The lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer have arrived. How will you be spending them? Hopefully some of your time will be used to add to your missionary care skills. These resources will give you a good place to start.

LIFE ON THE FIELD

Elizabeth Spencer kicks off a three-part series on how women can maintain good health on the field with this piece on exercise. Very practical, and written with the constraints of mission field living in mind.

Burnout is a risk in many vocations, so those who have learned to avoid it in the secular world will often have some good ideas for global workers. This downloadable file is a case in point.

TRANSITION

What should your missionary friend expect when they return for furlough? Ashley Felder has a pretty good idea. Maybe you should forward this to your friends?

Susan McCrary wrote this excellent piece about wisdom for returning home. Everyone you know who has just returned or is about to return would benefit from her seasoned advice.

MKs/TCKs

What is it like for an MK to graduate and then leave their host culture to return to their passport culture? Marilyn Gardner shares her own story, which will help you know how to pray for and encourage those MKs you know who are transitioning this summer.

EVENTS

Coming up in September: Orient, hosted by Train International. “This two-week pre-departure training aims to equip people headed overseas with skills to help them navigate transition, stress, culture shock, and relationships who they can be more prepared and stay effective in whatever surroundings they find themselves.”

There are a couple annual gatherings of care providers that you may want to consider attending. They are great opportunities to build upon your skill set and develop a network of like-minded people for the enhancement of your ministry to missionaries. The CareGivers Forum is one event. It will be held October 21-24 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Wisconsin. The other event is PTM: Pastoral Training in MemberCare, to be held at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Asheville, NC October 2-5.

The folks at Interaction International are offering a transition seminar for TCKs returning to the U.S. It will be held in Colorado Springs, CO from July 21 through July 27.

Barnabas International will be hosting Interlude, a debriefing retreat, July 24-27 in Indianapolis, IN. A chance to share your story and reflect on God’s work in your life. More information and registration are here.

Registration is now open for the Thrive retreat to be held in the Philippines October 29-November 1. Did you know that you could apply to be a volunteer to help facilitate Thrive retreats? You can find more information for attendee and volunteers here.

EQUIP YOURSELF

The folks at Upstream Collective have posted this article about shepherding the souls of sent-ones. Good biblical reminder of what is behind proper missionary care. Be sure and download their free paper at the end of the article, too.

BUMP IT UP A NOTCH

Want to get an advanced perspective on missionary care issues? Are you looking for a place to network with professional care providers? Mental Health and Missions may be for you. Hosted by Barnabas International and held in northeastern Indiana, registration is now open for this November 15-18 event.

So not only is the weekend upon us, the Fourth is looming. Have a great week filled with thanksgiving for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States. We aren’t a perfect union, by any stretch, but we do have opportunities to pursue our passions – like missionary care.

New on my bookshelf:

• Gen Z: The culture, beliefs, and motivations shaping the next generation, by Barna
• Insurgence, by Frank Viola
• Desiring the Kingdom, by James K.A. Smith
• Sojourner’s Workbook: A guide to thriving cross-culturally, by Connie Befus
• Christianity at the Crossroads: How the second century shaped the future of the church, by Michael Kruger
• Innovation in Mission: Insights into practical innovations creating kingdom impact, by Jim Reapsome and Jon Hirst

What I’m reading this week:

• Formed for the Glory of God, by Kyle Strobel

• The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, George Long trans.

• How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, by Gordon Fee
• Emotionally Healthy Leaders, by Peter Scazzero

• Winston S. Churchill: World in Torment: 1916-1922, by Martin Gilbert

Just finished reading:

• Finding Home, by Rachel Pieh Jones
• New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton
• Home James, by Emile Steele Jackson
• Missionaries are Real People, by Ellen Rosenberger
• Imagination Redeemed: Glorifying God with a neglected part of your mind, by Gene Edward Veith and Matthew Ristuccia
• Scripture and Cosmology, by Dr. Kyle Greenwood

Up next:

• The Bible Tells Me So, by Peter Enns