Well, 2017 is now half over. Is that depressing or what? If you’re anything like me, you’ve barely started on the things you wanted to get done this year. Fortunately, the Lord’s lovingkindnesses never cease. One thing you can be doing right away: caring for those you love on the mission field. Just grab these resources and dive in.

LIFE ON THE FIELD

Renee Aupperlee reminds us all of the fundamental truth of our beloved-ness. Be sure and remind your missionary friends of this often.

Healing from PTSD. If you are not familiar with this issue (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) you need to be, because many missionaries suffer from it. Many. Sarita Hartz has penned this practical advice that you can use to help the global workers you know who have been through traumatic stress. (Note that she does not advise getting in over your head. There are things any of us can do; there are situations that require referral to a trained professional. Do both.)

Sometimes counseling is advised for those on the field who may not have ready access. Godspeed Resources Connection can help with online and mobile counselors, as well as in-person services for those in the U.S.

It would be hard to exaggerate the importance of rest for missionaries…or how desperate many are for it. Share this article (after you’ve read it) with those you love on the field.

MKs/TCKs

Many parents struggle with the issue of providing a quality education for their children on the field. Share Education Services will come alongside to help guide and direct them.

EQUIP YOURSELF

Here is a great little tool to enhance your prayer time for global workers. It is a free download, but donations are appreciated.

How meditation saved me from missions. That’s the provocative title of this post by Ann Hall. This one begs a little more input from me. When I worked in a tribal village in Thailand, the only way I could get a little private time to spend with the Lord was to tell the villagers that I was having my meditation time! Before you assume that I had fallen into eastern mysticism or new age heresy, you need to read Ann’s definition of meditation. It is a biblical concept, and just because others use the word or even the practice, it is as valid and valuable today as it was when God wrote about it in the Old Testament.

This is the book that Sarita Hartz mentioned in her post on PTSD. You might want it on your bookshelf.

You want to help your missionary friends, but sometimes you just don’t know how. Michelle DeRusha wants you to understand just how valuable your very presence can be.

TRANSITION

All transition involves change, and all change involves loss. And since loss is usually accompanied by grief, transition can be a painful experience. Danielle Ready offers some encouragement to those for whom transition is a routine part of life.

On a similar note, Beth Gregory shares a concept that can be an anchor in the midst of the storms of transition.

EVENTS

MK Care Giver Training Seminar. Coming in November (details pending) from Interaction International. A three-day interactive opportunity to hone your skills in caring for MKs.

Interaction International is also hosting a seven-day transition seminar for TCKs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. You can find details here.

Do missionaries need debriefing? Missionary Anisha Hopkinson thinks so! Read why, then think about who you know who should know about the upcoming Recalibrate! event. For singles, couples, and families with children age 13 and up. It will be held in Michigan in October; early registration is advised.

Missionary care is not a “one and done” type of work. It requires daily engagement from people like you who care enough to equip themselves. On behalf of all those you serve, thank you for taking the trouble.

What I’m reading this week:

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni
• Winston S. Churchill: Youth, 1874-1900, by Randolph S. Churchill
• Consider Your Calling, by Gordon Smith
• Summer: A Spiritual Biography of the Season, Schmidt & Felch, eds.

Just finished reading:

• How Is Your Soul?, by Judah Smith
• The Blue Parakeet, by Scot McKnight
• Breaking the Rules, by Fil Anderson
• How to Lie With Statistics, by Darrell Huff
• The Cure, by John Lynch
• Communicating For Change, by Andy Stanley

Up next:

• Th!nk, by Michael LeGault