Several years ago I met my future daughter-in -law. My son told me about her as soon as he got home from summer camp that year. He had taken a group of students to camp as a youth pastor at his church. There was something so endearing about my son when he described this young woman. My mom antenna immediately went up to catch all the details. This meeting was not by chance-it was two hearts opening wide to embrace a new beginning.

When I met Kayla for the first time, I immediately sensed a tenderness about her as well as a deep sense of who she was. Her family dynamics had changed dramatically due to life circumstances, but peace still reigned. She taught me right away that even though home had changed for her a number of times in recent years she knew what it meant. She showed me that home is who you carry in your heart.

As I searched for Scriptures to support and provide a tangible background to this series on home, I came across these words from Ephesians.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT.

My experience of home is who you carry in your heart stems from the loss of both my parents. But when you hear these words about home, I pray that you do not always think of those people who you have lost. Let’s gain some perspective on those people you carry in your heart.

As I first mentioned, both of my parents take up a prominent place in my heart. But think about those loved ones, who perhaps are in your life, but not geographically in the same location. Home looks like my four brothers who live scattered in different parts of the country. It looks like my sons who are both married – one who lives nearby and the other who moved a bit farther away. Home is also all my dear friends who know me and love me but I don’t see on a regular basis. Home is who you carry in your heart because you first opened your heart to accepting the invitation of allowing Christ in your life.

[Tweet “Home is who you carry in your heart when you accepted Jesus’ invitation to enter your life. “]

If you believe the words in Ephesians, than your idea of home will grow exponentially as you trust in God. I get goosebumps when I read, “your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” My simple, little heart has the capacity to grow roots of God’s love and righteousness as I lay down who I am and trust in who God is.

If home is the place where you feel most like yourself, than these words from Ephesians take it one step further. It is in Christ that we become most fully who He created us to be. When our hearts remain open to receiving His love we are made complete in Him. I’m dancing a little jig right now as I absorb these words. Home is who I carry in my heart because Christ loved me first. He gives us the capacity to grow this love and share it with friends, family and anyone we meet.

Home takes on so many meanings. Today I pray you make room in your heart to carry Christ and your loved ones with you wherever you go.

Whom do you carry in your heart? How has God changed your idea of home?

Thank you for being my people whom I carry in my heart!

Click here and here to catch up any posts you may have missed in my Reimagining Home series.

The beautiful picture graces my daughter-in-law’s home and was created especially for her by Jennifer from StudioJRU.

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