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This Homeward Ache: How Our Yearning for the Life to Come Spurs on Our Life Today
The Gospel Coalition 2024 Book Awards, First-time Author, Award of Distinction
That sudden yearning you feel when you see a sunset. That pang of longing you sense deep in your bones when you attend a funeral or even gaze at a poignant piece of art. Those experiences that sting you to attention in moments of beauty, peace, or sorrow—the ones you can sense are offering you a twinkling, piercing hint of
Are these meant to do more than point you to eternity?
What if they could enable you to live more fully on the way there?
Through personal reflections, evocative stories, and profound writing, author Amy Baik Lee offers This Homeward Ache, inviting you to remember the times you've been deeply moved by a glimpse, a spark, of something you know is beyond the visible present—moments that other cultures and times have called Sehnsucht, saudade, hiraeth, or galmang. In each spellbinding chapter, Amy traces her own brushes with this longing, unfolding her discovery that it is designed to enrich and alter every area of our our valleys of pain, our relationships with other people, and ultimately our reception of the love of God.
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going in this world while holding on to the hope of the world to come, This Homeward Ache offers you courage, companionship, and a stirring sense of the scope of our journey home to Christ.
That sudden yearning you feel when you see a sunset. That pang of longing you sense deep in your bones when you attend a funeral or even gaze at a poignant piece of art. Those experiences that sting you to attention in moments of beauty, peace, or sorrow—the ones you can sense are offering you a twinkling, piercing hint of
Are these meant to do more than point you to eternity?
What if they could enable you to live more fully on the way there?
Through personal reflections, evocative stories, and profound writing, author Amy Baik Lee offers This Homeward Ache, inviting you to remember the times you've been deeply moved by a glimpse, a spark, of something you know is beyond the visible present—moments that other cultures and times have called Sehnsucht, saudade, hiraeth, or galmang. In each spellbinding chapter, Amy traces her own brushes with this longing, unfolding her discovery that it is designed to enrich and alter every area of our our valleys of pain, our relationships with other people, and ultimately our reception of the love of God.
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going in this world while holding on to the hope of the world to come, This Homeward Ache offers you courage, companionship, and a stirring sense of the scope of our journey home to Christ.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2023
38 people are currently reading
978 people want to read
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July 5, 2024
I hesitate to write a review for this book because I don’t even know how to put into words how profound and impactful this book was for me. It’s a book I bought after hearing someone read a quote from it, and that short quote brought tears to my eyes. I had to read the rest of the book—and it is now a book I’m going to return to again and again.
Amy writes about sehnsucht much like C. S. Lewis did, only it comes from someone in this era and with similar longings and struggles as my own. This book was like manna on my homeward journey, and it more clearly defined for me how to live with this piercing desire, how to “let it push me closer to seeing him in full.”
“The priest's pilgrimage arose from his search for meaning, but he highlights a peculiar point of grace that I recognize from my own first brush with joy in the meadow: before I knew God, incred-ibly, he called to me. Christ's choice to lay his life down so that we strangers and exiles might in the end arrive home to him--this is news from which I hope never to recover. But his initiative in giving us hearts that thirst for and tug us toward the glimmers of the place he has prepared, that we might draw closer to him day by day the love in this staggers me to no end.
And so my old longing hasn't faded. Is it surprising that it has stayed? I've found that approximate descriptions of Sehnsucht are sometimes met with knowing nods among believers. "You're homesick for heaven. The answer you're searching for is Jesus, of course." Case closed.
But to me this is a bit like saying, "Ah, so you've discovered brilliant dashes of colored light scattered across your living room It's quite simple: those are rainbows." So they are, and I sometimes pause to watch a scattered cloud of these tiny, many-hued stars as they cross my walls in the spring and summer afternoons.
Rainbows they are, indeed. But I have further questions for such a pragmatic speaker. Have you ever stopped to consider the combination of factors necessary to bring them into being? Have you seen the wild weaving whirl they make when the prism in the window spins? Can we set them dancing on a cloudy day? What does it say about our perception that light holds so many visible and invisible shades, and who first imagined such an arresting sight, and what does this reveal about the bearer of that imagination, and can we expect more displays of profligate beauty? What does this abundance indicate about the heart of such a Maker?
In short: yes, I believe this deep-set longing in the soul comes from God and that it leads to an imperishable Home. Yet all the surprises I've seen since I met him--the keen shots of delight and solace and startling help- have pierced me more, not less, as I move closer to seeing him in full.”
“ I understand, then, that I am Homesick indeed, and that the longing is chronic. I walk about- -and write like a woman with an open wound and a dressing that never seems to stay. This thing gets everlastingly in the way of my living and yet fuels its very core.
But I will find my way home to my liege lord, and on the way I'm discovering that many of us are tucking our chins in against the howling wind and walking on. And as we travel, it's the light from our Home across the sea--the light from his very Person, both before us and within us that spills out and around our greatest miseries and our dearest hopes, illuminating the losses we carry, and burnishing them with the promise of restoration.”
Amy writes about sehnsucht much like C. S. Lewis did, only it comes from someone in this era and with similar longings and struggles as my own. This book was like manna on my homeward journey, and it more clearly defined for me how to live with this piercing desire, how to “let it push me closer to seeing him in full.”
“The priest's pilgrimage arose from his search for meaning, but he highlights a peculiar point of grace that I recognize from my own first brush with joy in the meadow: before I knew God, incred-ibly, he called to me. Christ's choice to lay his life down so that we strangers and exiles might in the end arrive home to him--this is news from which I hope never to recover. But his initiative in giving us hearts that thirst for and tug us toward the glimmers of the place he has prepared, that we might draw closer to him day by day the love in this staggers me to no end.
And so my old longing hasn't faded. Is it surprising that it has stayed? I've found that approximate descriptions of Sehnsucht are sometimes met with knowing nods among believers. "You're homesick for heaven. The answer you're searching for is Jesus, of course." Case closed.
But to me this is a bit like saying, "Ah, so you've discovered brilliant dashes of colored light scattered across your living room It's quite simple: those are rainbows." So they are, and I sometimes pause to watch a scattered cloud of these tiny, many-hued stars as they cross my walls in the spring and summer afternoons.
Rainbows they are, indeed. But I have further questions for such a pragmatic speaker. Have you ever stopped to consider the combination of factors necessary to bring them into being? Have you seen the wild weaving whirl they make when the prism in the window spins? Can we set them dancing on a cloudy day? What does it say about our perception that light holds so many visible and invisible shades, and who first imagined such an arresting sight, and what does this reveal about the bearer of that imagination, and can we expect more displays of profligate beauty? What does this abundance indicate about the heart of such a Maker?
In short: yes, I believe this deep-set longing in the soul comes from God and that it leads to an imperishable Home. Yet all the surprises I've seen since I met him--the keen shots of delight and solace and startling help- have pierced me more, not less, as I move closer to seeing him in full.”
“ I understand, then, that I am Homesick indeed, and that the longing is chronic. I walk about- -and write like a woman with an open wound and a dressing that never seems to stay. This thing gets everlastingly in the way of my living and yet fuels its very core.
But I will find my way home to my liege lord, and on the way I'm discovering that many of us are tucking our chins in against the howling wind and walking on. And as we travel, it's the light from our Home across the sea--the light from his very Person, both before us and within us that spills out and around our greatest miseries and our dearest hopes, illuminating the losses we carry, and burnishing them with the promise of restoration.”
May 6, 2024
My father-in-law put this book in my hands and asked if I had heard of the author. As he gushed about it, I asked if I could borrow it. To which he (very uncharacteristically) grabbed it back and said "I'm still reading it!" So I found my own copy and it was every bit as beautiful and nourishing as he said.
My father-in-law spurred me on with this advice: “Read it, but don’t try to take things away from it. Instead, let it nurture and nourish your soul.” This isn't a self help book, but an invitation to lean into the deepest yearnings God has given our hearts as He draws us to Himself.
Each chapter felt like a conversation with a friend who knew me better than almost anyone. It was like I found a kindred spirit. Amy Baik Lee writes with incredible humility and wisdom stemming from her worthy personal experience.
I highly recommend this book. It is well-researched and the prose beautifully reflects the beauty of the topic: God's glory and goodness in a world that is not where we belong.
My father-in-law spurred me on with this advice: “Read it, but don’t try to take things away from it. Instead, let it nurture and nourish your soul.” This isn't a self help book, but an invitation to lean into the deepest yearnings God has given our hearts as He draws us to Himself.
Each chapter felt like a conversation with a friend who knew me better than almost anyone. It was like I found a kindred spirit. Amy Baik Lee writes with incredible humility and wisdom stemming from her worthy personal experience.
I highly recommend this book. It is well-researched and the prose beautifully reflects the beauty of the topic: God's glory and goodness in a world that is not where we belong.
November 10, 2025
I *loved* this book. I read it in just a few days and soaked up the vulnerability, the exquisite writing, and the feeling of hope that pervaded the entire thing.
One of my favorite takeaways was to "Take beauty personally." "He told us to look at the birds and the wildflowers, not merely as an analogy or metaphor, but as a plain demonstration of the character of God."
One of my favorite takeaways was to "Take beauty personally." "He told us to look at the birds and the wildflowers, not merely as an analogy or metaphor, but as a plain demonstration of the character of God."
June 10, 2024
I’m grateful I discovered this inspiring book and the beautiful writing of Amy Baik Lee in this book. I also enjoyed it because she has lived in Boone, not far from where I am in the NC mountains. Boone was also where I first discovered my love of the Appalachian mountains. I’m also grateful our local library purchased this book.
Amy quotes from C.S. Lewis, Timothy Keller, J.R.R. Tolkien, Tish Harrison Warren, and Malcolm Guite among others, yet her reflections—in expressive prose and poetic thoughts—stand out on their own as an inspiration to the reader. The care she takes as she pens each word, phrase, and experience is obvious in her craft.
That said, this book gets five stars from me and has earned a place as a new favorite of mine. I even purchased my own copy for my personal library and plan to reread it.
Highlights:
“What kind of grace is this, that Christ has not only redeemed me but embedded a shard of unsettledness within me so that I would look for its source?”
“The light does not need to be turned on, and incredibly, I do not require a promise that it will be. I am loved by and held in the gaze of my God, sealed by his Spirit for the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30), and though I cannot see a way forward, I lack nothing.”
“I am like a patient who finally understands that a dreaded diagnosis itself does not bring doom but reveals a trouble that was already underway; confession, like that diagnosis, is an acknowledgment of a current state of need.”
“Every life has some boundaries that should justly be labored against, some that can be embraced, and some that must simply be grieved. But perhaps I could also hold the limitations of the present moment without needing to wait for resolution in every area; I could look at the setting I'd been given in which to "work out the salvation that God [had] given [me]" (Phil. 2:12 PHILLIPS)— my background and personal history, my physical condition, the twenty-four hours before me—and be aware that, above all, I was beset on all sides by the One who loved me most. No matter how small or great my space might be in any given season, there was room to do what he had given me to do.”
Readability: 5
Impact: 5
Content: 5
Enjoyment: 5
Total: 5 stars
Amy quotes from C.S. Lewis, Timothy Keller, J.R.R. Tolkien, Tish Harrison Warren, and Malcolm Guite among others, yet her reflections—in expressive prose and poetic thoughts—stand out on their own as an inspiration to the reader. The care she takes as she pens each word, phrase, and experience is obvious in her craft.
That said, this book gets five stars from me and has earned a place as a new favorite of mine. I even purchased my own copy for my personal library and plan to reread it.
Highlights:
“What kind of grace is this, that Christ has not only redeemed me but embedded a shard of unsettledness within me so that I would look for its source?”
“The light does not need to be turned on, and incredibly, I do not require a promise that it will be. I am loved by and held in the gaze of my God, sealed by his Spirit for the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30), and though I cannot see a way forward, I lack nothing.”
“I am like a patient who finally understands that a dreaded diagnosis itself does not bring doom but reveals a trouble that was already underway; confession, like that diagnosis, is an acknowledgment of a current state of need.”
“Every life has some boundaries that should justly be labored against, some that can be embraced, and some that must simply be grieved. But perhaps I could also hold the limitations of the present moment without needing to wait for resolution in every area; I could look at the setting I'd been given in which to "work out the salvation that God [had] given [me]" (Phil. 2:12 PHILLIPS)— my background and personal history, my physical condition, the twenty-four hours before me—and be aware that, above all, I was beset on all sides by the One who loved me most. No matter how small or great my space might be in any given season, there was room to do what he had given me to do.”
Readability: 5
Impact: 5
Content: 5
Enjoyment: 5
Total: 5 stars
October 5, 2023
One of those "you, too?!" books. Until a few years ago, when my husband and I chose a little corner of the world for the first time, home was an elusive concept for me, though homesickness was not. I made cross-country moves at 4, 17, and 22, significant in-state moves at 7 and 25, not counting local moves and the endless back-and-forth from college. The one at 17 messed me up. No one should have to move two weeks before starting senior year.
Yet, like Baik Lee, I have had a sense of "homeward ache" all my life. I longed to experience rootedness. As an adult, I now have the freedom to choose where that may be, but I also have the responsibility to be rooted, to choose to stay even when the early glow fades and staying means giving up. I sensed that tension in Baik Lee's writing, her wonderful stories, her vision of a life settled not only in a place but in a community. Along with books like Placemaker and This Beautiful Truth, This Homeward Ache helps me keep those deep roots watered and remembering long-term goals, even in seasons of drought and short-term trials.
-----
"It seems I do not need midnight access to an enchanted forest so much as I need eyes to see the strange wonder of the tale I am already in." (68)
"It is the artists I am privileged to know--the musicians, the poets, the potters, the world builders--who take their hands away from their hearts to hold out their work to others, though it will leave them vulnerable." (83)
"But I find deep consolation in the fact that the Creator of this universe knows all the traits of the people groups he created. He holds their stories. He knows the name of every family that was torn in two when the Korean War ended and the peninsula was divided in half; he knows who among my relatives I will meet for the first time in eternity. All the unrecorded details I wonder about in the Bible, all the family tales I have never heard--he remembers them all, and thousands more besides." (157)
Yet, like Baik Lee, I have had a sense of "homeward ache" all my life. I longed to experience rootedness. As an adult, I now have the freedom to choose where that may be, but I also have the responsibility to be rooted, to choose to stay even when the early glow fades and staying means giving up. I sensed that tension in Baik Lee's writing, her wonderful stories, her vision of a life settled not only in a place but in a community. Along with books like Placemaker and This Beautiful Truth, This Homeward Ache helps me keep those deep roots watered and remembering long-term goals, even in seasons of drought and short-term trials.
-----
"It seems I do not need midnight access to an enchanted forest so much as I need eyes to see the strange wonder of the tale I am already in." (68)
"It is the artists I am privileged to know--the musicians, the poets, the potters, the world builders--who take their hands away from their hearts to hold out their work to others, though it will leave them vulnerable." (83)
"But I find deep consolation in the fact that the Creator of this universe knows all the traits of the people groups he created. He holds their stories. He knows the name of every family that was torn in two when the Korean War ended and the peninsula was divided in half; he knows who among my relatives I will meet for the first time in eternity. All the unrecorded details I wonder about in the Bible, all the family tales I have never heard--he remembers them all, and thousands more besides." (157)
November 18, 2024
This book felt pretty much exactly like a conversation with Rachel, which is probably the best compliment I could give.
May the most beautiful moments, experiences, stories, and songs of this world point to the infinitely greater beauty of God. What a delightful book on the things that make us ache as they create a deeper longing for our true Home. This book did a great job of stirring up a longing for the days to come where sadness is untrue, the Lord is our light, and we get to dwell with Him forever; as well as pointing out the goodness that the Lord provides in the here and now, and how it leads us to delight in Him.
“Our longing for home is a longing not for a place, but for a Person.”
“The search for homeward longing is, in the end, an unfolding of layer after layer of the mercy and involvement and character of God… His love surrounds us until we notice it anew and murmur aloud with recognition and amazed exaltation, ‘All this time!’”
“Our commonest expedient is to call it ‘beauty’ and behave as if that settled the matter. But the books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them. It was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. For they are not the thing itself, they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”
“When I look at Eowyn’s story, something inside cracks. I remember I have been redeemed, me, not as a tally mark on a salvation sheet, but as one sought and seen.”
“I have sung hushed melodies in dark rooms and danced alone in the kitchen of a sleeping house and lifted autumn-starred eyes to the gloaming sky. I know then, with assurity beyond words, that I am found beautiful to Him, because of Him.”
“Heaven would not be a homeland if it were not for God being there… Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
“I could look at the setting I’d been given in which to work out the salvation that God had given me… and be aware that above all, I was beset on all sides by the One who loved me most.”
“No matter how small or great my space might be in any given season, there was room to do what He had given me to do. There was even room to contribute to its beauty.”
“Where I have spoken or acted wrongly, and so contributed in some measure to the death and not the life of another, forgive me. Show me how to right it, mend what I cannot, with an abundance I cannot fathom. If I have not loved them, I have not loved Him.”
“Before we come into the beauty and the glory of our King, strengthen us with Your joy, keep our hearts burning within us at the sound of Your voice and the glimmers of the place You are preparing, so that we may sing Your song even under a darkling sky and be glad. Walk us home.”
May the most beautiful moments, experiences, stories, and songs of this world point to the infinitely greater beauty of God. What a delightful book on the things that make us ache as they create a deeper longing for our true Home. This book did a great job of stirring up a longing for the days to come where sadness is untrue, the Lord is our light, and we get to dwell with Him forever; as well as pointing out the goodness that the Lord provides in the here and now, and how it leads us to delight in Him.
“Our longing for home is a longing not for a place, but for a Person.”
“The search for homeward longing is, in the end, an unfolding of layer after layer of the mercy and involvement and character of God… His love surrounds us until we notice it anew and murmur aloud with recognition and amazed exaltation, ‘All this time!’”
“Our commonest expedient is to call it ‘beauty’ and behave as if that settled the matter. But the books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them. It was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. For they are not the thing itself, they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”
“When I look at Eowyn’s story, something inside cracks. I remember I have been redeemed, me, not as a tally mark on a salvation sheet, but as one sought and seen.”
“I have sung hushed melodies in dark rooms and danced alone in the kitchen of a sleeping house and lifted autumn-starred eyes to the gloaming sky. I know then, with assurity beyond words, that I am found beautiful to Him, because of Him.”
“Heaven would not be a homeland if it were not for God being there… Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
“I could look at the setting I’d been given in which to work out the salvation that God had given me… and be aware that above all, I was beset on all sides by the One who loved me most.”
“No matter how small or great my space might be in any given season, there was room to do what He had given me to do. There was even room to contribute to its beauty.”
“Where I have spoken or acted wrongly, and so contributed in some measure to the death and not the life of another, forgive me. Show me how to right it, mend what I cannot, with an abundance I cannot fathom. If I have not loved them, I have not loved Him.”
“Before we come into the beauty and the glory of our King, strengthen us with Your joy, keep our hearts burning within us at the sound of Your voice and the glimmers of the place You are preparing, so that we may sing Your song even under a darkling sky and be glad. Walk us home.”
January 15, 2024
“The generosity of others in lending me their eyes and ears allows me to imagine in color…” (186). This is a generous book, poetic, attentive, sensitive, invitational. Sharing a love of the same books (a love of books and nature echoes in these pages) makes me feel Baik Lee is a friend.
February 19, 2024
Beautifully written book that was incredibly encouraging and thought-provoking about the joy and hope we have in Jesus today and for all eternity.
January 10, 2024
{full review posted here https://www.amberthiessen.com/post/th...}
Things are not as they should be.
We picture the garden where the man and woman walked with God in peace and unity, without shame, doubt or uncertainty and we long for it.
Christians look upon our Saviour, longing for things to be made new again when he returns—the day restoration comes.
Until then, how does this longing shape our faithfulness, our hope and our joy?
In This Homeward Ache, author Amy Baik Lee takes us on a journey to unfold how this desire and let it permeate how we live.
The author writes, “this book is the story of a yearning I encountered before I knew what it was—a yearning that continued even after I discovered its provenance.” She explores this longing to help you identify it in yourself, that it may transform your faithfulness and joy.
The chapters are collections of essays, weaving her life and longings into reflections that will stir the eyes of your heart to gaze outward and upward. She explores the theme of Sehnsucht, drawing on the works of CS Lewis, Tim Keller, and GK Chesterton, as they intersect with her experience and challenge our own.
I read this for VT Reading Challenge #9, a book on Christian living. This book received the award of distinction in The Gospel Coalition’s 2023 Book Awards in the category of First Time Author. I also found it on a couple best book lists for 2023, so it caught my attention.
If you enjoy creative nonfiction this will be for you. I found it similar in style to Hannah Anderson, or Jen Pollock Michel’s, Keeping Place.
If you’re curious about how your longing for heaven shapes your everyday, I’d recommend this.
I’ll admit, this isn’t my usual style of reading, as I tend toward prescriptive books, more direct and instructive. However, I also understand the enrichment of good writing that spurs spiritual reflection and I definitely found that in this title.
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 224
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 4 stars
*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review.
Things are not as they should be.
We picture the garden where the man and woman walked with God in peace and unity, without shame, doubt or uncertainty and we long for it.
Christians look upon our Saviour, longing for things to be made new again when he returns—the day restoration comes.
Until then, how does this longing shape our faithfulness, our hope and our joy?
In This Homeward Ache, author Amy Baik Lee takes us on a journey to unfold how this desire and let it permeate how we live.
The author writes, “this book is the story of a yearning I encountered before I knew what it was—a yearning that continued even after I discovered its provenance.” She explores this longing to help you identify it in yourself, that it may transform your faithfulness and joy.
The chapters are collections of essays, weaving her life and longings into reflections that will stir the eyes of your heart to gaze outward and upward. She explores the theme of Sehnsucht, drawing on the works of CS Lewis, Tim Keller, and GK Chesterton, as they intersect with her experience and challenge our own.
I read this for VT Reading Challenge #9, a book on Christian living. This book received the award of distinction in The Gospel Coalition’s 2023 Book Awards in the category of First Time Author. I also found it on a couple best book lists for 2023, so it caught my attention.
If you enjoy creative nonfiction this will be for you. I found it similar in style to Hannah Anderson, or Jen Pollock Michel’s, Keeping Place.
If you’re curious about how your longing for heaven shapes your everyday, I’d recommend this.
I’ll admit, this isn’t my usual style of reading, as I tend toward prescriptive books, more direct and instructive. However, I also understand the enrichment of good writing that spurs spiritual reflection and I definitely found that in this title.
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 224
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 4 stars
*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review.
September 10, 2025
Amy Baik Lee’s words feel like a gentle balm of courage. I keep returning to the chapter on exile - which I’d happily give 10 stars.
Words I’m chewing on:
“I have lost “home” more profoundly than I have ever known it.”
“The Christian faith speaks of grace and redemption at length, but being part of that true story means we recognize the ravages of what we have lost.”
“Ultimately, to gloss over the losses sustained in the fall of man and its reverberations would be to deny the cost of the rescue, the worth of our ransom, and the surpassing joy Christ saw that made Him scorn the shame of the cross. And it would cause us to miss entirely what is coming.”
“I understand, then, that I am Homesick indeed, and that the longing is chronic. I walk about - and write - like a woman with an open wound and a dressing that never seems to stay. This thing gets everlastingly in the way of my living and yet fuels its very core.”
Words I’m chewing on:
“I have lost “home” more profoundly than I have ever known it.”
“The Christian faith speaks of grace and redemption at length, but being part of that true story means we recognize the ravages of what we have lost.”
“Ultimately, to gloss over the losses sustained in the fall of man and its reverberations would be to deny the cost of the rescue, the worth of our ransom, and the surpassing joy Christ saw that made Him scorn the shame of the cross. And it would cause us to miss entirely what is coming.”
“I understand, then, that I am Homesick indeed, and that the longing is chronic. I walk about - and write - like a woman with an open wound and a dressing that never seems to stay. This thing gets everlastingly in the way of my living and yet fuels its very core.”
August 7, 2024
I’m still basking in all that this book is but it might be one of my new favorites of all time. it makes me long for heaven and being with Jesus while also opening my eyes to see everything in this world in a new way. It’s a journey homeward and he gives me manna on the way. So so beautiful.
November 2, 2024
Amy Lee’s experiences and thoughts on this homeward ache that all men experiences as exiles on this fallen earth connected more precisely to me than any other author I’ve ever read. It felt like talking to a dear friend or reading back an old journal. LOVED.
February 28, 2025
A little more personal journal/narrative than the general theology/analysis of this “homeward longing” I was expecting, but stunning all the same!
August 1, 2024
Beautiful, poetic book about how our longing for eternity can shape our everyday. The author brings forth this thought of a homeward ache we have as Christians was delightful. The book is very poetic and so at times it lost me and I personally longed for some more application to be sprinkled in. Still, an absolutely lovely read.
November 10, 2023
Perfection. In the vein of Surprised by Joy. Makes me long for Home.
August 14, 2024
Amy Baik Lee writes beautifully about this hard-to-describe ache we have, a longing we experience that is evoked when we encounter beauty or sorrow, which ultimately point us Home. She puts those experiences into words that resonate.
October 2, 2023
Amy's book is like a fellow pilgrim walking beside you, holding up a lantern in the dark.
Throughout her book she explores, through the stories of her own life, the way that an ache towards heaven can strengthen our day to day living and faithfulness. If you've ever felt beauty so piercing it makes you ache, makes you long to enter in, Amy's book will take your hand and begin to show you how.
Throughout her book she explores, through the stories of her own life, the way that an ache towards heaven can strengthen our day to day living and faithfulness. If you've ever felt beauty so piercing it makes you ache, makes you long to enter in, Amy's book will take your hand and begin to show you how.
November 18, 2024
I have loved Amy’s writing for a long time. This book was a gift. Through sharing her struggles with homeward longing, with unexplainable maladies, with living between cultures, and coming to terms with various limitations, Amy shares her poignant insights every step of the way and the steps lead to Christ and His love for His people, evident in community, in creation and in the everyday. There is heart breaking beauty in her words and an unshakable confidence in God’s goodness.
January 6, 2024
3.5 stars.
I very much looked forward to reading this book. I assumed, based on the title and subtitle, that its contents would contain a theology of how to think about and what to do with this inner ache that points us toward eternity. I don’t think I’m off the mark for thinking that; the book’s subtitle is, “How Our Yearning for the Life to Come Spurs on Our Life Today.” What I found instead was far less instructional and far more narrative. It’s almost as if you’re reading Lee’s personal journal. The later chapters contain stories from the author’s life that illustrate (though sometimes rather loosely…) what it means to live ordinary days as an exile seeking a homeland.
Amy Baik Lee is an extraordinarily gifted writer. She paints such vibrant pictures with her words— her use of language is so acute and aromatic that it’s almost as if she’s a visual artist. When I think of This Homeward Ache, I almost think more of the rolling meadows and floral landscapes it contains than I do of a particular sentiment or truth. Oh, but therein lies a problem, I think. I don’t mean to criticize— this book has its place. But it lacks substance. It lacks a solid foundation. It lacks a scope and sequence. It lacks a clear, biblical outline. In fact, I’m having a hard time reviewing it because I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to be.
The first section is more helpful in that it does somewhat theologically define what our homeward ache is, though Lee relies too heavily on excerpts from other writers, namely Lewis and Keller. She may as well have just recommended readers to her favorite works on the topic. The second section is beautiful. It contains heartfelt sentiments, piercing narratives, and vulnerable offerings of truth found through pain. It is a collection of stories, and though storytelling is certainly a method through which to memorably illustrate truths, the stories are scattered and the truths are quiet. Perhaps a thesis statement could have been helpful— I just don’t know what I’m supposed to have gained. When I flip back through the pages, I find a handful of underlined paragraphs that bleed with such tender, hope-giving words on who God is and what he might be preparing for us. But we never got to the crescendo.
I would be eager to read more from Amy Baik Lee on the topic of our heavenly longing. She is a gifted writer and thinker. I would only hope for more originality and clarity of purpose.
I very much looked forward to reading this book. I assumed, based on the title and subtitle, that its contents would contain a theology of how to think about and what to do with this inner ache that points us toward eternity. I don’t think I’m off the mark for thinking that; the book’s subtitle is, “How Our Yearning for the Life to Come Spurs on Our Life Today.” What I found instead was far less instructional and far more narrative. It’s almost as if you’re reading Lee’s personal journal. The later chapters contain stories from the author’s life that illustrate (though sometimes rather loosely…) what it means to live ordinary days as an exile seeking a homeland.
Amy Baik Lee is an extraordinarily gifted writer. She paints such vibrant pictures with her words— her use of language is so acute and aromatic that it’s almost as if she’s a visual artist. When I think of This Homeward Ache, I almost think more of the rolling meadows and floral landscapes it contains than I do of a particular sentiment or truth. Oh, but therein lies a problem, I think. I don’t mean to criticize— this book has its place. But it lacks substance. It lacks a solid foundation. It lacks a scope and sequence. It lacks a clear, biblical outline. In fact, I’m having a hard time reviewing it because I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to be.
The first section is more helpful in that it does somewhat theologically define what our homeward ache is, though Lee relies too heavily on excerpts from other writers, namely Lewis and Keller. She may as well have just recommended readers to her favorite works on the topic. The second section is beautiful. It contains heartfelt sentiments, piercing narratives, and vulnerable offerings of truth found through pain. It is a collection of stories, and though storytelling is certainly a method through which to memorably illustrate truths, the stories are scattered and the truths are quiet. Perhaps a thesis statement could have been helpful— I just don’t know what I’m supposed to have gained. When I flip back through the pages, I find a handful of underlined paragraphs that bleed with such tender, hope-giving words on who God is and what he might be preparing for us. But we never got to the crescendo.
I would be eager to read more from Amy Baik Lee on the topic of our heavenly longing. She is a gifted writer and thinker. I would only hope for more originality and clarity of purpose.
November 22, 2023
This. Book. Is. So. Good.
It is definitely in my Top 5 Reads of 2023 (a list I literally just this second came up with, haha).
And it took me a month and a half to read not because it wasn't good (it's 20 stars, if I could give it that), but because it's so beautifully written; I had to sit with it and let the words seep into my soul slowly, ever so slowly, like a tea blend or cold brew coffee that requires an extra-long brewing time.
Lee's writing reminds me ever so much, and blissfully so, of that of K. C. Ireton or Christie Purifoy; fans of either will, I believe, especially enjoy this read--as will any Rabbit Room Press or Inklings fans. (I will admit that I fangirled SO MUCH over Lee's exploration of Eowyn as the character she relates to most in LOTR, because Eowyn is my Fave LOTR Character Ever, and I'm of the opinion that Eowyn/Faramir is the great love story in the book.)
I am ever grateful to Ireton for tipping me off to the book's then-upcoming release in one of her monthly newsletters; I wouldn't have known about/pursued it otherwise, and my life would truly have been dimmer as a result. (Similarly, _This Homeward Ache_ is prompting me to read C. S. Lewis's _Surprised by Joy_, a book I'd never read and didn't know how much I needed in my life. So there's that!)
Well deserving of a place on anyone's bookshelf, and "Read" list.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
It is definitely in my Top 5 Reads of 2023 (a list I literally just this second came up with, haha).
And it took me a month and a half to read not because it wasn't good (it's 20 stars, if I could give it that), but because it's so beautifully written; I had to sit with it and let the words seep into my soul slowly, ever so slowly, like a tea blend or cold brew coffee that requires an extra-long brewing time.
Lee's writing reminds me ever so much, and blissfully so, of that of K. C. Ireton or Christie Purifoy; fans of either will, I believe, especially enjoy this read--as will any Rabbit Room Press or Inklings fans. (I will admit that I fangirled SO MUCH over Lee's exploration of Eowyn as the character she relates to most in LOTR, because Eowyn is my Fave LOTR Character Ever, and I'm of the opinion that Eowyn/Faramir is the great love story in the book.)
I am ever grateful to Ireton for tipping me off to the book's then-upcoming release in one of her monthly newsletters; I wouldn't have known about/pursued it otherwise, and my life would truly have been dimmer as a result. (Similarly, _This Homeward Ache_ is prompting me to read C. S. Lewis's _Surprised by Joy_, a book I'd never read and didn't know how much I needed in my life. So there's that!)
Well deserving of a place on anyone's bookshelf, and "Read" list.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 21, 2023
Every Christian understands the longing for heaven and restoration that marks all of life, especially in times of hardship or in moments of deep joy. And while this hope we have was promised to be fulfilled by Jesus himself (“I go to prepare a place for you”), the fact that it is a future hope means we are living in the in-between time. Are we meant to just stick it out until Christ returns? Or does this future hope mean anything for my life today?
This Homeward Ache offers some musings as an answer, or at least a perspective that may point us in the right direction. Part topical overview of Sehnsucht, or longing, and part memoir, this book helps us consider how longing for Heaven impacts our life today. Through her personal stories, Amy Baik Lee shares how certain areas of her own life have been changed by looking toward eternity.
Read this if you enjoy:
—Poetic prose
—Memoirs
—Thinking about Heaven
—Works influenced by Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien
—Thoughts on faith and culture
“The journey of the Homeward pilgrim is not merely one to be endured; it is one that is meant to prepare us for Home, so to speak, as much as Home is being prepared for us.”
I really enjoyed this and would recommend if any of the above appeals to you. Thank you to Netgalley and B&H Books for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
This Homeward Ache offers some musings as an answer, or at least a perspective that may point us in the right direction. Part topical overview of Sehnsucht, or longing, and part memoir, this book helps us consider how longing for Heaven impacts our life today. Through her personal stories, Amy Baik Lee shares how certain areas of her own life have been changed by looking toward eternity.
Read this if you enjoy:
—Poetic prose
—Memoirs
—Thinking about Heaven
—Works influenced by Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien
—Thoughts on faith and culture
“The journey of the Homeward pilgrim is not merely one to be endured; it is one that is meant to prepare us for Home, so to speak, as much as Home is being prepared for us.”
I really enjoyed this and would recommend if any of the above appeals to you. Thank you to Netgalley and B&H Books for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
July 6, 2023
Stunning!! Loved this book. A favorite from the year.
July 21, 2025
Some gems but overall, it felt like it could have been shorter.
“What kind of grace is this, that Christ has not only redeemed me but embedded a shard of unsettledness within me so that I would look for its source?”
“As a consequence, if a kind word later arrives from a reader in response to something I've finished, I remember clearly the bankruptcy of having to ask God for help at every stage, and I know for certain that the credit does not lie wholly with me. The open page, blank or crowded, is where I am learning to wait for him. Vocations can shift; he is still free to redirect me, or to lead me in this one differently. But meanwhile I am discovering what it is to sing the song he has put in my mouth (Ps. 40:3), as David says; this is how l am telling stories Homeward.”
“Her struggle forces me to face my own. As a follower of Christ, I know it is essential to ask myself challenging questions to stay alert and on my feet. Am I being a staunch intercessor? Have I been generous with my time and possessions? Do I exercise trust in difficult seasons? Yet sometimes, especially in the age in which I live, the line between the faithful discharge of duty and the affirmation of renown seems to blur. If no one is moved by my next essay, does that mean it was a waste of time? Where are my credentials my proof, that is of a project well received, a child well raised, a spouse happily married? How can I show thạt I am giving my utmost to my God?”
“When I look at Eowyn's story, something inside cracks. I remember I have been redeemed me, not as a tally mark on a salvation sheet but as one sought and seen. From time to time I feel the knowledge of grace come upon me when no one is watch-ing, and the weight of striving and standing firm lifts for a little while. I open to Joy then; I can feel my upturned face soften, and I rejoice in whatever way seems meet. I have sung hushed melodies in dark rooms and danced alone in the kitchen of a sleeping house and lifted autumn-starred eyes to the gloaming sky. I know then with a surety beyond words that I am found beautiful-to him, because of him.”
“What kind of grace is this, that Christ has not only redeemed me but embedded a shard of unsettledness within me so that I would look for its source?”
“As a consequence, if a kind word later arrives from a reader in response to something I've finished, I remember clearly the bankruptcy of having to ask God for help at every stage, and I know for certain that the credit does not lie wholly with me. The open page, blank or crowded, is where I am learning to wait for him. Vocations can shift; he is still free to redirect me, or to lead me in this one differently. But meanwhile I am discovering what it is to sing the song he has put in my mouth (Ps. 40:3), as David says; this is how l am telling stories Homeward.”
“Her struggle forces me to face my own. As a follower of Christ, I know it is essential to ask myself challenging questions to stay alert and on my feet. Am I being a staunch intercessor? Have I been generous with my time and possessions? Do I exercise trust in difficult seasons? Yet sometimes, especially in the age in which I live, the line between the faithful discharge of duty and the affirmation of renown seems to blur. If no one is moved by my next essay, does that mean it was a waste of time? Where are my credentials my proof, that is of a project well received, a child well raised, a spouse happily married? How can I show thạt I am giving my utmost to my God?”
“When I look at Eowyn's story, something inside cracks. I remember I have been redeemed me, not as a tally mark on a salvation sheet but as one sought and seen. From time to time I feel the knowledge of grace come upon me when no one is watch-ing, and the weight of striving and standing firm lifts for a little while. I open to Joy then; I can feel my upturned face soften, and I rejoice in whatever way seems meet. I have sung hushed melodies in dark rooms and danced alone in the kitchen of a sleeping house and lifted autumn-starred eyes to the gloaming sky. I know then with a surety beyond words that I am found beautiful-to him, because of him.”
November 20, 2025
Beautiful. Encouraging. Inspiring. Reflective. Insightful. Truly beautifully written this is both a memoir and spiritual reflection. This was a perfect read for me at the perfect time. I loved the ending so, so much…
“Strengthen us with your joy.
Keep our hearts burning within us at the sound of your voice and the glimmers of the place you are preparing, so that we may sing your song even under a darkling sky and be glad.
Walk us Home.”
Beautiful. Definitely recommend to all who enjoy slow, beautiful writing which reflects on God’s beauty in creation, music, art and wonderful stories - and how all of that causes us to yearn for our Home yet to come.
“Strengthen us with your joy.
Keep our hearts burning within us at the sound of your voice and the glimmers of the place you are preparing, so that we may sing your song even under a darkling sky and be glad.
Walk us Home.”
Beautiful. Definitely recommend to all who enjoy slow, beautiful writing which reflects on God’s beauty in creation, music, art and wonderful stories - and how all of that causes us to yearn for our Home yet to come.
December 24, 2025
Lots of sentimentality, little substance. 75% of this book is memoir, or descriptions of personal experiences or history. The other 25% of this is defining the concept of Sehnsucht. And all the definitions and descriptions are things I've already heard before. I wanted more depth. So I'm giving this 3 stars, with the knowledge that I'm just not the right audience for the book.
This review reflects many of my thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This review reflects many of my thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 24, 2024
Uncovering a word for a lifelong sensation is a rare and humbling phenomenon. In This Homeward Ache, Amy Baik Lee gave me the word I’ve been searching for my entire life. I’m grateful for the journey and unlike my experience with the unfinished longing Lee depicted so eloquently, this book provided a sense of closure and hope for the journey ahead.
July 18, 2025
Enthralling biography mixed with research and reflection. Amy’s gift for describing landscapes and gardens carry the reader into delightful settings, so clear that one feels as if he had experienced it all himself. Amy doesn’t pretend that life as a Christian is all sweetness and smiles, but she assures us that in Christ, one day, it will be.
June 15, 2024
Outstanding content and beautifully written. This is one I’ll go back to again and again.
February 1, 2025
I have no words other than…soul-searching, mind-altering, and perspective-changing. I can’t recommend this book enough to help give perspective on something almost incomprehensible. Homeward Ache is an almost indescribable thing, yet Amy describes it through story, quotes, and perspective.
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