Explore Panel: 'What Has Helped You Thrive During Your Time on the Field?'

May 2022

Have you ever wondered how you would fare on the mission field? In this month’s Explore News , our panelists give tips on how to thrive on the mission field based on their personal experience.

Prayer is Foundational

"Prayer is a major foundation for our survival on the field. We still have many ways we need to grow in prayer, however we've seen how we can continually bring everything before the Lord. We bring him the little things and the big things. And in a foreign culture, all of your problems can often feel big!"

Find Confidence in Knowing You are Doing God's Work

"Some days I think we all question whether or not we are thriving, but I think the core of thriving is being confident that you are doing God's work. I have felt confident that there is a need here, that God loves the Buryat, Russian, and other people groups of the area, and that I can play a role in seeing the nations reached for God. He has confirmed this through scripture, through fellow Christians, both in Buryatia and in the US, and through a peace He has given in my heart. I am also very blessed to have a wife who feels the same call from God, and has also felt confirmation in the same ways. Certainly God has given other things to help me thrive that are important such as ever growing language skills (though the growth seems very slow at times) and good relationships with teammates and with locals. But all of those things would not be enough without the confidence that God is calling us to participate in his work here."

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

Cling to Your Calling

"We are always clinging to our calling. Remembering confidently that God is in control. He always was, and always is. And that He is Good. We deep dive into culture, national schools, national friends, and national holidays. We always try to see this as through a Spaniard’s eyes. We have slow start mornings with the Lord and also have siestas with the family. We always try to have at least one time a day where we all touched base. Then the crazy busy evenings and nights don't wear us down so badly."

The Little Things Add Up

"The simple things help me thrive here. Things like exercising or regular physical activity, eating balanced meals, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule. The seasons in which I decrease these activities, are the times I feel more like I am surviving and not thriving. It has also been good for me to read and explore new places, even if it’s a nearby look out viewpoint. Lastly, it is vital to have support and a few safe places, especially a few local ones, to process everything, such as, a spouse, teammates, etc."