If you’re on staff with Cru, here’s a quick reminder: WE ARE MISSIONARIES. Which means we are on a mission. We’re not supposed to STAY, we’re supposed to GO…somewhere!
There may not be a better reminder of this than the end a school year, when you find yourself packing up your life to go stateside or overseas for your summer assignment. After doing this for 25 years, I’ve grown to appreciate it! I would be bored if I stayed in the same place for 12 months!
Some of you don’t like change or are still trying to adjust to how much of it exists in our missionary lives. I came across a really helpful article by Ronald Koteskey, Member Care Consultant with New Hope International Ministries. I thought it was insightful so I’ve taken some helpful pointers from him and added some of my own thoughts.
Change happens : the only thing that doesn’t change, is change itself. We can learn how to cope with it and adjust to it. Here are some pointers:
Anchor to a point of stability:
that “point” of stability is God.
Malachi 3:6
Deuteronomy 31:6
Hebrews 13:8
Revelation 22:13
Expect emotions : change can bring with it every emotion possible! You may be excited one moment and full of fear and dread the next. That’s okay – change creates that. Embrace and acknowledge those emotions rather than attempting to stuff them and chance a burst at some inopportune moment!
Take time to grieve : it can be hard to leave the comforts of home and a community of friends and/or family. It’s okay to grieve that “loss,” even if it’s temporary. Times like this help us not to become too deeply entrenched in the temporary comforts of this “home.”
Find friends : Pride can keep us from letting others go through this with us. Allow those in your life to know your struggles and challenges. Then enlist them to pray for you and allow them to encourage you. We’re not supposed to do this alone! We need each other!
Focus on the good: “You have the choice of looking back at what you are leaving or looking ahead to where you are going…Keeping your attention on what God has called you to keeps you moving in the right direction. Concentrating on him and his goodness as your point of stability, you can navigate change.”
Take one step at a time: When the approaching change seems too overwhelming to handle, step back from looking at it as a whole and take it step by step!
Take care of yourself: Exercise; sleep; eat well; spend time with the Lord; spend time with people who refresh you. Follow the wise advise from the airline flight attendant: place the oxygen mask on yourself first!
Remember it will end: You will eventually settle into a new routine in your new situation. Enjoy that as long as you can…because:
CHANGE HAPPENS.
©1994-2020 Cru. All Rights Reserved.
