Mental Map: Walking the Course

Re-entry is a long, arduous journey. You can become bogged down and get stuck in the muck and mire and lose sight of the big picture. Knowing your why for re-entry can help you stay motivated and focused on the end goal. It requires endurance and spiritual fortitude as you persevere and become more resilient.

Visualize yourself hurdling forward into your new season of normal.

Let’s walk through the course together to see the placement and identify each known and expected hurdle leading you to the finish line. This gives your minds a mental map of the course to direct you toward and cross the finish line.

Starting Block: Deciding to Leave

Hurdle #1: Finishing Well

Hurdle #2: Saying Healthy Goodbyes

Hurdle #3: Rootlessness

Hurdle #4: Arriving Well

Hurdle #5: Transitional Stress

Hurdle #6: Grief & Loss

Hurdle #7: Impact on Personhood

Hurdle #8: Reintegrating & Acclimating

Hurdle #9: Purpose & Role

Hurdle #10: Well-being & Wholeness

Finish Line: Settled – rooted in community, living in purpose, belonging, etc.

Comments

October Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER The Saga Continues… The trip to Malaysia consisted of a two-day spiritual retreat with the theme of ‘Come Away With Me’ and a six-day conference with about 230 missionaries who serve in some aspect of translating the Scriptures. One of the many people who I met was a missionary who served in Cameroon for many years and now is in a new role. As he was sharing, most his words were very negative and depressive. I encouraged him to sign up for a time of prayer and care. At the end of the retreat, this missionary shared with me that he did have a session and I could see that his whole countenance changed, and he was hopeful. His new word he used to describe where he was now is ‘delightful.’ Our time there was creating a safe space for these missionaries to have a place to share what they are struggling with and to connect with Jesus. One missionary is at a crossroads in her life. Another finds himself in the midst of betrayal. A missionary is in a new role as a caregi...

You Are Not A Role

You are not your job title. You are not your productivity. You are not only the caretaker, the leader, the helper, the strong one. Those may be things you do —beautifully, even sacrificially—but they are not the whole story of who you are. Your worth is not defined by your output. Your identity is not limited to your roles. Coaching begins when we ask: What would it look like to live from that truer self, even just a little more today?

October Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. The breathtaking Himalayas greeted us each day—rugged, vast, and full of awe. Their majesty reminded me of the greatness of our God, and yet this same God longs for an intimate relationship with each one of us. How good and amazing He is. From the moment Kristi invited us to join the team, she emphasized the importance of flexibility—because in South Asia, plans rarely go as expected! One teammate called it “organized chaos.” Yet even in the many shifts and surprises, God moved in powerful ways. During our time there, we: • Debriefed two couples and three third culture kids. • Shared meals with other missionaries and families. • Enjoyed coffee with several of Kristi’s local friends and the guest house owner. • Facilitated a mini-retreat for a missionary and our team. • Hosted a retreat with about 25 missionaries and nationals. • Offered eight prayer appointments during the retreat. Many nationals shared that t...

Shannon's Corner

Search This Blog