Amy Young

Money and Missionaries Revisited: Do You Have a Plan for Retirement?

I first published a version of the following post 10 years ago here at A Life Overseas. Last year when Global Trellis conducted a survey on what might jeopardize you being on the field, debt was one of the areas. You can read the full survey results here—if you scroll down, you’ll find a host of goodies related to the survey. In honor of the inability to prepare for retirement mentioned in the survey, let’s revisit the subject. This can be so stressful, I know. Let’s bring it into the light and talk about it. (Also, if you want to hear a podcast about taxes and missions, here’s one that should give you hope.)

I start this off with a bit of fear. I want to talk about a topic that makes me feel uncomfortable, and I have little expertise when it comes to financial planning, but it is important so I’m going to push past my excuses.

Money and missionaries: do you have a plan for retirement?

Let me set this up with a bit of back ground information about me and what has both formed and informed me after working with hundreds of folks on the field. I’m going to make a list, because lists help me bring (some) structure and order to parts of life that feel large and chaotic.

1_My personal financial history is that I come from a relatively stable, healthy family when it comes to money. Both of my parents are educated and successful. During my childhood my dad started a company that ended up not taking off and then had a serious disease and was unable to work for over a year. Before and after this period, he was employed as an engineer. They modeled and taught how to handle finances when you have a steady income and when curve balls get thrown.

2—I had a strong sense at a young age I wasn’t going to live a “normal life” (whatever that is) and started saving for retirement at 16. Let it not be said that I don’t like to be prepared! I’ve been thinking about this subject for over thirty years.

3—When I went to the field, it was after working in a public school where I had a job that included retirement benefits. At that time, I thought I was stepping out of the system for two years. I was still in my 20’s, so it didn’t seem like I was making a HUGE life decision or weighing much when it came to life decisions. I was simply, taking two years off at a time when two years wasn’t a big deal. That was 30 years ago.

Like me, you might be thinking this is only for a few years so you don’t need to factor in the idea of retirement. Or like me, your journey could evolve over time and “suddenly” it’s been nine years and you think, “Um, this might be a career. When did that happen?!” Or you might have entered the field thinking this was for the long haul.

You can see how any of those mind-sets could influence your approach to money and the long-term view.

4—Coming from the west, money has been relegated to the “private” part of a person’s life. For Christians, two of the greatest areas of shame involve sex and money. We often have such shame about our finances and have no idea how to initiate talking about them, that we end up isolated and ignorant. Which, ironically, only feeds the shame. And then years pass and you might now be in an overwhelming situation.

5—When it comes to missionaries, this discussion is complicated because instead of just the individual/family and an employer, there are often three parties involved.

The individual or family
The sending organization
The sending church (or churches, many churches)

Who, ultimately, is responsible for thinking about your retirement? And then let’s also throw into the discussion that there are many countries represented here at A Life Overseas. Meaning we have a myriad of philosophies and government programs when it comes to retirement.

6—We are Christians who do live by faith and believe in a loving God who provides. Money is not to be our idol, source of security, or source of identify. (But I would also say, neither is ignorance to be our idol, that’s why I want to talk about this.)

7—Though I could share many stories, I’ll share two here. I don’t want us to be so theoretical we miss that we are talking about real people. People like you or me.

First story involves a family of six. A surprise came up with their visa and they needed to pay an additional $50 for five of the family members. When I called to tell them, they freaked out. F.R.E.A.K.E.D. O.U.T. I get that money stuff can be stressful. As I brainstormed with them about the situation, it turns out they had $18 USD in their bank account.

And then it was my turn to F.R.E.A.K. out! Because we so rarely talk about finances, I assumed that others would have enough of a cushion in case of an emergency. Six people on the field with access to eighteen dollars. People, this is not good.

My second story involves a friend who is a mission’s pastor. Because the church had not historically had plans for retirement this mission’s pastor is working with several people on the field who need to retire, but can’t afford to. One situation involves a man with dementia. I do not know him, so the picture in my head is purely of my own making. Can’t you see him? Doesn’t your heart go out to this man who has worked faithfully his whole life? But without much provision for this later state?

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I am hoping this post is just the start of the conversation. I don’t want to stir up fear or undue concern, but to help bring this area a bit more into the light.

When you think about preparing for retirement, do you have a plan?
Who do you feel is ultimately responsible for your retirement plan? You, your organization, your sending churches, or your government? Have you talked with each of these players and asked their philosophy on their role?
What is your organization doing well in this area? What is/are your sending church/churches doing well in this area?
What do you wish your sending organization or church would do differently?
How have you seen God provide for you thus far in your experience on the field? How does this foster hope when it comes to your finances long-term?

The New Porn (Are You Talking About Sports Betting?)

Dear friend,

As I thought about this post, I wanted to write you a letter, not an article. In December a podcast I follow had a guest episode from another podcast about sports betting. I had no interest in sports betting or fantasy leagues, but because it was on my phone and started playing, I listened to it.

And then I listened to about twenty more episodes about sports betting and kept thinking, “We need to be talking about this in missions work! Why have I never heard anything about sports betting and missions?! Is this truly the ‘new porn’ that may be worse than porn?!”

So, I come to you, not as an expert, but as someone who has tried to educate myself on sports betting and how it may show up on the mission field. I’m going to organize what I know about sports betting into a list so if you’re new to this too, you don’t feel dropped into the deep end.

1—I am an American and until 2018 sports betting was illegal in most places. Thus for many of us of a certain age, sports betting wasn’t a thing.

2—Sports betting is legal in other countries so places like England and Australia are “ahead” of the U.S. in terms of data to see the impact.

3—In 2018 a Supreme Court case said it is up to each state in the U.S. if they want to legalize sports betting. They also said it was up to each state to establish the parameters which means sports betting looks very different across the country. This allows an interesting (unintended) experiment, as State B watches how State A implements it, seeing what works, what’s harmful to society, and the unintended consequences. As of January 2025 it’s legal in 38 states. I found a very interesting map, if you’d like to see where it’s legal. See here.

4—Sports betting was born out of fantasy sports and fantasy leagues. If you’re not familiar, my very basic understanding is that that a group of participants will “draft” players for each position on their team. Let’s say I drafted “Bo Nix” to be the quarterback on my football team. You cannot draft him, so you draft “Josh Allen” on your team. Your fantasy team will have players from any of the team that are currently playing that sport. Like the actual teams, if Josh Allen gets hurt and is out for two weeks, he’s also “out” for your team and you have to “play” your back up quarterback.

5—In its purest form, fantasy leagues are a fun way for a group to connect. But for younger people (maybe 30 or younger) who grew up with fantasy leagues being a part of life, it turned out to be a grooming grounds for sports betting. Because fantasy leagues are not “betting” they are legal for many high schoolers and especially are marketed to boys/young men.

Before we go any further, I’d love for you to have a conversation on your team, just getting the lay of the land (especially hearing from those who are 30 or younger).

Questions could be:

—Is sports betting legal in your passport country?
—When you were in high school, what was the sports betting culture like? Did you or anyone you know sports bet? What was your experience? (Asked with genuine curiosity 🙂 …. I would love to hear the range of stories!)
—What do you know about sports betting? (If the answer is “Nothing.” this is an opportunity for you to learn. I’m convinced it’s going to come to your field if it hasn’t yet.)

Okay, so that’s the groundwork of what sports betting is, let’s talk about how it is different from “traditional” gambling.

6—In traditional gambling, there is a chance you can win. You’ve probably heard of professional poker players. In sports betting, the algorithms learns so much about you, if you get “too good,” they kick you out and you are banned for life from placing a bet. Instead, the sports betting companies will figure out who actually isn’t going to be that good and will make that person a “VIP.” Let’s talk about preying on the vulnerable and those who want to feel that they belong!

7—You do not have to know a thing about what you’re betting on. For example, if I asked you, “Do you think Bo Nix’s first pass will be for more than 20 yards?” and you say, “I have no idea because! I don’t know who that is or if 20 yards is a lot.” I respond, “It’s far, but if he does, you win BIG. Would you like to bet he will?” In many states in the U.S. your first bet is “free.” (For you! Guess what?! The state governments have written into the law they will cover your losses, so the government is actually paying people to bet!).

8—Because sports betting is basically set up for participants to fail, or at least not succeed, the consequences are tragic. We are seeing increased depression, suicide rates, debt, and overall delayed steps into adulthood such as saving for retirement, ability to support a family, having the financial means to live independently or make larger purchases (like a car). At this point, it is far more men who are “trapped” in sports betting, but as we’ve seen with porn, women will be in the next wave. In short, men who sports gamble are not navigating their 20s in the same way that past generations of men have.

9—The podcasts I listened to were not hosted by Christians, so when they said sports betting is horrible for the brain and is going to have much more far reaching consequences than porn, I paid attention.

What do we do with all of this?

For mobilizers

Are you asking if candidates are currently sports betting? If they are, that’s a yellow flag knowing that the system is set up to exploit those who aren’t “very good at it.” Not that it disqualifies them! But are they open to setting it aside while they are on the field?

For organizations

Do you have policies or guidelines about sports betting?
Do you have resources, counselors, or mentors who can walk with those who are currently sports betting and unable to get out of it?
(If anyone in your development or donor relations department sports bets? This is NOT who you want handling your organizations money. Red flag. Run :))

For the church

Are you talking about sports betting and not glorifying it? Are you helping those who are involved in sports betting? Here’s what’s at stake: we need people with healthy money relationships to go to the field. We need people with healthy money relationships to be able to support those on the field!

For those on the field

Talk to your kids about sports betting. They will most likely be returning to colleges or first jobs with others who are sports betting. Ask if their boyfriends or girlfriends are sports betting. Talk with them about why it is likely a yellow flag in relationships. My sister has coached her daughters not only to talk to current and future boyfriends about porn, but also about sports betting.

Talk with your team about sports betting. It may not be a thing on your current team, but it will be at some point and I don’t want you surprised.

Well, friends, that’s what I’ve been thinking about when it comes to sports betting. I don’t mean to alarm you, and I love sports so much! I think that’s in part why I was so surprised. I truly love sports and have noticed so many ads in recent years, but I just ignored them, so I didn’t realize what was going on around me. We don’t need to be afraid, and it’s good to be informed.

What can I do to be helpful when it comes to this topic?

Your friend,

Amy

P.S. Is your organization talking about sports betting?

End Of Year List: 3 books and 3 podcast episodes

I love end-of-year lists! I like seeing something I’ve read or listened to on a list and finding new gems. I’ve compiled two short lists for you in this last-post-of-the-year at A Life Overseas. Bonus? I nominated categories for each book or episode. Happy reading! :).

3 Books I loved in 2024

Surprise Delight

Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere by Savannah Guthrie was recommended by a member care friend who knew I might roll my eyes thinking that an American morning news show host might offer spiritual depth. Sometimes it’s good to be wrong and this was one of those times :)! I checked it out from a library and listened to it. The audio version has a beautiful reflective practice at the end of each chapter.

Most Likely To Make You Annoying to Those Around You

If you’re the kind of person who has to read out loud beautiful or profound sentences to anyone near you, watch out. Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption through Scripture by Alastair J. Roberts and Andrew Wilson will have you become the most annoying person in the room.

Though the title might sound a bit academic, do not let that fool you! I could not stop reading this and it has become my go-to gift book. If I could, I would buy everyone at A Life Overseas a Copy!

If You Only Read One Book for Personal Growth

You need to make it the Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well by Amy C. Edmondson. I heard her speak at the Global Leadership Summit and needed to get her book immediately. Not all failure is the same. If missionaries grew in understanding basic failure, complex failure. and intelligent failure, we’d be better able to serve to those we’ve come to serve.

3 Podcast Episodes I loved in 2024

Unique Angles on Familiar Topics

I was on It’s Not About the Money: In Search of Grounded Fundraising hosted by Heather Winchell and Andy Brennan and it might be tacky to have this be one of my favorite listens from 2024. But guess what? I loved this conversation and I hope you will too: Amy Young on Your Humanity in Fundraising

When the Path is Hard

When the episode Suffering Well & Walking in Faith: Can You Do Both? with Scott Shaum from Modern Day Missions hosted by Stephanie Gutierrez came across my feed, I listened to about three minutes before sharing it with a friend who is a major season of suffering. Isn’t this what we all want to be able to do? Suffer well and Walk Well in Faith?

Fun to See Differently

Rule Of Life is hosted by Jon Mark Comer in which he and his cohosts dedicate each podcast season to exploring different parts of the Christian Life. the more recent season was dedicated to generosity. Many of us in cross-cultural work are on support or have a different relationship with money than many of our peers in our passport countries. This is the first episode in the series: There is More Joy in Giving than Receiving.

So, those are three books and three episodes I enjoyed in 2024. Leave a comment and help others to start of the new year with a few reads and listen for the new year!

And in the name of generosity here’s a podcast episode from Global Trellis in which we talked with Michele Zintz about reflecting and preparing as a cross-cultural worker at the end of a year.

When normalcy comes in a can

After a year of “lasts” – last Thanksgiving in America, last Christmas, last birthday, last this, last that – the “firsts” began.

It started off slowly. First Moon Festival. Quaint really as my teammate and I were invited to the rooftop garden of one of our school officials. We were served so many peanuts and seeds I started hiding them in pockets. First National Day. It was only a day and not as big of a deal as it has become in the country. First Halloween.

But then the weather changed and almost overnight we went from wearing shorts to wearing all of our clothes at one time. Why did no one close the windows? And who thought restaurants with only three walls was a good idea? Would I ever feel my feet again? Who was the genius behind half a country without heat?

Packages began to arrive with paper turkeys, pumpkins, and pilgrims. If you thought The First Thanksgiving was a production, you should have seen the culture lecture Erin and I put on for our students. Naive and energetic, we wrote skits, required practices, and learned more facts than I’ll ever need this side of Jeopardy. (Speedwell, anyone, anyone?! How about this one, 51 dead?!)

But Thanksgiving is more than a production, it’s a practice. A discipline really. A slowing down and feasting together. A remembering of how great is Thy faithfulness.

A few problems arose when it came to the discipline and ritual behind creating that space. First, we had not yet gotten over the meat market traumatization our first week and the only food we had perfected was frying potatoes. So, eating more fried potatoes didn’t feel special, it felt like survival. Next problem, we had come to China, two intelligent women, without one recipe and Al Gore hadn’t gotten around to his greatest invention of the internet yet. To review, we had potatoes, a few other veggies, salt, pepper, flour and what I had learned to order from the bakery called yellow oil (aka very low grade margarine).

All sounds charming. Except we weren’t on an exotic cooking show cooking with random ingredients (and skill) trying to win a prize. And we were freezing. And it was our first big holiday. And “our people” were on the other side of the world and “our new people” had been in our lives all of four months.

In discussing this and getting a bit depressed and woe-is-us, Mark, the only other foreigner we knew at that point, wondered if Thanksgiving evening we’d like to go out for Beijing Duck. He spoke Chinese and could order for us – yes, oh yes!

Thursday we taught in the morning, had lunch with students and went home for a short rest before joining in the sports meet. In a bizarre reenactment of The First Thanksgiving (in 1621, you’re welcome), we too participated in games, as we found ourselves helping the English Department to a victory in the tug-of-war. Other departments sputtered it was due to our girth. Don’t invite amazon like women if you don’t want them to bring it! We might not have been great cooks, but pulling on a rope, now that we can do.

We went home, changed, and biked to the restaurant. Mark ordered and as the waitress was leaving, he placed a small 8 ounce tinned can on the table.

And that is the moment I’ll remember forever as my bridge from old normalcy to new normalcy.

Eight ounces of a flavor and ritual that linked old Amy with new Amy. Eight ounces that contained memories and assurances. Power and simplicity intertwined with cranberries.

I may have been on the other side of the world with people I hadn’t known long, yet enough was familiar. We were going to be eating a bird. It may not have been turkey, but it was meat that we did not have to purchase raw and figure out how to cook in a toaster oven. The spicy green beans were actually an upgrade. And we were with people we loved, sharing a meal, and remembering the many blessings we had experienced.

Isn’t that like God? To take something small and insignificant and use it. And so it will be for you. I don’t know what will be used this year to remind you that you are still you, you are connected and matter. Thanks be to God for His small mercies to us wherever we are.

5 Ways Missionaries are like Professional Athletes

I love when a lesson or reminder comes from an unexpected place.

I also love the NFL, where my beloved American football team the Denver Broncos plays.

Motivated by curiosity of what it’s like in the NFL, recently I listened to a podcast where two NFL wives discussed their lives. Imagine my surprise as the longer they talked, the move I saw connections between NFL families and missionaries. (For those of you groaning, yes, there is plenty that is different!)

Truly, in the non-missionary life, NFL player’s families (and other professional sports) may be the most unlikely place to find people who live similar lives to ours. I’m not trying to make light of our callings and the sacrifices made. But look over this list of five similarities and I think even if you hate sports, you’ll be surprised!

1—Stability (or lack there of): Both of the women’s husbands have been professional athletes for about 8 years and they said that their husbands have never been on the exact same team two games in a row. Never. Due to injuries and trades, the team is more in flux than it might appear. Take a moment and that this soak in.

This can be a challenge for the coaches and players when it comes to finding a rhythm and knowing who you are actually working with.

In missionary world, I only had the exact same team twice, once for two years and once for three years. My first five years on the field were incredibly stable, allowing for my teammates and I to gain ministry traction and build routines. I thought this type of stability was the norm. If you’re laughing, I get it. But if you’ve been a stable team situation, you know what a gift it is!

2—Rotating friend circles: For the players and coaches, being on the team of course involved relationships, but they were there to play football. They had a clear purpose. For the spouses and kids who might join a team mid-way through the season, all of the hellos and goodbyes could make finding friends and building community difficult. Throw in the off seasons and loneliness can be a real struggle.

For missionaries, couples may have to navigate when one is viewed at the “employee” of the organization and the other “the spouse.” (I see a soapbox and I want to get on it, but for the sake of this post, will walk by giving it a VERY STRONG side eye!)

With furloughs, home assignments, medical situations, language school, new opportunities and end of terms, it can be a challenge to find relational stability too.

3—All that comes with moving: The wives shared how finding new doctors, housing, setting up home, finding schools, and learning a team’s rhythms is harder than it looks. It’s exhausting and there’s a chance you may be doing it again in a few weeks, months, or (Lord willing) years.

Yes, many of them have financial and linguistic resources to navigate these moves and many missionaries have the added stress of money and language. Acknowledging that piece, money can’t alleviate the shared humanity of needing a doctor for your kid and being new in a location.

4—Money differences: We can agree that many top professional male athletes in the west earn obscene amounts of money. And many male professional athletes earn decent salaries. But I hadn’t thought about the incredible range on a team. You might be lining up next to someone who is doing the same job earning many times more than you do. Like, where’s the equity?!

We have our own version of this. I remember being shocked at how little rent a friend paid for a HOUSE (not an apartment) in another country in Asia. It was so cute! It had three bedrooms! The kitchen was large! There was a yard! Why hadn’t God called me here! It was warm! It was pretty! There were flowers! It reduced me to short sentences! And explanation points!

I was following God’s call and I had (nice) housing (just not adorable!).

5—Teammates: American football is made up of three different teams: offense, defense, and special teams. Each has a unique role and each team is made up of multiple players that work together to accomplish a goal. I was surprised how often professional players need to adapt to new teammates.

A few weeks ago I was talking with an older millennial missionary who resents the disdain she felt from other missionaries after she completed her commitment and returned home. Yes, she’s been on the field for ten years and her leaving wasn’t abrupt. But it wasn’t “a lifetime of commitment” to that location. Instead, she has a lifetime of commitment to Jesus. On the field, we may need to view teammates more like a teammates on a sports team than in a marriage.

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There you have it, the ways that NFL player’s families are like missionaries. Did any of these points surprise you? What might you add to the list?

2D vs 3D Converstations

The irony of this post is that I wish I could chat with you about it and hear what this idea might look like in your current cultural and team set-up. Instead, I’ll type it out and you’ll read it.

Have you heard of “2D” and “3D” conversations?

A 2D conversation can be easily handled in an email or text. A 3D conversation needs a phone call, video call, or to be in-person.

I don’t know about you, but it feels like I have a zillion ways to communicate with people: email, text, WhatsApp, DMs on multiple social media platforms, Marco polo, to name a few. Some I’m better about checking than others.

The thing about 2D communication is that we can confuse convenience for effective communication. I first heard about 2D and 3D communication several years ago and every now and then I need to pull out this concept and remind myself that not all forms of communication are created equal.

Am I matching the information I’m trying to communicate with the form of communication I’m using?

Have you ever found yourself texting with someone and you are going back and forth on details and at the end of the 15 minute interaction you think, “A two minute conversation would been smarter!” That’s a simple crossing of wires between 2D and 3D communication.

Or wondered why has the world become so polarized in the last decade? One reason is because social media is not the place to have 3D conversations. It’s the place to share updates—2D information—that foster connection.

While I can’t change how social media is used, I can help you communicate with those around you.

Think back to a communication between you and a family member this week. Or You and a teammate. Or You and a colleague. Was it in text, email, or voice? How did it go? If it went well, that’s probably because it was a 2D conversation in a 2D space or a 3D conversation in a 3D. If it could have gone better, was it a 3D conversation in a 2D space?

Regardless of what culture you’re in and what culture you’re from, every culture has ways of sharing information that works well in a 2D space. “When is our meeting this week?” or “Here’s an interesting article.” And ways of sharing 3D information.

If you start to have a 3D conversation in a 2D space, simply say, “Hey, I think this is a 3D conversation, let’s find a time to meet.”

Sometimes all we need is a simple reminder that 2D and 3D communication are valid and important . . . and different.

The Major and The Missionary: A Book Review

I asked for The Major and The Missionary: The Letters of Warren Lewis and Blanche Biggs last Christmas and have enjoyed reading it this month. The Major and The Missionary is edited by Diana Pavlac and contains the entirety of the correspondence between Warren Lewis, brother to CS Lewis, and Dr. Blanche Biggs, a medical missionary in Papua New Guinea.

Dr. Biggs wrote to Major Lewis in 1968 asking his advice as she was nearing the end of twenty years of medical missionary service. She wondered if she should destroy her letters, publish them herself (many had said they should be a book), or have someone else write a book about her life. Thus begins a five year correspondence and friendship between the two.

While I truly want you to get this book, I am annoyed to tell you that it only exists in paperback (here on Amazon, and here at The Rabbit Room where’s it’s published). In researching for this post, I did find an audio version on Audible that seems to be from a stage adaptation based on their letters and is read by a man and a woman (so you can keep who is writing straight).

The audio book seems to play up that theirs was a love story, though I think “rare friendship” is a more apt description. Please don’t let that bit of marketing dismiss this gift to us.

First of all, both Dr. Biggs and Major Lewis are—as one Amazon reviewer said—”witty, perplexing, and insightful.” Their letters are not like reading a letter penned by a child at summer camp or a deeply philosophical argument you need to pay attention to in order to follow. “Witty, perplexing, and insightful” is an apt description!

Beyond good writing, I have so enjoyed hearing snippets from Dr. Biggs about her missionary life. So much is familiar. It’s been a humbling reminder that our modern era isn’t as different from previous eras as we might think. For instance, she wrestled with knowing when to retire as too many of her colleagues had stayed on longer than they should because leaving is so hard. But her agency wanted her to stay on as she had so much knowledge they needed her to pass on to the next generation.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but so far they have touched on politics, missionary funding, challenges of rotating people, challenges of staggering a leave, “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, needing to discipline colleagues, sexual misconduct (I’d say assault and the one reason I almost didn’t recommend this book), the weather, illness, and time for reading.

Sounds familiar, eh?

Parts though, read from another era, thankfully. Some of the language around “civilization” and “being civilized” is cringe worthy. And the aforementioned situation that read to me like a sexual assault on a young woman by multiple staff turned into a “why do we take sexual sins more seriously than other sins.” But truly the incident was in two of the letters, so, not a major theme.

Their friendship and respect for each other was enjoyable to watch blossom letter by letter.

If you’re looking for an the reminder that we join a long cloud of witnesses (and that other eras have been semi-dumpster fires too), The Major and The Missionary is a delightful next read.

7 Reasons I love the Olympics

I love, love, love the Olympics! Like many of you, I’ve been both inside and outside of my passport country during the Olympics. I’ve gotten to experience how different cultures and countries both cover, experience, and celebrate them. Even ignore them.

One particularly painful taxi ride in Beijing comes to mind. I was stuck in traffic and the taxi driver was listening to an Olympic summary show on the radio.

Announcer: This is the national anthem when So-and-so won the gold for such-and-such event.

The national anthem was played. It was inspiring and fun to relive that moment.

Announcer: This is the national anthem when THIS athlete won the gold for this other event.

The national anthem was played. It was inspiring and but less fun to relive that moment. Why is the traffic not moving?!

Announcer: This is the national anthem when So-and-so won the gold for yet another event.

The national anthem was played. And I realized that I was going to be trapped, listening to the national anthem on repeat until Jesus came back or the traffic finally started moving.

Did that dampen my enthusiasm for the Olympics? No :)! Here are 7 reasons I love the Olympics:

1. The many flags and countries — Watching the boats with the various countries during the opening ceremony warmed my heart!

2. The athletes and teams who get to showcase their talents and hard work.

3. The inspiring stories and humanizing of the athletes and the obstacles they’ve faced.

4. The inspiring of what I could do with my own body. (As a young child I distributed trashcans around the family room and “hurdled.” Every single Olympics I come away marveling at how God has made the human body. Amazing, amazing, amazing.)

5. The taste of different cultures. In this case, the food in Paris looks delicious and I can almost smell the bread through my screen!

6. Let’s not forget the playing of the national anthems. Though annoying on repeat in a taxi cab, they reflect an athlete playing for something greater than just him or herself. As the athletes stand on the podium and watch the three flags flutter, the athletes look up to a flag that represents more than just them.

7. The surprises! The heartbreak of those who thought they’d win and didn’t. Those who experienced injury or illness at such an inopportune time. And the lesser known athletes who succeed far beyond their wildest dreams.

To my fellow Olympics Lovers, I raise my metaphorical glass to you and say, “To the games and to the many countries we love! May God remind the world how very much He loves it.”

An Anniversary That Snuck Up (Revisited)

I wrote the following post nine years ago. At that time, I had been on full-time support for twenty years. I’ve been thinking about support recently because a church that has supported me since the beginning of my days in China decided to stop supporting me the end of this month. That’s just a few days away. I have mixed feelings. I’m so grateful for the 29 years they have been faithful financial and prayer partners. I’m also sad because, well, I’ll miss their financial support and feeling a special part of the church.

Twenty years ago on August 8th (my mom’s birthday), my parents drove me to Denver International Airport, dropped me off (per my request to try to lessen the pain of leaving), and I flew off to several weeks of new teacher orientation in California before heading to China.

At the end of our orientation this is how I dressed for an international flight (I’m in the middle):

Oh my word. Erin (my teammate) and Cynthia (province mate) seem to have dressed in a more timeless fashion than I did.

Remember when vests were the rage? Or pleated shorts? Or fanny packs? Or little bangs? I don’t think I have traveled internationally in shorts since that flight. And truth be told, we got checked-in and our flight was cancelled so we spent the night at an airport. Then for the second day in a row I put that outfit on, thinking it was a fine way to travel.

One more photo from our first month in China:

Our school took Erin and me on a day trip soon after we arrived. In my photo album I’ve written, “Mr. Yao brought this man with us to practice English.” What I should have written was, “What in the world was I thinking with my sock and footwear choice?!” Notice how nicely everyone is dressed and I’m sporting a cow t-shirt? Erin and I, like good Americans, dressed for comfort. Everyone else dressed for the photos. Oh, sweet Amy, so much to learn.

This month marks twenty year of being on full time support. My first support raising goal was a couple of thousand dollars for training and a flight to China and then $650 a month. I remember wondering where $650 was going to come from, it seemed like so much money. Now, needing about multiple times that amount, I’m thankful God eases us into stages of life.

I’ll admit it wasn’t that hard for me emotionally to go on full time support because I thought it was only for two years. For someone to “eddy out” (using rafting terms) of the flow for how most Westerners earn money for a couple of years when I was young, didn’t seem a big deal.

But to have relied on supporters’ generosity as they’ve listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit over the years, has not always been easy. There is a certain level of pride to have “worked for your money.” We westerners respect and understand pulling our own weight.

I love my American side, but sometimes she does battle with my True Self, wondering if I’m doing enough, if supporters will move on to the next sexy Christian project (the need around the world is great and your resources are limited, I truly do understand), if they’ll think that a fanny-packed clueless twenty something is more endearing than a mid-life apparently not-going-to-get-a-real-job forty something. (In 2024, now fifty something!)

We love beginnings and endings. Or I should say, I love beginnings and endings. But the middle? You can wonder where the shore is when you’re in the middle of a journey.

Twenty years. I never would have thought I would still be on the support raising. I imagine as you look around you, you’ve also got parts of your journey that surprise you. And humble and delight and have formed you. I’m flooded with gratitude for these twenty years.

For the faithfulness shown to me by friends, family, and supporters via letters, emails, calls, asking family members about me, their prayers, and their money.

For the faithfulness shown to me by God who has sat with me in loneliness, laughed with me at team meetings, grown me through his words and the words of others, and reminded me to live in the present with an eye to the future and a gratitude for the past.

Here’s to fanny packs, black socks, and the timeless love of God for people!

Clink (that’s our metaphorical glasses clinking).

And just because I can’t help my gregarious self, I clink again. To God and his faithfulness. To fellow travelers. To the Broncos winning the Super Bowl!*

What have been the blessings and challenges of others “working for your money.”

*You can take the girl out of Denver, but taking American football out of her heart is nearly impossible.

Let’s collectively join in longing for this day

Monday was a holiday in the U.S. I know that this is a global community. I simply share that it was Memorial Day to give you context about my thinking process.

It’s a day when people who died in combat are remembered. I drove through a local military cemetery as a way to make all of the deaths real. To see actual gravesites.

And I thought of you.

I thought of the country you’re from and all of the people who have died throughout the ages in conflict.

I thought of the country you’re living in now and have grown to love and all the people who have died in wars or combat or tribal clashes.

This isn’t a post for or against war. As I drove around the cemetery I wasn’t thinking about “just war” and the need sometimes to defend what you love.

What I thought about were the people. The people who have died and how their friends and family were never the same.

And I thought about how one day there will be no more wars, death will die, and peace will reign. Theologians like to talk about the “already/not yet” of the Kingdom of God here on earth; until there are no conflicts, attacks, or clashes, we are still in the not yet.

But friends, today in this space, let’s pause and collectively remind ourselves that war will not always be our story. That someday, the lamb will lie down with the lion.

Amen and amen.

Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash

What I Learned After Visiting Scotland

My last name may not scream an ethnicity to you. Unless you are Chinese, and then when you see my pale face, sturdy bones, and slightly curly hair, the response comes from an ancient script passed down from generation to generation. Eyes widen, “You are not Chinese.”

Yes, I know that.

Growing up I latched on to the “Scotch” part of my “Scotch-Irish” heritage. I don’t know why I wanted to be Scottish so much more than Irish, but I did. Fostering this lovefest was the bag my great-grandmother brought through Ellis Island in New York. As a child it all seemed so exotic and exciting.

One of my dearest friends in college moved to Scotland after graduation and served three years as a cross-cultural worker in a small church. My first visit to Scotland was one year into her term.

I was going to walk the land of my ancestors! I was going to get in touch with my Scottish roots! I was going to find where a distant relative was buried! I was going home!

Except it turns out, that “Young” is an Irish name. My enthusiasm was met with blank stares. Even in the tourist stores where I was desperate to buy anything with the “Young Tartan” on it, there was a nary a thread to be found.

{Side note: A couple of years ago, when I visited Scottish friends I made on that first trip, “Young” has either been discovered in the Clan Annals OR the wise merchants wanted in on the action. Either way, I bought “Young Clan” coasters for the whole family.)

While I had a wonderful trip and fell in love with Scotland, I left with a profound sense that no matter how much I wanted to be Scottish, no matter how much I loved Scotland, no matter how many scones I ate or cups of tea I drank, I was an American.

It seems to be in vogue these days to either cling to a country or reject identifying with it outright. Are those the two options God gives us? As I considered what it is that God says about citizenship in the Bible, I noticed the following.

1. God has a soft spot for the alien; however, God’s soft spot for the alien seems more related to power than to citizenship. One of the few passages that directly relates to citizenship is the well-known “give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and is related to taxes. Other passages talk about our citizenship being in heaven and are almost all in Paul’s letter. Keeping in mind he was writing to people in the Roman Empire, they too were trying to figure out the boundaries of loyalty. This post is too short to go into the context of each letter, but if we had more time, I would love to explore what Paul (and a messenger for God) was saying. In short, the bottom line is not that citizenship and loyalty to a place are bad or to be denied, but they must not be supreme.

2. God gives a face to those who are rooted to a place. In the Bible God weaves the stories of the foreigners in with those who stay, those who are known in and for a place. God also lists other nations throughout the scripture. Outside of a few specific times the Israelites were told to destroy a people group or city, God preserves the different nationalities.

Those associated with a place (or at least not known for being a foreigner) who also modeled the tension of holding God above nationality:

Jesse
Mordecai
Rahab
Jesse
Shunammite Woman
Elizabeth and Zechariah
Isaiah
Phoebe

When we compare the lists of those who were known for the foreignness in the Bible and this list, I love the Bible all the more. God includes both, inviting us to keep interacting with this tension.

3. This two-sided coin points to a bigger story. We see in both the Old and New Testament that variety, differences, and uniqueness will exist in heaven.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)

Amen and Amen!

I had coffee with a friend who recently returned to the US after 18 months in a poor area in India. She’s transitioning to another assignment. After explaining to her mom the analogy that many cross-cultural workers are from Circle cultures who live in Square cultures and in the process become Triangles. Her mom asked her to please be a Circle person again. She wondered if it was possible to return to being a Circle.

I laughed.

Her mom was asking the wrong question. Maybe we are too. There is nothing wrong with asking “Where do you feel like an alien?” or “How has your notion of citizenship changed?” In fact, these are good questions. But let’s use them to propel us deeper into the mystery and beauty of a faith that points to the Already/Not Yet of belonging in and to the Triune God,

You will not clear them away all at once

Deuteronomy has a good word for missionaries. You’re familiar with the setting, the Israelites were finally getting ready to enter the Promised Land after 40 long years.

In part, God said:

“No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. But the Lord your God will hand them over to you. He will throw them into complete confusion until they are destroyed.” Deuteronomy 7:21-23

The wilderness was an in-between place for the Israelites. No longer in Egypt, God used their time in the desert to prepare them for what’s next. While you might not be in an in-between place right now, this passage contains reminders that are good to revisit.

1. Do not be afraid for the Lord your God is among you.

God doesn’t start with the details, instead he starts at the deep heart level: do not be afraid. Why does he say not to fear? Not because what you’re facing isn’t scary, it may be very scary! You don’t need to fear because God offers the gift of his presence. You will not be alone.

2. The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you.

When you’re in an in-between place and getting ready for a new or next stage, it’s good to be reminded that you don’t have to do anything at first. Too often I think I have to go first and then God will come along once he sees that I’m “willing to do my part.” This is backwards.

3. Little by little.

What? Little by little? What happened to great and awesome? But little by little rings true to my life and ministry. Far more true than the Hollywood version of change where there is one big, life changing moment and then the credits roll. Even for situations that seem more clear cut—I now pronounce you husband and wife, It’s a boy!, Welcome to your new cubicle—they do not, in fact come all at once. Instead they are little by little until deep roots are extended and the change has taken place.

When you enter the new phase, remember that at first, it all may feel overwhelming, unfamiliar, and even slow. But something is happening, little by little.

4. You will not clear them away all at once.

Isn’t this phrase a relief? When we face an old temptation or think we “should” be further along than we are, God holds the long view in mind.

Why not move faster? (I’m a “faster is better person.”) Otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. Who knows what wild animals God is protecting you from I admit that I can grow weary of a slow process, but when I think of the wild animals I am clueless about, I can lean into the slow pace with more gratitude.

This passage ends with two sentences using the word will. It will happen. You will enter a promised land. What is not promised is the how or the timing.

If you’re in an in between phase, may these four reminders prepare you for the time after the in-between:

—God will be with you in the new unknown.
—God will go before you.
—The process in the new phase most likely will be little by little.
—The process may be slower than you would like.

What other scripture passages have helped prepare for what’s next when you are in a waiting phase?