I had a to-do list that would make even the most organized person jealous. It was color-coded, prioritized, divided into segments. It was the reminder that I could never get it all done, and I never felt like I was enough. It hung on my Japanese fridge for months, perhaps even a year or more.I ...
A note before I begin. When I felt called into missions I knew the Lord wanted me to be authentic, and to be honest about what life as a missionary was like. Ironically, I had no idea that also meant to be authentic about the process of leaving the task He gave me in the ...
When you live in a new culture, “loneliness” can take over your heart and mind without you even realizing it. A common feeling among expats (ok, all humans) is that we can feel loneliness without deep relationships and connections. Since moving, I would not have described myself as being lonely, at least not in the ...
One of the hardest things I’ve faced in my expat life is envy. Yup, that sin we all know is there and that other people struggle with it….but do we ever feel comfortable saying that WE do? We have lived overseas for one and a half years. I was prepared for and ready to tackle ...
Spring. Before moving to Japan I thought of spring as a time when the snow melted and tulips bloomed. Easter was coming soon along with Easter baskets and church dresses. Spring. Since moving to Japan it’s become a time of magical transformation. Those who live in Japan know exactly what magic I’m referring to: cherry ...
We moved to Japan almost 10 months ago, and I’ve had nearly 10 months of difficulty falling asleep. My head hits the pillow and waves of thoughts and worries and nothingness pound at the forefront of my mind. Something that helps me fall asleep is to picture myself walking around in my favorite memories. Usually, ...
I twist and turn down the bumpy sidewalk in my suburban neighborhood of Tokyo, and I feel the cool air hit my face. I hear the cars passing me, and I smell exhaust fumes mixed with scents from the corner restaurant. As I approach a pedestrian crossing I hear the screech of my brakes, and ...
I’m sure we’ve all experienced it – a moment when you’re speaking to someone and you just can’t seem to communicate. For most of us, that would read: “you just can’t seem to communicate clearly“. In the case of this expat living overseas, the sentence will literally read “you just can’t seem to communicate”. Like at ...
We moved to Tokyo over two months ago. I’ve written at least 20 blog posts in my head, but alas, this is the first I’ve had time to sit down and write. I’ve often wondered which topic would be the first glimpse at my life here in Tokyo. This feels right. We send our oldest ...
