A little over a month ago, I lived with a friend at her house. My own house sold and my new one was not ready. Rather than spend money I didn’t have by living in a hotel or renting an apartment, my friend graciously opened her door to me. I packed up my house, watched the moving truck take it away to storage and with a couple of suitcases in hand, I hesitantly walked into my friend’s house not sure what to expect. Home in the in-between is a beautiful gift when you receive the gift of hospitality.
If I am honest, I resisted this transition because all I wanted was to move into my new house. Little did I know that God planned every detail because He knows me better than I know myself. Each day I spent at my friend’s provided the rest I desperately needed. Her home felt like home because of her willingness to let me be me. I relished the quiet time with God and realized He needed me to slow down. Home in the in-between was a transition to restoration and renewal.
Life is full of transitions. From job changes to marriage to raising kids and anything else that comes your way. Your time here on Earth is also a transition. Your life marks the journey of the here and now, but as believers we know Earth is our temporary home. What if home in the in-between is God’s way of growing you as His disciple here on Earth? How would knowing that change how you choose to live your life right now? Do you believe God’s purpose for your life drives your view of home?
If you asked me those same questions, I know my answers look different today than even a year ago. God works mightily in us when we open the door to our hearts even a crack. For me, these last few years, God showed up even when I didn’t officially invite Him. He wants to work in and through me and this takes transformation from the inside out. Every minute of my day can either transform me or transcend me. Am I grasping my truth from God or reaching for something that sounds good but is so elusive?
As I was reading a post on my friend Michele’s blog this past weekend, I paused at these words:
“The evils of life can be justified if we recognize that the world was primarily created to be a place where people find God and grow spiritually into all they were designed to be.” Tim Keller, Walking with God Through Suffering and Pain
Our home on Earth is a place to not only find God, but grow into the person He created us to be. The here and right now remains temporary because our story is God’s story. He wrote our beginning, middle and end to unfold in His timing. When I read these words from Tim Keller, I began to ask myself, how do I surrender my agenda to grow into God’s design for me?
[Tweet “Home in the in-between is our journey on Earth until Jesus calls us home. “]
I want to live knowing that I am always headed home. Home in the in-between takes us through our life here on Earth. The choices we make lead us on the journey of transformation toward Jesus or away from Him. My desire and purpose is to take what God is teaching me as He works from the inside out to empower others until He finally leads me home.
Whether you believe home is temporary, purpose-driven, one of transition or a safe haven to just be, God wants you to walk out His story. My purpose looks like dwelling in this temporary home as a disciple. When I allow God to do the hard work inside of me, I grow roots and when I produce fruit, I am able to share it with others.
Prayers for all as we journey to reimagining home. It is earthly, heavenly and future-focused as we grasp God’s desire for us to join His story.
Blessings on the journey!
Click here, here and here to catch up on the Reimagining Home series.
You might find me hanging out with these lovely ladies this week.
I love that your friend opened her home to you, that you were able to accept the gift of hospitality and love that she offered.
Too often we’re reluctant to say ‘yes’ to these lavish offerings, and in the process we, and the offer-er, end up missing out on a sweet blessing.
And yes, yes, the transition times, when all around us is changing and shifting, can shore up our faith in Christ, can strengthen our trust in His plan.
Blessings as you continue to move ahead, girl …
Hi Mary,
It’s so true that our answers to questions may change from what they were a year ago. New experiences, new information comes our way and I think God wants us to stay open to the present moment so we can be open too to transform from these present experiences. I don’t always like the present moment! 🙂 But can choose to let go and transform…!
God does want us to be present in the moment and continue to learn in all seasons of life. I also know how much He loves to do the work of transformation in us whether we are in a time of waiting or moving forward. We can learn something new at any time if we keep ourselves open. I pray we are open to God at all times.
So glad you’re sharing about home. The beauty of a friend’s generosity shows God’s love. New home, old home, or in transition, God’s goodness shines through and prepares us for our eternal Home.
So I wonder if you have been reflecting more on home since you recently moved. I for some reason cannot get it out of my mind. God has so much to teach me and I have so much to learn. Thank you for joining in the conversation Debbie!
Beautiful post, Mary. I love my home like crazy, but I agree with you–I want to live as if I’m always headed home. Thanks for this reminder!
What a gift for all of us to live like we are always headed home. It is easier than it sounds but is such a delight to God. Thank you for blessing me by being here and joining in the conversation.
My given name, “Barbara”, means “stranger in a foreign land.” This earth is not my home. I am here, living in the in-between, between heaven and earth. I’ve gone through much transition in my life and some hard changes, but my faith has been strengthened as I’ve learned to lean on Him in those times. Such a beautiful post Mary!
I absolutely love the meaning of your name. How fitting is it to know that even though you are a stranger in a foreign land, God brought you here at this exact time to do His work. I imagine your times of transition have had you questioning God. But I know you show me that walking in faith is what gets you through.
You are a beautiful example of leaning on God and letting Him lead you to what’s next.
Mary, what a beautiful post! I love the thought of earth being our home in-between. It got me thinking about how God knew us before we cam to earth, born as babies. We have our first memories of knowing being here on earth. How amazing will it be to be in our eternal home with distant memories of our home in-between, but the best memories being in heaven?
This question: how do I surrender my agenda to grow into God’s design for me?
It’s one I grapple with often. Thank you for giving me more context to frame it in my own life.
Hugs, friend!
Thank you, Jeanne! I love how God is teaching me through this series on home. I tend to be so black and white sometimes. I want to hold onto the each and everything but God wants us to set it free.
Our eternal home will be amazing and taking the time now to do God’s work, follow His agenda in the in-between will prepare us for our final home with Him. I pray you and I find that letting go of our agendas and embracing God’s design for us becomes easier. Love you and thank you for sharing you here in this space.
“When I allow God to do the hard work inside of me, I grow roots and when I produce fruit, I am able to share it with others.” AMEN Beautiful photos, Mary, and your post is so encouraging. Sometimes the in-between seems hard, but God is teaching us things we might not learn otherwise.
Blessings to you!
Oh if only I was always open to new lessons from God. I do know that when I am, I gain so much more than when I resist His plan. Don’t you love that scripture-the word pictures of growing roots and producing fruit are so beautiful to me.
I pray we allow ourselves to rest in the in-between because this is where God will do the deep work in us.
I’m glad that the time with your friend gave you rest and a place where you felt you could be yourself. It is easy to get preoccupied with our own comfort and forget that God has a plan that is better than ours and often the unexpected, and sometimes unwanted, circumstances are what deepen our relationship with him. Remembering that earth is just our temporary home makes such a difference.
My friend blessed me not only with a place to stay but with the gift of welcome and friendship. The time with her truly was a blessing. I resist any kind of change but when this is my focus I can miss out on the blessing God has planned for me. I need to be reminded over and over how God’s plan is always better and will get me to Hom faster than my own.
Thank you for your insight and blessing me by being here.
I would have resisted that in-between move, too, but what a blessing that you were able to move in with your friend during the transition time. “Our home on Earth is a place to not only find God, but grow into the person He created us to be.” Those uncomfortable spots are often where we grow the most! Thanks for sharing, Mary.
Don’t we all desire that our lives our just one smooth transition after another?? God loves to shake things up and honestly I’m glad he did now that I look back. I pray we continue to allow God to take us out of our comfort zone to bring us closer to Him and to our eternal home.
Dear Mary,
Oh, yes, I am also loving this series that you have brought here on HOME. I know the Lord has spoken to me at different times through my life that these homes here are meant to teach us more about our true Home with Him! Thank you so much for sharing these precious and encouraging thoughts today. Blessings and Hugs!
Thank you Bettie for this sweet encouragement. I know that since I have just moved into a new home I am leaning into all God is teaching me on Home. But I am also finding it fascinating. May we surrender any misconceptions we might have to God and allow Him to teach us on this journey what home is and how He is the center of it all. Blessed as always to have you here!
I love that God knows us better than we do ourselves, Mary. I love this truth – “Our home on Earth is a place to not only find God, but grow into the person He created us to be. The here and right now remains temporary because our story is God’s story.” May we live His story and may He someday call us to our forever home! Love and hugs!
All I can say is that I am blessed God knows me better than I know myself because on my own, I tend to mess things up. God has a way of teaching us and leading us back to what is important. I am learning how amazing it is to be open constantly to God’s story even when it is painful for me.
I pray we all step into the story that God so livingly wrote for each of us. Love and hugs!
This is beautiful.
You wrote, “Every minute of my day can either transform me or transcend me. Am I grasping my truth from God or reaching for something that sounds good but is so elusive?”
I LOVE this!!! Convicting…
I definitely need to remember this for my own life.
Thank you for sharing <3
-Rachel (your link up pal @Glimpses) 🙂
When I write, it is God’s time to teach me. I go back and read my words sometimes because the lesson didn’t seem to stick the first time.
I pray you carry the truth of God in your heart and know how much He wants to transform you each and everyday. I am blessed you stopped by and I loved meeting you today.
Mary,
So interesting that your temporary stay with your friend was a microcausim of our life here on earth. As I am forced to live between the what has already been done and the what is yet to come, I realize more and more that heaven is my true home and that this transition time here on earth is all for my growth, discipline, and preparation for eternity to come. Oh that I might be a good student.
Blessings sweet friend,
Bev xx
I pray that I continue to learn during this time of in-between. I never want to pause and grow stagnant. I am asking God to work in me and believe me He is. I see how God is working in you too. Sometimes all it takes is our “yes” and then He will do the rest.
We are in the no, not yet when it comes to our eternal home but just think how much more we can do when invite God into our hearts to do His work.
Finding God and growing spiritually into all we were meant to be sure beats the goals I come up with on my own. I’m loving this series, Mary, and I keep thinking that you’ve endured a lot of change and upheaval in the past couple of years. I’m thankful for the spirit of trust and acceptance that you’ve brought to this process, and for the way you’ve shared it here. We never need to stop growing and learning, do we?
First your words of encouragement are such a gift to me. I am in a season of learning to be more vulnerable and I find it easier to do through writing at times than I do in real life. But knowing there are people on the other end of the screen like you makes it safe and reassuring.
God is stretching me beyond my comfort zone right now but I am also praying for Him to do that. Sometimes we pray for that big step thinking God won’t do anything but when He does, we start to back up. Now is my time to grow and be open so here goes nothing!!! I’m not sure if you feel like this, but being in my fifties is wonderful as well as an awakening that now is the time to let God work hard in me.
Thank you for always being here. I am loving how God is teaching me about home.