Home, Sweet Home

By Devin Dummel

There is something about this time of year that is magical.  The time around Thanksgiving and Christmas is a season full of many wonderful things and experiences.  Perhaps none more special or memorable than the traditions and celebrations that we share with family.

There is a reason that the saying is “Home, sweet home.”  And whether you are returning to your childhood home, or creating a space for your children to return to one day and call home, there is nothing more satisfying and heartwarming than spending this special time of year with the ones we love in the places that we feel most loved.

The unconditional love of the family is truly a unique and treasured thing in our world.  It is life giving and restorative.  These special treks home provide ample food for the journey and encouragement to press on through life’s trials and frustrations.

It’s a beautiful thing, when you think about it.  And the unconditional love of the family is not an accident.  It was created with purpose and meaning.  God created us all in His image, and the love of the family is designed to be an extension of His unconditional love.

The Apostle Paul described this love in these terms:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5)

You may not realize this but you and your family are an extension of this same love.  You were designed this way and your hearts are built for this type of unconditional love.  This is why we are compelled to see past each other’s flaws and stick close together as a family.

And while your family may not be perfect, and this Christmas season you may have your fair share of family drama and frustrations – the fact remains that this same love that God demonstrates for us – this “I know who you are, your faults and all, and I still love you” type of love – is the same love that God has endowed our family with.

So during this special season, let that love shine through.  Make history in your family and demonstrate the great mercy of God.  Allow the heart of God to be displayed in all your words, in your actions and in the things that you treasure during this season.

Be part of creating a space where your family will not only know of the love of God but will experience first-hand what it’s like to know the unconditional love of the family of God.  Help create a space where your children, your spouse, and your extended family can sit back, relax, and think to themselves “Home, sweet home.