What a month it has been! All good and wonderful things, but this process of moving and starting a new job has really worn on me. So I'm trying to sleep as much as I can and always take my vitamins! So here's the lowdown....
I started my new job 2 weeks ago at the Institute for Orthopedics and Chiropractic. I do massage therapy referrals 3 days a week, and chiropractic assisting 5 days a week. It has been quite like drinking out of a fire hydrant, with how intense it is. I'm treating high level athletes, Mayo clinic and Tria cases, as well as trying to keep my physical stamina up with doing massages. They have trained me in as a Chiropractic assistant, so I help with soft tissue and manual adjustments with the chiropractor, give ultrasounds (not like baby ones - its a form of deep heat applied to muscle tissue - but the concept/tools are pretty much the same,) and prep patients for adjustments. It's a full time job (so thankful!) so I'm pretty beat when I get home from work. My body is adapting to the routine, but it is taking a bit. I really like what I am doing, and the clinic is one of the most reputable in the state, because it is a combination of Physical Therapy and chiropractic modalities... they do things so much differently than I've ever seen them before! In the two weeks I've been there though, I have seen it work!
And the house!! Can't even believe that Jared and I are homeowners. Actually now that I think about it - this is the first blog I've posted about the house. Hmm. A bit behind I guess! Well, then, for those of you that didn't know... we bought a house. :) A quite lovely one, I might add. It's in Blaine, about a 12 minute drive for Jared to work, and about a 35 minute one for me (with no traffic), but I'm daytime hours, and he has evenings, so it's right this way.
With Jared and I not getting home until around 7pm each night, the house projects have taken a bit longer than we'd hoped, but I have to be realistic here. We both work full time now, and our evening time is limited. It will take longer, and I am becoming more and more comfortable with that. This is what it looks like right now....
It will get there. :) There were too many pictures of the house to put all on the blog, so I have created a link to the facebook album by clicking HERE.
The link will work, and you can click through the pictures even if you don't have a facebook, or are not friends with me. I'll keep updating as we make more progress! I am SO enjoying nesting and making it feel like Jared and I. It's been a whole new experience for us - with repairs, hanging blinds/window treatments, problem solving those "welcome to home-ownership" messes, (we didn't have hot water until yesterday!) but we are doing so well.
We have so much to be thankful for, both working at full time jobs IN our respective fields, buying a house, getting settled, being back in Minnesota.... the list goes on. We give HIM all the praise! Have a great Saturday everyone!
Nothing about this easily fit into a nutshell, but sometimes, you just have to make yourself find the words, and do what you can. And I'll tell you right now that as lenghthy (I'm just going to assume) this story will be - it will still be in a nutshell. So, to give all the praise to the Lord first... I'm going to start off by sharing just SOME of the things that Jared and I have been blessed by, have learned, and grown in as of late, pertaining to our "big news":
- God has been stretching us. In big ways and in small ways. And we are of the belief that this is a wonderful thing. It encourages us to know that we have an opportunity to choose faith. And we want to pass the test.
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We have had the chance to learn many new things about how we (as a husband/wife) function in the face of big decisions. Finding out each others weaknesses, strengths, and how to share the load when necessary. A VERY valuable lesson to learn 14 months into marriage.
- We have understood the value of how our individual spiritual lives impact our spiritual life as a couple. Especially during times of trial, we have been blessed to be able to see clearly the things that the other does not.
- We have experienced James 1 and Philippians 4 (and many others) - we have literally felt the tests of doubting as well as the peace that guards our hearts. Sometimes at the same time! The Word has come alive in so many ways for how God is working in our life.
Nutshell: Jared received a call from Bethel University about a month and a half ago, basically asking him to apply for the Sports Information Director position. He was the runner up for this exact same job last year, which we really wanted, but they hired within, and thus we began "our journey".
Now, we could probably write a short book with all the thoughts, emotions, legistics & details, prayers, and confusion we faced after getting that call. There were SO many reasons for both sides. Not just emotions, legitimate reasons.
Nutshell: we sought God fervently. Journal entries that no one besides me and the Lord will ever need to see. There was anger, confusion, longing, more confusion, hours of talking every. single. night. But one thing remained the same. Even when we couldn't see through the fog - we felt the Lord near. I'm sure you are picturing in your head right now all the obvious, and mabye not so obvious, questions that we should have thought about... guarantee we thought about them. The millions of them.
Nutshell: Jared and I grew closer. Was it difficult on us at times? Yes. Jared sought the Lord, I sought the Lord. We turned to wisdom from people we love and trust, and it came time for the Lord to work. Bethel had opened up every door and one more to give us reason to go. So we applied for the job in faith. In faith knowing that if God wanted us back in Minnesota He would have Bethel offer Jared the job. In faith knowing that at the same time, He also had full power to close the door if he wanted us here. In faith that He knew where we were supposed to be. Because God knows we didn't. Seriously.
Nutshell: God spoke, and Jared and I are moving back to Minnesota in less than 2 weeks.
Our life for the past month-ish has been a test of our faith, and all glory to the One who "knew each moment of our life before one of them came to be." What a story we have been blessed with! What a joy to live each day in full dependence, reliance, and trust to the ONE WHO NEVER FAILS! He doesn't make mistakes! If for one second (we had it) we thought that either of these "choices" would remove us from the Lord, or soemhow "negate all the faith" we had learned through the process, we were severely wrong. God uses these experiences to grow us and make us better - not to give us our "one chance" to get it right! Thankfully he revealed all this and more to us!
So, the decision is done, and we are moving on (literally, emotionally, and figuratively). I have been so proud of my husband. Talk about being faithful to the Lord even in the tough stuff! Through all the conversations he had at Marshall with his co-workers, coaches, his boss, etc, his courage and faith remained strong. They were NOT easy conversations as you can imagine. I am so encouraged/proud/inspired by the person he is! You can still be in prayer for his endurance - he is just LOADED with work to finish before his last day (Sunday the 16th).
So, it's back to the homeland for these Johnson's! We are excited, but honestly all the emotional toll of the past month is just finally wearing off. It was very bittersweet, as there have been so many positives about being here, but there is so much excitement for our future in Minnesota. Our apartment is once again in turmoil, and we start the drive back across the country on tuesday the 18th. We will be living in Chanhassen with my parents until we find a place back up in the northern suburbs. (If you know of anything... ;)
For all of you who were praying us through this, we could NOT have finished the way we did without you lifting us up. Thank you! See you soon, friends! :)
NUTSHELL: Praise be to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could EVER ask or imagine!
S
o this might be old news to most of you.... but I will share the details none the less of Jared and I taking a leap of faith, stepping out and moving to West Virginia! Huntington, to be exact, home of Marshall University and the "thundering herd." After a few long years of waiting, it is finally the right time for us to move.
Jared will be going to work for Marshall Unviersity in their athletic department as a Graduate Assistant. This means that he will be a full time staff doing everything media related for 1 or 2 sports a season. Media guides, website design and updating, press releases, game day program design, etc. The difference however, is that he will also be getting his masters through the university in sports administration. This is his form of salary. It's a pretty ingenious set up, actually. In the collegiate sports world, having your masters as well as having experience at a credible location is vital. So this is a really great step for us!
God's fingerprints were all over this move. As some of you know, prior to Marshall (and by prior I mean like all of this happened in a span of 3 weeks) we had accepted a position in Georgia. Through a long stream of events, we went down there to look at apartments, God moved in our hearts and we decided it wasn't the place for us. Happening at the same time, Marshall U called Jared. One door closed, another opened. That's the short version. ;)
Once we accepted this position at Marshall, we still ran into some hiccups, but as ALWAYS, God's faithfullness abounded. Because we were doing all of this online, and choosing not to visit, our apartment search was interesting. We found 3 wonderful, nice, apartments from the staff at Marshall's recommendations. About a week ago, we found out one didn't have avaliability (our fave), one had given us mis-information and really didn't have an apartment for us (our backup), and one we realistically couldn't swing price wise. Talk about taking the wind out of us. So we prayed, and we trusted.
We had decided we were going to have to take a 3 bedroom at our favorite place and just bite the money until we could move down to a 1 bedroom... it was the ONLY apartment we could even find avaliable! The Lord worked. He got us a 2 bedroom there. Great! Even cheaper! But of course, us in our unbelieving/stressed ways, were worried about moving twice, changing our address twice, etc. Oh, us of little faith.
Sunday, as in 2 days ago, our apartment called. They have a 1 bedroom for us. :) Why do we ever doubt that the Lord will take care of us? He has NEVER failed us yet! And although the road might not always fall perfectly before us as we are ready to step, I believe he is present and attentive, and always has our best interest in mind. Even if that best interest doesn't make itself clear until farther down that road.
So, long story, but I can't keep quiet God's faithfullness. We are very excited about this move, and strongly feel that this is the place he is leading us. Oh, and it is only a 2 year comittment. :) Our desire is to come back to the Twin Cities, but where He leads us, we will follow.
There are a few things we would SO appreciate your prayers on as we move cross country:
- we are still trying to find the most affordable way to move down. Rental trucks are so expensive. We are looking for a truck and trailer.
- A job for myself (Skyler) as it will be my income we rely on while Jared gets his degree
- Jared will be traveling quite a bit with his team(s): SAFETY for him as well as lonliness not to set in while I am home in a brand new state.
- That we would find a great church family and some great friends!
- That our hearts would remain open to Huntington - not just waiting for the end of 2 years.
We start driving on August 1st! Both of our wonderful parents will be moving us down. Thank you so much for all your prayers, and there will be much more to come!!
ps. just in case you care this much.... if you want to remember more about Marshall's story Click here for info on the plane crash, or click here to view MU's official athletic website (Jared's territory).
