185: Wanderlust for the Gospel - A Calling Story (with Natalie Kardol)

Have you heard the term Fernweh (German “fern-vay”) or Wanderlust? What if God is calling us beyond a desire to explore far-off places? TeachBeyond member Natalie Kardol shares her story of longing to travel the world before she knew Jesus and longing to reach the world with the Gospel now that she does. Natalie’s story invites us to consider how we are using our gifts for God’s glory, whether at home or far away.



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  • “As long as I can think of, I always had this longing to go.”
  • “When I became a Christian, I thought, ‘Wow, I wasted all these years traveling to these different cultures just because I wanted to be there, and I wasted it and wasn’t able to share Jesus [...] If I ever have a chance again to do anything like this, then I just want to do it for the Lord and share the Gospel with people around the world.’”
  • “I don’t think it has really changed; I just didn’t know in my younger years that it was God’s calling on my heart.”
  • Check out TeachBeyond’s Annual Report!
  • “I translated the annual report, and that just opened my eyes, and I saw more and [thought], ‘Wow, this is an amazing organization.’”
  • “God is working in the background.”
  • “However fast or slow the process works, God is in charge. I cannot take credit for it; I am not fully responsible for the outcome of it.”
  • “It’s an honor when you can connect people. It’s not about you.”
  • “I don’t know what God is all of a sudden deciding to open up or not. I’ve learned by now that I cannot [...] plan what God has in store for me. It’s okay to not have it all figured out.”

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What’s changing our lives:

  • Keane: Better Internet
  • Heather: Working from a friend’s house during a power outage
  • Natalie: Ability to travel with her husband on his work trips

Weekly Spotlight: Short-Term Opportunities

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Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast
Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

16 May 25
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