Here & There Podcast

It's been awhile but WE ARE BACK...for one episode that is, but it's a doozy. Sheldon has an interview with THE ROBERT DUVAL...from Canada! AND we introduce a new segment called SHIFT HAPPENS. It's a twofer on the HnT Podcast.

In this very special episode, Sheldon interviews Robert about a very exciting and important financial course that the PAOC is making available to global workers. Robert gives us some insights into finances and global workers as well as a synopsis of the course. You won't want to miss out on this special offer.

Then, in SHIFT HAPPENS, Sheldon talks with David Fortune (wow...fortune and money and Robert Duval...) about one shift in missions that David thinks needs to happen. This segment will cause you to think about mission and outreach in a whole new way.

We may be late but it's worth it!

Season 3 of the Here & There Podcast is finally "in the books" as they say! What began as more here & here ended as it should have: here & there. Sheldon and his crew of Armitages have been shipped safely from Canada back to #Slovakia and all is well again in the world. Or is it? Did Sheldon have a mid-life crisis whilst on home assignment? Are his best years and most significant moments in his rear-view mirror? How hard is re-entry after 6 months away? Can he still do this Global Worker thing? Did Slovakia even want them back? Will there be a Season 4? (most important question in the list) Unbeknownst to him, our season finale episode has also doubled as our last in the mid-life crisis series. Tune in to find out if we're pulling his GW Membership or if he's back in the missionary saddle for another kick at the can (sans sabbatical!). Listener, your faithfulness has earned you another jewel in your already massive crown, so thanks again for listening this season...here and there! ️️️️ #seasonfinale #hereandhere #hereandthere #midlifecrisis #fouroffour #seasonfourandnomore

About a year ago, I had the chance to ask Kelvin and Laura May Chan a bunch of questions about making a baby and what they thought balancing a newborn while on mission in #Thailand would be like. They had no real clue then how this year would play out, because baby was still on the inside! In the promised follow-up Here & There Podcast from the Missionary Guesthouse, I interviewed this beautiful family of 3 about what they now know for sure about having a baby and taking her overseas. If you've ever given birth or raised a few newborns with your spouse, you'll instantly connect with the honesty and candidness of their answers. Pull out your old family photo albums, pour a tall cold glass of gripe water, and enjoy the latest #HnTPodcast on Podbean or find us on iTunes! ️ #sleepdeprivation #ancientchinesetorture #raisingbabies #emberling

***WARNING: Longer than usual #HnTPodcast post, even longer podcast following.

For as long as I can remember, I have been keeping #secrets. That being said, there's nothing I've found more freeing than finally opening up and sharing a failure or struggle with someone who I knew would love me in spite of my secret coming out into the light.

But if trading secrets for honesty is so liberating, then why is it so difficult? In my case and many others, it is because of #shame.

In his book Jesus Is Better Than You Imagined, Jonathan Merritt wrote:

"Secrets draw their power from shame. I convince myself that I am too messed-up, too tainted, or too tarnished for others to accept. Or maybe people will think I am a fraud. As I believe these lies, shame grows into fear, which is almost always at some level, fear that if others truly know me, they won't love me. Or at least love me as much or in the same way. In order to release my secrets, I must uncurl my white-knuckled fingers from deep desires: My desire to be perfect. My desire to be liked. My desire to be in control. My desire to be successful."

"Shame keeps us from telling our own stories and prevents us from listening to others tell their stories," says Brené Brown. "We silence our voices and keep our secrets out of the fear of disconnection." In the end, shame steals the very thing it promises: meaningful, authentic connections with others. Pursuing a life of honesty means to reveal who I truly am and assert that my #story too belongs at the table.

During #Segue2017 Tier II, Joel and Avin Reimer bravely shared their family's story of working through Joel's sex addiction while serving in South East Asia as Global Workers. I can't thank them enough for their #courage in opening up about this painful time in their lives, and for sharing how they are working through it together.

With their permission, we recorded this 90-minute session for a Here and There Podcast so other GWs could learn from their story, be encouraged to open up about their challenges, and get help where and when they need it.

We know it's a longer-than-usual podcast, but in order to preserve the integrity of their full story (bad and good), we're presenting it to you entirely in one piece. The pause button is your friend!

Welp, he's back...in #Slovaktown! Similar to Anna Armitage, Canada had it's fill of Sheldon Armitage and sent him #packing. After a refreshing, but rigorous home assignment (don't call it a holiday!) (or a #sabbatical!), the Armitage clan returned home with full hearts and extra baggage to #Slovakia to resume their global working duties in #Bratislava. Was home assignment a valuable experience? Does Sheldon still want to work globally? Did they raise more #support? Did their international church explode in their absence? Did their girls convert into #Canadians while here? Are the Armitages going back (home) #rejuvenated and ready for the work ahead? All these questions and more are answered on the last ever edition of the Here & (T)here Podcast. Fire up the BBQ, pour yourself a non-mood altering cold beverage, and enjoy this reflection on a "furlough in the books"! ️️

In Part III of the Mid·life Cri·sis Series I asked Rob Moore to open up the Vulnerability Vault and share about his family's #unexpected transition from Global Work in #Thailand to pastoring in Montreal, Québec. While Rob and Jana Brecht Moore were in Canada for an extended home assignment "processing life", #change and #opportunity came their way which ultimately led to them returning to live in their passport country. If you've ever known the pain of a crisis in your own family, or walked closely with another GW suffering while serving overseas, I know the discussion on this latest episode of the #HnTPodcast will be meaningful to you. ️️ #processinglife #crisis #notmidlife #threeoffour

I've often said, "Being sick, sucks." Nobody from our GW crew understands this more than Adrian M. Thomas right now. Being sick can seem like all fun and games until you are grounded from flying, separated from your immediate family, and you're prevented from global working! On the latest edition of the #HnTPodcast, I chatted with Adrian about some fun rumours about his sickness, what he's sick of (not Sharon MacDonald Thomas, but maybe James Guskjolen), and how he's been dealing with sitting on the GW bench these last 5 months. For a guy who's got every right to be sick and tired of being sick and tired, he sure doesn't sound sick!

While at #GenCon16 in Montreal, I reconnected with someone I barely knew in the GW world, Jeremy Feller. I'd only met Jeremy once before back in 2011 at an all-Africa retreat just outside Malindi, Kenya, where we played some solid beach volleyball with former athlete and self-talker, Murray Cornelius. I've been in a mostly #textual relationship with Jeremy for just over a year now, and in this latest edition of the Here & (T)here Podcast, I attempted to bring our newfound friendship out into the light. No matter what you thought of him before this, I know you'll agree after listening that he's a jolly good Feller, which nobody can deny.

According to Leanne Toews McAlister, Zoe is the Greek word for "life". When she launched The Zoe Network a few years ago, it was her goal to expose our fellowship to the mission activities of our Global Workers who were "bringing life" to women around the globe through their acts of service. Sheldon and Matt ran into Leanne at #Segue 2017 who was "sans Darcy" at the time and asked her all about The Zoe Network's inception and first few years of supporting projects that empower women and bring spiritual transformation to whole communities. The time for DREAMING is over, and Leanne is imploring people to get off the couch and GET REAL with women! Hope you enjoy the latest edition of the #HnTPodcast. #dreamsmaller #thinksmaller #linkarms #smallprojects #smallthingsconsistently