There's no place like Home

Well as most of you would agree there is no place like home.  I have been gone  from home for about 7 months over the past two years.  I've not wanted to be gone that long, I didn't ask or wish to be gone that  long, so why have I been gone that long?  The only one who can answer me that is God.  So whenever I get to heaven one of the first things I will do is ask, why did you keep me away from home for so long?  I wish I was like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and I could just click my red sparkly shoes together 3 times and say,"There's no place like home". (except I would wear red zigs)  However we don't live in a world so simple.

Why do I have to be away from Morgan for so long? Why does Kelli have to be gone  for so long? Kelli has been with me every step of the way.  That's not fair to her or Morgan, however they have been troopers through it all.  My daughter misses her parents and doesn't understand why her friends always have their parents around but she doesn't.  It's not fair to my mother who has dropped her life to come to Beckley and pretty much raise my kid.  That's not fair.  None of this is fair and why is it me feeling all the responsibility? I know what you are going to say, "It's not your fault Jeff, you didn't ask to be sick", and you're right I never did ask to be sick.  So why is this happening to me and my family?

You see, I know God has this all worked out.  He knows how this story is going to end.  He knows the roads I'm going to take, even before I take them.  He doesn't even need a Garmin or Tom Tom to know where where I'm going.  I do wish he would clue me in a little bit though, because at times I freak out and I feel like I've taken a wrong turn somewhere.  I've felt like that a lot here lately but then the Lord has me pull into a rest stop.  That gives me time to get back on the right road.  This weekend my church family decided to have a day of prayer and fasting for me.  I was totally blown away but it was definitely the thing I needed to refuel.  Somewhere back home, I have all these people who are lifting me to God.  Most of these people I know but there are some who I have never heard of.  Why are these people praying for me?  They don't know me.  They do it because they're trying to keep me on the right road and because as Christians, doesn't  God teach us to help one another and to lean on one another.  You see, we are all one big family who loves and cares about one another and just like any other family,  they come to help when  another family member is hurting or just needs a hand.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it really hurts to be gone away  from home for so long, but I have learned that God knew where you where going even before you did and when things seem at their lowest, there is always family (church and relative) that will take care of you and lift you up to God.  So next time you are away from home for a long time, lean on your church family and give hurts over to God.  He won't let you get lost and He will always point you in the right directon because, There's no place like Home.