Home

My idea of what constitutes ‘home’ has evolved over the years. I used to think of it as a structure, a place, a town, or a country. After I got married and had a child, home became wherever my little family resided. We moved several times, and each place felt like home after a few years. As a stay-at-home mom, home became part of my hyphenated identity. I realized that home was more than a place... t was a state of being, a state of belonging.

“God, it seems you’ve been our home forever; (Ps 90:1 MSG)

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4 NASV)

The concept of going home to God in the afterlife is widely accepted by many Christians. Yet abiding in Christ during this lifetime seems inconceivable. How would that even manifest itself—this dwelling in God? What would it look like—if, instead of being a stay-at-home mom, I were a stay-at-God woman?

As a stay-at-home mom, I have devoted the majority of my time and energy into nurturing my family—making a comfortable nest woven with peace, acceptance, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. I routinely leave the house to run errands and gather provisions. However, I feel unsettled until I return home.

I imagine being a stay-at-God woman would be somewhat similar. Christ would be the primary reason for my being, the goal and purpose of everything I do. Although I may get involved in short errands that cause my mind to wander, I would experience peace when I come back home to God.