Hurdle #9: Purpose & Role

Both purpose and roles shape how we navigate life, guiding our actions, decisions, and relationships. While purpose is often an intrinsic drive, fueled by a sense of meaning, a role is typically the function or position we hold within a structure—whether it be formal or informal.

Purpose is like a personal compass that helps us identify what matters most in life, and it is driven by core values. It answers the question, "Why am I here?" Purpose is about discovering what gives our life deep meaning and what fuels our sense of accomplishment.

The roles are the functions or duties that we fulfill within a given context. Roles answer the question, "What do I do?" They exist within a structure, and each has a distinct set of duties and tasks. While roles are assigned or chosen, they can change over time depending on circumstances.

In re-entry, your purpose and roles can change and become unclear that can be disorienting. It is essential to pause, reflect, and debrief to process how your time overseas has changed and impacted you to help discover, clarify, and reorient yourself in knowing and understanding your purpose and roles to move forward in this new season of life.

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March Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. An unexpected and unplanned trip led me to see God’s marvelous and wonderful work at the Assist Pregnancy Center. I learned from the staff that this pregnancy center is unique and different in that the population they serve are women who come already with an 85-90% decision made of aborting their babies. The medical staff who are in the rooms with the women during their ultrasounds share Jesus with them and are compassionate witnesses to each baby as they are seen, valued, and loved. If the mother decides to have the baby the center walks alongside with the mother and family. I had the precious privilege to facilitate a training with all the staff of the pregnancy center to talk about the Wounds from the Work. Listening to their stories of how the Lord called them to work at this pregnancy center and what the cost has been to them, and their families was sacred ground. Creating a safe place for them to be seen and heard in thei...

February Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER Why I do what I do? Loneliness and the lack of support and connection is often the lived experience that ministry workers encounter, and it grieves my heart because this has been my lived experience as well, my story of burnout . My mission? Connect. Nurture. Grow. The TCK Connect Chai Chat is where students talk about specific issues they face. This month students talked about loneliness. It is a part of their lives as they are always on the outside, seen as a foreigner no matter if in the host country or here in the U.S.A. The students describe loneliness as a lack of a peer group, disconnected, and being unknown. Withdrawing even more than usual is their way of coping with loneliness. What helps with their loneliness is joining the TCK Connect calls, talking with friends if they are available and listening to music. It is beautiful to see how God is using TCK Connect in the st...

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...

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