Even Missionaries Get Tired (And God Still Shows Up)

 Breaking news: missionaries get tired, too.

Brandy is sharing a bit more personally this week, pulling back the curtain on what life can really look like on the mission field. It’s easy to imagine something a little more…storybook. Maybe not full-on woodland creatures doing the dishes, but at least a steady soundtrack of joy and a nonstop stream of meaningful, mountaintop moments.

“It sounds nice,” Brandy said, “but sometimes we get tired.”

Over the past couple of weeks, Nathan, Michael, Levi, and Lottie have all been sick. Rachel has been sick. Brandy has been sick. That’s a full house of illness — with no magical helpers stepping in to cook meals or keep things running smoothly. And all of this has been happening right in the middle of team season, when energy, focus, and presence are needed the most.

“I remember thinking, I’m already tired, and now we’re starting a team week,” Brandy said.

He pushed through and went out with the team, but something felt off.

“I wasn’t feeling joy. All the circumstances in life were adding stress.”

Then came an unexpected gift.

“There was one of the older men on the team,” Brandy shared. “He was always happy — dancing around, full of joy. Every day I spent time with him, it felt like he was giving me some of his joy.”

By the end of the week, something had shifted.

“I felt like I had my joy back,” Brandy said. “I told him that, and I really believe God was speaking to me through him.”

The following week, when the Crosspoint team arrived, Brandy could no longer ignore the fact that he was sick, too. One day, instead of heading out with the team, he stayed in town and went to the doctor.

“I had a really sore throat. My sinuses weren’t handling the dust well. And I even had an issue with my eye from all the dust,” he said.

The diagnosis wasn’t surprising. The dry season — better described as the dusty season — had taken its toll.

Even so, Brandy continued going out with the team when he could. During one visit, he spoke with a local pastor serving in one of the poorest communities. The pastor has faithfully led his congregation for eight years, and now they are beginning construction on a sanctuary.

“The building is going to be huge,” Brandy said.

What the pastor shared next left an impression.

“We don’t have a budget to build,” he said, “but God is providing.”

He went on to explain that focusing too much on resources — or the lack of them — can derail what God is calling you to do.

“Focus on God and God’s vision,” the pastor told him. “If you focus on the money or the circumstances, you’ll stop. You’ll start trusting in your own strength instead of God’s.”

That perspective landed exactly where it needed to.

“When we are feeling tired, we need to remember to rest in God and trust in Him,” Brandy said. “He is always taking care of us — in every situation. When you’re sick, when you’re tired, when you’re trying to build something bigger than you… He’s there.”

That was the reminder Brandy wanted to share this week — not just about the hard moments, but about where to turn in the middle of them.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Sowers4Pastors. Those prayers matter more than you know. In a very real way, everyone who prays is part of the ministry — strengthening, encouraging, and helping carry the work forward.

Health Update

There is good news to report. Levi and Lottie have fully recovered, and Nathan and Michael are improving, though still a bit under the weather. Rachel has had the toughest stretch, making multiple trips to the doctor with a serious respiratory infection, but she is finally beginning to feel better.

As for Brandy, he isn’t quite back to 100%, but that hasn’t stopped him from heading out to deliver a second round of backpacks.

Please continue to keep the entire family in your prayers — for healing, for strength, and yes… even for a little extra joy along the way.

  - posted by Christi