you also struggle with your concept of home–because your earthly home was broken or muddled or like mine, divided–take heart. This world is not your home. Christ came as a man, as part of a family, bringing a gospel of hope, redeeming our human concept of home.