You Can Always Return Home.

1 Samuel 7:3

“If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, dedicate yourselves to the Lord, and worship only Him; then He will rescue you from the Philistines.”

This weekend, I drove back to Hampton for homecoming. Months ago, I had originally planned to go for the whole weekend but then as September was ending and we entered October, I was maxed out — mentally and spiritually. I kept that weekend off because I knew I would need it. I finally make it to Friday, got some much needed rest and then I was bored lol. I’m so used to working Fridays and Saturdays that I literally didn’t know what to do with myself. Saturday morning, I woke up refreshed and my godsister texted that she was headed to Hampton and I was like you know what, Im coming! I took the 3.5 hour drive and as I parked and made the walk to campus, something in me exhaled. There’s a peace that lives in certain places—sidewalk outside of the Harbors that remembers the non-stop laughter and chaos lol, a very long hug from people that you journeyed young adulthood with, buildings (Harvey library) that hold old prayers you didn’t even realize you’d whispered back then (I know mine was just to help me pass Pre-cal with a C, amen lol).

The Hampton air was the same: a mix of the waterfront breeze, nostalgia, and pure joy. Hugs turned into life-updates and me discipling lol, laughter spilled into late-night talks, and for a moment it felt like time stood still. Hampton’s homecoming is a kind of beautiful refilling for me. It’s like we are back in our little HBCU bubble, removed from the harsh realities of the world and I show up expecting love and pure bliss with familiar faces, but I also leave with revelation. God uses that campus to speak every. single. time and in the middle of all that joy, I could sense the Lord tugging on my heart, whispering, “This is what I mean when I say, return.” So now, back in reality and in my quiet time with Him, He led me straight to 1 Samuel 7:3.

Israel had drifted far from God. They still looked holy, they had the Ark back, but their hearts were cluttered with idols. It’s as if Samuel said, “If you’re really coming back, come back with your whole heart. Remove what competes with God, rededicate yourself, and worship only Him.”

That hit me. Because homecoming with God isn’t just about going back Him—it’s about how you return. You can show up physically but still be miles away spiritually. You can have the physical symbol of God, nowadays its a cross necklace lol, but have a lukewarm relationship with Him. God doesn’t want a halfway return to Him; He wants a whole-heart homecoming.

I thought about how many times I’ve “come home” to God…after heartbreak, after financial decline and after chasing things that drained me more than they filled me but every single time, He welcomed me like the Father in the story of the prodigal son: arms open, a receiving heart, slight reprimand LOL but truly just a Father glad to have His daughter home.

This weekend, surrounded by people who once knew the college-girl version of me, I felt God show me how far He’s brought me. I’m not who I was when I first walked that campus. I’m steadier and confident. I’m softer. Most importantly though, I’m fully surrendered. Still becoming and navigating a life set apart.

And that’s what 1 Samuel 7 is really about: a people learning to return.
God never asked them to be perfect, only willing. When they poured out their hearts in repentance, He thundered from heaven and fought their battles for them.

Sometimes we think coming home means explaining ourselves. It doesn’t. It means releasing control, emptying out the idols of success, fear, comparison, love, timelines etc and letting God refill us with Himself.

Hampton was the physical reminder, but the spiritual truth was louder: No matter how far you drift, you can always return home. Home isn’t just a place it’s His presence.

So this week, take a moment to come home. Turn off the noise. Ask God to search your heart, clear out what competes, and fill you again. Let Him rescue you from the battles you’ve been trying to fight alone.

When you feel that stillness settle in, when peace meets you again like it did when I arrived in Hampton, you’ll know you’re Home.

Love always,

Ashley