Finding Home - Guest Post and Giveaway
Today's post is a guest post by Cathy Bryant. She has written a beautiful devotional to share with you, and at the end, there's a giveaway!
Have you ever noticed how some people seem born for the open road? Not me. I’m a put-down-roots kinda gal. Oh, I confess to enjoying a trip away from the daily routine from time to time, but I’m always eager to return home, always happy to turn into our driveway, always content in my own backyard.
What is it about our hearts that longs for home? I believe there’s a home-sized hole in each of our hearts—a hole that can only be filled one way. But at one time I believed if I searched long enough and worked really hard to make it happen, I would find that magical place called home here on earth.
The faith hall-of-fame in Hebrews 11 talks about this quest for home we all experience.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own…they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. ~Hebrews 11:13-14, 16 (NIV, emphasis mine)
As the wife of a teacher-turned-minister, we seemed to move from one small Texas town to the next. Just about the time we began to feel settled, God would move us on to a place that was new and different—a place that for a long time just didn’t feel like home.
But God used this time in my life to teach me a valuable lesson. For the Christian, home isn’t a place, it’s a person.
Jesus.
Only He can fill that home-sized hole in each of our hearts. Only He was intended to.
In the book of John, right before Jesus was arrested, He spent the last hours with His disciples—teaching them, telling them what was about to happen, encouraging them. In this passage He has much to say about “home” or “abiding.” I especially love how The Message by Eugene H. Peterson phrases it.
“Live in Me. Make your home in Me just as I do in you…I’ve loved you the way My Father has loved Me. Make yourselves at home in My love. If you keep My commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in My love. That’s what I’ve done—kept My Father’s commands and made Myself at home in His love.”
What a comfort! How blessed we are to know that no matter where this pilgrimage on earth takes us, home is Christ!
Dear heavenly Father~
We are blessed to call You not only Father, but Savior, Friend, Home and so much more! Help us to remember to abide—to make ourselves at home—in You and Your love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
By Cathy Bryant, © 2010
Cathy Bryant’s debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, tells the story of a disillusioned widow’s quest for home. The book was chosen as a finalist in the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers’ contest, and is available at Amazon.com.
A Texas gal since birth, Cathy lives in northeast Texas in a century-old farmhouse with her husband, a phobia-ridden cat, and a garden full of flowers, butterflies, and late-summer mosquitoes the size of your fist.
Blog: http://WordVessel.blogspot.com
Website: www.CatBryant.com
* * *
Have you ever noticed how some people seem born for the open road? Not me. I’m a put-down-roots kinda gal. Oh, I confess to enjoying a trip away from the daily routine from time to time, but I’m always eager to return home, always happy to turn into our driveway, always content in my own backyard.
What is it about our hearts that longs for home? I believe there’s a home-sized hole in each of our hearts—a hole that can only be filled one way. But at one time I believed if I searched long enough and worked really hard to make it happen, I would find that magical place called home here on earth.
The faith hall-of-fame in Hebrews 11 talks about this quest for home we all experience.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own…they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. ~Hebrews 11:13-14, 16 (NIV, emphasis mine)
As the wife of a teacher-turned-minister, we seemed to move from one small Texas town to the next. Just about the time we began to feel settled, God would move us on to a place that was new and different—a place that for a long time just didn’t feel like home.
But God used this time in my life to teach me a valuable lesson. For the Christian, home isn’t a place, it’s a person.
Jesus.
Only He can fill that home-sized hole in each of our hearts. Only He was intended to.
In the book of John, right before Jesus was arrested, He spent the last hours with His disciples—teaching them, telling them what was about to happen, encouraging them. In this passage He has much to say about “home” or “abiding.” I especially love how The Message by Eugene H. Peterson phrases it.
“Live in Me. Make your home in Me just as I do in you…I’ve loved you the way My Father has loved Me. Make yourselves at home in My love. If you keep My commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in My love. That’s what I’ve done—kept My Father’s commands and made Myself at home in His love.”
What a comfort! How blessed we are to know that no matter where this pilgrimage on earth takes us, home is Christ!
Dear heavenly Father~
We are blessed to call You not only Father, but Savior, Friend, Home and so much more! Help us to remember to abide—to make ourselves at home—in You and Your love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
By Cathy Bryant, © 2010
* * *
Cathy Bryant’s debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, tells the story of a disillusioned widow’s quest for home. The book was chosen as a finalist in the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers’ contest, and is available at Amazon.com.
A Texas gal since birth, Cathy lives in northeast Texas in a century-old farmhouse with her husband, a phobia-ridden cat, and a garden full of flowers, butterflies, and late-summer mosquitoes the size of your fist.
Blog: http://WordVessel.blogspot.com
Website: www.CatBryant.com
* * *
The Giveaway (open to US addresses only):
Cathy has agreed to giveaway a copy of her debut novel, Texas Roads
, to one of my readers. In order to enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below (please use a valid email address so I can contact you if you win) sharing your thoughts after having read the post. The giveaway will be open until Monday, April 12th at 12pm. The winner will be picked via random.org and will be contacted via email. If I do not hear back from the winner in 48 hours, I'll pick a new winner.
Labels: ashleypichea, Giveaways, Guest Posts
posted by Ashley Pichea @ 8:30 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home