Resiliency – Details, episodes & analysis

"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. 

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!