“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. …
Learning to Capture Joyful, Fluffy Moments
Learning to capture joyful moments, or capture the fluffy moments, in overseas life can be challenging. Stopping, smiling and enjoying the simple joys can quickly get lost in the stress, busyness and unknowns of the passing hours. Yet, each day is an opportunity to capture joyful moments, to see what God is doing around us …
How to Make New Lists Overseas
You know how much I love a good list. I can make lists for anything. Right now, there are two notebooks and two sticky note pads with lists on them sitting on the desk next to me. I have apps on my phone for list making and programs to keep track of this or that. …
Meaningful Lessons I’m Learning in French West Africa
There are so many meaningful, valuable and beautiful lessons to be learned from living in French West Africa. Every day provides a lesson of some kind, a new way of looking at things and a different approach to a certain situation or event. I remember one of our first days in French West Africa. We’d …
Overseas Life is Definitely NOT Boring
“So what brings you to Springfield?” I asked the woman in the seat next to me. She had been playing Solitaire the entire flight and I was quite busy reading on my kindle. We’d landed in Chicago and had a few minutes to chat while the plane made it’s way to the terminal. “Oh, just …
10 Funny Videos to Help Explain Missionary Life
Are you ready to laugh and see some funny videos to help explain missionary life and overseas life? You know when you see something funny and it really strikes you as true for some circumstance in your life? That’s how this list came to be. You see the video clip and you laugh and laugh …
You Know You Are Prepping for Furlough When
Oh, the days of getting ready for missionary furlough… “Can you facetime?” came my sister’s text across my phone while I prepared for my daily run. “Sure.” “I’m at Goodwill. 50% off winter coats and clothing.” “Nice.” or something like the above conversation. It happened twice yesterday. Browsing through the clothing racks over the phone …
You Know You Live Overseas
You hopped over because you wonder how you know you live overseas. Well… A friend and I were chatting on the phone the other day and we both were sharing some of the funny things we’d noticed about ourselves or our new lives living in Africa. I told her that I’d been mentally making a …
22 Things I’d Tell A First Term Missionary
You’re a first termer. There are things I would tell a first term missionary working overseas, a first termer just like you. You’ve finished raising your budget and you’re off to unknown lands. {If you are still budget raising, I have 22 things to tell you too} You might have visited your new country once …