We are moving to JAPAN!

Many of you have asked and we have tried to make the rounds to tell everyone personally, but it is time to announce via the great world of blogging that the Jacksons are moving to Japan! (Can you tell I'm excited?!?)




The past few weeks have been completely insane with packing, sorting, organizing, planning and SO. MUCH. MORE. I had no idea I had accumulated this much stuff in the last four years. This has been our first home together and saying goodbye to 141 Watkins has truly been bittersweet. I've been meaning to blog and updated everyone but the so far this journey has kept us incredibly busy. Plus, when I have found the time, I've been a bit too emotional to write about our process. 

As we shared at our church last Sunday, Bryan and I decided it was time to apply to our missions organization and we prayerfully began the process. We both have always been so passionate about the nations and the lost so it seemed natural for us to move in the direction of going overseas. In June, we were officially invited to interview and by the first of July we had been accepted and offered a job in Takasaki, Japan. To which we happily accepted. Next step, sell everything! 

NOTE: Part of this is the Moving Sale story from last week, but keep reading. 

This past Saturday, we had a moving sale here at our house and after weeks of sorting through our "stuff" we had enough items to literally fill up an entire truck. I had been praying that God would somehow help us to get rid of all of our stuff. We have had several thefts in our neighborhood and at one point I thought...maybe all of it will get stolen and we will just claim it on our insurance, I"m kidding...kind of. The night before our sale we had a pretty big storm and as I was trying to sleep through the lightening and thunder I again pondered how we would ever liquidate all we had accumulated. Perhaps the storm would blow it away! I continued to pray. 

As the morning of the sale came and hours began to drag by, I began to lose hope that the moving sale would be a success. 11:00 am, 12:00 noon, 1:00 pm...I could count only 12 or so people who had actually stopped. How Father, how? At 1:30 pm as we were beginning to pack up, a gentleman who we know asked a simple question. 

"How much for everything?"

"Everything?"

"Yes, how much for everything?" (Picture Bryan and Whitney with mouths wide open and jaws dropped). 

Long story short the man graciously bought all of our items. He may resell them but I don't know...I think I was in too great of a state of shock to ask. Technically, we sold it ALL. 

Rewind, Father sold it ALL. 

So today we are here in this empty house...TV gone, couch and chairs gone, dining table gone, deco gone, wall art gone. (Don't worry we still have our bed). This 3 bedroom, 1 tiny bath house was our first home since being married in 2013 and it will always hold a dear place in my heart. And as I sit in this echoing living room and reflect on going overseas again, this time feels so different. It feels like I'm giving away my whole life and all the little things I strangely hold dear.

Today, as I watched Bryan pack up his drums, his Tamas. I could have cried. They aren't just some set of drums, they are his drums and he plays them often. The same set of drums he has owned for years. They are music to his soul and relief when life and stress get to be a little too much. They will be in storage for four years. He said goodbye to them for at least the next for four years. 

Going overseas is a wonderful blessing and we feel so strongly called to share Christ with the nations, but that doesn't mean for one second that it is easy. Saying goodbye to our things is hard, emotional and challenging, but in some ways it is also freeing and makes life simple. Actually, as I think about purging all these things we've accumulated in our life, it is the same for us spiritually. 

Think about it...all the junk that we build up and store up for years and years makes life complicated and causes us to be tied down. Often we are consumed by what we have and what we don't have that we think we need. And then Christ steps in and begins to clean...if we allow Him to and oh, it is painful and we grieve for all that we feel is slipping away. But when our heart has been cleared out and just like our moving sale, there is a peace and a freedom that comes with owning very little "stuff." 

Today and probably for the weeks to come, the song "Magnify" by We Are Messengers, has been in my heart and in my soul. May this always been the tune of my heart both in material possessions and spiritually. 

Take it all, take it all away
Magnify no other name
Open up, open up my eyes
To you

Oh God be greater, than the worries in my life
Be stronger, than the weakness in my mind 
Be louder, let your Glory come alive
Be magnified


Here is to grieving, anticipation and the journey ahead. 

Beautiful Feet

p.s. If you would like to receive our email updates as we move forward, please email me at tennjaijai@pobox.com. 



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