I posted a new Missionary Talks interview yesterday. After spending an hour with Andy at a local coffee shop, he and I sat down in my mobile recording studio (Honda van) and recorded the interview. Andy and I have kept up with one another casually over the years since we went to college together.

Through email earlier this week we worked out the details for me to call him and record the interview. We were both very surprised when I went to pick up my son from youth meeting on Wednesday and saw Andy standing at the front of the church. Neither one of us had a clue that the other was in town. We enjoyed catching up and sharing some of our conversation with the listeners.

The next episode I put out I hope will be one of the new Missionary Chats formatted show. I will try to alternate these as much as I can, but there may be more Talks than Chats at times, or vice versa.

Categories: Podcasting
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I found a new podcast listing site last week and got Missionary Talks listed there. It is called Clean Casts. All the podcasts listed on the site are either G or PG rated. It is not a huge listing of podcasts yet, but it is nice to know that you can choose something there that will be family friendly.

There are a few podcasts that I listen to listed there, but there are several other good podcasts that should be there. I should compile a list and contact my podcasting friends to get their shows listed there and help grow the community. The site is fairly new and needs help getting some momentum pushing them the right way.

Categories: Podcasting, Websites
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Last Wednesday I was in a church service where a visiting pastor was speaking. His sermon was a comparison of Mary and Judas in Mark 14 verses 3-11.

Mary:

• Focused on the most important–worshiping God (Christ). Luke 10:38-42
• Faithful in trials. John 11:21-40
• Forsook her greatest possession. Mark 14:3

Judas:

• Criticized intimate worship. Mark 14:4
• Complained about God’s work. Mark 14:4. 5
• Confided with wicked people. Mark 14:10, 11

What struck me is that while many look at missionaries and think that we are willing to give up many things to go live on a foreign field, most of us don’t see that as a hardship. However, we struggle with giving up some things. Maybe your struggle is the thought of giving up regular electricity, or moving away from family. We do give up those things, but personally my struggles are in giving up things of even lesser value.

I don’t think I fall into the category of a Judas, but I am not sure I am a Mary either. Sure, I am willing to give up some comforts to be a missionary, but am I willing to forsake what I see as materialistically important? I am not sure I am there yet.

Categories: Argentina, Bible, Deaf, Mexico
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I am considering adding some new content to my main website. Many of my readers would know that we are missionaries working with the Deaf. In an effort to connect with our supporters in a greater way, I am considering adding a video and/or an audio podcast**. These will be short updates that will help engage with our supporters and friends. I have no planned regularity in putting out content, but it will be at least one update a month.

The reason for doing a video version is that many of our friends are Deaf. This would allow them to get content in their language while still making it accessible for the hearing. Meaning that I would both sign and speak each one of the updates.

I don’t plan on this being a traditional podcast in that I will provide content that the general public might want to consume. Rather it will be simple, short updates about what is going on with us.

What do you think? I know that those who pray for us would like more regular content so that they know how better to pray. Is this the best way to deliver that content? I have intentionally avoided using my prayer letter mailing list as an “update” medium. I would rather those who are more connected with us go to the website and get that additional information. Do you agree?

**What is meant by “podcast”? This is a format for providing content that the “subscriber” can receive automatically via software that grabs the new information when it is available. All the content will be available at the website to view on-line, but by making it a podcast that simply means that the user could go to one piece of software to consume all the content, i.e., iTunes.

Categories: Argentina, Deaf, Podcasting, Traveling
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One of my favorite Carol Burnett skits has her walking into the house like a zombie arriving home from work. Her “husband” Tim Conway stumbles out of bed and gets dressed for work, again zombie-like. They go through their morning routine with only a passing kiss. As she crawls into bed she announces to him that she is pregnant. As he walks out the door he simply says, “No way.”

During the skit he gets up and makes the bed and folds it into the wall. She gets ready for bed and pulls it down and crawls in. I always thought it would be cool to have a wall bed that could serve as a spare bed in the house.

[This is a sponsored post.]

Categories: Sponsored
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