Wanderer, Come Home!

Today my daughter is blogging for me again. And as before, this will no doubt speak to a deep place in many of you. Alycia knows this journey and has seen God’s love wash all over her.  All of us have if we are followers of Christ. Our stories are different but our eternity is the same!

My hands were full when I tried to quickly shut the backyard gate behind me, but my dog, Walter, was able to quickly squeeze past my legs and he took off into his new-found freedom. I was talking on the phone at the same time and hollered his name. The person on the other end of the line asked what happened and I responded that my dog just ran away. She asked me if I needed to go chase him, but he’s done this before and always goes to the same place before returning home.

I got busy doing chores inside but opened the front door, so I would hear him the minute his paws hit the porch. I vacuumed, dusted and was doing pick-up (time consuming with 6 kids in the house) and staying within earshot of that porch. Finally, I heard the sound I had been waiting on and ran to the door to allow him back into the house.

He was wet and covered in hundreds of small black burs. I immediately sat down and started the arduous task on removing all the burs. They were buried in his fur and he yelped a little as I would find ones close to his skin. I found some deodorizing spray for the pond smell. I called to my husband to find me a brush, so I could maybe remove them a little faster. He came around the corner and saw the number of burs and immediately began chastising Walter; telling him he was a bad dog. I covered my dog’s ears and told him don’t tell him that. I went back to bur removal telling Walter he was a good dog and I was just happy he was home.  After some time, the damage was cleaned up and I sat down on the couch, patting the spot beside me for Walter to join me and we watched some T.V. while he dozed off tired from his adventure.

Luke 15:24 – “he was lost and is found, so they began to celebrate.”

I often feel like stories of prodigals are some of God’s favorites to tell of His grace and forgiveness. We see examples all through the Bible of how He found lost people, cleaned them up and loved them deeply; correcting those who would shame them and covering them with grace.

Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Just like Walter, sometimes we find ourselves on the wrong side of the yard and having a grand adventure. Yet, when we wander too far we can find ourselves smelling foul and covered with burs. Our Father patiently waits for us to come back home and sets to work cleaning us up so we can rest in His presence.

Psalm 18: 16-19 “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.“

Maybe when Walter got out of the gate he knew he was doing wrong, maybe he just got caught up in his own free will and didn’t realize how far away his actions would lead him away from the safety and love of his home. I truly didn’t care when he showed back up on the porch; I was just pleased he came back with no lasting damage. I was appalled that someone would tell him he was a “bad dog” though. He was mine, He was home and that it is a very good thing!

God feels so much deeper about this with us than I do about my dog. He has personally rescued me from the messes I got myself into and cleaned me with His forgiveness. Although humans around me had some quite difficult opinions on what I did and didn’t deserve, He covered my ears and kept reminding me how happy He was that I was home and poured out His blessings to reward me.

If you have found yourself on the wrong side of the fence or still carrying burs from your mistakes, please know that it is never too late to go home and be cleaned.

Jeremiah 24:7 “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”

Alycia Neighbours is a resident of Hendersonville, TN (where her art is on display at her local library!) who focuses her art pieces to be deeper than just a drawn image. She got her start through illustrating scripture and sermons to help her grasp a simple message through somewhat complex passages. In sharing this type of art with others, she found her God given gift and passion of “sketch-notes”

Alycia has taught several classes to others focusing on hand-lettering, simple images to convey words and how to express what is auditory into something visual. Her sketch-notes and Bible Journaling pieces have been shared nationwide and opens the door for many other opportunities. Including special commissions through her ink style, watercolor, acrylics, pyrography, sculptures and crochet.

Alycia enjoys an active lifestyle in nature which she credits to her inspiration for art. Whether riding her horse through trails, kayaking the local lakes, hiking with one of her 4 dogs, tending her mini-farm of goats and one sassy pig; she looks closer to find textures hidden in all that surrounds her. When she is not busy raising her 6 kids at home or off having an adventure with her husband, you can find her busy sketching these images out in hopes of touching more and more people to look deeper.

Banner photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash