Episode 72: Faithful in Exile: A Family's Missional Journey

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What does it mean to truly live as an exile? Meet Andy, Natalie, and their daughter Jenda – a family who has spent over fifteen years crossing borders, learning languages, and building relationships in some of the most challenging environments imaginable.

Their story begins in unlikely places: Natalie from deep South Texas, where Christianity was simply part of the cultural package, and Andy from Boulder, Colorado, where "you could believe anything you wanted, as long as it wasn't Jesus." Through separate journeys of discovery, they found themselves drawn to cross-cultural ministry, eventually meeting in East Asia where they witnessed extraordinary spiritual openness during what they called "Miracle Mondays."

The conversation takes us through their evolution as a missionary family navigating constant uncertainty. From police interrogations to sudden evacuations during COVID without even returning home to pack, they've experienced a level of instability most of us would find terrifying. Yet within this uncertainty, they've discovered profound truths about God's faithfulness. "We don't live that rough," Natalie reflects, comparing their challenges to those of the early apostles while acknowledging the very real sacrifices their lifestyle entails.

Perhaps most fascinating is hearing from Jenda, their oldest daughter and a self-described "Third Culture Kid" now preparing for college in America. Her perspective challenges our assumptions about what constitutes hardship, as she reveals her most difficult "exile" experience wasn't overseas but in San Antonio during COVID, where familiar community structures were absent.

The family's testimony powerfully illuminates Jeremiah 29's message to the exiles in Babylon – that God's promise of "plans to prosper you" isn't about material comfort but about his faithful presence even in displacement. Their lives demonstrate that following Jesus means embracing uncertainty while discovering that in losing our grip on stability, we often find something far more valuable.

Ready to rethink what it means to follow Christ beyond cultural comfort zones? This conversation will challenge your perspective on security, purpose, and what constitutes a blessed life.