A Guest Room with a Purpose
Our house has three rooms. The first is the room we sleep in, the second is the music room, and the third is the guest room. In many houses the guest room sits vacant, always clean, and always ready for the one to two guests that come a year.
But in our house, the guest room is different. This room almost consistently has somebody sleeping in it. Sometimes it is a friend from out of town, but more often than not it is someone local- a friend that needs a place for a while or just for a night, a student from the reservation that comes up for the weekend or comes back into town to stay at "home base" for a week. We have had people stay for five months, five weeks, or just one night. Our guest room is always ready for someone to come in and stay for as long as they need.
The way we see it, if God gave us extra space then we are meant to use it for His glory. If God blessed us with a house then we should bless others with a place to sleep and a hot breakfast in the morning. After all, what is a guest room without any guests?
My favorite part though, is that lately I have been hearing a trend when people talk about our guest room. Almost everyone who has slept there calls it "my room." Teenagers and adults alike speak of the room in the possessive: "When can I come stay in my room?" "If it gets late I'll just stay in my room." "Why are they sleeping in my room??" Anyone who stays seems to feel at home, welcome, and like family.
I like that. I like that people can come into our home and feel like it is their's. It feels like our home has a purpose beyond housing my husband and I, and I hope we always have a house with a guest room. Who knows the stories our homes will tell one day.
I might even start adding chocolates to the pillow.
But in our house, the guest room is different. This room almost consistently has somebody sleeping in it. Sometimes it is a friend from out of town, but more often than not it is someone local- a friend that needs a place for a while or just for a night, a student from the reservation that comes up for the weekend or comes back into town to stay at "home base" for a week. We have had people stay for five months, five weeks, or just one night. Our guest room is always ready for someone to come in and stay for as long as they need.
The way we see it, if God gave us extra space then we are meant to use it for His glory. If God blessed us with a house then we should bless others with a place to sleep and a hot breakfast in the morning. After all, what is a guest room without any guests?
My favorite part though, is that lately I have been hearing a trend when people talk about our guest room. Almost everyone who has slept there calls it "my room." Teenagers and adults alike speak of the room in the possessive: "When can I come stay in my room?" "If it gets late I'll just stay in my room." "Why are they sleeping in my room??" Anyone who stays seems to feel at home, welcome, and like family.
I like that. I like that people can come into our home and feel like it is their's. It feels like our home has a purpose beyond housing my husband and I, and I hope we always have a house with a guest room. Who knows the stories our homes will tell one day.
I might even start adding chocolates to the pillow.
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