Have you ever visited somewhere and found everything to be fascinating? 

I can think back to a family vacation to Arizona. We went for Thanksgiving in 2005. I’d never been to Arizona before or another state where grass didn’t cover the ground. We visited rock formations, Native American historical sites, and the Grand Canyon (which I will forever explain to never disappoint; it’s truly breathtaking). 

Everywhere I went, everything caught my eye. The clothing styles, the rocks and red clay, and the elevation. Oh, the elevation! For someone living below sea level and never knowing the true meaning of a hill, cliff, or mountain, this was a true shock for me. 

As we hiked, I took so many pictures of the scenery – twisty trees, red clay ground, spiky plants. My eyes were fresh to things that were mundane for people living in the Southwest. Everything looked exotic compared to the lush Florida terrain I was used to seeing.  

When we settle into living somewhere, we can forget the specialness of what’s around us. Whether that’s the scenery, the people, or the places that make up our cities, our routines can blind us to beauty. Instead of being in awe of God’s creation, it can get old and we begin to complain about it. (Or was it just me?)

I didn’t always love where I lived. It was easy to complain about Florida’s heat and that there was nothing to do in my suburban town. Looking back at my pessimistic view of my city, here were some of my habits: 

1) I was quick to complain.

I said things that sounded like hopeful statements, but just were complaints in disguise. 

“I wish there was a ice cream shop closer.” 

“I wish this movie theatre had better seats.” 

“I wish there were more things to do.” 

“I wish there was a coffee shop to go to that was open late.” 

And the list goes on. 

2) I didn’t explore.

Instead of putting on ‘tourist’ eyes, I blinded myself to the uniqueness of my city. There were things that my city was known for that instead of checking out, I dismissed. Instead of appreciating my place for what it was, I often compared it to what it was not. 

3) I wasn’t honest with myself about what mattered most.

I didn’t define what priorities mattered to me. If I valued green space, no traffic, or proximity, I could have made decisions based on those things. Instead, not addressing them kept me in a cycle of hating where I lived. 

4) I played the victim.

I was trapped in a victim mentality without knowing it. Subconsciously I was telling myself I couldn’t move, as if I wasn’t making this choice for myself. Instead realizing that I had the freedom to move and make my own decisions, I was blaming my surroundings for not catering to my lifestyle.

5) I praised destinations.

I fooled myself thinking that living in a place I visited would continually live up to the expectations of a vacation. Instead I dreamed that Atlanta, New York, and Chattanooga had all the missing pieces I was looking for. 

---

Whether you could live anywhere in the world or your circumstances have you in a particular place right now, I believe we all can make a choice to love our cities wherever we live. But that choice is up to us.

Once I began to choose to love my city,  God began to widen my heart for where I lived. And guess what? We are all living on part of God’s creation with God’s people. Literally wherever you are! 

If you don’t love your city, offer yourself some forgiveness and a chance to reflect. It’s okay to love a city and mourn not living in another. It’s okay to forgive yourself of the guilt of putting unrealistic expectations on a place. There’s a way forward fully loving where you are and knowing that your heart may be somewhere else. 

My hope for each of us is that we are reminded of the beauty of all of God’s creation. That our everyday routines wouldn’t blind us to the beauty that’s around us. That we see our neighborhoods as an expression of God’s creativity. And that we begin to pray deeply and intentionally for our neighbors. 

If this resonates with you, I invite you to get access to my download: The 5 Minute Guide to Loving Your City (Wherever You Live!). 

---

Do you want to love your city well? 

I didn’t always love my city. Do you love yours?

Get your copy of my printable in your inbox today.