Did you ever build a fort when you were younger? Whether it was the real deal built in the woods or up in a tree, or…every cushion, pillow, sheet and blanket from the entire house built in the living room…building a fort is something we love to do as kids. And we loved to bring our favorite things to the fort. Our favorite toys, snacks, a flashlight…the comforts of home that we wanted to make our new spot feel a little bit more…like home.

We could stay in our fort for hours. Playing, laughing, having fun and even sometimes hiding there when we wanted some space and time away from others.

I’ve realized that while I don’t build forts anymore…when I’m staying somewhere away from home I still pack a few things that help me remember home. A favorite scented candle. Technology gives me two for one now because I have pictures of my family AND a flashlight all together! I think we take a little bit of home with us when we travel because we know…there is no place like home.

Home is a place we can feel safe. We can relax and totally be ourselves. Here’s a paradigm shift…the things of God that we value and hold dear…His Word that we carry with us everywhere…they are reminders that while we are here…we are not really home yet. 2 Corinthians 5:6 says, ‘therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.’ God gave us His Holy Spirit to keep with us as a guide and reminder that we are not home yet.

Someday we’re going to make it home. This whole earthly experience is kind of like building a fort. When we finally see Jesus…we won’t need anything from here that reminds of us home. We will finally experience coming back home!