Third Culture Thriving

Today, I want to take some time to chat a bit about some of the books that have been released in the last few years, specifically targeting global workers. I have read all of these books and they have each blessed me in different ways, and I hope they will bless you, too.   Grit to Stay, Grace to Go (Eenigenburg and Burkholder) Raising a Family Overseas (Danforth) The Grief Tower (Wells) Sacred Si...

This week, I want to do something a little different than I've done before, and guide you through a time of reflection and processing, in hopes that the next few months can be joyful, intentional, and leave you feeling exactly as you'd like to as the year ends. We'll go through a series of questions and prompts for you to name and think about. You can go at your own pace stopping and starting as n...

Hey friends, welcome back to Third Culture Thriving. I'm your host, Karli Von Herbulis. I'm a wife and mom living in Kigali Rwanda, where I serve in my local congregation, run this podcast and online ministry, study spiritual direction, and recently was selected to serve as a Regional Director for my sending agency, New International, based in Ft Myers, FL.   But- if you had asked me to write that...

I didn't plan to do a sabbatical over the summer, the way that some people plan years in advance when they'll take an intentional season away from certain professional or ministerial duties. No, my idea to take a sabbatical was born out of the depths of trauma and burnout, and it felt like the only path forward. The last year has been an intense one for me personally, wrought with trauma and confl...

Yes, I'm saying "summer off" instead of a "sabbatical" for a reason. Because when it came down to it, my sabbatical didn't go as planned in a number of ways. Today, I'm sharing some reflections and updates from the summer, as well as some of the small rhythms I've developed that I'm increasingly grateful for. I hope this will inspire you to reflect on your own last few months with both clear eyes...

Life feels like a lot right now, both in some overwhelming ways and some great ones, so I feel like it's best to give you kind of a "state of the soul" today. Both for your information, and my own need for processing. And then, to give you a bit of a manifesto as I enter a summer sabbatical of sorts. Thanks for being here.

We love WSML episodes! Here's my top 10 as we head into the end of the podcast season.

This morning, as I was again ruminating on this, coffee in hand, I heard a gentle whisper: "Why don't you instead ask: what do I desire FOR you?"   My breath caught as I let the question linger quietly in my spirit. Am I asking the wrong question?   What could the Lord desire FOR me, instead of FROM me?

Today, I want to take the time to walk you through resource that we've provided for free on our website for over a year now, but we haven't really devoted a lot of energy to here on the podcast. I hav e heard from a number of you that are making the difficult decision to transition from your host countries back to your home countries this year, and still others who are shifting assignments from on...

In this life overseas, we all journey through these seasons where life feels like too much, but being able to step away and bring it to God feels like just another impossible thing to add to our never-ending to do list. We might even have tools at our disposal, but often we just need something that's already done and prepared for us. Something we can just plug and play.   So, today, I want to give...

Today's episode topic is deeply personal to me, because it's been a constant battle in my home really since I got married. Today, we're talking about practically valuing and protecting your family and prioritizing it over your mission. Let's get into it.

Today, we're talking about something that you're all told me is heavy on your hearts and something you don't always know how to handle: money requests from staff or local friends.

Most of us can make a list of "great things to have in our country" pretty fast by now. Seasoning mixes, seasonal teas and treats, Ziploc bags, essential oils, Western candy and snack foods, makeup and sunscreen and bug spray, passport holders, decaf coffee. We fill our suitcases and our visitors' suitcases with these things with ease.   But what about some items to really make your life easier? T...

Last week, we chatted about different questions you could ask a prospective or current sending agency. On Instagram, you all shared so many more, so I wanted to give you a part 2 episode. In addition, later this week we'll have a beautiful download on our website of all these questions, organized for you to used. It's been a great thing to crowdsource, and I'm hopeful that it'll be useful for our...

I've adapted the original 30 Days of Prayer and Learning into a Lenten guide, including journaling prompts, sabbath practices, and opportunities to write your own prayers for your host country. Each day, we'll pray together for a facet of your host country or a relevant topic: for example, for the government, for the lonely, for single mothers. There are also questions top help you dive deeper int...

Here's the number one thing I want you to keep in mind as you go through this: more than anything else, your supporters need to feel connected to YOU. Yes, they need to understand your ministry and believe in your "why". But in the end, they need to know your heart, your personality, and be connected and invested in you as a person, as a family. And because of this, not every newsletter needs to b...

Today, we're chatting about how to plan our weeks well. Between non-negotiables like school or meetings, self care time, and goals we are working towards, it can be hard to know what to prioritize. Let's figure it out!  We're also talking about what to expect from TCT in 2023. Plan to join us for our FREE Lent of Prayer and Learning ommunity experience, starting Ash Wednesday, Feb 22.

This year, I've been challenged by several wise, older people in my life to move away from a faith that relies on routine and checked boxes, and more towards a faith that is more intuitive and spirit led. Sounds easy, right? But in reality, I relied heavily on very strict rhythms in almost every area of my life to keep myself afloat, including in my faith. And while it worked at a base level, it w...

As we get to know how the church operates in another culture, it's to be expected that we find new ways that the Gospel manifests itself, often that are very different from how we have seen the gospel presented in our own cultures. Some things that are only tangentially important to our culture's interpretation of the gospel are much more important and central where we find ourselves now, and othe...

The last time I put out a call for episode topics, I got a number of responses about having realistic expectations for ourselves, how to grieve the loss of our capacity and ability to whip through a to-do list, and reframing success. Friends, today I'd like to introduce you to a little something I call the "minimum successful day."