Transformed & Transformational

Join us for TeachBeyond's Day of Giving! teachbeyond.org/dayofgiving

Join us for TeachBeyond's Day of Giving! teachbeyond.org/dayofgiving

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

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

What does it look like to follow the humble example of Jesus? Brian Delamont unpacks what Scripture has to say about humility, the first of TeachBeyond's core values.

• "Recognizing the Lordship of Christ, we consider the needs of others above our own. We approach all situations with the attitude of learners and seek to discern what God is already doing and where He is inviting us to join Him. We contextualize our practices to the cultures in which we serve in order to both represent and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively." (From TeachBeyond's Core Values)
• Article by Dan Cable from Harvard Business Review
• "A humble leader increases the success of his or her team by encouraging them to become more of who they are to bring more of their skills, more of their creativity, into their workplace, into their classroom, or into their family."
• Psalm 8
• "Biblically-based humble thinking affirms both our significance in God's eyes and in His greater plan for redemption."
• Proverbs 11:2
• Mark 10
• "We must right-size ourselves in light of God's plan."
• Philippians 2:1-18
• John 3:28-30
• Luke 14
• Matthew 21:1-5
• "Humility does not mean that you deny or refuse to be in a position of leadership or a position of authority. God wants to give this to us in His time and in His way."
• John 13
• "Jesus invites us into life with Him, which inescapably includes a call to humility. It's impossible to be one of his disciples and to not be challenged and called to humility. Disciples follow their teacher."
• Matthew 11:28-30
• "He invites us to come to Him in order to be like Him."

October Reflection: Where is God challenging you about humility?

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: Learning to tie knots
• Heather: GooseChase scavenger hunts for a birthday
• Brian: Leaders who have modeled humility

Weekly Spotlight: Arbor Christian Academy

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Have you ever wondered if you actually heard from God when things don't go as expected? Christy Biscocho shares her story of living on three different continents, serving the Lord as a single person and then with a family, learning to trust God in new ways through the journey.

• "I find it so energizing to help people figure out where their gifts fit."
• "I think it's time. I think it's time for me to quit my beloved job and see if I can make an impact around the world."
• "I was blessed to be able to get to know some of [the missionaries] and to realize that they were just normal people… I got to really see that they were just trying to live out their faith and that they weren't some sort of superhero, but I don't think that I ever expected to be one."
• "I got to the point where I realized that if I didn't try, I was going to regret it my whole life."
• "What if it all falls apart? What if I fail? What if I have to come home?"
• "There was a picture of a boat that is moored to the dock, and it just felt like my boat wanted to go. I had to let the ropes go and see where it took me. I really just felt like that was what God was asking of me. And not that it's been an easy sail - not at all - but it just seemed that resisting was futile."
• TeachBeyond's Sparrow Project
• "I was really the only person that was single in my 30s venturing into this environment, and so there was loneliness that I had to deal with."
• "I was really questioning if I knew how to listen to God and if I could trust Him. It was really different than I had expected."
• "My counselor pointed out to me all of Jesus' emotions and that He felt them all, and so it was okay for me to feel fear or anger or whatever it might be. One of the most comforting thoughts to me was that Jesus was human."
• "I was so willing to just do anything, so when it was 'just wait,' that was harder."
• "I have given sessions at orientation on cultural adaptation, and I was not prepared to culturally adapt, married with kids."
• "In whatever season you are in, it is essential to have people you can be honest with."
• Everything Glorious by David Crowder Band
• "He makes everything glorious, and we are His. I would like to tell myself to just relax - He's making it all glorious."

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: Drawing illustrations from kids' books
• Heather: Yoga YouTube videos
• Christy: Facial massages and googly eyes

Weekly Spotlight: Roles with TeachBeyond

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

How can I get it all done? If you've ever wondered this before, this episode is for you! Linda Kardamis, founder of Teach 4 the Heart, unpacks a theological framework for approaching work and rest, as well as practical tips for managing a busy schedule. Also, don't miss the Rise Up Summit to learn more about this topic and many others!

• Learn more about Teach 4 the Heart here!
• "Before the fall, work was good and rest was good."
• "We can trust Him. We can work from a state of peace instead of anxiety."
• "The sanctification process should apply to every area of our lives, and I don't think our time management and our work-life balance should be an exception to that."
• "We ignore this reality that our time is finite, that our mental energy is finite, that our physical energy is finite - and we just try to do more than we can."
• "Being realistic about the amount that we can actually do on any given day or any given week is a really important place to start."
• "It's not about saying I can't work, but it is about intentionally - I'm choosing when I'm going to work, I'm choosing when I'm not. That way, you get out of this trap of feeling guilty for not working and feeling guilty for working."
• Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz
• "The things that I actually treasure are the things I skip when I get busy."
• Treasure (what do I value?), trash (what can I stop doing?), trim (what can I do less? could I do this half as often?), and transfer (what could someone else do?)
• "Find people who can help repetitively, and then invest in teaching them."
• "What is a teacher's core responsibility? In most cases, it's teaching great lessons. Am I freeing up space for that?"
• "A vacation is great, but it's not going to magically solve all of your problems."
• Register for the Rise Up Summit here: Individual Registration / School License

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: First day of school for his kids
• Heather: Favorite coffee shop closing
• Linda: Remembering a friend who passed 2 years ago

Weekly Spotlight: Black Forest Academy

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Have you heard about the partnership between TeachBeyond and Wycliffe Bible Translators USA? We believe that partnering together will strengthen the impact of each of our organizations as we serve in our respective niches in missions. Listen in to this conversation with John Madden of Wycliffe USA to learn more about the work of Bible translation and this new partnership.

• Learn more about TeachBeyond's partnership with Wycliffe!
• Missions at the Airport (JAARS)
• "Faith in Jesus Christ is not just something for one particular people group or language group; it's for everybody."
• "If you don't have access to the Word of God, you're going to be really limited in your exposure to the Gospel."
• "One of the key components of Wycliffe is partnership. We really believe that we have our expertise, we have our niche in the missions world, but we don't do everything and we can't do everything."
• "We can join efforts in providing great education for missionaries and for their children so that their longevity can increase."
• "Let's see what we can do together. It's in line with the Body of Christ – coming together and utilizing everyone's gifts and abilities to have a maximum impact."
• "It is all interconnected, and that's what our passion is – to give people access to the Word of God – we just happen to do that as a teacher or a pilot or an HR rep."
• Tune into the Wycliffe webinar with Heather on October 17!

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: Exercising in the morning
• Heather: Using phone alarms and timers
• John: Transitioning into empty nest phase

Weekly Spotlight: Schools supporting the work of Bible translation. Opportunity Board

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Co-hosts Heather Brown and Keane Fine catch up with Brian Delamont and Christy Bisocho as a new season of Transformed & Transformational begins!

Heather quotes, "If you work with your hands, sabbath with your mind; if you work with your mind, sabbath with your hands." - Abraham Heschel

What has been changing your life since the end of season 3?

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: New attender church class
• Heather: Opening at Etsy shop and Instagram account @holdbothco
• Brian: Son getting married and wife's mom passing away
• Christy: Libby library app

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Want some practical advice and heartfelt encouragement for beginning well in a new place? Susan and Larry McCrary, seasoned missionaries and authors of The First 30 Daze, share their stories and suggestions for living intentionally in your first thirty days abroad and beyond.

• The First 30 Daze: Practical Encouragement for Living Abroad Intentionally by Larry and Susan McCrary
• "I think I've lost a lot of the pride I had to begin with. I'm okay with making a mistake, and I don't have to be perfect. It actually has taken the pressure off." - Larry
• "This book helps you to move from just surviving to steps towards thriving in a new culture – and to thrive with intentionality." - Larry
• "We don't have all of the answers. When we learn, it opens doors to a lot of good conversations, as opposed to when we come in as knowing it." - Larry
• "How wonderful that we can relax, not take ourselves too seriously. [...] I've learned over the years that the Lord has all of this in His plan, and we can just rest in Him and be okay with when we mess up, embracing that we're still figuring out and that that's an okay thing." - Susan
• "Whatever you're doing now and you love – those can be some of your best ways to connect with people and live with intentionality when we move to a new place." - Larry
• "I'm joining what God's already doing in this place." - Susan

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: Getting air conditioning fixed
• Heather: Sunflower season
• Susan: Time with family
• Larry: Aging parents

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Have you ever felt lonely living abroad? Or do you wonder how you can encourage others who are living as expatriates? Our guest today, Alicia Boyce, is one of the co-founders of an online community of expats, Taking Route, as well as a co-author of Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner. Listen in to this conversation about how we can approach God with honesty in prayer and connect with others who are walking through similar experiences.

• Learn more about Taking Route here!
• "The enemy can really make you feel isolated and that you're the only one struggling, or that you just can't handle this and it must have something to do with you. We want people to know they're not alone."
• Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner
• "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" - Corrie Ten Boom
• Ephesians 6
• "Of course we know that our victory is secure, but the war still continues. We just have to remember that Satan has no power over people who pray with steady persistence actively, waiting expectantly for the Lord to do what He says He's going to do."
• Every Moment Holy
• "In this process of writing the prayers, we drew from personal experience."
• Romans 8:22
• "LIfe is full of sorrows, full of pain, full of injustice, full of grief, and so the opportunities really abound to make lament an important and crucial part of our spiritual journey."
• "A sojourner is a person or group who resides either temporarily or permanently in a community and place that is not primarily their own, and they are dependent on the goodwill and kindness of that community for their continued existence in that place."
• "We always need to enter into a new culture and a new place humbly, with the mindset of being a learner and then seeking to find community as soon as possible."
• "Help us remember that Your presence follows us, and fullness of joy is with us wherever we go."

August is Child Sponsorship Month! Learn more about TeachBeyond's sponsor program here.

What's changing our lives:

• Keane: Acoustic covers
• Heather: The Innovation Crisis by Ted Esler
• Alicia: The Wingfeather Saga series by Andrew Peterson

We'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/