Deciding is rarely easy. Going, staying, and being left to carry on are all hard and each one requires grit and grace.

Sue Eenigenburg | Eva Burkholder, Grit to Stay Grace to Go

In November 2020, fellow Christar worker and my friend, Sue Eenigenburg, approached me about collaborating on a new book about grit. She wanted to discuss the many challenges global workers face and the lies they believe that tempt them to leave too soon. Her goal was to encourage global workers to not only stay, but to stay well.

I was intrigued and felt this was my opportunity to explore more deeply one specific challenge to staying well. I had not (to date) seen a thorough discussion about how difficult it is to remain behind while watching a revolving door of departing colleagues. I also wanted to make an interactive workbook that invited the reader to slow down, contemplate, and then move to action.

As our discussion progressed, Sue and I admitted that we both had not stayed in one location our entire ministry because sometimes leaving is good. We decided we needed to also give tools to help readers make an informed decision when they are considering leaving—again so they don’t leave too soon or stay too long.

The result of our collaboration is Grit to Stay Grace to Go: Staying Well in Cross-Cultural Ministry. It isn’t a scholarly work. Instead, it’s filled with our stories as well as testimonies from other global workers of the challenges that test our resolve to remain.

Grit to Stay Grace to Go is a practical guide to help cross-cultural workers and those how send them (or anyone who serves on a ministry team for that matter) develop grit and grace to stay or go.

Thank you Sue for asking me to write with you. Thank you God for enabling us to do it.

Please help us spread the word about this book. Here’s how you can do that:

• Purchase the book now at William Carey Publishing or other major retail sites.
• Tell your missionary friends (or friends of, parents of, supporters of missionaries) about the book
• Tell your missions pastor or member care director (if you know one)
• After you read the book, write a review on major retail sites—Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes Noble etc.
• “Like” or click “helpful” on reviews written by others
• Invite Sue or Eva to to guest write for your blog or speak on your podcast (if you have one) or recommend them to an appropriate podcaster
• Gift a copy to a friend, church leader, or a missionary you support
• Host a book club to read and discuss the book
• Pray that Grit to Stay Grace to Go will find its way into the hands of those who need its message

If you are on social media, here’s a few more ways to help us:

• Follow Sue (@sue.eenigenburg, @skeburg), Eva (@authorevaburkholder, @evaburkholder), and William Carey Publishing (@williamcareypublishing, @wcpbooks)
• Like, comment, tag your friends on our posts
• Share our posts or create your own (tag Sue, Eva, and William Carey Publishing whenever you post)
• After you read the book, share a favorite quote or a photo of a page
• Use hashtags (#grittostaygracetogo #stayingwell #evaburkholder #sueeenigenburg #williamcareypublishing)

Thank you so much for your interest, prayers, and help in sharing the book. Sue and I are humbled and indebted to you for your efforts. May God use Grit to Stay Grace to Go for his glory.