Steve Martin once famously said, "Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and have his shoes." Well last week I traded in my Chuck Taylor Converse and walked a few thousand KMs in Sheldon Armitage's #German clogs, and now I'm ready to tell him what I really think of the GW life in #Europa. For the first time since the birth of the Here & There Podcast, we've fully switched places with me being "over there" in Germany et la France, and Sheldon doing time "over here" in Canada. Pardon Sheldon's Canadian Internet signal and poor audio...just one of the many crosses to bear living in Canada. Kein Bier wurde bei der Herstellung dieses Podcast verbraucht!

The audio quality of this podcast gets much better after a few minutes. I promise.

Have you ever attended a District Conference? What's the point beyond voting on amendments to the amendments of the resolution on whether or not we should raise one hand or two during worship? Is there any reason for global workers to go to their district conference?

This week on the podcast, Sheldon and his awesome co-host Anna attend the BC and Yukon District Conference. Along the way they attend a banquet (free food!) bump into a few familiar faces and make some new friends as well. If you've ever wondered what the director of GlobalEd is up to or how the author of the Wellness Plan and Sheldon are connected or even who Rebecca Strafforelli is, then pour yourself a cup of coffee and give this episode a listen.

BTW...This episode is 100% Matt Janes free as he's over THERE on family vacation somewhere in Europe.

In a Meet The Home Team kind of podcast, I had the chance to sit and chat with Kerry Halliwell this week, who is the Manager of Global Operations for International Missions. She used to be a GW (or is she still?) with her family in #Malawi and now works in #Meccassauga supporting GWs on the finance side. She seems to have one job: to help the PAOC keep it's charitable status. Kerry is a by-the-book kind of person, who's heck-bent on following the rules on how donor money is spent. Her #Birkman results had the nerve of yelling "nerd" right to her face! Caution: never ever use the words #channel or #funnel with her if you want to keep getting your expenses reimbursed. Sharpen your pencils, tape your glasses, and grab a spreadsheet...this is a riveting pod!

The 'M' Word. Some people love it, others love to hate it. Early use of the word in Sheldon Armitage's childhood drove him to counseling as an adult. Of course, we're talking about the word "missionary" or as Darcy likes to say, "Global Workers". An article I recently shared on Facebook called "Why I Think it's Time to Retire the Word 'Missionary'" got people talking. Turns out, you might just be passionate about your title! Well, you talked about it, so Sheldon and I podded about it in the latest edition of the HnT Podcast. Have a listen and keep having your say in the comments. For now, I'm going to call you all #Globissionaries.

The 'M' Word. Some people love it, others love to hate it. Early use of the word in Sheldon Armitage's childhood drove him to counseling as an adult. Of course, we're talking about the word "missionary" or as Darcy likes to say, "Global Workers". An article I recently shared on Facebook called "Why I Think it's Time to Retire the Word 'Missionary'" got people talking. Turns out, you might just be passionate about your title! Well, you talked about it, so Sheldon and I podded about it in the latest edition of the HnT Podcast. Have a listen and keep having your say in the comments. For now, I'm going to call you all #Globissionaries.

They are the keepers of the bridge. The ones who get you in the door or keep you locked outside where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I'm talking about the much discussed and mostly misunderstood, Missions Pastor (or chair of the missions committee in some churches). They may not hold the keys to death, hell and the grave but they do decide who gets into the church, who gets support and who goes home with nothing at all.

On this episode of the Here & (T)here, Sheldon and his better-than-Matt cohost, Anna Armitage, sit down during Stormaggedon (2 cms) in Vancouver to talk with Pastor Paul Moores about missions giving, church committees and how global workers can better engage with churches. Pastor Paul gives the other side of the shared funding story and encourages churches on how they can better support their missions partners.

This is a great episode for global workers and for church mission teams to listen to so pass it along!

A few weeks ago, Sheldon Armitage and I attended a meeting in #Meccassauga where a Who's Who in the PAOC gathered to examine the Shared Funding Model. I am pretty sure I was invited because I have the nicest beard. We are happy to report that we saved Shared Funding and you're all getting a one year break from raising partners! As the kids say these days: jk. They say you can't fix something that ain't broken, but Sheldon and I gave it a whirl on the latest episode of the HnT Podcast with our Top 10 Amazing Shared Funding Replacement Ideas. Have any to add? Leave them in the comments below, and let's turn Shared Funding upside down! #hntpodcast #sharedfunding #moneycometh

We know, we know...it's been awhile but we're back and we're better than ever. In fact we're so back that this season is called Here & (T)here. Why's that you ask? Well, the 'There' part of the podcast (Sheldon) is actually 'Here' in Canada for a home assignment. Not only that, but he finally had the opportunity to visit the Here Studio and stay at the Janes' Global Worker Ranch and Spa Resort run by Matt himself.

Confused yet? No worry, give this podcast a listen and hear about readjustment issues, mid-life crisis and the fun and frivolity of the Here & There Podcast that you know and love and have missed.

Weeeeeee're BACK!

We know, we know...it's been awhile but we're back and we're better than ever. In fact we're so back that this season is called Here & (T)here. Why's that you ask? Well, the 'There' part of the podcast (Sheldon) is actually 'Here' in Canada for a home assignment. Not only that, but he finally had the opportunity to visit the Here Studio and stay at the Janes' Global Worker Ranch and Spa Resort run by Matt himself.

Confused yet? No worry, give this podcast a listen and hear about readjustment issues, mid-life crisis and the fun and frivolity of the Here & There Podcast that you know and love and have missed.

Weeeeeee're BACK!

And it's a wrap! In the category of better-late-than-never, Sheldon Armitage

and I finally got our ducks in a row and dropped the Here & There

Podcast finale for Season 2. If we have any listeners left who are still

alive and caught the majority of our second season, this is the sugar

in your tea, the icing on your cake, the milk on your Coco Pops, the

custard on your pie, the cherry on top, the ice in your iced coffee, the

Rick in your Shaw...OK, I'll stop. Just a couple of months

away from the Season 3 launch, we took the time to reflect on a season

in the books by reviewing the pods that made the cut and looking ahead

to what may be in the upcoming season. If you've never tuned in to the

HnT Podcast, don't start with this one...wait for Season 3 to become a

huge fan and donor. To the rest of you, enjoy this finale like the gravy

on your turkey!