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The Journey | 9.6.26 – 9.11.26
Homesickness is something I’ve struggled with. I’ve moved 11 times, lived in 6 cities, and 4 years ago I moved from Colombia to the U.S. I thought to myself, I have a master’s in moving, I’ve traveled to the U.S. several times, I work for an American company and am fluent in English—piece of cake!
Oh… I was so wrong!
It first dawned on me when I went to send some documents, and the USPS guy just gaped at me, frustrated and confused. I’d labeled it wrong, and I was under the impression a stamp was a cute optional addition.
Fast-forward several humbling moments to when I started noticing that when I asked for a lemon, I would get a lima, and when I asked for a lime, I’d get a limón. That one threw me over the edge. My whole life, I believed with complete certainty that a limón was a lemon and a lima was a lime! What else had I gotten wrong? My life was feeling like a really bad episode of The Twilight Zone. I felt so overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to do life here. I didn’t know the basics—what life-altering things was I missing? I wanted to go back home to Colombia. I felt like I was underwater, and Colombia was the air I needed.
After two years, I was finally able to go back. For ten days, I traded freezing KCK for a glorious 80°F. The smell of the ocean, walking around knowing exactly where I was, every street drenched with memories, seeing my family and friends… I was so excited to show my husband all of it. I took him to try my favorite milkshake, but it was kind of a letdown. They’d changed the recipe. After a few other restaurants, I realized everything tasted different… was it me? Yep! My taste buds had Americanized. And so had I, because after a week I started missing Kansas. And there it was, the life of the immigrant I’d heard of, staring me right in the face. I will never be truly American or fully Colombian again. My language of preference: Spanglish, not the official language anywhere.
My daughter had that same alien feeling at school, so when I heard a pastor mention a school that was “like a little piece of heaven on earth,” I had a lightbulb moment. Every time I’ve moved, church has always felt like a little taste of home. I couldn’t give her our culture or our family, but I could give her that little piece of heaven. It was life-changing; she found her people, a place where she belongs and is accepted and loved. While listening to Pastor Dan’s message, it hit me: that’s the home I’ve unknowingly been searching for. Writing this, I am just putting all the pieces together, and I realize I am, as Phil Wickham puts it, Homesick for Heaven.
I am still navigating the unknown, but I’ve found that’s when I am more prone to cling to Jesus and let him guide me. So, when you’re facing your own unknowns, ask the Holy Spirit to comfort you, ask Jesus to guide you, and make space to be still long enough to hear him and let that sense of home your heart has been aching for wrap around you.
By Catalina Florez
Monday, September 7
Do you know that feeling when you arrive at a party and the room is full of faces you don’t recognize? You walk past table after table, people talking and laughing, and it starts to feel a little awkward. You’re almost to the end of the room, wondering where you’re going to sit, when suddenly you see a familiar face waving at you. Next to them is an empty chair. “I saved you a seat!” Everything changes. You relax. You belong there.
Jesus tells us he is preparing a place for us in his Father’s home, and there is more than enough room. I love imagining the day I arrive in heaven and Jesus waves and says, “I saved you a place,” and I know I’m expected.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for preparing a place for me and reminding me that I belong with you. When I feel out of place, unseen, or unsure of where I belong, help me remember that I am known, wanted, and welcomed in your presence.
Tuesday, September 8
Jesus guides us along the right paths, and even when we’re facing uncertainty, he’s close beside us; therefore, we shouldn’t be afraid. The thing is: we do get scared. Sometimes, I know with all certainty that Jesus is in control and I’m walking the path he’s set for me, but my logical, overthinking and highly dramatic mind does not get the memo. That’s the gap where faith comes in.
Is there a step God has been nudging you to take, but fear has either paralyzed you or made you change directions? Ask God to show you what step you need to take this week and take that step in faith, even if you’re still afraid.
Wednesday, September 9
I’ve found that worry can be like a canary in the coal mine for me. When it starts taking over, I know my trust in God is weakening. I’m starting to believe the problem more than I believe his promises. And when worry gets loud enough, even prayer can feel hard. For those moments, I keep what I call my “anchors”: a message I’ve watched more times than I can count, a playlist of songs that have carried special meaning in my journey with God, and Bible verses that remind me of his promises for me.
Have you ever heard a message or a song that spoke to you at exactly the right moment? Find it. Save it. Come back to it when worry starts getting louder than what you know to be true. Let it remind you who God is until his truth becomes louder than your fear.
If nothing comes to mind, here are a couple of my anchors while you find yours:
Take You at Your Word
Thursday, September 10
Researchers have found that practicing gratitude can reduce worry and symptoms of anxiety. I love that science is catching up to something Paul wrote centuries ago: when anxiety rises, bring it to God with thanksgiving. Gratitude doesn’t erase the problem, but it can shift our focus from what we’re lacking to the ways God is and has been present in our lives.
Pray: God, when I get anxious, help me bring my worries to you instead of carrying them alone. Remind me of the ways you have been faithful, and help me be grateful even when I don’t know how things will turn out. Guard my heart and mind with your peace today.
Friday, September 11
If some random person at Walmart asks me to come with him to a place he can’t tell me about because “it’s a surprise,” I’d run the other way as if my life depended on it. If my husband makes the same proposal, I’ll happily go!
“Abraham went without knowing where he was going.” That kind of trust doesn’t come out of nowhere. In Genesis 18:17, God says, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” We get a glimpse of the closeness between them, and later, in Isaiah 41:8, God even calls Abraham “my friend.”
Abraham trusted God because he knew him.
How can you grow closer to God? Maybe it’s spending more time in prayer, serving, or simply slowing down long enough to listen. Take one intentional step this weekend to know him better. The more we know God, the easier it becomes to trust him—even when we don’t know where he’s leading.
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