Six months ago, Jessica and I uprooted our lives and moved to the D.C. area from Columbus. Our whirlwind adventure has proven to be chaotic and overwhelming, but at the same time we’ve found joys and blessings through it all.
This experience has been one of total, immersive change. We willingly upended our comfortable lives and charged headfirst into unknown challenges that we hoped would refine and grow us as individuals, as a family, and as followers of Christ. As expected, the daily trials we’ve encountered have been difficult. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the unknowns. But it’s when we willingly dive into a sea of uncertainty that we give ourselves an opportunity to test our core beliefs and emerge more enlightened about ourselves and the world around us.
Our time here has thus far been unlike anything we’ve experienced before. For starters, becoming first-time parents causes an immediate and significant change in perspective on life. Most of the cherished freedoms and spontaneity that I felt were a part of my identity have evaporated. In their place I feel the heavy responsibility of loving and caring for a child.
I’ve found parenting to offer fulfillment and joy at times, but these gratifications are in stark contrast to how I enjoyed the activities of yesteryear: dates with the wifey, happy hour with the guys, pizza & darts, game nights, etc. In short, I’ve been slow to embrace the responsibilities, greater purpose, and joys to be had as a result of invested parenting. It wasn’t the adventure I necessarily wanted, but it’s where God has me. To combat the mild despair I’ve been feeling, my primary prayer over the past six months has been for God to soften my heart toward parenting and help me to embrace both the direct and indirect responsibilities of my new role. Fortunately, I can sense God moving in my heart – good things are happening and I think things are headed in the right direction! Thanks to those of you who have been praying alongside me and encouraging me through this time.
My work life seems to follow the same trends as home life: It’s completely different! While in Columbus, I enjoyed my time as a front-line public policy implementer. Now I find myself steering the ship instead of following the captain’s orders. Um… how did I get here?! It’s an entirely different skill set that’s less focused on industry expertise and more so on soft skills. I feel unqualified and unprepared, but I have a passion to help our team succeed. This job presents a new, exciting challenge that will force me to finally face some of my biggest insecurities and perceived weaknesses.
Parenting, learning the new job, and adjusting to new city-life are huge changes that have ripple effects even among our most standard routines. Everything is a blank slate, from finding our new grocery stores to joining a new church. Each week we cobble together a variety of new experiences and discoveries that we use to build our lives in this new city.
We dove into this next chapter expecting to be refined through the challenges associated with uprooting our comfortable lives in Columbus and building new lives in Washington. After all, how can we expect to be amazed by God’s provision and involvement in our everyday lives if we neglect to take steps of faith expecting Him to deliver? These are exciting times! For Jess and me, it’s our unique opportunity to reorient our lives around Christ as we lift off into the unknown. I wonder what else is in store?!
Thanks for reading, thanks for being a valued part of our journey.
Millennial Prose 