Letter From the Editor

Dear Readers,

In my 60 years of life, I have lived in 11 places, including my college apartment and a couple of short-term apartments: one when I moved to another city, one when I got married, and one when we moved to a new state. I’ve been in my current house for 22 years. My family of origin lived in the same house from 1968 until my mom passed away in 2007. Both sets of grandparents lived in the same houses my parents grew up in. My siblings have all been in their same houses for more than 20 years. You get the picture: we tend to stay in one place.

So it’s no wonder that I consider a certain place to be “home.” 

But when I think about the “theology of place,” I can’t help but think about the Israelites. They wandered 40 years in the wilderness. Forty years. Before that, they had been captives in Egypt. Yet God had told them that he was going to give them a land, a place, of their own. Even after they entered the Promised Land, they were taken away into captivity by the Babylonians. Again, they found themselves without a home. 

Finding their home seems to have been a struggle for their whole existence. So what happens when you don’t feel like you belong anywhere? 

In Psalm 32:7 King David writes, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

God was always with them. He never left them. When they wandered, he was there. 

So what does “place” mean to you? In this month’s issue of the Redbud Post, our writers tackle this subject that really is near and dear to so many hearts. From being out in nature and connecting with God, to finding place in her unique culture, to living in a country that’s not her own, these women will take you on a journey of finding God, of seeing his hand, of knowing that you are always in the shadow of his wings (Psalm 36:7).

As you read their words, take some time to consider your own “theology of place.” Where do you feel like you most belong? My prayer for you is that you will find your home always in the welcoming arms of God.

Blessings as you ponder.