The Rest is Just Geography

In this final episode of Season 2, Chesed sits down with her former dorm dad, Mark, who reflects on a life shaped by curiosity and intentionality. Having spent more than 40 years living internationally - first as a TCK and later as a missionary - he shares how a willingness to be curious opened doors he didn’t expect. The conversation begins around food: the dishes the cultures he was living among...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Mark and Linda, who spent many years serving in Japan before returning to the United States. They share their story of life and ministry overseas, and how those experiences eventually shaped Mark’s work building and later directing a Member Care department with the International Mission Board, as well as Linda’s role in training...

In this episode, Adi and Shannon reflect on their time serving together as college interns in Southeast Asia and what they learned about partnership along the way. With very different personalities and ways of communicating and showing love, working together did not come easily. While they were able to function well as partners in ministry, they soon discovered that they were not partnering well w...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Brian, who grew up in South Africa and later returned there with his wife to work and raise a family. Brian shares his story of growing up cross‑culturally, navigating layers of belonging, and what it has been like to move back and forth between places while remaining anchored in an identity that does not change. As they swap TC...

In this episode of The Rest Is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Kay, who currently lives and serves full‑time overseas. Kay shares honestly about her lifelong journey with fear and anxiety—something she calls her “travel partner”—and reflects on how the Lord’s grace has been sufficient as she has navigated both life and ministry overseas. Kay talks about what it took to step overseas despite...

In this episode, Chesed sits down with Sean, a 22-year-old graduate student, to hear the story of how God used short term missions to impact him. Sean shares how serving in Romania, combined with what he was learning in the classroom, opened his eyes to the beauty of culture, the realities of global need, and God’s heart for the nations. After Sean tells his story, the conversation turns practical...

In this episode of The Rest Is Just Geography , a podcast out of Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Tanya who serves as the Director of Mobilization for Converge. She shares her story of how God first called her overseas - and how that call continues to shape her work today. Tanya reflects on her journey to Ukraine, where she lived and served for over a decade, and the ways God taught her h...

Hey Sojourners, we're taking a break this week but wanted to say a quick hello and give you a few announcements. Please consider giving us a LIKE & FOLLOW on whatever platform you're listening on. It really helps. Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therestisjustgeography/ We'll be back next week with another episode!

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast out of Liberty University, Jason joins us from a remote village in Papua New Guinea, where he and his family live among the Wabuku people. He shares the story of how God led them there, how He has sustained them, and how He is building something new - a baby church taking root in the tribe. Jason opens up about the realities of cross-cultur...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast out of Liberty University, Marie returns for part 3 and tells the story of her return to West Africa for 2 years then back to the United States . In both seasons, she wrestled deeply with uncertainty and fear - struggling to trust God with her future and fighting the urge to take control of her own story. But in the middle of her fear and s...

In this episode of The Rest Is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Henry and Leigh—two people who have spent the last twenty years serving overseas in diverse corners of the world. Beginning in their single years and continuing as they married and started a family, God led them from remote and rugged landscapes to bustling urban centers. Listen in as they share their journey of endurance across...

Season 2, Episode 5 — A Sacred Storybook In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Dr. Tom Steffen, a leading voice in the field of orality, to explore the profound beauty of Scripture as story. Dr. Steffen shares parts of his own journey—how the Lord shifted his perspective from approaching the Bible as a textbook to seeing it as a living, unfolding narrative—and how t...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Matt to reflect on the long and winding journey of pursuing overseas work through his emerging adult years. Matt shares how his path unfolded with many unexpected twists and turns, taking far longer than he ever imagined—but ultimately leading him and his family to life and ministry in West Afr...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , Chesed sits down with Avery for a practical conversation on the concept of calling and the vital role of the local church in the Great Commission . Together, they explore key passages of Scripture that ground the church’s role in sending and reflect on some of their own observations and experiences. Whether you’re preparing to go overseas, exploring...

In the second episode of Season 2 of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesedcontinues her conversation with Marie. Marie shares more of her college journey and the ways that God reignited her heart for cross-cultural life. Through Scripture—especially 2 Corinthians—Marie reflects on how God taught her that she didn’t need to be “perfect” or impressive to be used by H...

In the first episode of Season 2 of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Marie, an adult Third Culture Kid (TCK), for the first of three conversations. Together, they reflect on the ways their lives have been interwoven across seasons and how God used the process of discipleship to shape their faith, their friendship, and deepen their understanding...

In this season finale of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with her mom, Anne Dent, to share her story of stepping into marriage and adulthood while living overseas for the first time. Through her story, we uncover a powerful lesson God taught her in that season: the importance of being temporarily permanent —choosing to dig deep and invest fully, eve...

In this part 2 episode of The Rest is Just Geography , Chesed continues the conversation with Caleb, a fellow third culture kid (TCK), diving deeper into what it means to navigate the emerging adult years while carrying a globally-shaped story. Building on Part 1, where they explored identity, transition, and the role of biblical literacy, this episode focuses on the invitation to process difficul...

In this part 1 episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Caleb, a fellow TCK, to reflect on their journeys and what it was like to move to the United States for college. The conversation begins by defining key terms that shape the third culture kid (TCK) experience, offering a framework to better understand the unique challenges and strengths...

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation on The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed continues her discussion with Janelle, a graduate student studying counseling, to explore how we can respond well to culture shock and transition. Building on the foundation from Part 1, this episode focuses on practical strategies for navigating the emotional and spiritual challenges...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Janelle, a graduate student studying counseling, to explore the emotional and psychological journey of transition and culture shock . Together, they unpack the general pattern of how culture shock unfolds, common responses people experience, and the internal shifts that often accompany cross-cu...

In this episode of The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Maggie, an adult Third Culture Kid (TCK) who, after graduating college, moved to a country she had never lived in before. Now five months into her new life abroad, Maggie shares what it was like to walk through the in-between season —between graduation and settling into a new place of investmen...

In this episode of  The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Michael—who’s back—to talk about reentry (returning to your passport country after spending time overseas) and how to process it. They share personal stories, some lighthearted and some reflective, exploring how reentry is its own kind of cross-cultural adjustment. Together, they discuss how t...

In this episode of  The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Chesed sits down with Katie, who moved to Thailand twice—first for a semester abroad during college, and later for four years after graduation. Katie shares stories of transition, loneliness, and unexpected joy, reflecting on how God provided not just practical needs, but mostly His presence. Anchored in Philippian...

In this episode of  The Rest is Just Geography , a podcast from Liberty University, Rees—an emerging adult who loves Jesus, exploration, and understanding people—joins Chesed to share how research plays a vital role in taking the Gospel to the nations . Rees reflects on his time overseas, where he traveled into unengaged areas to learn about the people, culture, and context. His research helped pa...