PARACLETOS BLOG
Casual Early Autumn Friday
Eighteen years ago we had just returned from the mission field. No longer of a single culture; no longer simply Americans. Eighteen years ago we were more focused on the the country we’d left than the one we’d re-entered. Until September 11. The entire world was...
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Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Paradox. It’s all around us. Some of us are relishing delightfully cool nights; others are dealing with a hurricane. Missionary life is full of paradoxes, too. It is the best of all jobs, and it is the hardest/worst of all jobs—at the same time! You can help the...
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Casual PSL Friday
Brace yourself. Pumpkin spice is about to descend in mass quantities. (I’ve even seen pumpkin spice Cheerios on the market!) I enjoy a good PSL as much as anyone, but surely there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Except when it comes to missionary care....
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Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Well, autumn is officially one month away. Around here leaves are already turning and dropping. I for one always look forward to what is my favorite season (but I can hold out for another couple weeks before breaking out the candy corn and pumpkin spice everything)....
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Jumpstart: Make this investment today
Talk about a good investment! What's holding you back?
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Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
What a week it’s been. The world is in dire need of what missionaries have to offer. Let’s make sure they are adequately cared for, with resources like these. And make sure to take care of your own spiritual health, too. So much sad news has a way of pulling us...
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Jumpstart: Don’t fail at the wrong thing
Don'tfear thewrong thing.
read more Casual Dog Days of Summer Friday
As the dog days of summer settle in, many of us are also scrambling to get ourselves or our kids back to school. It’s also high season for harvesting and storing many crops. It would be easy to forget about our friends in some other country who need our care and...
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Jumpstart: To save or to savor?
"This makes it hard to plan the day.But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it?In a way savoring must come first."
read more Casual Dog Days of Summer Friday
Ah, the dog days of summer. Life seems to slow way down, even as the days have already started getting shorter. Sorry if you came looking for fresh Casual Friday content last week. We lost our internet connection for nearly a week. That reminded me of what life was...
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Jumpstart: Some day will come
One day you will wake up and be where you've always been headed.Maybe tomorrow.It's too soon to quit.
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Jumpstart: A place to play and pray
Where is your play space and prayer place?How often do you go there?Maybe it's time you scheduled a visit.
read more Casual Scorching Hot Friday
If you are in the portion of the United States that is experiencing brutal heat this weekend, it would be a good time to stay inside and check out this latest batch of missionary care resources. And the heat might remind you to pray for the global workers you know who...
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Jumpstart: The only way to avoid criticism
Fear of failing can be crippling.Fear of criticism is just as bad - especially if you fail.There is a way to avoid all that. But do you really want to?
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Well the Fourth is behind us. Summer is in full swing, and we have the bug bites and sunburn to prove it. But the need for missionary care knows no season; it is a constant that you can count on. And just in case you were wondering if you really are a strategic part...
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Jumpstart: The other side of fear
Fear gets in the way of everything.It's time to push past it and grab ahold of what's on the other side.
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Super Casual Friday
No Casual Friday (as you know it) this week.Go do something fun...and then encourage your missionary friends to do the same.
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Jumpstart: What kind of life are you living?
Don't be among the majority that are living a nightmare.Don't wait for the fear of where you need to go overcome the pain of where you are.Seize the day!
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Summertime…and the livin’ is easy. Or so says the song. Whether the season brings extra work for you, or extra opportunities for relaxation (or possibly both), I hope you’ll still take time to avail yourself of these missionary care resources. Some are quite meaty;...
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Jumpstart: Sizing Up Life
The size of your life is really up to you.Want to live large? Dare to step out.
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Casual First Friday of Summer
Summer officially begins today. I hope Indiana gets the memo. So far we’ve had nearly incessant rain; more like spring than summer. Many of you will have extra opportunities to interact with missionaries while they are on home assignment this summer. Be ready to bless...
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Summer can be a very busy season. Vacations, sporting events, special times with the kids or grandkids. I appreciate you taking the time to check in and avail yourself of these missionary care resources. Please take special note of the article under Fundraising. Your...
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Jumpstart: What real success looks like
Maybe you feel like Mondays are made for failure. So go ahead and fail...then get back up. Don't let failure steal your enthusiasm for trying.
read more Casual First of June Friday
As I type this, people all over the world are remembering and commemorating what took place on this date (June 6) 75 years ago. Regardless of your perspective on war, there’s a reason why that generation is known as “the greatest.” People who lay down their lives for...
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Well, another month has sped past. For many of us, the days were over-filled with end-of-the-year school events, including graduations and graduation parties. But it’s also the time of year when many cross-cultural workers will begin to show up for a time of home...
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Jumpstart: Do the second best time
So maybe you missed the best time.All the more reason not to miss the second best time.
read more Casual End of May Friday
Can you believe May is nearly gone? So many things on my get-around-to list that never came to pass. I hope that’s not the case for you when it comes to caring for missionaries. There are so many ways in which you can be a vital part of their lives and ministries...
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Jumpstart: What are you measuring?
When was the last time God took your breath away?We only measure the things we count as important.What are you measuring?
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Seems like Spring cannot make up its mind this year. One day it’s 80 degrees, the next day it’s snowing. Sorta like the unpredictable life of a global worker—like those with whom you partner. You can help them cope by learning more about their realities, and by...
read more Jumpstart: Take the risk
Your path is not determined by the number of others who have walked it.Take the risk.
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Casual Mental Health Friday
This should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. Missionaries are just as prone (perhaps more so, due to the nature of their living situation) to mental illness as anyone else you love. Since May is mental health awareness month, you should take a little...
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Jumpstart: Make time for this
Are you as proud of your "unwork" as you are of your work? Maybe you should be.
read more Casual First of May Friday
Well, April sure went out with a bang. Snow for many of you; tornadoes and severe storms for many of the rest of us. But May flowers are out in profusion. A beautiful reminder that God is still in control, and he delights to give us beautiful things to enjoy. How...
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Jumpstart: Be uncomfortable
Old problems will never be solved by the same thinking that created them.It's OK to be uncomfortable.
read more Casual Friday Care Resources
Hard to believe that April is almost over. What has been on your to-do list that you haven’t gotten around to yet? Whatever it is, I trust your desire to add to your missionary care skills hasn’t been buried. To borrow a line from the folks at Cracker Barrel, here’s...
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Jumpstart: Don’t expect to know everything
There is only one person who knows everything, and He will make sure you know what you need to know when you need to know it.He's waiting for you...
read more Casual Storm Season Friday
Tornadoes in the South. Severe thunderstorms in the Midwest. And (more) blizzards up north. Spring is anything but subtle, and every season has its good and bad. Just like life on the mission field. Storms can hit at any time: emotional, spiritual, relational… Help...
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Jumpstart: Don’t make excuses
The God who created the universe out of nothing has all of the resources you need for what you need to accomplish.Don't let the fact that you don't know yet where they will come from be an excuse for not stepping out.
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Blizzards in April? For some, that may be outrageously abnormal. For those of us who have lived in the part of the U.S. susceptible to such weather, it’s par for the course. When it’s unexpected, it can be devastating; when it’s anticipated, it can be taken in stride....
read more Jumpstart: Don’t wait to be satisfied
There will never be a time when all the questions are answered.There will never be a better time to begin.
read more Casual Spring Friday
Looks like spring has arrived. You can tell because the weather forecast is only good for 15 minutes at a time. Unlike the needs that missionaries have for your involvement; that’s always required. Equip yourself with resources like these so you can be a strategic...
read more Jumpstart: Be Careful What You Don’t Do
The only people who don't make mistakes are the people who never try anything new.Don't be that person.
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
I’ve got to say that Florida in March is pretty nice. Even nicer when you get to attend the wedding of a grandson. We still had time to compile some resources for all you missionary advocates, so here you go. Put them to good use. EQUIP YOURSELFHere’s a new resource...
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Jumpstart: Be Careful What You Cling To
A righteous man falls seven times, and gets up.Everyone makes mistakes. Don't let yours define you.
read more Casual Special Edition Friday
I am out of town this week to attend the wedding of our oldest grandson. Rather than skip this week’s Casual Friday, I put together a special edition focused on events—both training opportunities for you, and refreshing opportunities for those missionaries you love....
read more Jumpstart: Be Careful What You Ask For
Be careful what you ask for.It is far too easy to ask for too little, and nearly impossible to ask for too much.
read more Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
In like a lion, out like a lion? Half way through March and unpredictable volatility is the norm. Sounds a bit like life on the mission field. There are some things you can do to help your friends cope with the ups and downs. The following resources will get you...
read more Casual Mid-March Friday
March seems to be the month of successive snow storms. Most of them of little consequence; just enough to keep the plows in business and the motorists on edge. The needs that missionaries have for encouragement and care can be like that. Not often dramatic; more often...
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Jumpstart: What do you truly value?
Consider your actions.Do your goals and your values match up?
read more Casual In-Like-a-Lion Friday
March—comin’ in like a lion in these parts. That means we can look forward to a calm exit, right? Yeah, sure. Fortunately, the issues that missionaries face are somewhat more predictable than the weather. You can be prepared to come alongside of them in helpful ways...
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