For over 30 years, I’ve had the honor of traveling to incredible places all around the world. I’ve seen the most memorable architecture and eaten at immaculate restaurants. Seeing the beauty of God displayed in places from Austria to Uganda has given me a picture of just how majestic God is. As much as I love the adventure and passion to bring the light of the gospel to the darkest places on Earth, one thing remains for me; there’s no place like home. When I finally get home and get to kiss my wife and sit down with her for dinner, it fills my tank. Nothing can compare to this. When my children are home for the holidays, how the heart of this father swells. I am in my happy place. There’s nothing like being in the space that we have cultivated together. Let’s not forget my dogs. Sookie, my boston terrier, is like my own personal little ambassador of love.

If you’ve heard me speak, you can tell right away that I am not from the United States of America. I was born and raised in the beautiful country of Norway. Some would even call me a Viking. I have not lived in Norway in many years, but I enjoy every trip that I make back home. To return to the place of my birth and see my family always fills my tank but I’ve made the USA my home for now. Because of my busy travel schedule, I spend a lot of time in embassies around the world. 

There’s something about walking into these embassies no matter what country I am in, like when I walk into the Norwegian embassy in Washington DC. I feel at home. They speak the language of my family and on a given occasion, I may even smell some of my favorite Norwegian food. When I cannot go home, sometimes I can experience a little taste of home in this space. It’s the same way when I’m traveling, and I miss my wife or my children. All I have to do is make a call so that I can connect with them and hear the sounds of their voices. 

The Lord has put something deep within my heart. It’s a part of this holy ambition that I have been given by the Father to bring the light of Jesus to the darkest corners of the Earth. The world needs to experience a God that looks like Jesus. Some people have never even heard of His first coming, though. They do not know that there is a place called home that’s prepared for them by our beautiful Jesus. 

Do you remember the first time you met Him? Do you remember the first time you said His name when you believed, and you experienced the grace and love of the Father wash over you? There is nothing like the experience of our Father in those moments. It is the taste of home with a good Papa. I’m so glad for the gift of His presence being everywhere with us. I’m so glad that we can experience our heavenly home wherever I am. \

I have this dream in my heart. It’s a dream that people in the darkest nations will begin to have the experience of heaven in their neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations. People will come into the awareness of the love of God because the presence of Jesus has filled the houses of believers who have allowed God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to make their home with them. These houses will become like embassies of heaven. They are a taste of home. They are places where the hopeless receive hope, the orphan finds a home, and the sick are healed. Here is where everyone gets to come to taste and see that Abba, our Father is good. 

These places are lighthouses of love. Their light shines in the darkness and when people might not know what to do, they will know who to go to. These beacons of light call people home to an encounter with Jesus and into the heavenly family. It calls them safely to the shore to come and feast. Can you see it? Here is where they meet one they’ve been waiting for their whole lives and didn’t know it.

My heart rejoices that at the moment, we have 104 lighthouses all over Cuba where needs are being met as sons and daughters of God are representing the family of heaven. This is how heaven comes to Earth. This is what God is doing in Cuba, and this is what He wants to do in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a kingdom family movement, we are supporting these lighthouses to see a harvest of sons and daughters. We have a goal to establish 1,000 Lighthouses of Love in the nations. Will you join us as we invest in love, the one thing that changes everything? 

Please pray and consider partnering with the GMA Lighthouses of Love movement. You can donate by clicking here.