Living in one place for your whole life—I will never understand that. You see, I’ve never lived anywhere longer than six years.
No. I’m not an “army brat.” I’m a PK—a preacher’s kid.
Growing up, having to move and start all over again every few years was the worst. But looking back, I can see so many blessings that came from it. For one, I was able to help my husband learn how to uproot and then plant ourselves somewhere else every time we’ve moved. For another, I have no qualms about jumping in and making friends right away—it’s kept me from being an introvert, for sure. And for a third, I have so many places I can set my stories now. Ha!
But I’ve noticed a theme running through several of my books now.
Home.
What is home? What makes a place deserve to have that word attached to it? Is it simply where you receive your mail or sleep each night? Is it where you spend the most time? Or is it something more?
My new book, Writing Home, plays with this idea some. You see, Christiana always wanted to live in Huntsville when she grew up, but now that she’s there, something’s still missing. And Jordan lives on his family’s property, in his grandparents’ old cabin, but he can’t feel settled. They’re both lacking whatever it is that makes a place more than just where you live.
As they write letters to each other, and explore these issues, they both learn something important.
Home isn’t just where you live. It’s where you share life. It’s a haven and a resting place, too.
And while my characters are longing for somewhere on earth to call home, they’re also longing for that heavenly home, just like us. Because no matter how cozy our homes are here, they’re never going to be perfect. But Heaven will. And I think God gave us that longing for home to remind us that He’s got something even better just waiting for us down the road.
I’m ready. How about you? Are you longing for home?
Can letters from the past spur a couple on to the future of their dreams?
Christiana Jones dreamed her whole life of living in Huntsville, Alabama, so she can’t figure out why it doesn’t feel like home. Her relationships—on social media and in real life—seem shallow and empty. When she unearths a stack of her grandparents’ letters, it spurs an idea. Could she find something deeper with a pen pal?
Jordan White is taken aback when his cousin Tina suggests he become pen pals with her childhood best friend. What could a Louisiana boy have in common with a girl two states away? After all, he’s happily settled on his family’s property and working the job he always wanted. But every letter they exchange has him wishing for more.
As they grow closer through their written words, the miles between them seem to grow wider. Can love cross the distance and bring them home?
Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher’s kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.
More Books by Amy: An Unexpected Legacy, Faith and Hope, and Saving Grace
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