Book Drawing: “Rerouted: Caring for Missionaries When Unexpected Trials Bring Them Home” by Candice Schroeder 
I’m very pleased to be able to feature Candice’s book because it offers a unique perspective that all of us should know about: how to respond and encourage a missionary who has returned from the field. For many missionaries, they experience misunderstanding, criticism, and other discouraging responses. You and I don’t want to be in that group of people. Rerouted can prepared all of us with wisdom to build up these servants in the Body of Christ.
Continue reading and find out how to enter the drawing to win this valuable book. And seriously consider buying a copy to have on hand to make available to others. UPDATE: BETTY IS THE WINNER OF THE DRAWING. CONGRATULATIONS, BETTY!
Here’s a description of Rerouted:
Have you ever wondered what happens to a missionary family when their overseas work unexpectedly ends? In this eye-opening book, the curtain is pulled back to reveal the struggles many missionaries face when returning home earlier than anticipated. With practical suggestions and real-life examples, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to help their missionaries thrive when faced with this painful transition. If you’re a supporter, a member of a sending church, in Member Care for a mission agency, or someone who simply cares and prays for missionaries, you will find stories and ideas in these pages that will stir your heart to action.
“Every Christ follower with a passion for supporting missionaries should read this book.”
–Jonathan Montgomery
Director of Missionary Care, BMA Missions
“This is a Nightmare”
by Candice Schroeder (an excerpt from her book)
“This is a nightmare.”
I whispered the phrase as I sat at my computer, its bluish light glaring back at me. I ran my fingers through my hair and kept trying to think of more positive ways to frame our situation in the email I was about to send our ministry partners. I had agonized over every word of this message, trying to read and reread each draft through the eyes of this or that supporter. The names and faces of those dear friends clouded my weary mind, but I knew I could not sit and edit forever. Feeling groggy without my coffee but with nerves too shot to go back to sleep, I hit “send.”
With one click, over 500 inboxes worldwide started dinging. I found myself feeling numb but unable to turn back. On this uncommonly cool June morning in 2020, everyone on our support team would read about the most painful and unexpected plot twist we had ever experienced. The limited words of a painfully scripted email could scarcely capture the emotions flooding our broken hearts:
“We can’t believe we are sending this newsletter.
Due to medical issues with one of our children, we are not going to be able to return to the mission field. We’ve been told by the mission agency’s doctors in Papua New Guinea that they simply cannot recommend we pursue living in the jungle with our child’s current issues. If we moved into a tribal location, we’d have zero access to medical specialists who could help, and it would be to the detriment of our child’s long-term well-being.
Friends and supporters, we are heartbroken. We are grieving deeply. We feel like we are experiencing a death. Not only with not being able to return to the mission field for what we trained several years to do, and what we have huge hearts for—but also concerning our child’s future.
We will be sharing more details in the days to come. Thank you for keeping our family in your prayers at this time.”
Though I had just sent the email, I quickly checked the read receipts. Had anyone seen it yet? What would everyone say? What would people think?
The turbulence of this moment remains indelibly imprinted on my memory. I remember breathing quickly and feeling anxious. I needed to calm down and take my thoughts captive. I laid my head back down on the pillow, covered up with an old blanket that looked just as distressed as I felt, and whispered a prayer:
“Lord, I’m so nervous because I feel we’re disappointing everyone. Please help me. My heart is breaking.” My prayers eventually trailed off as weariness overtook my rattled nerves. The Lord graciously granted me a little rest as I dozed for the next half hour or so.
When I woke up, I reached for my phone and saw email after email from our supporters, reassuring me that the Lord had indeed heard the cry of my weary heart:
“Stephen and Candice, I am heartbroken for you and your family…and I’m honestly speechless. I will be praying for you so much in the days ahead.”
“It was with deep sadness and heaviness of heart for your family that we read your newsletter. We are so sorry, dear friends…please know you are loved and are being prayed for.”
Thank you, Candice, for your vulnerable sharing. And to my readers: to win a copy of this book, make a comment on the blog post page. The drawing ends Tuesday, August 1st. 2023 at 7pm EST. Only US addresses can win. The drawing is closed. UPDATE: BETTY IS THE WINNER OF THE DRAWING. CONGRATULATIONS, BETTY!
Candice Schroeder and her husband, Stephen, devoted a decade of their marriage to prepare to move to Papua New Guinea with the intent to serve in a church-planting role. Despite their desire to serve for life, they had to return home with their two young children after only fourteen months due to medical concerns. This experience motivates Candice to write and share about the importance of caring for missionaries, particularly when unforeseen difficulties force them to return home to stay. Today, Candice and her family live in southeast Missouri, where Candice is a full-time homemaker.
Sounds like a moving book to read
Sounds like a great book to read
Amber, I’m so glad you see the value of “Rerouted.” I’ve put your name into the drawing.
Thanks for your kind words, Amber! 🙂
Betty, so glad you are interested in Candice’s book. I’ve entered your name into the drawing.
Thank you so much, Betty! I loved writing it, because I was also able to interview various missionaries to include their own stories in the book. I hope it blesses you!
Betty! Congratulations, you are the winner of the drawing for Candice’s book. I have emailed you and connected you with Candice. Thank you for participating in the drawing.
Missionaries who are forced to return home due to circumstances beyond their control must grieve over the loss of their dreams and goals. I’m sure that’s heart breaking for the missionaries, and I imagine they feel that they’ve disappointed their supporters and perhaps even God.
As a prayer and financial supporter of many missionaries, I would consider it an honor to pray for such missionaries in their new situations. I would pray that God would use them mightily in new ways that further His kingdom while encouraging the missionaries.
Thank you Suzanne for your support of missionaries and wise sharing. I know Candice’s will be encouraged even more. I’ve put your name into the drawing.
Wow, Suzanne! Such encouraging words here. Thank you for your heart for missionaries.
I have friends who have been missionaries and I know they would love to
read this book.
Bless you for entering me in your giveaway.
Thank you Janet, for thinking of passing along Rerouted.I’ve put your name into the drawing.
Hi Janet! The book is available on Amazon! I hope you love it. It is definitely something a lot of missionaries can relate to!
Love that there is a book about caring for our missionaries! My heart has always been on missions and music, thanks to my Moma. I would be honored to win this book.
Denise, I’m so glad you see the value of Candice’s book. I’ve entered you into the drawing.
Missions and music! I love that. Thanks for your enthusiasm toward my book! 🙂
As leader of our Global Outreach team, this sounds like a book I need to have in my library! Thanks for introducing me to it.
Hi Renee. I agree with you. I’ve put you into the drawing.
Hi Renee! I would be honored if you would keep this book in your library! I wrote it because I couldn’t find anything else on this specific topic when we had returned home from the mission field unexpectedly. Thanks for your enthusiasm about this topic and for serving the Lord as you care for missionaries. 🙂
Such a difficult concept for so many. I would love to read this book.
Stacey, thanks so much for entering the drawing. Candice has written a courageous book because the concept is so difficult. Thank you for supporting her.
Thank you for your interest in this topic, Stacey! I hope if you read it, it blesses your heart.
With family members on missions around the world, I can so appreciate this post and the unwanted trials that came with this story. Added trials can be so hard to handle, but God.
You are right, JD. Our sisters and brothers serving God all over the world suffer difficult trials. Thanks for entering the drawing!
Love your comment, J.D. Thank you for your heart to care for missionaries when faced with this trial!
Can’t wait to read this! God bless you
Hi Jodi. Welcome! So glad you entered your name into the drawing. God bless!
Jodi! Your comment made me smile. Thank you for wanting to read my book! I pray it blesses your heart.
I’m putting in Karen Hayes into the drawing because she had trouble with her computer.