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“Persistent, compound traumas have disrupted my life, relationships and my walk with God. Being able to understand my suffering in light of the Bible in the company of others also going through was a great comfort, a comfort that has brought liberation.” C, a participant in a Healing group ***Exciting Update*** Our visas were granted, passports are in hand, flights have been booked. We will be heading to Ethiopia very soon! Please continue to pray for Sharon and I. This quarter was very active. I continued to be involved in coordinating 7 healing groups (and facilitating 3 of those), a Scripture Listening group piloting the book of Philippians, coordinating 8 initial trainings (facilitating 4 of those), and 2 advanced training all online. Whew. When we looked at our online activity, I understood why I was so exhausted. Because, honestly, it was too much. We have dialed it way back for this next quarter as we evaluate the way forward of online Trauma Healing, especially as in-person activity has started back again. Speaking of in-person, one highlight from this quarter was being reunited with 4 of my colleagues at our Basic Debriefing Training in Texas (as a reminder this training was supposed to occur in May 2020 in France)! There were a lot of similarities to Healing the Wounds of Trauma but some significant differences, especially focusing on a cross-cultural experience. There were some great pearls of wisdom and step one to be able to continue in October to their Crisis and Trauma Debrief Training, which is what I am really interested in. It was a trauma debrief in 2015 that was instrumental in allowing me to process the break-in, start to heal, and move forward. I would love to give back in this way to others. I also realize that a debrief would be beneficial for me to process the 14 years I have been serving cross-culturally and I am hoping to attend one in November. We are praying and meeting in the next few months to determine if we want to offer a debriefing retreat for Global Outreach missionaries in 2022. One of the most impactful parts for me was going through what they called the 3 testimonies about Jesus.
This quarter held significant anniversaries-May 14 was 17 years since my sister died, May 23 was 8 years from the break-in, and June 26 was 11 years since my 6-year-old nephew was killed. I know I am a wordy person in my newsletters (thank you if you made it this far!) and I also wrestle with what to include as there is so much I want to share that I see the Lord doing. What I am reminded of this time, is that I can hold the tension of beauty that has come from these significant events along with the pain and significant changes to my life as a result. Healing is a journey and I am thankful the Lord is there to meet me where I am at and continue to provide what I need at that moment. And since I feel there is so much more to say, I would love to share more about this quarter personally. Let me know if you would like to meet or set up a time to talk. Please continue to pray for this next quarter as I continue to make travel plans (2 additional trips after Ethiopia before 2021 ends). I cannot wait to share how He worked and moved in our time in Ethiopia! Grace and peace to you and with love, Misty “How absolutely critical it is for all of us to understand what trauma is, how we can identify it within ourselves and others, and help those around us to heal. You always want to come from a posture of "do no harm." However, we often don't understand a healthy and Biblical way to respond. This course helps start and deepen that awareness and skill learning.” N, insight from a training Praises and Prayers:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2021? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com
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Possible travel? Please pray! February 2020. I returned from a trip that included time spent in Uganda and Ethiopia. But then, everything changed. You know....Covid. And I have not traveled since. 17 months. Now that may not be a big deal for some of you but that is a lot for me, especially when I think what 2019 looked like. July 2021. Our first tentatively, hands held open to the Lord's plans, trip. The idea is to return to Ethiopia. I halted sending my quarterly newsletter out to share this update instead. Don't worry, I will still send the other one soon. The plan was to return and mentor new Training Facilitators and potentially raise certification levels of others as they mentor and coach the training. There has been work on an Amharic translation (the lack of has hindered the growth and development of Trauma Healing) and this will be the first training it will be used. This is something to celebrate!! Though having the materials in the local language has been a barrier, we have still seen development in the last 3 years, including quite a few new facilitators this past year. As a result, we would like to come together to celebrate with a Community of Practice. This will be a great time for networking too. Here is the good news: no matter what happens, these plans will continue and we are SO thankful for that! BUT this will NOT occur if we cannot arrive in Ethiopia: we now have the ability to do hold training, using the Life Hurts, Love Heals, teen Trauma Healing curriculum. This is something we have looked forward to for two years, since we first piloted the material in August/September 2019. Here is where we need prayer. To enter into a country, one needs not just a passport but in many countries, a visa as well. In Ethiopia, there are two main ways to obtain one: online or upon arrival at the airport when you land. Sharon and I are planning this trip together and as we are exploring travel options due to Covid, here is what we read on the Ethiopian Airline website: Ethiopia Temporary Ban On Visa on arrival and E-Visa options.Ethiopian Immigration has suspended issuance of visa on arrival and E-Visa provision for all passengers effective 18 June 2021 until further notice Wait.....what? What does any of this mean? Well, Sharon has done an incredible job of navigating a frustrating system of many unreturned phone calls and learned our only option is to send our passports in along with a visa application and a fee to the Ethiopia Embassy in Washinton DC. Why have they suspended their visas? It is uncertain and there could be much speculation: their current elections, deadly conflict in the Northern part, etc. But, the bottom line for us, is we need our prayer warriors. There is a lot of planning that needs to occur this next month for the teen training. We will continue with those plans as we trust confidently (because of the Lord) the US postal system as well as the Ethiopian Embassy to give us a quick reply regarding our visa. We trust that if this is not the right time, the answer will be no. But for the moment, we continue to plan AS IF the answer is YES. We know God is faithful not just while we wait but while we work as well. I will keep you updated on what happens. Thank you for your continued love and support, Misty Enjoy some of the photos from our teen camp in Ethiopia in September 2019 LIFE HURTS, LOVE HEALS There were a few things that stood out for me when we piloted this in 2019. The first is the three amazing, Ethiopian men that were with us. All three served tirelessly in dual roles as co-facilitators and translators. I was blessed by their heart of love and compassion for these boys. Their deep desire to help each boy know his true value and worth to His Heavenly Father and to guide them on the path to be healed from the wounds that life had inflicted was truly inspiring. And second, to say the weekend was transformational for the boys is an understatement. God used the time and material to bring healing, restoration, forgiveness, and true identity in Christ. This is what could happen in 2021 too! Please join us in prayer! Icebreakers, Teaching, Team Building Activities, and Just Plain Fun!Prayer requests:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2021? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us as ministrycareinternational@gmail.com Partner Now with Ministry Care  Zambezi River, Zimbabwe, Africa 2011 (I am the front person on the right)Have you ever been white water rafting? I stumbled across this gem and I thought it was a good representation of where I am at. This picture evokes a variety of thoughts and feelings for me. You have to work as a team to navigate the rough waters and it's even better when you work in unity. There is smooth water and suddenly turbulent rapids and you may not know what is coming next. You try to listen to your instructor who is giving you directions and encouragement but sometimes over the wind and water, it is hard to hear. And when someone falls in, you work to give them a hand and pull them back into the raft. It gets your blood pumping and pulse racing. It is exhilarating while at the same time terrifying. You suddenly wonder about crocodiles in the still water....wait, now I am digressing. When the day is over, you are exhausted. This quarter has felt this way. As the Healing the Wounds of Trauma online activity has nearly tripled, I am now navigating working more with a team of many facilitators (instead of 2 or 3) and taking on more of a coach role-hopefully not shouting instructions at them though. Communication and unity help us work together to navigate the rough and bumpy waters of pain and trauma. At times we go around the bend and do not see the rapids that are coming. And in the chaos of this season and flurry of activity, I am trying to listen to my Instructor but sometimes I find it hard to hear Him over the noise. It is also scary not knowing what lies ahead, especially when considering traveling again. Certainly, I am exhausted after a long day online. Yet, I feel such joy and exhilaration over what the Lord is doing and the testimonies I am hearing. And I am thankful He commands both the still and the rapid water. "The Healing the Wounds of Trauma Group far surpassed my expectations of how deeply I would be touched. Everything spoken about was very real and compassionate, and not just theoretical. Therefore, delving into the topic, I didn't even realize how much trauma has affected me - even things I hadn't thought about for a long time. The biggest gift is to realize my desire to be able to bring my pain to the Lord, which I hadn't been able to do. I was given practical, biblical tools and have been able to begin to really release my hurts. I continue to heal and hope to help others do the same. I am so grateful for these sessions. Thank you!" Testimony from one of the healing groups this quarter During this quarter, I was involved with facilitating 5 healing groups, 3 Scripture Listening groups, 1 initial training, and 1 advanced training-all online. I have enjoyed working with a variety of facilitators and making some new friends along the way. Missionary care visits and team meetings are now also occurring online. Sometimes I miss good ole fashioned phone calls (and certainly face to face) but I am finding that zoom seems to be a place of safety and community. It has reminded me for many just how isolating this year has been. It has been great being involved internationally still; for example, one of our healing groups had someone waking at 3:30 am EST and joining in from Pakistan. Speaking of international, we had a great Advanced Equipping a few weeks ago. We had 15 participants total with some zooming in from China, Spain, Canada, and the UK. Because of the high number of participants, we had to divide the training into two. The two facilitation teams did a phenomenal job as we navigated using new material, people who had varied experiences of in-person activity versus online, and differences in materials that were used. It was a long training online and it made me really miss the energy and fellowship of face to face. But, I continue to go into those deep and rough waters as we move forward with online activity: trusting the team to work together to make it as safe an experience as possible for our groups and to continue to apply what we have learned this past year. This next month, I will actually be facilitating two more Advanced trainings: one occurring in Scotland and one occurring in Ethiopia. They will just be zooming me in!! That takes me to the question that many of you may have wondered. Or at least, one I have been wondering. When does international travel resume? It has now been 13 months since I left the US. My tentative plans are a trip to Ethiopia in July and to Central Asia in September. I hold all plans loosely at the moment, asking the Lord to show me the next steps. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment. Blessings to you and I look forward to sharing next quarter what the Lord has been doing! Love and prayers, Misty Praises and Prayers:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2021? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com  You’re invited to join a webinar hosted by American Bible Society and Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion! This event will showcase the results of an innovative study on the impact and effectiveness of Bible-based trauma healing on inmates. This special webinar, called “God’s Word Breaks Chains” will be on Tuesday, April 6th from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm EST on Zoom. Researcher Dr. Byron R. Johnson of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and American Bible Society CEO Robert L. Briggs will unveil the results of an in-depth study proving the lasting impact of American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing program being delivered in jails and prisons around the country. Be one of the first to hear the exciting results and learn how you can help hurting people in your own community. If you are able to attend, register at www.abs.bible/researchreveal I am really excited about this webinar and I hope you will take the opportunity to join. There will be a recording of the webinar so even if you cannot attend but are interested, please go ahead and register. This is special to me as we partnered with Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, helping with the facilitation of the trainings that produced these healing groups in the jails where the study occurred. Chaplain Joe Collins, who will be on the webinar, went through the training pipeline that Joy Stevens and I led. I have known about the research study from the beginning (it is 3 years in the making) and it is encouraging to see the efficacy of the Trauma Healing Curriculum, something I could have told you anecdotally all along but now there is valid research to prove it. Hope you can join! Blessings, Misty Also, there is another upcoming Healing the Wounds of Trauma group that still has space! It begins on April 14th and ends on May 7th. The group will meet twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12-2 pm EST. There is a cost of $15 for the book that goes with the group. if you think you would like to attend, you can find more information here: April group: https://healinggroup-april-may2021.eventbrite.com/ I appreciate your faithfulness in supporting Ministry Care. If you would like to make a donation, there are 2 ways you may donate. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org. Ministry Care is a 501c3, therefore, your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com or call at 765-603-3643. These pictures below are a visual representation of each month in 2020 Wow! Where has the year gone?! And honestly where have the past 6 weeks gone? I have been writing this newsletter on and off since the first week of January. 2020 was a year of twists and turns and I have found it challenging to put into words in a brief and succinct way all that has unfolded. But, I do have a word that might help and that is ADJUSTMENT. One of the definitions of adjustment is, "the process of adapting or becoming used to a new situation." Adjustment and flexibility feel like they go hand in hand. And I thought I had grown considerably in those areas through the years due to living in Zimbabwe. However, 2020 showed me I still had a lot to learn. January and February felt like normal months to me with time spent in Uganda and Ethiopia. It was in mid-March when the adjustment process began. There was a two-week stay-at-home order issued and suddenly stateside travel became minimal and international travel halted. I watched through March and April how event after event and travel after travel got canceled. It quickly became apparent that I had to adjust how the ministry was going to look in the face of severe travel restrictions. I also had to adjust to being in Indiana-pretty much since March 17th, 2020. Since 2016, the most I was in Indiana in a given stretch was 4-6 weeks. The Lord was gracious in that He provided a house for me-as I am not sure how my parents and I would have adjusted to all of us suddenly being there-though God would have helped us there too. By the way, I have not had a space that is all my own since I left my apartment in 2007 and moved to Zimbabwe, and trust me, it showed in the boxes I unpacked from storage. And I did not realize what a big adjustment it was to be in my own space and what safety and security issues (from the impact of the break-in in 2013) arose that I had to work through. There have been family adjustments as we have learned to live without Aunt Tammy and as my mom went from full-time working to stay at home. I was actually home to see my niece graduate, only I couldn't because of the meeting restrictions-that was a big adjustment-watching her walk across the stage on a screen (let alone all of the adjustments for her this year). Navigating online church and decisions about events to attend was an adjustment too. And we will not even talk about working with the adjustments in my brother's schedule throughout summer, fall, and winter renovations but worth it, in the end, to make this truly my home. :-) One of the real adjustments came when we made the change to offer Trauma Healing (Healing the Wounds of Trauma) online. There were things we had to navigate, such as operating zoom and how to adapt what was meant to be for in-person to online. Sharon and I have worked together for the last 4 years and now we are working with other facilitators as online has opened up the platform for this, which has been awesome but a change. When we started offering the facilitator training online, there were additional areas we had to consider for adaptation. But by the fall, it felt like I had more of a handle on that. Except for I did not realize how much zoom fatigue was real and how difficult it was to want to stay in front of the computer to return emails, write newsletters, etc. And I apologize for the drop in communication. The Lord has done some incredible things and I want to share them with you. But I am also adjusting my expectations of how much screen time I can take and how communication might look different. We also have been adjusting to how we can offer missionary care in a pandemic with travel restrictions still and new things to navigate like Covid tests for travel. We were able to adjust from larger-scale global retreats to a smaller, more focused weekend of debriefing and renewal. There have been great moves toward creativity and staying connected through other avenues as well, like Scripture Listening Groups, where we meet for 30 minutes to listen and discuss a portion of Scripture. And we will continue to learn in 2021 how to offer even more to our missionaries. And finally, I know I am not the only one who has had many adjustments in 2020. We have all had to learn how to adjust to wearing masks, social distancing, etc. In Philippians, chapter 4, Paul talks about learning to be content in every circumstance. That is what 2020 has been for me-in all the various adjustment that has come with challenges, sadness, frustration, fear, joy, trust, growth, etc., I want to continue to lean into the Lord and learn how to be content. Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps". This is hard as honestly I always want to be in control and make the plans and there were many disappointments in 2020 as MY plans fell through. Yet, God opened many other doors and plans and there were some beautiful and amazing things that unfolded in 2020 that would not have occurred otherwise. So, my prayer for 2021 is that in the adjustments that will continue to occur, they are opportunities for me to keep focused on the Lord's course and not my own, follow the Lord's steps and not my own, and continue to learn to be content in all things. As always, I am so thankful for each of you. Thank you for hanging in there with me throughout the adjustments of 2020! What are some of the adjustments you have faced? And how have you seen the Lord faithful through those adjustments? Love and prayers, Misty Praises for 2020:
In case you missed the podcast where I shared about being a single missionary, you can hear it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/missionsmart/id1513436205?i=1000487786779 Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2021? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com From my family to yours, Merry Christmas! This Christmas will be different in many ways across the world. But what remains the same is the purpose of Christmas: the celebration of the birth of our Savior! Jesus truly is the reason for our joy, our wonder, our cheer, our hope, our salvation. I do not know about you but in this turbulent and wild year, I am thankful Jesus is my firm foundation! This time last year, we were (and still are) grieving the loss of my aunt but celebrating that my mom was released from the hospital right before Christmas-we continue to be grateful for the work of healing the Lord is still doing in her life since then. I can honestly say the rest of the year feels like a blur with zoom for the win (haha). I continue to be thankful for each of you and your partnership with Ministry Care. Most of all, I am thankful for Jesus, that He is the light shining in the darkness. May your Christmas be filled with joy, laughter, abundant blessings, family and friends (even if via video or phone), and most of all, a remembrance of what the Lord has done through the birth of a child. And though Christmas may look different this year, may the Lord draw you near, offering hope, comfort, and encouragement and reminding each of us the true meaning of this day. Merry Christmas!! With love, Misty For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Introducing Christian Pisirai, 3rd son of Simba and Rumbi, born 11/18/2020 Would you prayerfully consider an end of the year donation? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com  It is Giving Tuesday! What is Giving Tuesday? I am sure many of you are familiar with the concept but it is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when nonprofits focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Last year, you blessed me and Rumbi abundantly as we were able to raise the money needed for a Children's Training for Healing the Wounds of Trauma that occurred in January this year. This year, I would love to give back to you!! I know I have not been the best at communication lately but rest assured, the ministry is as active and thriving as ever! It just looks a bit different at the moment with many outreaches moved to online, including the Healing the Wounds of Trauma groups and training I have been involved in. This is where I would love to give back. Starting in January, I will be offering a small group where we will be taking time to bring healing to wounds to the heart from trauma or loss. If you struggle with hopelessness, ongoing sadness or exhaustion, unexplained anger, nightmares, flashbacks, being overwhelmed, feelings of isolation, or unprocessed grief, this small group may be for you. The group will be led by myself and other facilitators who are trained in Bible-based Trauma Healing, Together, we will make a safe space for group members to:
 I appreciate your faithfulness in supporting Ministry Care. If you would like to make a donation, there are 2 ways you may donate. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org. Ministry Care is a 501c3, therefore, your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at ministrycareinternational@gmail.com or call at 765-603-3643. This year continues to unfold in ways never anticipated...for many of us. While my plans have not all worked out this year, our God is still in control and I am thankful for an opportunity to serve and follow His lead. My goal is still the same: to seek the Lord and be obedient to His call. Right now, that looks more like sitting in front of a computer on zoom (can we log computer frequent flyer miles??) to connect with Missionaries, my Global Community, and continue Trauma Healing. All international trips have been put on hold through the end of the year due to many uncertainties. However, we are tentatively planning face to face time with our missionaries stateside. I will share more next month about that. The good news...ministry continues to be thriving and growing and I am thankful for how I have seen the Lord work, even through zoom. This newsletter is a bit different as my purpose is to share a podcast interview I was invited to be a part of. Friends of mine have created a podcast that involves Practical Advice for Global Missions. Dave and Vicki Frazier use their 35+ years of experience in global missions, 20 of which were living abroad, to discuss a variety of topics related to global missions, with the goal of offering wise and practical counsel. Their book MissionSmart:15 Critical Questions To Ask Before Launching Overseas is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle and is a great book if considering cross-cultural work. Their podcast is another tool they use to equip people. I had the privilege of talking with Vicki about being single on the mission field. I will admit it is scary to share this as it takes a look at some of my early, lonely, and dark times on the field as a single person but also how the Lord used that time to move me towards growth, hope, and ultimately thriving. Check it out and let me know what you think...or if you want to know more about how to help care for your single missionaries! As always, I am grateful for each of you. Love and prayers, Misty Prayer requests and praises:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2020? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us as ministrycareinternational@gmail.com Since my last update, I've been involved with kitchen renovation (see below), writing protocols on crisis management and grief/loss, and Sharon (who I frequently travel and co-facilitate with), and I completed facilitating our first online healing group and started our second one. I will say the amount of mental energy and effort that goes into each of these meetings online is intense. Especially in the middle of a pandemic as well as protests and rioting that was occurring. It was very tender and loving of the Lord to show up in our time together and provide healing and community support. As well, many of them are planning to continue in the training process to become apprentice facilitators and lead their own groups so we are looking forward to reuniting with them at the beginning of August. As I watched events planned for in-person in July either be canceled or moved to online, I am grateful that in the disappointment the Lord has provided an alternative method. Though doing this online is much more taxing and not ideal, it is effective. Facilitating these lessons online is very different and not what I would choose but I am thankful the Lord is not limited by things I might see as a limit. :-) Our current group has several who are in other countries and they would not have been able to have joined if we had not offered it online. Sharon and I had the chance to facilitate 5 stand-alone lessons too. We are still offering future lessons so if you are interested, let me know. Over the next few weeks, I move into facilitating two Online initial Equipping Sessions for Trauma Healing. Both groups are full at an online capacity of 15 participants. Just to give you an idea of the schedule, we will meet for 5 hours each day for 3 days for the first week and 5 hours for 2 days the second week. Pray for stamina, perseverance, discernment, wisdom for both participants and facilitators, flexibility, and good internet. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 Life and work continue to look very different right now for each of us in a variety of ways. One of the most common questions for those I am working with is, "When do we return?" With borders still closed, many travel restrictions still in place, and some countries still insisting on mandatory quarantine upon entry, many are left in an uncertain holding pattern, including me. Ministry continues full steam ahead...it just looks different as travel is still not occurring. I am very thankful the Lord provided a place to stay other than my parent's dining room since I have been in Indiana! I am involved in settling my aunt's estate, which includes her house and that is where I am currently living. One of the many issues of the house was an outdated and cramped kitchen. Early in May, my brother and I thought we could freshen it up a bit to improve the quality of the house especially since schedules were fairly flexible due to the stay at home orders and we thought it would only take a few days. Well...project makeover turned into major renovation after removing wallpaper revealed paneling, which revealed mold. There was a great debate in the renovation team about using Kilz and just painting over the mold or if we had to replace the entire drywall. In the end, we gutted the kitchen and replaced all of it.
The kitchen renovation got me thinking about sin and areas of weakness in my life. It is so easy to cover those issues up-like putting Kilz over the mold. However, those issues do not go away. If anything, they get worse. It takes a lot of hard work, sweat, tears, and vocal frustrations to make progress to rebuild the right way: without moldy drywall and on solid rock (Matthew 7:24-27). It also takes the same when the Lord shows us areas in our lives that He wants to transform more into His character. Those are ugly areas that I have been covering up like the paneling for the mold. As I look at the final project in the kitchen and see such an amazing transformation, I understand it is all well worth it to continue the hard work in my own life as the Lord reveals the areas I may be quick to hide. I do not know about you but I continue to feel a level of stress and uncertainty of the future...asking my own "When do I return" or "What is next" type of questions. In the meantime, I will continue to be obedient to what the Lord had asked of me in the here and now. If you are asking the same questions, we can walk that path of uncertainty together and see what the Lord has in store ahead. Thank you for your continued love and support and let me know how I can be a support to you, Misty Prayer requests and praises:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2020? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us as ministrycareinternational@gmail.com During this unprecedented season of Covid-19, our lives, work, and ministries look very different. Many of us are sheltering in place, seeking creative ways to serve. Still, others are continuing to provide vital services. Our emotions are being affected, we are all suffering individually, but also experiencing a collective trauma. Some of us may be feeling sad and anxious, while others may be experiencing uncertainty or unexplained anger. Our usual coping methods are limited, so we may feel a lot of emotions that we can't explain. We are uncertain how long this disruption will last. Some of us may be faced with an uncertain future. In traumatic situations, it is natural to feel stress, anxiety, anger, helplessness, and loss of control. Hear me say this... it is okay to feel these emotions, and it is okay not to be okay! The Trauma Healing Institute has developed specific material called, "Healing from the DIstress of the Covid-19 Crisis" and we have been using it to facilitate discussion on processing our feelings and emotions from a Biblical perspective. Sharon and I have been offering 2.5-hour sessions several days a week on this topic. If you are interested in being a part of it, please let me know. Our desire is to help you reflect on God's love and care during this time, feel encouraged, and gain an understanding that you can use to help others. Here is a glimpse of the discussion. I encourage you if you cannot join in one of our zoom discussions, to talk these questions over with a trusted loved one or journal about them. I am always willing to talk anytime either in a group or one on one. REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. How has the crisis created by this virus affected you? 2. Do you feel:
3. What kinds of losses have you experienced due to COVID-19? 4. If you have been isolated from other people, how has that affected you? After discussing or journaling your responses to these questions, look at the list below to see if there are things you did not already think of.
Thank you for your continued love and support and let me know how I can be a support to you, Misty  Have you ever noticed how Jesus responds when He sees people who are worried, anxious, or afraid? He doesn’t tell them to “just stop worrying,” He asks them curious questions, draws their attention to birds, flowers, other parts of creation, and reminds people of His presence & reliability. . We don’t have to feel ashamed of our fears. We can accept Jesus’s invitation to look to the peace found in His presence and in creation, even in the midst of frightening days. Watch the birds fly, play, sing, and look for food. Watch clouds moving across the big open sky. Enjoy blooming flowers. Notice how the trees deepen their roots and reach to the sky at the same time. . Enjoy these beauties with God, our Creator. You will find yourself a little steadier and more at peace, perhaps. Prayer requests and praises:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2020? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us as ministrycareinternational@gmail.com |
AuthorMisty Bodkins has a Master's degree in clinical psychology. She has worked both stateside and internationally doing counseling, training, teaching, and research. Her passion is working with people who are in crisis. Archives
July 2021
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