Peter’s Wife reaches out by monthly emails and this web site to women living and working cross culturally. Living outside our own culture is stressful. Keeping a home, helping our husbands, and raising kids can be very difficult without the usual support systems of home. Peter’s Wife is written by and for those who have given up the comforts and normality of ‘home’ to serve people in a different culture.
Whether you are currently in a cross cultural situation, have friends or co-workers who are, or just want to know what we face, take some time to look at our archive of previously sent emails. If you would like to receive Peter’s Wife by email, you may request it by emailing editor@peterswife.org
Recently I had the joy of having some dental work done, my first crown. For the price I paid for that crown, it should have diamonds and rubies and sit on my head, not in my mouth! Anyway, upon leaving the office, the dentist instructed me to gargle with salt for the next 3 days to prevent any infection. When the time came to do my salt rinse, I decided not to take the salt shaker from the kitchen table since it would remain in the bathroom for three days. Instead, I grabbed a salt shaker from the cupboard which we use for picnics. I headed to the bathroom, poured some salt in a cup of warm water and began to rinse my mouth and gargle. I spit out the first mouthful with skepticism. I picked up the salt shaker and examined the label. Hmmm…let me try again. I took a second swig of my salt water and started to rinse my mouth. But again after a few seconds…nothing. I spit it out. I must not have added enough salt. That’s the problem. So I poured more salt in my cup and stirred really well. Finally I was ready for a good salt rinse. I sipped, swished, gargled, spit. Nothing…again. I checked the container a second time. It clearly said “salt” on the container. I poured some in my hand. It looked like salt and felt like salt. But it did not taste like salt. My salt had lost its saltiness!
Women from every culture and every age have asked that question. Am I the ONLY one? I think because we are scattered around the world and may not see others like ourselves very often, we may be prone to ask this question more often than our sisters at home.
Am I the only one who cannot seem to speak in this language so others can understand me?
Am I the only one who cannot stop grieving for a family member whose funeral came and went without me?
Am I the only one whose husband started well, but ended up in the arms of a local woman?
Am I the only one to get angry when every time I have a moment alone I am interrupted?
Am I the only one with a child I cannot seem to homeschool?
Am I the only one who cannot breastfeed her baby?
Am I the only one who thought she knew what she was doing when she left home, but has experienced devastating disappointments?
The list could go on and on. Many of the ways we feel like we are the only one, are things that are common to womanhood. But we don’t hear others talk about them. Other expat team members may have gone through that particular loneliness, but it never comes up in conversation. So you don’t know that they felt that way too. The local women don’t talk about these feelings of aloneness to you. They think you would never understand. So we go on, day after day with an aching aloneness that could be comforted if we would open up and risk being vulnerable. Continue reading 'Am I the ONLY One?'»
. . .how easily we can get distracted by the taunts of the critics in our lives. Many things are vying to pull us away from the calling and mission God has given us. The most important thing you can do to overcome criticism is to remain focused on your calling. The enemy’s goal is to distract you, and what better way to get you off track than to cut you down with criticism?
How are you reacting to criticism? Can you shake it off and refocus on “your game,” or do you throw in the towel and give up the match? Are you allowing criticism to distract you from your calling or purpose?
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
God has gifted and called you for the unique role you play. He does not promise that your journey will be an easy one, and you will likely have your share of critics, but he will equip you as long as you keep your focus on him.
To read the rest of this article click Stay Focused, an article from Gifted for Leadership.
Do you feel called by God to do what you are doing, right now, in the place you are doing it? Most cross cultural workers have some understanding of their calling. But in this edition of Peter’s Wife, I’d like to encourage you and maybe help you understand a little bit more about your calling.
We are among those called to belong to Jesus and to be saints. (Rom. 1:6,7) Thankfully, God empowers us to live a life worthy of our calling: being humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another, and making every effort to maintain unity. This is our calling as children of God. (Eph. 4:1-3)
So every believer has a call. But most of us living overseas believe we also have a more specific calling to service. And as we all know, serving cross culturally is no easy calling.
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