On a recent visit with my adult daughter, she laughed and reflected, “I left home, had a connection at home, so I could go home.” We all laughed at this irony. Her TCK life has rendered her the wonder and challenge of answering that all-encumbering question, “Where is home?” The ability of answering this question with a straight forward answer is just many of the sacrifices our children have made. Life overseas has sacrifices for every member of the family. Sometimes I wonder how my children view it all, how keenly they feel the losses incurred by following Jesus in this way, and how it affects them. 

From my daughter’s perspective, she reflected, “The hardest part was always having to say good-bye, which happens to pair with the best part, which was getting to have new experiences and meet people all around the world. You can’t have one without the other so I’m thankful for both.” 

We then thought of how we are always missing somebody, no matter where in the world we are. At the same time, we are tremendously blessed by having those relationships. Friends that have become like family we otherwise would not have met if it were not for the sacrifice of leaving “home.” Our hearts ache when we are apart, yet, we know our lives would not be as rich if the relationship was never made. 

Jesus and the disciples had a similar conversation. Peter exclaimed to Jesus that they had left everything to follow Him. He reassured them that it was not all for naught. He promised that those who leave home and family would gain them back one hundred times in this age and in the next! My family has seen the reality of this. My kids have more “like an aunt,” “like an uncle,” and “like a sibling” moments that it gets comical. Introductions can be confusing and leave people wondering if they have any blood relations as the “adopted/like” family members outnumber the blood related ones. We have received our one hundred times in this age. And one day, we won’t miss any of them as we will all be together for eternity at Home.