Joyful Nomad

My dad has said that Mr. Perfect and me are Nomads. Wanderers on the earth, that only settle in one place for a short time. Our current situation (and many more before) give validity to his claim. We have lived in 8 homes, in 5 cities during our 13 years. At the moment, we are calling two locations home. They are miles apart, both physically and in description, a house that I always dreamed of and a furnished apartment. So in a very real sense, we are nomads.

This nomadic lifestyle can be unnerving to some. Leaving the home of their roots, and planting themselves in a new place. To me it is a fact of life. My joy does not come from my address.

Modern day nomads can live two ways: joyful or miserable. And this distinction comes from one thing, purpose. Miserable nomads are those who move from place to place in search for the greener grass. They are pursuing people, places and things that will make their life full and purposeful. They find someone, someplace, or something that gives them significance....for a while. Then, they move on, nomads on the hunt.

Joyful nomads are also in pursuit of purpose. But this pursuit is God's purpose. They seek after it, and often it causes them to be on the move. The joy is found in the purpose. Their nomadic life is valid, because the earth is not their home.

I am a nomad full of joy. I don't have it all together, and I do have days of despair. But overall, I am a woman with great joy. So why do I have such joy as a nomad? I follow the purpose I know God has for me. Basic purpose that He has revealed in His Word: 1) To love and worship God, and enjoy Him forever 2) To be a helper to my husband, uplifting him and enabling him to be what God wants him to be 3) To care for and train my children in the admonition of the Lord 4) To edify the Body of Christ through a local body of believers. When I focus on these, my life is meaningful.