“There’s no place like home,” Dorothy said in the well-loved children’s story, The Wizard of Oz. Certainly, this time of quarantine has taught us all that. For better or worse, there is truly “no place like home.”
Having recently moved (not for the fainthearted among us, this moving business), I work and wait to establish a new “home.”
When my sweet friend Charity shared her thoughts with me on “Going Home,” well, I just knew I had to share them with you.
In the end, being home is a heart journey and we each must ask, “Where is my heart taking me today?”
And now, “Going Home” by Charity Cooper.
It had been 18 long months.
Not a long time for an adventurer, but a seeming eternity for a rural home body like me. . .
I can still vividly picture my last slow walk around the back yard of our creek-lined property. As I gazed at the water and mountainside, memories began flashing through my mind.
Twenty years before, we had driven into that winding valley.
As a young seminary graduate, my husband had been called to be the pastor of a little country church nestled in the hills of West Virginia.
Not many people cherish the thought of living 45 minutes away from the grocery store or over an hour away from a hospital. No fast-food restaurants close by for a quick meal either. But I am a country girl, and to me the setting was ideal. Well, almost. It didn’t take long for us to learn how literal the saying, “…and if the creek don’t rise” was.
The following years were mingled with many joys and sorrows.
Personally, we weathered many storms. Two miscarriages. A house fire. A flash flood. And years of struggles as our adopted son grew and manifested the damaging effects of fetal alcohol syndrome.
But the sun had also shone through the clouds and brightened many days.
God’s miraculous provisions for a baby boy from Russia, a beautiful new parsonage following our house fire, and a service dog for our son were just a few of those rays. Others included His abiding presence, His power displayed by the nature that surrounded us, and His lovingkindness, often shown through His gift of caring friends.
Our mountain became my special retreat. When the waves of life threatened to overwhelm, I would cross the creek, climb the steep trail up to the ridges, and walk for hours while pouring my soul out to God. Faithful to keep His promises, He would strengthen my heart as I waited on Him; and then with renewed spirit, I would begin the descent back home.
Although our ministry had many challenges, it also had its unique blessings. One of those was having a “baptismal creek” in our back yard. Our hearts were always warmed when my husband had the privilege to baptize believers. His body, however, usually emerged quite chilled from the stream-fed waters.
We learned from experience that God’s grace is always sufficient—even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.
We learned to trust—even when God’s ways were hidden in the seas. (Psalm 77:19)
And our faith grew as we let Him lead. For in His sovereignty, He often carried us down paths that in our weakness we would have never chosen.
I grew up in a small Indiana town. It was “home.” As a young child, I remember wondering if any other place in the world could ever feel like home to me.
My daddy loved to travel and took our family to several places around the world, I went to college in South Carolina, and I taught in Wisconsin. But no place ever felt like home again until we settled into our valley in West Virginia.
During the summer of 2018, I started facing some life-altering health issues. As my body grew weaker, I became unable to fulfill my normal responsibilities.
As a result, in January 2019, our family moved to Pennsylvania to live with my husband’s parents in his childhood home, so that he could have their help in caring for our family.
Now, 18 months later, we were taking a quick weekend trip. As soon as we pulled out of the driveway heading for Pine Grove, West Virginia, a peaceful settledness, that I had forgotten, filled my heart. But immediately, I knew what it was.
I was going home.
Then I thought, as wonderful as this feels, I know it doesn’t even compare to the joy that awaits when I will truly be finally Home.
I’ve always liked the chorus—
Finally home.
That is such a blessed thought to me—this little home body.
But without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from when they came out,
they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country,
that is, an heavenly:
wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God:
for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:6, 15-16
Charity is musically trained and gifted. In her time of hardship, she has written many beautiful songs that will touch your heart. They are available to be used freely for worship and can be found at: https://charitycooper.weebly.com/
She has had a tough time but still loves the Lord.. praying for healing for her body… God bless Charity and God Bless you, Melissa
Yes, Monda, and through it all she has been faithful. I know that is your prayer as well as mine!
WOW!! A modern day hero(ine) of the faith!! This was a blessing to my heart this morning ~ Thank you for sharing!!
She truly is a modern day heroine of the faith! I am so glad that her testimony and song blessed you, Stephanie!
Charity I lift you and your family up every morning to our Father ask Him to give you the desires of your heart . You are a blessing to me !! Keep writing those beautiful songs that God lays on your heart of your journey through this life . Joyce
I am thanking you here, Joyce, for Charity. She is so grateful for your prayers and knows that God is using every single one of them!