For anyone who might be interested in my broader ministry—beyond the articles I post here—my newsletter is below. Simply click on the black arrow at the top-left of the PDF to enlarge it. To receive my updates via email in the future, simply write to shellphoenix@gmail.com and write “Subscribe to updates” in the subject line. […]
AUDIO VERSION: Prefer listening to reading? This article is available in audio format on the Pondering Purple Podcast. You can access it by searching for it by name on your favorite podcast platforms or directly through this link – Listen Now. “That is not Jesus.” I find myself repeating those words in coffee shops, […]
A few weeks ago, the hosts of the Transformed and Transformational podcast asked me if I’d be open to an interview about MKs and TCKs and—of course—my response was an enthusiastic yes! I’ve posted the audio below. It goes without saying that forty minutes is not enough time to fully unpack the complexity of MKs […]
[This article is available in audio format on the Pondering Purple podcast.] I wish my parents had read an article like this one before I was born into the world of missions. But there was little awareness about mental health—especially juvenile mental health—in the Christian world of the 60s, 70s and even 80s. In some cases, there […]
[NOTE: I’ve written on the topic of singleness several times before, addressing the differences among us (here), recognizing that singles are still sexual beings (here), and encouraging us to consider five basic practices that might foster flourishing and wholeness (here).] I am a single woman. It’s not an affliction and it certainly isn’t a […]
[This article is available in audio format on the Pondering Purple podcast.] With so much written about the challenges that come from growing up between worlds, it’s important to highlight TCK strengths too. One of the most powerful of them is “Cross-Cluster Influence.” Cluster Analysis is a social science theory that essentially supports the fact […]
[This article is available in audio form on the Pondering Purple podcast. Search for it by name on your preferred pod platform or follow this link.] Just a word of caution about this article. It is not explicit, but it delves into a hard topic and I want you to know that in advance. […]
[This article also exists in podcast form. You can listen to it on Pondering Purple, HERE.] Someone asked me, recently, why there is such an emphasis on grief and loss in my speaking on MK topics. Muki, one of the participants in a reentry retreat this summer, said it best: “I feel like grief has […]
[Note: many of my articles are now available in audio form on the Pondering Purple podcast.] I remember the phone call. I have no recollection of who was on the other end of the line. But even eighteen years lately, the words are still a paralyzing wound. “Riley killed himself.” He was a […]
Being a kid isn’t easy. Under the best of circumstances, life throws challenges and risks at us that can increase our anxiety. Add to that the high-pressure context of ministry and the chances of some level of anxiety rise. Then COVID-19 strikes. I’ve received calls and messages from so many families lately whose children are […]