Adversity is a part of life. We can sometimes think that having a relationship with Jesus makes us exempt from hardships that can cause fear, anxiety, and even trauma. While that isn’t the case, it is true that our relationship with Jesus can change how we handle and respond to the adversity that comes into our lives.

Joining me for this conversation is Karen Bettison. Karen served as a Bible translator, a literary specialist, and a medical missionary with Pioneer Bible Translators for 25 years. She currently works as a nurse and has been an educator, author, speaker, and Bible study leader in the US and Africa. Karen is the author of the new book I Will Fear No Evil: A Missionary’s Faith Journey Through Fear, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma. Karen and her husband, Jim, have raised four children and reside in rural Missouri.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• The unique support missionaries need
• Reminders that hardship is a reality for everyone
• How God can use what you’ve been through
• And so much more!

Listen in as Karen shares more about her experiences as a missionary and how she has overcome adversity in her own life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• [BOOK] I Will Fear No Evil: A Missionary’s Faith Journey Through Fear, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma
• Life 2.0 Foundation
• Connect with Karen on her blog, Facebook, or Facebook Group
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) We will face hardship. No one is exempt from experiencing difficulties, hardships, and adversity in our lives. These experiences, especially when they are ongoing, can trigger a range of emotions like grief, fear, anxiety, trauma, and more. These emotions can be overwhelming at times and we may need to seek out support to process them.

2) God is with us through adversity. It can be difficult to remember that God is always with us—especially when we’re in the middle of hard times. He has not promised to remove the hardship from our lives, but He remains with us through it.

3) Emotions are a sign to go to Jesus. As we experience adversity, our emotions act like a warning light on our car’s dashboard. When they are flashing, we need to pay attention to them and go to Jesus. We see throughout Scripture that God himself has emotions and He created us to have them too. It’s important to pay attention to them without letting them solely dictate our actions.

About Karen:

Karen Bettison served as a Bible translator, a literary specialist, and a medical missionary with Pioneer Bible Translators for 25 years. She currently works as a nurse and has been an educator, author, speaker, and Bible study leader in the US and Africa. Karen is the author of the new book I Will Fear No Evil: A Missionary’s Faith Journey Through Fear, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma. Karen and her husband, Jim, have raised four children and reside in rural Missouri.

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