Our Home — Where My Family Lives

"Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed." — Genesis 2:8

The Very First Home

When God created Adam, He did not leave Adam out in the wild with nowhere to go. God planted a garden — a beautiful, perfect garden called Eden — and He put Adam there. God gave Adam a home!

Eden was the most wonderful place you could imagine. It had rivers flowing through it, trees full of delicious fruit, flowers of every color, and animals everywhere. It was safe, beautiful, and full of everything Adam and Eve needed. God made the first home because He cares about where His people live.

What Is a Home?

A home is the place where your family lives together. It is where you sleep, eat, play, and spend time with the people you love.

Homes come in many shapes and sizes:

• A house — a building with rooms, usually with a yard
• An apartment — a home inside a bigger building with many other homes
• A mobile home — a home that can be moved to different places
• A farm house — a home on a farm with land and animals nearby

What kind of home do you live in? Does it have a front door? How many rooms does it have? Is there a kitchen where your family makes food? Is there a bedroom where you sleep?

No matter what your home looks like, it is special because your family is there. A home is not just walls and a roof — it is a place filled with love.

Your Home Address

Every home has an address — a special set of words and numbers that tells people exactly where your home is. An address might be something like: 123 Oak Street, Springfield.

Your address has:

• A number (like 123) — which house on the street
• A street name (like Oak Street) — which road your home is on
• A city (like Springfield) — which town or city

Do you know your address? It is very important to learn it! If you ever get lost, knowing your address helps people bring you home safely. Ask a parent to help you practice saying your address.

Why Do We Need Homes?

God created people with certain needs — things we must have to live. A home helps meet many of those needs:

1. Shelter — Your home keeps you safe from rain, snow, wind, and hot sun
2. Warmth — Your home keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer
3. Safety — Your home has walls and doors that protect you
4. Rest — Your home has a bed where you can sleep
5. Family togetherness — Your home is where your family gathers

In the Bible, Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms" (John 14:2). Jesus was telling us that God is preparing a home for us in heaven! Just as our earthly homes are places of safety and love, our heavenly home with God will be the most wonderful place of all.

What Are Homes Made Of?

Have you ever wondered what your home is made of? Houses use materials that God placed in the earth:

• Wood comes from trees that God created
• Bricks are made from clay in the ground
• Glass for windows is made from sand
• Stone comes from rocks God formed
• Metal for nails and pipes comes from minerals in the earth

Everything we use to build homes comes from the earth that God made! He provided all the materials we need.

Remember the story Jesus told about building houses? He said a wise man builds his house on rock — a strong foundation. A foolish man builds his house on sand. When the storms came, the house on the rock stood firm, but the house on the sand fell down (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus was teaching us that we should build our lives on His Word — that is the strongest foundation of all!

A Prayer

Dear God, thank You for my home. Thank You for giving my family a safe place to live. Thank You for the roof over my head, the bed where I sleep, and the kitchen where we eat. Help me to take care of my home and to be thankful for it. Amen.