Living faithful, fruitful and fulfilled on the mission field
I love working with brand new believers! Like toddlers, they say hilarious things. My neighbor who recently accepted Jesus posed a question the other day. I was teaching her about prayer. “Do you think God understands Chinese?” she asked. “Of course He does! He is …
Recent events at Willow Creek Church have saddened the global Christian community. I considered Bill Hybels one of my mentors from afar. He was a leader to many. I had never met him, but I’d gained much from his books, especially the one called “Courageous …
“I can handle quite a lot of difficulty and pain. I just don’t want my kids to suffer!” Most missionaries feel this way. If we couldn’t handle significant levels of discomfort, we wouldn’t have chosen this life. In my experience, missionaries have a higher than normal pain tolerance. But we love our kids. We don’t want them to be negatively affected by our calling. Yet, as much as we hate it, sometimes they are. This is particularly true when we face missionary visa challenges.
The transitions and stress that are a part of these take their toll. How do we minimize the negative effects on our children?
Much of how our kids are affected, depends on how we, as parents, handle these situations. Our kids are often like mirrors. They reflect back our own internal struggles. We want our kids to feel safe and secure. This is crucial for their mental health and development.
But how do we create that environment in the midst of missionary visa challenges?
External stability can be hard to find. Sometimes it’s close to impossible to achieve. As parents, we can provide for our kids an inner stability. We can give them a firm foundation. This security flows directly from our own inner life.
Let me share a short excerpt from my soon to be released book- God Encounters In The Wild Places.
My heart was confused and I was grieving. I was angry with my situation and with God. Why did it have to be so hard? Why were we even here? And most of all, why hadn’t He come through for us in providing the visa for Nepal?
We missed our friends in that Himalayan nation. We missed our home…our lives. India wasn’t easy and this particular plains city was harder than most. The Lonely Planet Travel Guide had only a few lines listed about our city. It said “Get out of there as soon as possible.”
The place we were now in was around a million people (including the outskirt areas). But there were only a handful of foreigners there. That didn’t bother us so much. It did make cooking challenging.
What was available to purchase now was very different from what we had been used to in Kathmandu. The market in our new home, simply wasn’t big enough for foreign goods. Even simple things like cheese, various kinds of cereal, or different types of juice were scarce. These were things our kids had liked to eat.
As I cried out to the Lord in the early mornings, I was honest with God. “I don’t understand You! You didn’t lead us here like when You led us to Nepal. I don’t like this city and I don’t like India. Please help me God! If You want us to stay here, I need You to give me Your grace. I can’t do it on my own.”
Before I could help my kids feel safe in the midst of our missionary visa challenges, I first needed to “have it out” with God. It was a process, journeying toward a place of trust, acceptance, and peace. It took time, but I got there. Our kids got there too.
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” Psalm 56:3- NIV
Here are a few things we did in that transition time that helped us and our kids. I hope these suggestions benefit you today!
First of all, be real with God. Admit your fears and frustration. Don’t try to “suck it up” and “stuff it down.” That only leads to a prolonged struggle and possible depression.
Tell God what you feel about the situation you are in. Maybe you haven’t lost your visa, but you are sick to death of having to worry about it, year after year, month after month. You might be tired of having to make that “border runs” again and again. Don’t try to be a “good missionary” who never complains, even to God. Believe me, He knows about it anyway and you aren’t impressing Him when you don’t admit your struggles! God can handle your frustration. He won’t get offended or punish you for expressing what is going on inside.
It’s also good to find a few friends to be honest about your missionary visa challenges with as well. Share what you are feeling inside. Don’t have a friend nearby? Get on Facebook or Skype and find someone! Or, feel free to write to the Missionary Life Facebook page! But get it out, don’t hold it in!
Often, I’ve had to simply choose trust over worry. It’s not easy but it can be done.
Meditate on Ps. 56:3 or Philippians 4:6-7.
Even if you have to make that conscious choice a hundred times a day, do it. Say to yourself, “I’m choosing trust. I won’t give in to fear and worry. God, I trust You in this situation.”
It is powerful to speak to our souls and tell them what to choose!
Gratefulness has the ability to change our emotions. Make a “thankful list” and keep it in a prominent place like Anne Voscamp’s “1000 Gifts” book suggests. Train yourself to notice the good things.
Talk about things that are good and lovely.
We feel more strongly the things we talk about often. Do you find yourself complaining about the heat? The adjustments? The things you don’t like about your situation? Guard your mouth. It is transmitting and transferring those sentiments to your kids.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things and the God of peace will be with you,” (Philippians 4:8)
As parents, you set the tone in your home. Much of the family atmosphere comes from what you as parents speak about. Choose to talk about good things. It will help your kids. It helps you too! 🙂
I’d like to share a bit of an older song with you. It’s called My Heart Will Trust. As you face your visa related challenges, will you choose to trust Him? Make that decision again today as you listen to this song.
We all desire to be fruitful in the mission field. What does it take to live a fruitful life? Consider this (slightly foolish) story. The Foolish Goat Farmer A foolish farmer was struggling with her goats. Her flock was getting smaller and smaller. One …
In last week’s blog, “Why Sabbath Needs to Be One of Our Spiritual Disciplines“, we discussed how Sabbath is a crucial habit if we want to live faithful, fruitful and fulfilled lives on the mission field. It is so easy to make Sabbath a low …
I can’t remember the last time I heard a sermon on holiness. In some ways, the move away from hellfire and brimstone preaching has been so important. We don’t want to coerce people to put their trust in Jesus because we’ve scared them to death! The gospel is a message of love and relationship, not fear. It could be though, that we’ve swung too far, in wanting to make the gospel attractive. Have we drifted away from calling people to something important to God?
God is holy. He is concerned that His people live holy lives. When we allow sinful behavior and influences to creep into our lives, we no longer reflect His glory and nature to a world that needs to see who He is – through us. It’s important to instruct ourselves (and those we disciple) to live as those “set apart” from the world. We are called to live and act in radically different ways from those who don’t yet know Christ.
When I was a teenager, I liked music. My favorite style was jazz. There was an artist named Al Jarreau, whose music made me feel happy and alive. He was not a Christian, nor did he play hymns and worship songs. Sometimes, when with my friends, I listened to music on the radio. The words were often ungodly. Some of the songs encouraged one toward drugs, sex, alcohol abuse, and worse.
My youth pastor at church invited a speaker to come and talk with us about rock music and the dangers of its influence. I remember them well. They talked about back-masking and all kinds of surprising things. When they played a popular band’s song backward you could sort of hear it saying “Worship Satan. Worship Satan.” We were shocked!
I loved God and vowed not to listen to that band anymore. Though I agreed with some things these people said, there was also something in me that didn’t like what they shared. “Not everything in the world that isn’t Christian is evil,” I thought to myself. I love Al Jarreau’s music. Do I have to throw away my albums and only listen to Christian bands? If I want to be holy and please God?
Perhaps there was a balance to be maintained. How could a person stay engaged with the world enough to relate to unbelievers well, while being holy enough to come before an awesome God?
My pursuit of the answer to that question has taken varied twists and turns since my teenage years. It is still a valid question to ask, though, one I return to once again today.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
The Bible is clear on this topic, whether we emphasize it or not. God is holy and He calls His people to live holy before Him. But what does that mean?
Let’s start with a quick review of some Biblical passages.
· You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Leviticus 20:26 NIV
· As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”… 1 Pet 1:14-16 Berean Study Bible
In the Old Testament books of Exodus and Leviticus. there are many references to holiness. The Israelites were set apart from other nations around them. They were to be holy.
This is not only an Old Covenant command. It is repeated in the New Testament. We are not to conform to the world but to be transformed. Sanctification is the theological word for that process in our lives.
The Bible Project describes holiness this way, “Holiness is about more than being good and morally upstanding. … God’s holiness is his defining characteristic. It’s a term used in the Bible to describe both his goodness and his power. It is completely unique and utterly all-powerful, radiating from God like an energy.”
This is a big one in a day and age when there is so much division in both the church and in political settings. How do we treat those who have a different position from ours? Are we good listeners? Able to dialogue and show respect for other people’s viewpoints? Even learn from them?
Kindness is a very high value in the culture of Thailand, where we live. As Jesus followers, are we kinder than those who don’t know Jesus? Harsh and unkind attitudes do not reflect the goodness and glory of God. Let others see our love!
While being kind, it doesn’t mean we are comfortable around sin. As we walk in holiness, we must hate sin. What we need to be careful about is that we do not hate sinners too. When you hear God’s name taken in vain, does it make you uncomfortable? What about when we see things in films or T.V.? It is easy to grow accustomed to sin and stop even noticing it. Our conscience can become desensitized to things we used to feel were wrong. We can even become numb to perverse sexual behavior when we participate in them by silently watching those things in films or on TV.
We are in the world but not of it. This means we have a completely different set of values and priorities. It is easy to be influenced by materialism or the obsession with status and climbing the ladder of achievement. Money and the making of money need to take their rightful place in our lives as believers. If all our extra time is spent on pleasure, or making enough money to get ahead in life, are we that different from the non-believer down the street?
As the New Year begins, I’ve been particularly challenged to consider this. What do I put in my mouth and what do I put in my soul (through what I watch)? Am I feeding my body what it needs to be healthy or a diet of junk food that satisfies for a short time only?
Our soul food comes through what we watch, what we read, and what we expose ourselves to. Pornography is a huge problem, even among Christian leaders. If that is something that’s been a challenge for you, seek help and freedom. There is support for this issue available and the Lord desires to set you free.
As we pursue holiness we say no to things that are not good for our minds and hearts to absorb.
Have you drifted away from a pursuit of holiness? We cannot say we are pursuing God and not pursue holiness. Nor can we pursue holiness apart from God.
Start the New Year with a fresh commitment to holy living. Let’s reflect the love, glory, and purity of God to a world that is desperate to see it’s possible to live free and whole. We are set apart!
It’s Christmas Eve here in Thailand. The sun is about to rise. I’m drinking my morning coffee and gazing at the candle glowing on my living room table. The lights on the Christmas tree flicker. Soon I’ll begin baking and cooking, preparing a special meal …
Needing a visa to live in the country you call home can be a huge pain! Visa related issues cause tremendous stress in the lives of many missionaries. “You have 24 hours to leave.” These are the dreaded words every missionary hopes to never …
“Change will be a constant,” the speaker said. My mind knew what he said was true, but my heart rebelled. “I don’t like change!” a voice screamed inside my head. Our missionary lives are filled with disruption. It is the reality we face as Christian workers abroad, now, more than ever.
Change is difficult, but we can respond with grace.
Last week, one of my students faced a challenging disruption. In the Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements course, we have Whatsapp communities. These small groups support and encourage one another.
I’m a member of all the groups, but we have amazing moderators who primarily interact with those communities. Not long ago, as I do almost daily , I was scanning the messages in the groups, pausing to pray for different students. A chat caught my eye.
“We weren’t able to board our plane. There was a problem with our passports. We are on our way home and are so disappointed!” Those weren’t her exact words, but that was the gist of what she shared with her group.
My heart went out to my fellow struggler. It’s not fun to face rejection at the airport. Not fun at all! You pack up your family, say your goodbyes, go to the airport, and then…you aren’t able to leave for the field you planned to go to. Hopes and dreams are put on hold through a significant, painful delay.
This isn’t the only disruption I’ve seen or experienced in the past few months. Dear friends in India are facing massive disruption. A new wave of COVID-19 is sweeping through their nation. Hundreds of fellow workers and friends are hospitalized, on ventilators, or scrambling to get medical care. Some have gone on to heaven.
Disruption. It’s so tough.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV.
Some traditions teach us to ignore emotions. “Keep your chin up!” we say. “God is in control. Praise His name!” Sometimes even hearing scripture verses quoted grates on my spirit. Let me explain.
Though I deeply believe in the truth of Romans 8:28, it is often not the right thing to quote to someone in the midst of a crisis. It’s not always the right thing to say to yourself either!
God is a loving, relational God. He wants us to talk to Him about our feelings and struggles. Our Father is there to hold and carry us through these tough times. Pretending we are okay, when deep inside we are not, isn’t useful. Be real with God and with yourself in times of sudden change.
Take time to grieve the loss caused by disruption. It is biblical and appropriate to do this. There is a whole book of the Bible called Lamentations after all!
In times of stress and trial, we can be tempted to isolate. Not being real about our struggle is a form of isolation. We hide behind statements where we say the right thing, while inside we are suffering deeply.
God designed us to need genuine community and fellowship with others in His body. We were made for relationships, not isolation. The first step toward navigating disruption with grace is to open up to trusted friends and share your challenges. Let them encourage, minister to you and pray for you.
This can be especially difficult for those who carry titles like Pastor, Missionary, or Leader. We falsely believe we have to stay strong for others. Your transparency about the pain of disruption is important. It gives others you lead permission to be real as well.
Our lives are not our own. As disciples of Jesus, we are those who have deeply surrendered to His will. When faced with a crisis or disruption, go back to that place of radically letting go of the right to control your own life. Surrender releases peace. You may not like what is happening. But you choose to accept it. You choose to let go of needing to be in control of timing, process, outcome, relationships or anything else you are tightly holding on to.
“My life is yours, Lord. Help me trust you in this season” is a simple breath prayer I often pray.
God wants to give us peace in times of plenty, and times of want. He is there to calm our storms and to calm our hearts. Let’s welcome Him in.
When the next unexpected disruption hits, how will you respond?
I’ve always hated fish. Since I was a little girl, it was the one thing I really didn’t like to eat. My mom would serve it, but it remained on my plate. This wasn’t much of a problem until God called us to a people …