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ByPaul Dyck on Tuesday, April 26, 2022

The Joy of Transitions

Paul Dyck By Paul Dyck on Tuesday, April 26, 2022

 

I love being in transition. I love the thrill of change. I look forward to a new paradigm…

Really?

More like … “I’m SO done with this!” (A statement we’re hearing provincial premiers make, and one that echoes across our country.)

God calls us to follow Him in obedience. Almost always it means change. Leaving our comfort zone, we move into unknown territory, feeling anxious, fearful, and sometimes terrified. Yet we can journey through transitions with confidence, fearlessly, and with anticipation.

As Christ Followers, Rest Assured God Knows What He’s Doing.

We view transitions from various perspectives.

Life. Work. Home. Childhood. Marriage. Education. Friendships. Aging. Children. Grandchildren. Loss of a loved one. Moving to a foreign country. Language acquisition. Culture acquisition. Repatriating to our passport country.

We view transitions through our circumstances.

Sometimes the transition is our choice or to our liking. We may experience joy, happiness and satisfaction with a promotion, a raise, the birth of a child, or a new home.

Sometimes transition is not our choice. We may experience fear, frustration, anger, depression through the death of a loved one, a demotion, being fired or kicked out of the country we’re serving in.

As Christ followers, transitions always have a good side! Guaranteed!

My Story

Allow me to share my story for context.

From the perspective of a child:

By age 21, I had moved nineteen times, attended eight different schools on two continents.

From the perspective of an adult:

After Carol and I married, we moved nine times in 22 years changing jobs even more times, experienced seven pregnancies, with one living son. Our second son passed away when he was 4 months old. Carol miscarried five times.

Then, there’s the perspective of the workplace:

I’ve filled 20+ various positions, most of them with different organizations.

Yet, from the rear-view mirror perspective:

I’ve seen God carry us through each and every transition. We’ve experienced God continually setting us up for good.

God is not impressed with our accomplishments. He wants to shape us, mould us, and conform us into the image of His dear Son! And He uses highly creative ways to accomplish that.

As Christ followers we are to be content, grounded in Christ, trusting His every move.

God uses Transitions for Good.

Every transition we face means God is leading us through the unknown and unclear.

We’re out of our depth. We don’t know what’s coming next. Don’t you wish there was a biblical version of “Transitions for Dummies”? (There actually is!)

Voluntary transitions we love, as they bring opportunities to improve ourselves and our standing. We pray towards hoped for outcomes, manoeuvring, and positioning ourselves. Sometimes we even take the credit.

Involuntary transitions are difficult. We’re told something will happen, something we are not in favor of … we’re reassigned, or fired, or someone we love dearly dies, or our home is destroyed catastrophically, or a war starts! It’s not something we desire, nor hope for. We wonder WHY?

We can either fight, become bitter, hold grudges, and blame God OR we can anticipate God to use our circumstances for good. As Christ followers we see the decision as allowed by God or (not a popular statement here) even caused by God.

We expect God to use it all for good.

What Does Transitioning God’s Way Look Like?

Choose to see things in the light of Christ. With God there are no accidents, no oops.

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” -James 1:16-18

Our attitude towards all of our circumstances makes all the difference.

“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so, it is with us! We are in charge of our attitudes.” -Charles Swindoll

How to Exit Well - EXIT ON A RAFT

  1. Reconcile relationships. Exit well. Leaving is not the time to tell your boss off after winning the $5 million lottery.
  2. Affirm relationships. Let them know how much they mean to you. (Mark 12:29-31)
  3. Farewell to people. Take the time to call, visit, and/or write people. Let them know how much you’ll miss them. It’s good to grieve. Weep together.
  4. Think Ahead with hope and expectation. What will God do? Anticipate.

How to Enter Well – ENTER WITH CARE

  1. Check in - communicate with team/family often.
  2. Accept and look for help. Approach people with a humble posture. (Phil. 2:5-8)
  3. Refresh your soul spiritually through praise, prayer & worship; physically by staying active; and emotionally with an attitude of gratitude (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
  4. Evaluate expectations. Is your posture open and accepting?

Remember, it’s always about God’s reputation. How well you transition says a lot about your faith and your trust in the Almighty.

Learning through Transitions

Carol and I have learned much through life’s transitions …

  • Don’t be so hard on ourselves. Most of us are WAY TOO hard on ourselves.
  • Hardships and mistakes are usually our best teachers. Especially when we own them.
  • Rely on each other, and on God. Grow deeper in love.
  • Listen and wait on God. (Isaiah 64:4)
  • Immerse ourselves in our new reality leaving behind the old.
  • The best time to make changes is when we are in transition. Initiate new healthy habits. Drop those not so healthy habits.

A Gift for You

We’d like to share a gift with you.

The book “Dark Night Experience” is available as a free download. John and Vivian Moy now in their seventies have lived in numerous countries church planting, serving as pastors, missionaries, superintendents, and counselors.

Download "Dark Night Experience"


“The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.” 2 Cor. 13:14 MSG


Paul Dyck is the former National Team Leader and now an Ambassador for the MORE Network - a Canada-wide collaborative supporting cross-cultural workers & MKs in transition. Paul fills the role of Ministry Ambassador and Champion across Canada, working with church & mission leaders involved with caring for cross-cultural workers & MKs. Paul is an MK and has experience in Member Care, Pastoring, Banking and Business Leadership. Paul & his wife Carol life in Abbotsford, BC.

 



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Did you miss our past blogs? Check them out below!

 

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But what struck me the most and motivated me all the more to listen, was that many of these seasoned missionaries never had the opportunity to actually share their full stories with anyone – that is their deeply personal and valuable stories, the good, the bad and the ugly. And that’s really a reflection and a limitation of our modern missionary movement; missionaries often feel obligated to share only the positive experiences and their successes, lest they be judged or misunderstood, or worse, lose vital financial or personal support...

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Each year, the MORE Network runs Classic ReBoot, a re-entry retreat for missionaries’ kids (MKs) aged 17-20 returning to life in Canada. This is a crucial time in the lives of these young adults, many of whom are not only adjusting to a new culture, but also to new schools, jobs, relationships, and living situations.

In this article, Malik, shares about his own experience at Classic ReBoot, as well as an inside scoop from attendees of the most recent Classic ReBoot!

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Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCK) are adults whose lives were shaped by mobility and cross-cultural experiences during their childhood. According to Merriam Webster, a “Third Culture Kid (TCK)” refers to "a child who grows up in a culture different from the one in which his or her parents grew up ... The 'third culture' to which the term refers is the mixed identity that a child assumes, influenced both by their parents' culture and the culture in which they are raised."

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Deny - the word sprang out at me, convicting and exposing me. 

What did that mean? 

I was well positioned to pursue the American Dream and succeed at it, and denying myself in any way was not really part of the plan. So tangibly struck, I fumbled to respond to those words within our group, finally landing on, “I don’t think I’m doing that”. 

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” -Mark 8:35

Oh boy, somehow denying myself was connected to losing my life and that was not anywhere on my to-do list. I was on track for a comfortable life, full of all the perks of a first-world society, with no regard for the reality that no one avoids suffering anyway...

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Jesus taught us that building relationships is the greatest and most important thing we do - no strings attached.

So, how do we build Christ-honoring relationships in our life & ministry? In this article, Paul draws on wisdom from the Bible, underscoring the importance of humility, forgiveness, trust, and genuine care in developing deep and meaningful relationships. And he challenges us, first and foremost, to approach ministry (and life) at the "speed of relationships!"

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In this article, Malik shares about his recent travels, and offers advice on how to process complex feelings while traveling and staying connected to multiple cultures.

 

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All spring I relished these thoughts: an adventure of “humans against the elements” with a group of young adult TCKs and ATCK co-leaders who “got it.” Overcoming challenges together is a great way to bond quickly, and with other ATCKs, I knew those bonds could form quickly in the right setting. Having grown up in the mountains of Vermont and in the highlands of Kenya, hiking, camping, paddling, and climbing in wild places is revitalizing to me. 

We were headed into all the key elements of adventure: horseback riding, rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking in the mountains where elk, moose, and grizzly bears roamed, living in tents that had just been resurrected after a literal crushing storm. In between, we would split wood and help with cooking, and immerse ourselves in outdoor life—axe throwing and bonfires, outhouses (let’s be real) and camp cooking, fast changing weather, and the sweetest air you could imagine. For me, that kind of life isn’t about a contest so much as it is about finding harmony with elements that can give wonderful gifts and can also kill you. Risk in its essence...

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Deeply Rooted
We invite you to join us during this season of generosity so that, together, we can give Missionary Kids and their families the opportunities to experience a richer soil in Christ and broader branches in community. 
Read more...
The Eternal Benefits of Debriefing
I recently returned from RE-VIEW, a week-long family debriefing retreat, where I served as an adult facilitator and debriefer. While there, I had the honour of hearing the stories of missionaries who have worked in...
Read more...
Bonds Beyond Borders: The Impact of ReBoot on MKs
There is something so beautiful about the quick bonds that form between MKs (Missionary Kids), who understand each other despite having drastically different life experiences. It’s like a breath of fresh air to be surro...
Read more...
Adult Third Culture Kid Research: The Heart Behind the Research
This summer, we had the privilege of connecting with Shelly Lyons about her research on Adult Third Culture Kids. Listen in to hear more about the “heart” behind the research and her big picture dreams for how it will b...
Read more...
Is Competition a Biblical Value?
One Sunday morning in the church where I pastored, a family came to me and shared how some of their friends had left our church to go to another church: a "competitor church". They were completely distracted by their ne...
Read more...
Deny Yourself: My Story of Self-Denial & Abundant Life
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” -Mark 8:34 I still remember the moment I heard the words of Mark 8, grasping their significance for the first time. Si...
Read more...
Ministry at the Speed of Relationships
Building relationships is the first and foremost thing we should be about - everything else comes out of relationships. Building relationships with people from other cultures is so important, as humor; lifestyle; values...
Read more...
The Bittersweet of Travelling as an Adult TCK
Over the last year, I took more flights than I ever have within a single year. I’ve had more time to be in these liminal spaces than ever before. As an adult TCK (Third Culture Kid), this has invited me to reflect more ...
Read more...
Risk-taking in the Canadian Wilderness
What first came to mind when I was invited to the “Canadian wilderness” to help lead a Wilderness Camp for adult third culture kids (ATCKs) this past July was the book  Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen.   All spring I reli...
Read more...
Wilderness ReBoot: What to Expect
Designed for adult MKs (Missionary Kids) seeking a deep encounter with God amidst the beauty of the Canadian back country wilderness, Wilderness ReBoot is a co-ed retreat for MKs (Missionary Kids) ages 21-35 willing to ...
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