It’s been a short week. Well, technically it has had the same number of days as any other week. But with a national holiday in the middle the week was a bit disrupted. So…short and sweet this week. The needs of missionaries never have a holiday, so we must continue to care for them every day, with resources like these:

LIFE ON THE FIELD

Stress is common to all of us. But sometimes stress on the mission field leads to shattering. Deidra Riggs’ comments are appropriate here.

The stress of the work often feels like uneven pressure, causing us to shatter under the weight of it all.

How will understanding this affect the way you encourage your missionary friends?

Self-care is central to missionary care. Christina Baird talks about using your strengths to apply care of self. Who do you know who should read this?

The challenge of staying connected. That’s the topic of this post by Elizabeth Trotter. Read this to better understand what your missionary friends go through.

How well you do know your host nation? That’s the challenging question that Abby Alleman believes every missionary should answer. Know anyone that you can ask?

MKs/TCKs

Eleven reasons you should pray for MKs. Good stuff from Chuck Lawless.

Have a heart for MKs? Want to help them re-enter North American culture? Michele Phoenix just launched a project that you may very well want to get in on.

EQUIP YOURSELF

What your missionary would like in a care package. Katie Salmon put together this list. (Also be sure to read the comments for additional ideas.) Already have a list? How does it compare to this one?

Help a missionary go beyond just surviving their first month on the field. Sign up for this free webinar from sixteen:fifteen.

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.

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.

That’s it for now. (I told you it would be short and sweet). Be ready for an extra-large batch next week!

What I’m reading this week:

• Th!nk, by Michael LeGault
• 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:

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni
• How Is Your Soul?, by Judah Smith
• The Blue Parakeet, by Scot McKnight
• Breaking the Rules, by Fil Anderson
• The Cure, by John Lynch
• Communicating For Change, by Andy Stanley

Up next:

• Emotionally Healthy Leaders, by Peter Scazzero
• Living Far Away, by Esther Abbott
• Moving Far Away, by Esther Abbott