Global Trellis: The Podcast

Most organizations have a sexual harassment policy to handle incidents within their organization. Far fewer have a plan for what to actually do when an incident happens in the host culture. Stacey Covell returns to the show to join Amy and Bernie in unpacking best practices for handling the “dog bites” (isolated incidents) and “mosquito bites”...

It’s no surprise that Amy and Bernie love books! In this fun episode each brings three books they’ve recently read—a novel, a cross-cultural pick, and a surprise—to spark your imagination, help tend your soul, and strengthen long-haul life in ministry. What are you reading right now? Leave your answers in the comments! We’d love to know!...

Many men in cross-cultural work feel confused about their role when the women around them—wives, single teammates, daughters—face harassment. The instinct to protect and fix kicks in, but when that's not possible, many default to doing nothing. Tom Jones (husband of Rachel Pieh Jones) joins Amy and Bernie to move men past this paralysis, bringing a wealth...

Do you avoid conflict, or actually resolve it? Dr. Janeen Davis used to run from hard conversations on the field, until she found "Peace Pursuit," a biblically-grounded model for working through long-standing conflict with teammates. In this episode, she, Amy, and Bernie dig into what it means to address conflict one relationship at a time, starting with God, and how...

Amy and Bernie walk through the stages of singleness on the field—from flexible 20s to calling questions in the 30s, the “in-between” 40s, and the realities of aging parents and retirement later in life. You’ll get a clear, practical look at what singles carry in each decade and how teams can genuinely honor, include, and support them.

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Why do some third culture kids come through a cross-cultural childhood resilient and rooted, while others quietly struggle to feel like they belong anywhere? Author and coach Anna Danforth has spent years studying exactly that question, and in this episode she joins Amy and Bernie to talk about the answer she landed on: support — specifically, seven kinds of it...

Is it possible for Mom and Dad to sabbatical at the same time? If you’ve ever tried, you know it’s tough. In this “Mailbag Episode,” Amy and Bernie are joined by Jenilee Goodwin to explore how parents with kids at home can realistically experience a sabbatical. They unpack how to redefine sabbatical in a full season of life by slowing the pace...

Women's security on the field isn't solved by a checklist or a one-off self-defence session, it's built through listening, learning, and making changes that actually fit the context. Shannon Mureithi of Crisis Consulting Internationaljoins Amy and Bernie to share practical, accessible steps that...

Before you ever landed on the field, you were already shaped by distorted ideas about authority, power, calling, and the body of Christ—and chances are, you're still carrying them. In this episode, Cori Crawford Van Oss joins Amy and Bernie to name five heresies that cross-cultural workers bring with them or encounter on the field. They also explore the tools y...

What is something you’ve always wanted to do? Discover why your God-given dreams and creative pursuits matter—even when they’re not “ministry related”—and how they can actually protect you from burnout and add richness to your life and work. In this episode, Bernie, Amy, and Stacey offer practical, grace-filled ideas for naming you...

In this episode, Amy and Bernie talk with Emily Maljanian (who also happens to be Amy's niece!) from Wordsmith Services about why donor communication is essential for staying funded, connected, and emotionally supported in cross-cultural work. Emily shares practical tips for writing brief, consi...

Every culture, organization, and person operates under an "overstory"—a dominant narrative so pervasive it's nearly invisible. In this episode, Amy and Bernie unpack Malcolm Gladwell's concept of overstories and explore what it means for cross-cultural workers who are constantly navigating between competing narratives. If you've ever felt disoriented, misunders...

After living and serving on the field, do you ever wonder if you’re ruined for finding work that will feel as meaningful again? You’re not alone. In this episode, Amy and Bernie step into the disorienting space of re-entry and finding a job.  because what you did on the field doesn’t seem to translate to a job. We unpack the messy middle of tra...

Planning a trip to your passport countries, whether for a few weeks or a full-on furlough,  involved endless logistics. The Passport Country Trip Planner was created to bring clarity and calm to the process. Amy and Bernie welcome returning guest, Karli VonHerbulis, to introduce the Passp...

Cross-cultural ministry isn’t just something that happens “over there”—it can happen right in your passport country. Amy and Bernie have a fascinating discussion with Megan and Foster about the challenges they face doing cross-cultural ministry in their passport country. Whether you’ve lived the complexity of being from Country A, living...

What if the words we use are part of the problem? In this episode, the Global Trellis co-authors Of Let's Talk About It: Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Assault unpack the often-blurred lines between sexual harassment, abuse, and assault—and why those distinctions matter more than we think. Tracing how these terms developed and how they function across cultures, ...

In this episode, Sarah Labriel shares her powerful journey as a cross-cultural worker through joy, sudden loss, widowhood with two young children, and eventually a second marriage marked by hidden emotional and spiritual abuse. She describes how she came to recognize covert narcissism, set healthy boundaries, and pursue truth and healing. Along the way, we explore ho...

In this episode, Amy and Bernie welcome Chandler Gilow and Christine Rollings to explore why birth stories are vital—they are identity-shaping, deeply spiritual, and often complex experiences, especially for cross-cultural workers. Today we unpack the difference between telling and processing a birth story, the often-overlooked needs of fathers, and how intenti...

In this episode, Stacey Covell joins Amy and Bernie to unpack Global Trellis’ new research paper, Let’s Talk About It: Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Assault on the Field. They share what it was like to sit with months of...