I’m excited for you to meet another Global Trellis Specialist. We believe that you either develop, burnout, or stall out. Given these options, don’t you want to keep developing? Knowing that lasting change involves a slow and steady drip of information, we are building a team of people to aid in your development. The thought is that on a quarterly basis we will rotate through topics and conversations so that they can seep into you (and me!).

So far you have met Tim Austin (life coach), Lauren Wells (TCK), and Katie Brown (grief). Today you’ll meet Jenilee Goodwin who is a “life hack” on the field guru.

You are going to love Jenilee!

Share a bit about your or your family’s experience overseas.

Our family has been living overseas since 2014. We spent a year in France and then moved to Senegal where we work with the national church in children’s ministries. That’s the quick answer. The reality has been full of transition, culture shock, personal growth and many tears. Living overseas is a one-day-at-a-time experience. Awesome, incredible and crazy challenging in ministry, in marriage and in parenting our 3 teenage daughters who are in their second year of boarding school. But we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Where are you now? What are you up to? 

Right now, I’m continuing in language studies, being a mom from far away, running our home, working on completing my degree in Biblical Studies/Theology and helping however I can in ministry with my husband. Life in West Africa keeps us busy and we’re always up to something!

So much of your personal blog and writing in other spaces is geared towards helping people. What drew you to helping people on the field? 

When we began our journey overseas, I was shocked at how little was available for practical advice or realistic help for new workers moving overseas. Where were the simple answers and the helpful checklists? Where were the practical tips I needed for the challenging decisions ahead? Who was walking this road and sharing their journey as it happened? I knew I wasn’t alone in my search for simple, helpful, real overseas information so I decided to use my personal blog to write our story as it unfolded. My prayer was that it would help someone else in their overseas journey. I continue to pray that over each word I write or checklist I make. I’m thrilled that within the past 5-6 years more and more online resources, communities and stories are available to help new workers walk this complex road.

Jenilee, I love the way God has wired you to systematically approach life, ministry, and relationships. Your festive intentionality points us to God. I look forward to how God is going to use you in this space!

Jenilee and I first met through Velvet Ashes and were “virtual friends.” We had the opportunity to meet in person several years after we become friends. Of course, where did we first see each other in person? In an airport! It is so delightfully weird to see someone you already know and have that hopeful smile as you walk towards each other. Communicating, “It’s you? Right! It’s got to be you.” And it is!

Jenilee is one of the most eclectically gifted people I know. She is so gifted at systematically breaking something down and then building it back up, so that we can follow her.

Where in your life could you use some “life-hacking”? Don’t miss out on this opportunity for Jenilee to help you, and stay tuned to her first post later this week.