On being away from home . . .

Besides holidays, there are other times in life that living away from “home” – where we grew up - and from our family hits us hard. Early on in our marriage I had moments of extreme homesickness, and even though the distance we were away from our families was not as great as some I knew (other ministers and missionaries), it may as well have been 1000 miles or more since we did not have enough money to make the trip often.

Although we’ve made great friends along the way, the distance has been a real problem for us especially in times of stress. I went through times of struggle about being away from my extended family after the births of both of my children, and my husband and I both struggled during the times that his parents were sick and dying. I will say that our church family was great during these highs and lows and ministered to our little family in wonderful ways as a surrogate family.

One scripture that has ministered to me in regard to this issue of being away from family is Mark 10:28-30:

Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.”

It’s true, even though we’ve left our families behind in another state, we’ve gained many more members to our family in the churches where we minister. And we’ve got a greater home ahead for us someday in eternity. That hope helps me deal with the disappointment of not being with my mother and grandmother and aunts and uncles at various times in my life. I hope it does the same for you!