Missionary Mom

Mission work is not for the faint of heart. We admire those brave souls who leave behind the comforts of home and go to foreign fields to bring the love of Christ to people in need. And sometimes it feels uninspiring to be stuck at home in the day-to-day of parenting when others are out there changing the world, soul by soul. Shontell Brewer has a message to renew the spirits of everyday moms: they too have a critical calling as the very first missionaries their children meet. In her informal, funny voice, Brewer points out the many unexpected parallels: A missionary may need to learn a foreign language and new customs to understand and communicate with those around her. A missionary has to follow the path God puts before her, sacrificing sleep, comfort, time, and toilets. Sound like any moms you know? Brewer tackles common challenges from mom-guilt to the temptation to be a martyr to those days when it feels like only a box of cookies and a Netflix binge can restore a sense of peace. But through it all, she shares the truth that there's more to parenting than potty training and orthodontist appointments. Mothers make the love of Christ tangible and understandable to their children. With determination and a few purposeful steps, moms can embrace their own mission field, leading their families--heart, soul, mind, and strength--to Christ.

This volume reflects a few of the authors thoughts and insights while her son was spending the best two years of his life serving a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Torreon, Mexico. Turning to the scriptures as a way of better coping with his absence, she was soon reminded that whether a person needed a lesson in faith, a reminder to be grateful, or a proverb on the value of hard work, she could find the answer within these divine pages. Applying scripture references from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants to everyday life, Musings underscores the importance of the sacred works in finding solace, inspiration, and guidance.

Through her poems, letters and journal excerpts, author Carol Nordman tells the true story of living abroad as she steps into God's calling and gives up "the good life" to become a missionary. In God, My Rock, she illustrates God's promises, goodness, and faithfulness and tells how she; her husband, Vance; and eventually their children encounter and overcome the secret police, political instability, economic collapse, events of the last days of the Cold War, illness, and giving birth in a foreign hospital among other challenges. Nordman provides glimpses of her day-to-day life raising and traveling with three children on the mission field in Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines, Russia, Europe, and Japan. This memoir chronicles the family's surprising cultural adjustments, both abroad and upon returning to the United States. The stories span Nordman's life from finding God in her teenage years, being a UCLA student and serving as a single missionary for five years before marrying at the age of twenty-six. She shares the great adventure of following God's call and watching him work powerfully to bring people into his kingdom by personally knowing his son, Jesus.

Are you dreaming of working abroad? Imagining serving God in another land? Or are you already on the field, unsure about what to do next or how to manage the stresses of cross-cultural life? Or perhaps you've been on the field a while now, and you're weary, maybe so weary that you wonder how much longer you can keep going. If any of these situations describes you, there is hope inside this book. You’ll find steps you can take to prepare for the field, as well as ways to find strength and renewal if you’re already there. From the beginning to the end of the cross-cultural journey, Serving Well has something for you.

Adjusting to a New World Missionaries must adjust to new cultures, learn languages, work as a team, maintain healthy relationships, and discern best ministry practices. Nothing can fully prepare a person for life as a missionary. However, for almost thirty years, Thomas Hale’s On Being a Missionary has helped to equip cross-cultural workers to not only survive but thrive in their calling. This abridged version of On Being a Missionary remains practical and accessible. It addresses the new realities of the changing missionary force. It also looks at the challenges of bonding with a new culture in an increasingly globalized and technologically connected world. The book is written for everyone with an interest in missions, whether the missionary on the field or the supporter at home. It is written by learners for learners. Drawing from years of experience, the authors provide down-to-earth advice and perspective concerning the problems, struggles, and failures that missionaries often face. At the same time, this book exposes various myths related to missionary life. Find out why a generation of mission workers has benefited from On Being a Missionary.

If you are exploring doing something extraordinary for the glory of God among the nations, Ask a Missionary will give clarity and answers for a journey into missions. Because they have "been there," over one hundred missionaries from around the world, including Elisabeth Elliot, George Verwer, Phyllis Kilbourn, and Bill Stearns, share their insightful wisdom and practical advice on everything from making the decision to go, to stepping into a new life once on the field, and everything in between. The treasures amassed in this book will guide you toward serving in the most wonderful, challenging, God glorifying, eternity-impacting endeavor in the world: missions.

As a parent of a missionary you may feel that missing your child and your grandchildren signals a lack of faith. But proclaiming the gospel and making disciples was not meant to eclipse the loving family bonds God ordained. Whether you're the parent of a missionary recruit or a parent of an experienced missionary, you'll benefit from the authors' research and personal experience as they present a comprehensive plan for understanding missionary life, navigating the holidays, grandparenting long-distance and saying good-bye well. Combining a counselor's professional insight and a parent's personal journey, plus ideas and stories from dozens of missionaries and POMs, Parents of Missionaries is a valuable tool for missions mobilizers and educators as well as parents. The POM experience amounts to a journey through change, pain and adjustment. Wherever you are on that journey, this resource will encourage you and help you thrive and stay connected with your children and grandchildren serving cross-culturally. Not only can you survive as a parent of a missionary—you can thrive.