Stories: Homeword

Master Architect Builds Home

Our new home is empty. There is not a single piece of furniture and the cupboards are bare. We purchased the house just a ew days earlier. After a long search we finally found the place that was right for us.

The way it became ours is truly a testament to God’s provision.

Our daughters’ heads are bowed as we stand in a circle. Kathy and I have our eyes closed tight. We clasp each others hands and I pray.

“Our God, thank you for this new home you have given us. May you always be present in our hearts and minds and welcomed each morning and thanked each night. And in our good times and our challenging times, may we always be reminded of your faithfulness. May this home be filled with love and understanding, and may we always be kind to one another and to all who enter.”

We have prayed together upon entering for the first time at every new house that we made our home.

Kathy and I have lived in many apartments, rental houses and homes in the more than twenty-five years we have been married. We learned early that it was not the quality of the building that made it a quality home. A house is just a building. It is the love that fills the inside that truly makes it a home.

Kathy and I have often agreed that we could live in a tent and it would be home as long as we are all together.

The three girls were presented their own keys. They have staked out their rooms and the struggle over what color will be used to paint their walls has begun.

The yard is beautiful. A small lake marks the back boundary. And even though we have not moved in officially, Kathy has already weeded the flower bed along the entry sidewalk and planted a few azaleas. And I have mowed the grass.

Thirteen-year-old Mary has inspected every inch of the nearly one acre piece of property with our dog Trixie in tow. Mary is working to perfect her cartwheels and she and Trixie face off in impromptu soccer matches.

Seventeen-year-old Jenny has declared a bench next to the water’s edge as her new favorite spot.

Amie, our twenty-one-year-old daughter, is all smiles sitting on the floor of the family room.

“It’s beautiful, guys!” she declares.

But as grand as our new residence is, it is not a home until we make it a home.

Home begins in the heart. The foundation is built with commitment. The frame comes up one board at a time with every act of kindness. Forgiveness coats the interior walls with bright hues. The floors are covered with expectations and discipline, but the rooms are lit with unconditional love.

Remembrances of loved ones near and afar are placed like beloved furniture handed down from generation to generation. Long, heartfelt conversations line the walls of the kitchen. The front door is hinged with hospitality but closes firmly creating a safe haven. Finally, a great home has a master architect. . . An architect who has thought about every detail and considered every need. . .An architect whose plans are flawless.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

With a grateful heart, I give thanks for this home built by God – our Master Architect.

Back to Top