It was a busy, fun 4th of July picnic at our house with our team and a few other worker friends. I was not thinking about health issues or medical needs. It was a holiday after all! I was doing some last minute prep for Jeremy who was grilling outside when Annalise came in the …
8 Ways to Make Real Connections With Others
We are going to tackle a huge topic and talk about how to stay connected in all of these crazy seasons of life. Connecting is a big subject because it incorporates connecting with other workers, staying connected with family at home, starting new connections with national friends, remaining in constant connection with Jesus and learning …
How to Go to Sleep in Peace During Difficult Times
When it comes to sleeping, the go-to verse to go to sleep in our house is Psalm 4:8. Hands down. Wherever we are in the world, wherever we are sleeping, we cling to this verse. Be it a new town, new hotel or new country, this verse helps us all sleep well. “In peace I …
A Guide for Overseas Workers During a Pandemic
“What on earth has happened to 2020?” I thought as I hung laundry on our balcony. At the end of December, after a particularly intense year full of travel, sickness, family crisis and grief, I’d told Jeremy that I was praying and hoping for an awesomely NORMAL year in 2020. #ohdearbetsy, that has NOT happened. …
A Soft Strength – Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
I wrote about stepping outside your comfort zone a few years ago and it was originally published on Grit & Virtue for International Women’s Day. This year, I thought I’d republish here for you. Learning to keep a soft strength while also learning to step outside your comfort zone, do big things for God and …
6 Ways to Savor the Moment
Savor the moment Enjoy the journey Stop and smell the roses Capture the fluffy moments These are simple phrases that are not always so simple to live out in our day-to-day lives. I find myself in a season of constant change, transition and growth. From language school to West Africa to living stateside for a …
How to Return, Recover and Rebound
There are moments in our lives for building resilience in ways we never expected or knew we needed. Moments that remind us to trust, hope and move forward in faith. One such moment happened on our flight from West Africa to Michigan at the end of our first term overseas. We only had about 20 …
When There is No Happy Ending to Betrayal
Betrayal is a very strong word. In fact, just looking at that word in print, thinking about it, remembering how it feels, maybe even sensing guilt over being the betrayer in a situation… it brings up emotions and feelings and painful memories for many of us. Friendships lost Marriage fights Work tensions Ministry failures Family …
Unexpected Sacrifices
When I think of the word sacrifice, I picture many different things. I see Abraham with his knife raised obediently over his son. I can picture a long line of people waiting for a priest as he makes preparations to offer the next lamb on their behalf. I see Elijah who called down fire from …