The "Horribly Wonderful" Life of a Missionary
July 2025
Twenty-five years ago, just before Sam and Tracey picked up their lives and moved to Europe, a veteran missionary couple told them that being missionaries would be a “horribly wonderful” experience. It's a phrase that might sound contradictory, yet it perfectly encapsulates the profound reality of life on the mission field.
Having now lived the global worker life from their late 20s into their 50s, Sam and Tracey reflect, “Now we fully understand the bittersweet paradox of finding joy despite giving up our former lives and some of our old dreams.” This sentiment echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25: "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" The call to mission often involves a radical surrender, a willingness to lay down personal comforts and aspirations for a higher purpose. Sam and Tracey candidly admit, “If we would have known the cost of being cross-cultural workers, we wouldn't have had the heart to choose it then—but we wouldn't trade it for any other life.” This powerful statement speaks to the transformative power of God's grace and faithfulness. While the challenges are immense—from cultural adjustments and language barriers to spiritual warfare and personal sacrifice—the rewards are immeasurable. The joy found in seeing lives transformed by the Gospel, in walking alongside new believers, and in participating in God's redemptive work far outweighs any personal cost.
Becoming a missionary isn't a journey for the faint of heart, but it's a path filled with abundant life. This life will ask for everything you have—your comfort, your plans, even parts of your identity—but in exchange for that, you'll experience a life that is infinitely more profound than you could ever imagine.
Could God be calling you to experience the "horribly wonderful" life of a missionary? We'd love to talk with you about how you can join us in reaching the nations for Christ. Reach out to one of our mobilzers.
Having now lived the global worker life from their late 20s into their 50s, Sam and Tracey reflect, “Now we fully understand the bittersweet paradox of finding joy despite giving up our former lives and some of our old dreams.” This sentiment echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25: "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" The call to mission often involves a radical surrender, a willingness to lay down personal comforts and aspirations for a higher purpose. Sam and Tracey candidly admit, “If we would have known the cost of being cross-cultural workers, we wouldn't have had the heart to choose it then—but we wouldn't trade it for any other life.” This powerful statement speaks to the transformative power of God's grace and faithfulness. While the challenges are immense—from cultural adjustments and language barriers to spiritual warfare and personal sacrifice—the rewards are immeasurable. The joy found in seeing lives transformed by the Gospel, in walking alongside new believers, and in participating in God's redemptive work far outweighs any personal cost.
Becoming a missionary isn't a journey for the faint of heart, but it's a path filled with abundant life. This life will ask for everything you have—your comfort, your plans, even parts of your identity—but in exchange for that, you'll experience a life that is infinitely more profound than you could ever imagine.
Could God be calling you to experience the "horribly wonderful" life of a missionary? We'd love to talk with you about how you can join us in reaching the nations for Christ. Reach out to one of our mobilzers.
More Stories
When Anna* was challenged to think about her goals for 2026, she sensed a clear nudge from God: begin preparing material to train others....
February 17, 2026
“In the 1980s, if you walked into a Christian bookstore in France, you’d find maybe two shelves of Christian books,” Florent...
February 13, 2026
As someone who’s spent much of his life planting churches in Asia, Ted now serves as the Director of Encompass...
February 10, 2026
Reaching the unreached is a beautiful idea, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Even so, Auburn Grace Community...
February 9, 2026
“I had no idea what Japan was,” Kya says. “Then my parents took me when I was 10, and now I wake up every day and think about...
January 30, 2026
Mika* grew up in Japan as part of a family that was culturally Buddhist, yet God gently placed people in her life who...
January 29, 2026
Grace Church in Simi Valley, California has been partnering with Encompass for over 60 years now, making us their primary missions agency. That...
January 23, 2026
The environment a child grows up in becomes their baseline for what’s normal. As you can imagine, children growing up overseas often form a...
January 23, 2026
“I never set out to become a crisis response person,” says Barb. In fact, if you had asked her younger...
January 21, 2026
