- Tell us something fun about yourself that is not in your author bio.
I am The Math Fairy! While living in Beijing I was mildly distressed when TCKs would speak so disparagingly about math, one of my loves. So, The Math Fairy was born as an advocate for the fun side of math.
- What’s one thing you miss from North America when you are on the field, and one thing you miss from the field when you are in North America?
Highway driving with the windows down, the radio blaring, an open Diet Coke and singing at the top of my lungs.
Green beans that have to be laced with drugs, they are that addictive.
- What do you think is the benefit of writing and sharing your story?
The “Me too” factor. Too often we think we are the only one facing something, until one of us opens up. The almost guaranteed response is . . . “Me too!”
- How do you create time/space in your life to write?
My writing started with monthly newsletters. Seeing as it was “part of my job,” I scheduled it like any other job responsibility I had. It turned out I truly enjoyed writing (this was a surprise to me, see #1 above). As I’m trying to put into words how I create space, I’m trying to figure out how I create space for laundry, or exercise, or going to the dentist. Things I find life giving, I am very intentional or else my life will just be laundry and dentist appointments. In other words, a tad tedious and dull.
- Where besides Connection can our readers read your writing?
My personal blog is The Messy Middle and I’m also on the leadership team for Velvet Ashes and host the book club.
- What are you reading/listening to now? (especially something that is a helpful resource)
In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I’m a bit of a geek and am all over the board. In the summer I read two biographies of Christian women who lived life of service. Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist by Karen Swallow Prior and A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter by Miriam Huffman Rockness. We need to read more biographies of people who have gone before us because I found much of what they faced is similar to what I’ve faced.
If you like podcasts, three of my favorite are:
The Restory Podcast—great interviews about how Christ can restore by re-storying us
The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast—Carey interviews pastors on church leadership. I find much of it applies to our line of work too!
- What do you think is the best kept secret out there (in terms of an organization or resource that is useful to global workers)?
Can you tell I love reading? I long for Global Women to be able to read good books and discuss them. So, I’d have to say, if you haven’t checked out the book club I host please do.
- Who (dead or alive) would you want as a mentor for life and ministry?
A librarian or a book store owner because through them, they would know all the great books to recommend, thus getting many mentors out of my one pick. Ha! That might be cheating, but the beauty of mentors is we can have many and they each offer us something.
- If you could choose a kitchen utensil or appliance that best described YOU, what would you choose and why?
You’ve probably guessed by now that I don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So, let’s go with a gardening tool. I’m a shovel. I’m functional, can be used to both weed out the junk and plant beautiful flowers, and I’m fairly low maintenance.
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