Ellen Rosenberger Shares What Being a Missionary is Really Like

Ellen Rosenberger is a mom, missionary, and author who has a passion for helping churches serve their missionaries well. Her experience as a missionary kid was positive and she headed back to the mission field after college where she met her husband. But the expectations of others and some “relationship drama” led to depression. Ellen shares how experiencing depression for the first time gave her a deeper understanding of Christ’s love for her as she is. Ellen’s books draw on her extensive mission experience to help missionaries be authentic and transition well.

Please listen and share with a friend!

Stories Ellen shared:

• The adventure of growing up as a missionary kid in Bolivia
• Learning TESOL in college and the people who invested in her
• Wrestling with depression under the weight of expectations when she went to Nicaragua on her own
• Meeting and marrying her husband, Luke
• What churches should know about the experience of being a missionary
• What it is really like being a missionary
• How to care for the missionaries at your church
• Ellen’s heart for missionaries and her books (see links below)

Great quotes from Ellen:

I need to know God loves me.

What is our self worth based on? Is it what other people think?

To the degree that we left well, on good terms with people, said our goodbyes well, we felt our reentry here went well.

Resources Ellen mentioned (Amazon affiliate links which pays a small commission to me if you use it):

• Missionaries Are Real People: Surviving transitions, navigating relationships, overcoming burnout and depression, and finding joy in God. by Ellen
• Ending Well: Advice for successful re-entry after living abroad by Ellen
• Ending Well Facebook Page
• Missionaries Are Real People Facebook Page