Amy was a little more excited than usual for Meghan and Zach’s engagement session. During our consultation call, we discovered that Amy and Zach were from the same town and had gone to the same high school, though their years there never overlapped. Amy is always deeply nostalgic about her experience growing up. She will proudly boast of her hometown and what it was like to grow up there. When the topic came up during their session, Zach revealed that his experience was a bit different.
He had moved to the area and found himself to be the new kid trying to fit into this already tight community. We were wondering if it was something specific to the close-knit nature of Amy’s hometown, but Meghan had her own thoughts on the situation. Meghan moved every few years growing up. In her experience, it’s hard to break into that circle regardless of where you are moving.
We found ourselves still thinking about this even weeks after their session. Why do we all desire to break into that group and be accepted? We think it is because we all want to put down roots and experience that sense of home. The reality—which can be hard to see in the moment, but will show itself if you take some time to think about it—is that no matter how welcome or at home you feel in a place, it will never satisfy you. Our satisfaction will only come from God and from finally making it to our home in Heaven. We do, however, get a taste of that heavenly joy on earth, and it comes from the family.
Meghan and Zach, establishing a family—and caring deeply for the members of your family—is the closest we get to Heaven on earth. There are so many temptations that pull us away from peace and happiness, though they promise us the opposite. Dying to yourself and loving your family with your entire heart will never disappoint you in this way. It’s how we establish a home. We found ourselves panicking a year ago before we purchased our home because we had this desire to finally put down roots. What we learned in the months after buying our house is that our roots were already put down the day we said “I do” and formed a family of our own at the altar. The physical aspects, like owning a house, the town we live in, and the people we surround ourselves with, matter much less than what is happening to us as a family: Kyle, Amy, and Winnie. With your son on the way, you already have a new member joining your family. You’ll get to show him what it means to be “at home” just by being a member of your family. We wish you all the best and cannot wait for your wedding!
In Christ,
Amy and Kyle
