by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.
What’s Your Address?
Part 1: Written while in Maui, HI on September 20, 2018
Three simple words, or four if you take away the conjugation, that literally have thrown me for a loop. One of the graduates who took my Writing in the Glory workshop and who I had the privilege of helping along in the journey just published her first book, which is incredible! Then she offered to mail me a copy of her book. She sent me an email with those three words that normally make sense but in my season, I didn’t quite know how to answer her. “What’s your address?” I believe sometimes this can also be translated “Where’s home?” And the reason I am writing a blog about something that might seem to very trivial to most people is because in this present season, I don’t have an answer to that question and I am not sure when exactly I will. A few months ago I would have said one thing, a few weeks ago another, today another, and next week another.
Did you know that you are not allowed to apply for a credit card if you don’t have an address? I learned that on my recent airline flight. It’s also hard to order anything online to be shipped to you if you don’t know where it is going, or even where you’re going next.
“What’s your address?”
While I was in Mozambique this summer, I got a message that the house I had been living in for several years in Redding was sold and that upon my return I would have to move out shortly after. Already having made plans to go to Maui before I heard the news, I changed my ticket to a one-way. About a week after I came to Maui, I heard the news of the terrible fires in Redding where many lost their homes. This was so heartbreaking and hard to be away from all my dear friends during this time. After that broke out, I’ve tried to come back to Redding several times, even bought a ticket back that I had to let go of because things fell through and no consistent housing opened up over there for me since my transition out of my previous place. We had already felt led to let go of the Destiny House building this summer and found out YWAM was taking it after us which was a huge blessing. But I personally still don’t have a permanent address or know what is next.
It’s interesting traveling because usually there’s an end time and a place to go back home to. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m not so eager to head back to the Mainland, because it feels like there’s even more places to stay here in Maui that have recently opened up versus going back to a city where much of it has been destroyed by the fires. While I admit it does get a bit tiring moving around so much, it is a huge blessing that an address doesn’t define my home. So many beautiful people have opened their homes and their hearts to me here in Maui. I am eternally grateful for these and they are one of the very God-reasons I keep extending my trip.
It’s also a blessing to realize that while at the moment I don’t really have an address, I know one day I will and that no matter what, I am at home in God wherever I go. So many others literally don’t have an address because they are living on the streets or in their cars or their house burnt down. There are many refugees out there who have had to flee their homes with only the clothes on their backs, never to return to their homeland again.
I’m on the other extreme of that and feel so rich to be embraced by the community of saints who would never let that happen to me. Life is such an interesting journey and the more I travel and leave my comfort zone, the bigger my global family seems to become. While there seems to have been many others in major transition this season as well and lots of dear friends who have returned to their home countries, it also feels sweet to know that while at the moment I’m not sure where I’m going to land, I have a place to call home around the world. God is my address. Being home in His heart is where I live. And the family of God has been so gracious and generous to me in this season.
Full Circle
Part 2: Written on November 5, 2019 while in Orange County, CA
After the above was written, I ended up staying in Maui nearly another month and a half and experienced quite a shift in my life. Following my 3.5 month sabbatical time there, I went to Virginia and saw God move in a special way, then back to Redding to continue transitioning. For Christmas, I went back to Orange County with family for the holidays where there wasn’t an available room in my home for the first time ever so I couldn’t even stay in my own house for Christmas but had to stay with a friend. The first week of January I went to the outback in Australia to help be a part of launching my friend’s first Iris School of Outback Mission. Instead of flying back like my plane ticket said, a beautiful family invited me to join them on the coast in Byron Bay to experience more of Australia. Since I was going to Germany soon, rather than fly everywhere and be exhausted from jet lag, I thought it would be worth it to invest the extra money to rest. After some much needed time in the sun, straight from Australia I flew to Germany and landed there in my blue jeans and flip flops. I was in no way prepared for the winter time in Europe since I had originally planned to go back and get my stuff before venturing out of the nation again. I am so grateful my mom mailed me my coat, shoes, gloves, and a beanie to stay warm.
From Germany I went to Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, then England before coming back to Orange County for a week then back to Virginia. I remember when I was staying at a friend’s house in England for nearly a week, the longest time I was at one place, I literally unpacked all of my things just to feel somewhat settled and to not have to live out of a suitcase for one whole week. Then in May 2019, I went back to Redding to close the chapter of Destiny House Redding and gather the rest of my things.
With absolutely no intention of buying a thing, a few days before I was about to head back down to Southern California, I went into the Crowning Jewels store to say goodbye to a few of my friends from Destiny House who worked there. Then I realized I needed a few thank you gifts for people so I started shopping a little bit before I saw this one necklace that totally stood out to me.
It said “Home” on it.
I knew I had to have it since my life was so up in the air during that crazy season. I still had no idea where I was going to land except for the fact that I was continually being drawn to Europe. When I bought the necklace, it came with a prophetic card. My friend went into the back to have another worker write it out because she wanted someone who didn’t know me or my situation at all. When I opened it, my eyes began to water in the store and I felt the presence of God. The note said something to the effect that usually home means a place but for some reason she felt that home was not about a certain location for me in this season but a reminder that God is always my home. I was so touched by God in that place and it came from so out of the blue. It was lovely to see my friends and I walked out of that store wearing my necklace that said “home” on it. I wore that necklace much of the summer. Every time I put it on it was a reminder that even though I still had no idea where I was going to land, I knew that God is always my home and safe place.
This necklace stayed on me as I went back to Maui for a short visit, then to Orange County again briefly before embarking on another European adventure to 5 nations in Europe, my second big trip in the year. I went to Norway, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Belgium, and France.
On September 13th when I was in Belgium launching the third of our Schools of Revival, I received an email from a professor at Vanguard University who wanted to connect with me about potentially teaching a class there. When I saw the email, I didn’t have the capacity to even think about it much as I was still right in the middle of the European Tour and loving it. Then as my trip was coming to a close, my last day in Paris before flying home September 23, I was able to have a phone call with the professor and agreed to meet with him the following week when I was back in town. The very next day when I arrived back in the U.S.A., I received another email from another dean who was a part of a University in Dallas, Texas wanting to fly me out to teach an intensive master’s course in the Spring of 2020.
I was still very much feeling drawn to explore relocating to Europe but also open to seeing what God might be doing and if He was leading me into a new season. I was also feeling after traveling for over one year straight and loving it that I was ready and really needed a season of being in one place for a period of time.
September 30, I met with Tommy, the professor at Vanguard University and he talked to me about potentially options to teach adjunct online classes. I’ve taught online before but prefer being in the classroom with the students. When he heard me say that, he told me that if I was in town, he would give me his class to teach. His class was History of Pentecostalism which is basically a class about the The Azusa Street Revival.
I was a bit torn because I had set my sights on Europe and at the same time something in the mix felt like this could indeed be God. I met with him again the following week and saw the favor and potential to be present with the students there instead of online teaching. After prayer and counsel, I really felt this was indeed the Lord. Within one week, everything changed and became clear. This opportunity was so out of the blue but I began to get more and more excited as the pieces began to be put together.
So after over a year of not knowing what’s next and following my heart to plant seeds of revival in the nations, God has finally revealed to me the next steps I am supposed to take. Twenty years after graduating from Vanguard University suddenly, and on its 100 year anniversary as a school, I will begin teaching a class primarily all about the Azusa Street Revival. My Ph.D. work was significantly focused on the Azusa Street Revival. Actually one of the original reasons I went to pursue it many years ago was so that I could teach at Vanguard one day. This was a dream in my heart I had long forgotten about but that God waited twenty years to fulfill! God is so faithful! I am so grateful for the season of play, rest, pioneering, traveling to the nations that God gifted me this past year and I am excited to dive in to what is awaiting in 2020.
I had forgotten about my gold “home” necklace as time went on until today, November 5, 2019. Today when I woke up to get ready to go to the prayer meeting at Anaheim Vineyard where I grew up, I felt like I really wanted to wear my gold necklace that said “home” on it. And this time as I put it on, there was a sense of relief and gratitude. Previously, I needed to wear this necklace to remind myself that in all my journeys and adventures this past year and a half where I had no address, God is always my home and always provides family. But now, today, after over a year of not knowing what was next, where was next, not having an address or consistency in my life when I put it on, it was like a breath of fresh air. It was a reminder of God’s faithfulness. He had brought me full circle and back home in more ways than one.
In the journey, I learned that no matter where I am, God is always my home and safe place. When I wore that necklace today, I was overwhelmed with gratitude of a good good Father who always knows the way. No matter where I am or what circumstances I find myself in, I can always rest in His arms. He is such a faithful Father. Throughout all the years, He has never let me down. He has always remained my safe place. His heart is always where I find my home.
*To read newsletter I sent out sharing more about this story and turn of events, go HERE