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Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-cultural Christian Worker
Are you dreaming of working abroad? Imagining serving God in another land? Or are you already on the field, unsure about what to do next or how to manage the stresses of cross-cultural life? Or perhaps you've been on the field a while now, and you're weary, maybe so weary that you wonder how much longer you can keep going. If any of these situations describes you, there is hope inside this book. You'll find steps you can take to prepare for the field, as well as ways to find strength and renewal if you're already there. From the beginning to the end of the cross-cultural journey, Serving Well has something for you. "'What is it I really need?' is a key question raised in a chapter about sacrifice in Serving Well, a must read book for missionaries and for those who love them. This is a book you really need if you are 'called to go, or called to let go.' In Serving Well we read both the spiritual and practical, simple and profound, funny and compelling in chapters written by Elizabeth and then Jonathan Trotter; hearing from each their voices and their hearts, the struggles and the victories, 'the bad days and the good days' of preparing to go and serving well overseas. Their down-to-earth yet godly insights were born from living overseas and from authentically wrestling with the 'yays and yucks' of missionary life. They draw wisdom from both Scripture and sci-fi authors, Psalms and funny YouTube videos, encounters with Jesus and encounters with cops looking for a bribe. Take two books with you to the mission the Bible, and Serving Well. --Mark R. Avers, Barnabas International "Serving Well is deep and rich, covering all aspects of an international life of service from multiple angles. It is full of comfort, challenge, and good advice for anyone who serves abroad, or has ever thought about it, no matter where they find themselves in their journeys. It is also really helpful reading for anyone who has loved ones, friends or family, serving abroad--or returning, to visit or repatriate. Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter are both insightful and empathetic writers, full of humility and quick to extend grace--both to themselves and to others. Their writing covers sorrow and joy, hope and crisis, weariness and determination. Best of all, from my perspective as someone who has worked with TCKs for over 13 years, it contains an excellent collection of important advice on the topic of raising missionary kids. Choose particular topics, or slowly meander through the entire volume piece by piece, but whatever you do--read this book!" --Tanya Crossman, cross cultural consultant and author of The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century Elizabeth Trotter is the editor-in-chief for the missions website A Life Overseas (alifeoverseas.com). She writes regularly at trotters41.com and velvetashes.com and is the author of Reflections on Life as a Wife, Mother, Homeschool Teacher, Missionary, and More. Jonathan Trotter spends his days providing pastoral counseling at a local counseling center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He also serves as one of the pastors at an international church. In addition to writing regularly for A Life Overseas, he has written for the IMB (International Mission Board), Velvet Ashes, The Huffington Post, and The Gottman Institute. Jonathan and Elizabeth have lived in Southeast Asia since 2012. Before that they worked in local churches in the United States for ten years.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2019
37 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Trotter
3 books3 followersJonathan Trotter (RN, JD) is a writer, international speaker, and trainer. He has served among the local and global Church for over twenty-three years and now provides pastoral care, debriefing, and empathetic coaching through Seeing the Hearts of the Hurting. He and his wife Elizabeth are the authors of Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-cultural Christian Worker. From 2012 to 2020, he and his family served as missionaries in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where Jonathan provided pastoral counseling to couples and individuals and helped pastor an international church. Prior to that, he worked bi-vocationally as an ER/trauma nurse and youth and worship pastor. He is a licensed attorney in California and is currently completing his master’s in clinical mental health counseling.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 3, 2020
A book for missionaries who need encouragement
“It’s not always an easy road, but it can be a good one,” write the Trotters in the introduction of their book.
To be a good missionary, you need to be a healthy Christian human being. This is what authors Elizabeth and Jonathan Trotter want to contribute to building. Anyone – even those not moving to the foreign field as missionaries – who endeavors to be a healthy Christian human being will benefit from the easy to digest chapters contained in Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker. The conventional way to read this book is to start at the first page and read straight through to the last. But I think the way I read it was much more fun and, maybe, practical. Go to the table of contents and pick a chapter. The chapters have catchy titles and may hit you differently depending on where your head is on the particular day of the week you open up the book. That’s a really fun way to read this book. And you’ll get as much, if not more out of this book of you do it that way. Work it into your daily quiet time and read a chapter a day along with your daily bible study. It will be interesting to see how connections are made.
Read the chapter called “The Gaping Hole in Missions”. This chapter is about reading Psalms, “the prayer book of the Bible,” Jonathan Trotter calls it, “the book most often quoted by Jesus himself.” In this chapter, Jonathan shows us how the Psalms are lacking in our communities and churches and he makes a case for including the Psalms in our daily lives and family interactions. “Full immersion is needed,” he writes.
“We need the Psalms; not because they will teach us how to be super Christians, but because they teach us how to be human Christians.”
Another chapter where Jonathan explores Psalms is the one called Develop Deeper Emotional Intelligence where he writes, “life is lived and people are loved on street level, not the lecture hall.” He also writes, “When we approach a hurting, lost world with brains first, we risk showing a skewed image of Christ. We need our hearts, too.” I read this chapter in my quiet time this morning and plan on reading it to a group that I will be giving a devotional talk to at the end of this month.
Elizabeth writes a practical chapter to Wannabe Missionaries called How to transition to the Foreign Field and Not Croak. This is a must read. Must. Here are the six topics covered in this section:
Being underfunded
One spouse doesn’t feel called into missions
Marriage/personal problems
Pornography/sexual sin
Team stress
Not getting enough pre-field training
The fastest track to failing as a new missionary is avoiding reading this chapter. I wish someone sat me down to read this chapter before I went to the field with no training and no thought given to the six topics Elizabeth covers. This is information every Wannabe Missionary must chew on before heading to the field. It’s a short chapter, but it will help the missionary and those that care for missionaries map out a missionary’s pre-field preparation identifying chinks in the Wannabe Missionary’s armor. Buy this book for this chapter alone.
There are a number of books written by couples, but husband and wife tag team Elizabeth and Jonathan write so naturally together the flow makes sense, is interesting, and inspiring. As I read through it, I was compelled to stop and toss up one of those quick prayers that sounded something like, Lord, help me to change and be as serious and fruitful as the Trotters. (I read piles of books, and prayer is something that I find myself doing as I read, but I’ve never really told anybody.) This book has made me pray and want to do better.
The Trotter’s are both accessible and wise beyond their years.
Whether you’re a salty, well-worn missionary about to burn out or brand new, full of vision and vigor, you’re the reader the Trotter’s had in mind when they compiled their articles, notes, and lectures into this fantastic resource.
The bibliography at the end of each chapter is a tremendous resource for a deeper dive into the topics the Trotters cover. This book will be one I recommend often.
“It’s not always an easy road, but it can be a good one,” write the Trotters in the introduction of their book.
To be a good missionary, you need to be a healthy Christian human being. This is what authors Elizabeth and Jonathan Trotter want to contribute to building. Anyone – even those not moving to the foreign field as missionaries – who endeavors to be a healthy Christian human being will benefit from the easy to digest chapters contained in Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker. The conventional way to read this book is to start at the first page and read straight through to the last. But I think the way I read it was much more fun and, maybe, practical. Go to the table of contents and pick a chapter. The chapters have catchy titles and may hit you differently depending on where your head is on the particular day of the week you open up the book. That’s a really fun way to read this book. And you’ll get as much, if not more out of this book of you do it that way. Work it into your daily quiet time and read a chapter a day along with your daily bible study. It will be interesting to see how connections are made.
Read the chapter called “The Gaping Hole in Missions”. This chapter is about reading Psalms, “the prayer book of the Bible,” Jonathan Trotter calls it, “the book most often quoted by Jesus himself.” In this chapter, Jonathan shows us how the Psalms are lacking in our communities and churches and he makes a case for including the Psalms in our daily lives and family interactions. “Full immersion is needed,” he writes.
“We need the Psalms; not because they will teach us how to be super Christians, but because they teach us how to be human Christians.”
Another chapter where Jonathan explores Psalms is the one called Develop Deeper Emotional Intelligence where he writes, “life is lived and people are loved on street level, not the lecture hall.” He also writes, “When we approach a hurting, lost world with brains first, we risk showing a skewed image of Christ. We need our hearts, too.” I read this chapter in my quiet time this morning and plan on reading it to a group that I will be giving a devotional talk to at the end of this month.
Elizabeth writes a practical chapter to Wannabe Missionaries called How to transition to the Foreign Field and Not Croak. This is a must read. Must. Here are the six topics covered in this section:
Being underfunded
One spouse doesn’t feel called into missions
Marriage/personal problems
Pornography/sexual sin
Team stress
Not getting enough pre-field training
The fastest track to failing as a new missionary is avoiding reading this chapter. I wish someone sat me down to read this chapter before I went to the field with no training and no thought given to the six topics Elizabeth covers. This is information every Wannabe Missionary must chew on before heading to the field. It’s a short chapter, but it will help the missionary and those that care for missionaries map out a missionary’s pre-field preparation identifying chinks in the Wannabe Missionary’s armor. Buy this book for this chapter alone.
There are a number of books written by couples, but husband and wife tag team Elizabeth and Jonathan write so naturally together the flow makes sense, is interesting, and inspiring. As I read through it, I was compelled to stop and toss up one of those quick prayers that sounded something like, Lord, help me to change and be as serious and fruitful as the Trotters. (I read piles of books, and prayer is something that I find myself doing as I read, but I’ve never really told anybody.) This book has made me pray and want to do better.
The Trotter’s are both accessible and wise beyond their years.
Whether you’re a salty, well-worn missionary about to burn out or brand new, full of vision and vigor, you’re the reader the Trotter’s had in mind when they compiled their articles, notes, and lectures into this fantastic resource.
The bibliography at the end of each chapter is a tremendous resource for a deeper dive into the topics the Trotters cover. This book will be one I recommend often.
May 7, 2019
I feel like I’m chatting to an understanding friend when I'm reading this book. So many aspects of living overseas are explored in such a personal way. The format makes it easy to dip into bits as needs and interests arise.
Some bits I felt I had to read out loud, other bits are best read in private.
Some of the "Grieving well" section I wish I could have read years ago. Some of the "Taking care of your heart" I’m sure I’ll be reading again in years to come.
As someone who has been in my host country for 10 plus years this book has a lot I can both resonate with and learn from. I’d forgotten the stress of moving to a new country but reading the Moving Well section reminded me I used to “see danger everywhere”. Asia is now the place I find the easiest to live, so this was a surprise to remember. I’ve heard people around me mention their trailing spouse issues but I haven’t experienced it for myself. Now that I’ve read about just how stressful it can be, and that it can be resolved, hopefully I can be more useful the next time it comes up in my community.
Although I’m not moving back to my passport country I found some of Returning Well helpful for visiting. I find it stressful when random people at church in Australia ask me well-meaning questions like “Welcome home! How was Cambodia?” I want to honour the fact they have shown interest but it’s just such a huge question it’s easier to change the subject. But the “magical” tips for making the most of these interactions look useful.
Some bits I felt I had to read out loud, other bits are best read in private.
Some of the "Grieving well" section I wish I could have read years ago. Some of the "Taking care of your heart" I’m sure I’ll be reading again in years to come.
As someone who has been in my host country for 10 plus years this book has a lot I can both resonate with and learn from. I’d forgotten the stress of moving to a new country but reading the Moving Well section reminded me I used to “see danger everywhere”. Asia is now the place I find the easiest to live, so this was a surprise to remember. I’ve heard people around me mention their trailing spouse issues but I haven’t experienced it for myself. Now that I’ve read about just how stressful it can be, and that it can be resolved, hopefully I can be more useful the next time it comes up in my community.
Although I’m not moving back to my passport country I found some of Returning Well helpful for visiting. I find it stressful when random people at church in Australia ask me well-meaning questions like “Welcome home! How was Cambodia?” I want to honour the fact they have shown interest but it’s just such a huge question it’s easier to change the subject. But the “magical” tips for making the most of these interactions look useful.
May 16, 2019
Serving cross-culturally or planning to? You’ve got to read this book!
With more than 100 chapters, it covers everything from how prepare well to how to return well, with reflections and insight on moving overseas; taking care of your heart, marriage, and children; relationships, communication, pitfalls, and what to do when things don’t go as planned.
An emphasis on cultivating self-knowledge and emotional awareness comes through strong.
The book is comprehensive, funny, deep, and well written. I think it would be a good one to read or even read aloud with a spouse, friend, or teammate. You could use chapters to stimulate team discussion. Pastors and member-care types might want to read it, too, and use it as a resource to share with others.
The Trotters serve in Cambodia. Both write for the popular collaborative missions blog A Life Overseas. Elizabeth is the editor-in-chief. Jonathan spends his days as a pastoral counselor.
With more than 100 chapters, it covers everything from how prepare well to how to return well, with reflections and insight on moving overseas; taking care of your heart, marriage, and children; relationships, communication, pitfalls, and what to do when things don’t go as planned.
An emphasis on cultivating self-knowledge and emotional awareness comes through strong.
The book is comprehensive, funny, deep, and well written. I think it would be a good one to read or even read aloud with a spouse, friend, or teammate. You could use chapters to stimulate team discussion. Pastors and member-care types might want to read it, too, and use it as a resource to share with others.
The Trotters serve in Cambodia. Both write for the popular collaborative missions blog A Life Overseas. Elizabeth is the editor-in-chief. Jonathan spends his days as a pastoral counselor.
August 14, 2021
Brutally honest and therefore infinitely helpful for cross-cultural workers who struggle to be honest with their feelings and emotions for fear of being judged by other believers, not to mention fear of losing financial support from senders who might not understand or appreciate the rigours of overseas work. This book is a treasure and a must-read for cross-cultural workers as well as their agencies and their senders.
December 22, 2022
Wow! This book was so helpful to me as a cross-cultural worker. I felt seen and understood in such a way that I haven't experienced before. It is written in short sections which make it easy to sit and read, even if you only have a few minutes. I am so thankful I came across this book as a suggested resource. Any cross-cultural worker should take the time to read it. It is full of insight, practical suggestions and encouragement. It is a great resource!
September 9, 2019
So much good stuff, and organised well so you can flip through to sections that relate to current experiences. It's packed with ideas and references to other resources, too, so will be going back to it.
December 14, 2022
Solid book for missionaries. It was a book study book for my work and i did enjoy it but obviously less relevant to me since I am not a missionary. But I would recommend it to people going overseas or considering it.
October 4, 2024
Excellent read for cross-cultural missionaries of any form. It’s always a breath of fresh air reading something someone else has wrote and it’s put into language how you feel - a gift to know you’re not alone!
June 7, 2022
a great book for someone starting out on the missions field! provides great practical advice and talks about subjects many don’t.
September 9, 2023
Some REALLY good nuggets but I think the book could have been reduced a bit.
September 18, 2023
Serving Well was recommended as the new textbook for the course Preparing to Live Interculturally which I teach. I loved the book. I served overseas for 20 years and have been back in the USA for about 15 years, and yet I found the book profoundly meaningful and helpful in my current season of life. I look forward to using it in my class. I hope my students will read it with an open heart, not just for the head knowledge for "some day", but to let it speak into their current season of life.
My only comment is I would have liked if it included more on single missionaries, both men and women. I realize the Trotters were writing from their experience as a married couple, but to have invited a guest or two to write about singleness would have made the book a little more well-rounded for preparation for Serving Well in a new culture.
My only comment is I would have liked if it included more on single missionaries, both men and women. I realize the Trotters were writing from their experience as a married couple, but to have invited a guest or two to write about singleness would have made the book a little more well-rounded for preparation for Serving Well in a new culture.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews