"God gives us grace for everything that happens in your life but there is no grace for worrying about the things that don't happen..." Our young-but-wise guests share about the early stages of parenting while living in the Middle East. Join us as we launch the first of four parenting episodes.
Sometimes as expatriate believers, we underestimate how much our words impact local believers. John Weaver talks to us today about how to facilitate a culture of hearing from God in local believers--which, he says, results in resilience. He says that sometimes we get in the way of our local disciples hearing what God is saying to them because we interject our own thoughts, feelings or opinions. Instead, he encourages us to help our local believers develop a lifestyle of learning to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to them instead of being too quick to interject our own input.
“Retirement off-shore” is NOT why Ron and Janine Parrish are living in the tropical paradise of the Indonesian archipelago! Instead, as 60+ year-old grandparents they are making disciples and mentoring the next generation to plant churches among the 129 UPGs of this nation they love and for which they thank God daily. “We may not be addressing the thousands in front of us, but we can address those who will be addressing the thousands.”
When’s the last time you spent a good portion of your devotional time in the morning simply recounting, “How has God loved me in the past 24 hours?” and giving Him thanks and praise for all the ways?! This interview with the Parrishes was delightful journey of discovering their resilience is in their intentional cultivation of a lifestyle of gratitude. And you will not want to miss Ron’s challenging invitation at the end!
Michael Sullivant works with the organization, Life Model Works, which resources churches and organizations by combining cutting edge brain-science with spiritual formation to optimize human maturity and transformation into the image of Christ. Not only was our conversation about the intersection of brain science and theology amazingly interesting, Michael gives us some very practical things to help us all on our way of becoming more like Jesus by developing important parts of our minds.
Living From The Heart That Jesus Gave You by Jim Wilder et all
Renovated by Jim Wilder
Today's guest, Chris P-veteran overseas church planter and pastor-had this revelation as he reveled in the rest and restoration he received and the very intentional separation he was able to make from ministry work and other responsibilities during his recent sabbatical. Hear Chris share about the powerful potential of a well-planned and executed sabbatical and a committed Sabbatical Coach.
“I worked hard (at planning and preparing) in order to receive as much as I could and did from the Lord.” Chris also shares, “You get out of it what you put into it,” and he shares practical pointer after practical pointer of soul-restoring practices, disciplines, and decisions he made and put into his sabbatical for it to become truly monumental at this 20-year mark of full-time overseas and stateside ministry.
Journey of the Soul by Bill and Kristi Gaultiere
Episode 33 (previous episodes on Sabbatical)
“The best thing we’ve done is…stay and provide a long-term presence.” And stay he has, as David has lived among, served, and loved the most vulnerable of the poor since 1998 in the Eastern European nation or Romania.
Silas and Steve treasured every moment sitting and talking to this long-time friend of Silas’s as he shared keys to his longevity and resilience in an extremely difficult - and rewarding - ministry. As you’ll hear, paramount among those keys is commitment to relationships and messy, challenging, but beautiful life together in community. David says this is, “The core to being able to do this for such a long time.”
Dive into the moving stories with us as David shares how those on the margins teach us how to survive in the context of poverty. “They teach us resiliency.” He tells short-termers and those who’ve joined him longer term, “Drink from the wells that the people that we’re serving among drink from.”
We loved how David helped us look at resiliency “as more of a collective and communal project, rather than just an individual one.” We hope you also love and glean some more keys to resiliency as David shares his story.
Resource: Tender Care
In this episode, Steve and Silas are joined by guest interviewer and podcaster, Mick Murray. Mick helps Steve and Silas reflect over the past 57 episodes of Resiliency and pull out favorite parts, things they have learned and what they think are priceless moments of interviewing so many amazing guests over the past two and a half years.
Show Notes:
Henri Nouwen wrote an article "From Solitude to Community to Ministry" where he writes that it is only in knowing who we are in solitude with God that we can effectively live with one another in community and then together, do ministry. For years, Rachel has been living from that paradigm in her work among the most vulnerable children in Chisinau, Moldova. She has learned from her posture of solitude with God and from her relationships to embrace her human limitations and live free from self-condemnation. Join Steve and I in this delightful interview with Rachel Dyachenko.
Unstacking Your Grief Tower: A Guide To Processing Your Grief as an Adult Third Culture Kid by Lauren Wells
From Solitude to Community to Ministry by Henri Nouwen
Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler
You know those people who just exude peace as you spend time them? Or wisdom? Or love? Our guest for episode 56 is such a man…on all three accounts! Waco physician Dr. Hess (Previous guest in Episode 52) is with us again, zeroing in this episode on personal disciplinary habits and rhythms that help you maintain holistic health and build resilience while on the field. He shares about establishing and maintaining a rule of life, the value of personal retreats, spiritual direction, growing in self awareness, the value and necessity of being committed to transparency with family and team about your health - physical and/or mental - and more!
Burritt speaks as a physician, husband, father, and someone who’s living very thoughtfully, reflectively, and intentionally as a disciple of Jesus at home, work, and in his community.
Silas' Favorite Advent Song: Oh Come Emmanuel
The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full love Story of Christmas
for Kids: The Star from Afar
for Families: Unwrapping The Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas
Silas' (Waypoint Church) 2014 Advent Reader
Silas' (Waypoint Church) 2016 Advent Reader
Footnotes on Advent by Eric Smith
Sacred Space for Advent and the Christmas Season by the Irish Jesuits
Honest Advent: Awakening to The Wonder of God-With-Us The, Here, and Now by Scott Erickson and Morgan Nichols
Celebrating Abundance by Walter Brueggemann
A number of global workers have shared how difficult it is to face the loss of the holiday season. COVID-19 complicates an already difficult time of year for some people. At the request of some of those who have asked Silas to share what he has shared with them on the podcast, he draws from experience, reading and other podcasts some things he often discusses with his grieving clients.
Resource:
The Grief Tower by Lauren Wells
"Lifes Tough Edges" by Nora Mclnerny
"Everything Happens" with Kate Bowler
Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah
How would you respond if the month before you were to deploy to a war-torn nation, the leader of it publicly declared that any nationals who converted to Christianity would be subject to imprisonment and/or the death penalty, and any foreigners associated with that conversion would experience the same fate? Such was the case for Jonathan and Nicole 20 years ago when they first deployed to the field. Join our conversation with them as they share how they suffered alongside their neighbors in ways those neighbors could see, and it opened pathways to ministry into their lives. You'll be moved as they share from Psalm 42, how the poisoned darts of rejection, after rejection, after rejection of the gospel caused a soul weariness and pain that could only be helped and healed by bathing themselves in the Word. A profound commitment to a culture of prayer has been their source of strength through the years. "It's been an absolute key to our resiliency. It's kept our hearts and hope alive."
“I Have a Work for You to do in Edinburgh”. That word of the Lord, confirmed through a praying saint, launched Tom and Leigh Anne to Scotland 13+ years ago. God’s word was tested by a battle with cancer and a 50% chance of survival prognosis. The testing continued through the first seven years of antagonism and no response to the gospel. But resiliency through persevering faith and daily abiding has led to God-ordained fruit that remains. Pour yourself a "cuppa" and enjoy the Fraley’s warm and inviting way of sharing about their ups and downs, passion for Jesus, and the flock He’s called them to love, build up, and send out over the years.
link to: Brave Mama
Waco, TX physician Burritt Hess is no stranger to the world of global missions. Not only is he married to a Third Culture Kid, he has been serving the medical needs of missionaries for decades. In today’s interview, we have a conversation with Burritt about necessary elements of pre-field preparation that make for resilient workers from the unique perspective of an MD.
Cami was an impoverished latchkey kid growing up in a single parent household. That's where she first encountered Jesus through, of all things, a TV commercial where He invited her to share His heart for vulnerable children in Africa. Christ’s heart of compassion grew from a concern into a calling. Cami joined Word Made Flesh Sierra Leone and has now served in Freetown, the capital of the W. African nation, for 17 years. Cami’s story of sacrificial love and laying hold of Christ’s grace is captivating and a poignant picture of resiliency and grit.
"Its never too late for a fresh start". These words still ring in my head whenever I (Silas) am faced with an offense or loss. In 2004, during a sabbatical year from the field, Steve and his wife Mindy invested in our lives personally and through their ministry which is now called Fresh Start For all Nations. It was always my intention to get Steve and Mindy on the podcast. However, sadly Steve passed away last year and embarked on his ultimate Fresh Start. Through their ministry, thousands of men, women and young people continue to find freedom from the effects of offense, hurt, or loss through the transforming power of forgiveness and freedom in Jesus Christ.
This episode is a little different from our normal format. Instead of an interview, we are sharing a recording of a teaching Steve and Mindy shared in a small group setting. you can find a PDF of the booklet they reference, "Processing The Issues Of Your Heart", on the Fresh Start website.
Learning how to cancel the debts I hold and declare that no one owes me anything because God alone satisfies me has been a key in my own resiliency over the years. It is our hope that you also find this to be a helpful tool in your resiliency toolbox.
After 20 years of marriage and ministry in Asia, this beautifully broken bi-cultural couple have an experience of and perspective on ever-increasing nearness to Jesus that will nourish your soul and build your faith. “We should have this expectation-that the journey is difficult,” says Josh with a joy-filled heart and smile on his face (even if you can't see it). Josh and Tsagaanaa have persevered through many BIG-TIME trials together. If you desire to grow closer with your spouse even as you face trials, you dont want to miss this episode. These guys have great wisdom and compassionate hearts to share with you.
A bi-cultural family in La Paz, Bolivia shares with us what makes them resilient. Learning to embrace one another's cultures and investing in the culture they live in has been key to making it work for Cara and Mache Contreras. But so has intentional prayer and valuing the role of their community even when community is not easy. They also share how important it is for them to let their investment in their community or team define their calling over letting a sense of external purpose define their calling. Though some technical difficulties resulted in the loss of the first ten minutes of this interview, this delightful couple challenges and inspires us that valuing what matters most in our relationships is one of the key factors that make us more resilient.
Melissa is a passionate education consultant for MKs and TCKs. She brings a wealth of experience to bear on the question so many of our listeners face: “What do we do about educating our kids?” From developing a philosophy of education, prefield education planning, to academic testing, Melissa gives insight and offers practical resources. This is a must-listen for every parent of a school-aged MK/TCK!
Twenty years ago this summer, Dayna Curry was among a group of Western and Afghan NGO workers imprisoned by the Taliban in Afghanistan. While that story made international headlines, the now 22 years of cross-cultural life and Christ’s love that Dayna has shared with Muslims in three nations hasn’t made the news. In this episode, Dayna shares about the four years in Central Asia prior to that fateful day not long before 9/11 in 2001; including identifying with Afghan women to the point of being whipped and having rocks thrown at her in the street. Be on the lookout for a Resiliency Special Episode one week from today when Dayna shares the account of her imprisonment.
