Home

I just got back from a school retreat. The speaker (Dr. Roy King) spoke on Hebrews and we were given  a lot of time to process in small groups. It wasn't one of those experiences that blew my mind, but there were a few significant things that struck me. At the end of the retreat, I really wanted to leave and go home. My apartment, this area, is slowly starting to feel like home. There is still a huge part of me that calls the DC area my home, but it's nice to have this slow, growing appreciation that this place is my home.
The other thing that was a huge blessing to me was that in my small group I was able to be open, honest, cry and have people love on and pray for me. This was such a blessing  as I knew after that cry (and one later on with my roommate) that God was helping me to more fully be here, as my home, and experience Him here. This is not in any way to negate the blessing my friends are from other areas (I will continue to love, appreciate and call you). But it was as if God was nudging me gently to trust him and the people he'd put around me and so invest myself here.
It was sort of scary. It would have been a LOT easier to avoid the honesty and tears or to call up a friend I was comfortable crying with. But God is bigger. And his family is bigger, too. I often try to work within my comfort zone and box God in, but he'll have none of that. He wants all of me, and that involves risk. With him and with the people around me.