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 of God’s plan, you should read this piece from Keith Giles. What he says generically about the body of Christ applies to your role in caring for missionaries, too. Never underestimate your contribution.

 

EQUIP YOURSELF

There is a lot of talk about burnout these days, and not just on the mission field. What is burnout? Would you recognize it in a missionary? Or at least, the warning signs? This post from With, Inc. will help you.

 

International travel may be something your missionary friends are adept at, but how much do you know about it? When you want to make a personal visit to the field (You do want to, right?) you will want the kind of information that the folks at Good Neighbor Insurance make available in this newsletter.

 

What kind of friends do missionaries need? The kind you’d like to have. The kind described in this post from Wonderoak.

 

Reading between the lines is a helpful skill to acquire for praying over newsletters. So is knowing how to interpret “missionary speak.” Anisha Hopkinson provides a humorous and helpful decoder to help you know what your missionary friends are really wanting to say.

 

LIFE ON THE FIELD

Would you believe that sometimes missionaries hide the fact that they’ve been on vacation? Yep, it’s true. Ashley Felder explains why—and why they shouldn’t feel guilty. What might your role be in helping your missionary friends enjoy the benefits of a vacation free from guilt?

 

FUNDRAISING

Is there a difference between fundraising for a gospel ministry and begging? In spite of the correct answer, missionaries often feel like charity cases. Nelson Musipa has something to say about that in this post from Support Raising Solutions.

 

TRANSITION

Crying over mangoes because they’re the wrong color? Yep. And there’s more. Sarah Hilkeman helps us understand what it’s like for a global worker who has returned to their passport country.

For a while I thought I was going crazy.

Enhance your skill set in caring for repatriates by prayerfully reading this post.

 

You want the truth? Are you sure you can handle the truth? Read Lauren’s post and then decide. She expresses what so many returning missionaries feel, but are afraid to talk about. How will knowing her story change the way you interact with your friends who have come back from the mission field?

 

MKs/TCKs

Letting go of the child who graduates. That’s the title of this post by MaDonna. Speaking from experience, she offers four helpful tips for dealing with this emotional process.

 

The challenges of growing up overseas do not necessarily disappear once an MK repatriates. Stephie makes that clear in this humorous and helpful post. How will her thoughts affect your prayers for MKs?

 

EVENTS

It’s not too early to begin making plans to attend PTM (Pastoral Training in Membercare) – the one event we personally are determined to make every year. Join a few hundred member care people ranging from multi-year veterans to newbies. One of the best and most practical events of its kind.

 

Marriage counseling is not just for couples who are experiencing problems. Any marriage can be enriched and revitalized through a good marriage retreat, like the one offered by Alongside. Coming up September 30-October 4. Who could you bless with the gift of this event?

 

Are you working with someone in the early stages of determining their calling? The Journey Deepens offers a weekend retreat designed to help people discern their next step. You might want to consider attending along with the person you are mentoring. Coming up in September, in Indianapolis.

 

GO DEEPER

Can there be such a thing as too much member care? Before you answer that, take a look at this post from Craig Thompson. Be sure and read the comments, too. This deserves much serious thinking. Much depends on how you define member care. But if you are the one needing it, it’s hard to imagine getting too much. How would you respond? Add your comments to the discussion.

 

Whether we realize it or not, like it or not, we all of us are constantly evaluating the people with whom we interact. Comparing. Judging. Assigning credibility and value to their statements, to their stories.

My mind evaluates and makes instantaneous judgments on everything I see or hear about you.

How might that affect our relationships with global workers? Even if we practice careful listening, how does this reality influence the quality of our interaction? Paul Banes’s article challenges us to cultivate awareness of our biases and to prayerfully enlist God’s presence when we spend time with missionaries.

 

Please do take some time to enjoy what this season has to offer. The best thing you can do to help your missionary friends is to stay healthy yourself—spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

 

New on my bookshelf:

• Love Well: Living Life Unrehearsed and Unstuck, by Jamie George
• Innovation in Mission, by Jim Reapsome and Jon Hirst

 

What I’m reading this week:

• Serving Well, by Elizabeth & Jonathan Trotter
• Summer, A Spiritual Biography of the Season, Gary Schmidt ed.
• Desiring the Kingdom, by James K.A. Smith
• Formed for the Glory of God, by Kyle Strobel
• Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (updated), by Peter Scazzero
• The Return of the King, by JRR Tolkien

 

Recently finished reading:

• The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown
• Never Quit: How I Became a Pararescue Jumper, by Jimmy
• Beloved Dust, by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel
• Invitation to Retreat, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Up next:

• Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller