Soul Care for the Seasons of the Missionary Journey

Member Care – The on-going preparation, equipping and empowering of missionaries for effective and sustainable life, ministry and work. Soul Care – Paying attention and providing support to what empowers and sustains life in the missionary

John 1:4 In Him was LIFE …. John 10:10 I have come that you may have life in all it’s fullness ‘a rich and satisfying life’ (NLT)

I am the vine, You are the branches …. Abide in me …. Cut off from vital union with me you can do nothing. John 15:5

I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love John 15:9

Orientation Disorientation New Orientation

Orientation Congruence ‘ There is congruency between the promises of God, the trustworthiness of His Word, and the reality of life.’ Answered Prayer Shalom – all is as it should be

Peace Settled familiarity Sense of belonging Life is good – God is good – the future looks good Comfortable with mission vision and leadership

Incongruity between what we read of God in his word and how we experience God in our lives. ‘I read that God is good but I don’t experience that goodness; I believe that God is loving but I don’t experience that love in ways I understand.’ Disorientation

‘ Living by faith is a bewildering venture. We rarely know what’s coming next and not many things turn out the way we anticipate. It is natural to assume that since I am God’s chosen and beloved, I will get favourable treatment from the God who favors me so extravagantly.’

It is not unreasonable to expect that from the time that I become his follower, I will be exempt from dead ends, muddy detours and cruel treatment from the travellers I meet daily who are walking the other direction. ‘ Eugene Peterson Introduction to Habakkuk

Contributing Factors The gap! Perpetual Outsider Loss of belongingness Awareness of losses Misalignment between gifts and ministry

If Orientation was a sense of being connected – to oneself, to the mission, to God and to a clear vision for life and ministry, then Disorientation is a sense of being unconnected or disconnected from all of this.

New Orientation Intervention of God – surprising us New Hope- new green shoots Thanksgiving – key component Light at the end of the tunnel

breakthroughs in ministry, unexpected blessings and provisions, new hope, strength and motivation because we can see what God is doing again. there is a sense alignment, restoration, healing. reaffirmation of call, it is a second honeymoon time.

‘If our missionaries are tasked with bringing the life of Jesus to the people God has called them to, then they need to be experiencing that life within their very own souls in ways that are true and real and transformative. A well cared for soul truly is the best thing we can offer to those God has called us to.’

Why have you placed yourself in that season? What did you do to care for your soul during that season? How did you keep connected with God? If you moved, what prompted that move? In what ways are you finding this season different from the one you moved from?

For Group Reflection How would you recognise the movement from orientation to disorientation? What would be indicators in speech, behaviour, attitudes, thinking etc? What spiritual practices might you want to encourage your mission partner to engage with in order to nurture the life of their soul in this season?

From your discussion, what are the 3 best ‘takeaways’ or ‘Aha’ moments of insight or clarity etc. that you can bring to the larger group? What is one question you asked?

Some things to focus on: Be a hope –bringer, remind people of God’s constant presence Help them to recognise distorted images of God and with their identity Encourage physical rest and refreshment during disorientation Suggest different spiritual practices – eg Lectio Divina, the prayer of Examen, listening to music that encourages and nurtures a God- focus etc