Heather Hodges

I am in Atlanta for the debriefing training for a mission trip to Ukraine this summer with World Wide Youth Camps. I am blessed to be the guest of Nancy Browne, the mother of Rob and Phil Browne and the “Nan” of 6, soon to be 8, grandchildren. She has opened her home to the four women who are participating in the training. I can’t recall a time when I have felt more welcomed and nurtured by a woman who was a complete stranger less than 12 hours ago.

Upon arriving at her home I was greeted by the sight of rose bushes and pine trees. Her home is nestled among enormous trees at the end of a short circle driveway. The sunlight was pouring through the canopy of leaves onto the cottage as if to say, “Here it is, you are home.” Elizabeth Bennett could not have said it more perfectly when she said of Mr. Darcy’s home, “I’ve never seen a place more happily situated.”

Inside the cottage was even more charming. Nancy has chosen rose wall paper, lace, antiques, and china tea servings to decorate her home. I immediately sensed that this was a place of peace, not just because of the exquisite surroundings, but because the presence of the Lord was near. I felt like whispering and giggling simultaneously.

We will spend tomorrow in preparation and training for the work in Ukraine, and I will return to Tulsa in the evening. I feel blessed to spend one more day surrounded by Christian women and roses. Thank you Nancy for teaching me the meaning of hospitality and for sharing your home and your faith with me.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 18th, 2007 at 5:07 am and is filed under Ministry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.