Are you a parent of a cross-cultural worker? Tori Haverkamp talks about her experience as a "Missionary Mama" and shares tips for other parents whose kids are or are thinking about serving overseas. 

• The Missionary Mama’s Survival Guide: Compassionate Help for the Mothers of Cross-Cultural Workers by Tori Haverkamp
• Parentsofgoers.com
• “The natural parental thing is to want to have them close, but really the best thing for them is to assimilate into that culture and to call that home.”
• “You raise them to be independent, but then when they all leave you, you feel not needed. And so, your goal has created this ache in your heart.”
• “I couldn’t take offense at what he was wanting to do because it was actually God’s mission for the world, and it was wonderful and honorable and glorious.”
• “I had to reestablish a new pattern of communication with him that didn’t involve my physical presence.”
• “When I was struggling, I was focusing on me, and when I was able to release and believe in God’s mission, I was focusing more on God.”
• Mark 10:28-31
• “You really aren’t in control of your future - you feel like you are, but this just shows you that God’s really the controller of all of our futures.”
• “It’s very helpful to clarify not only what they will be doing and what their goals are, but why they want to do it.”
• “We see Jesus relating to people by asking questions, and I think that’s a really great method when our child is contemplating this really huge life decision.”
• “We had differing, polar opposite expectations, and we had to meet in the middle so that we could both enjoy the home visit. Once we did that, it was much more smooth because everyone knew what to expect and I could actually enjoy them being here.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
• “I had to see these things that hurt right now - these hot spots or these heart blisters - as temporary and light in light of this eternal, glorious, wonderful thing that God was achieving both in me and my child, and in the people that my child is reaching across the ocean. Once I made myself smaller, then God could be bigger and grander and glorious.”

What’s changing our lives:

• Keane: Watercolor pens
• Heather: House Rules podcast from Myquillyn Smith (“The Nester”) and bringing the outside in
• Tori: Reflecting on the word equanimity

Weekly Spotlight: GDQ International Christian School

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