A single question can follow you for decades: You have one life to live, so how will you invest it? That question landed on Judy in the most ordinary place imaginable, a funeral home in Owensboro, and it quietly redirected everything. Judy grew up on a Kentucky farm, built a career, and then chose a path that has taken her across the world for nearly three decades of Christian missions. 

We talk about what missionary life actually feels like when you step into a new culture with new languages, new expectations, and zero control. Judy shares stories from West Africa and her current work in the mountains of North Africa, where local believers face real pressure and whole communities remain unreached people groups. We get into the behind-the-scenes reality of Bible translation and scripture resource development, including why it matters when a language has not even one translated word of Scripture. 

One of the most practical parts of our conversation is oral Bible storytelling. Judy explains how oral cultures learn in community, how truth is carried through repeatable stories, and why storytelling can be the key to discipleship when literacy is low or Bible familiarity is thin, even here in the United States. We also name the hard lesson every gospel worker learns sooner or later: we can’t force the results, because God is the one who draws people and brings the harvest. 

If you care about faith, purpose, the Great Commission, and how real people live it out from Owensboro to the ends of the earth, this one will stay with you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these stories.

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It's been a great episode and I hope you share this with all your Owensboro friends! Thanks for the support and again, if you have questions or guests ideas, send a text!