Finding delight and embracing nuance: Mary DeMuth’s French adventure

Stephanie Rousselle interviews Mary DeMuth about her experiences in France. Mary shares insights into her cultural immersion, spiritual challenges, and the nuances of living and ministering in France.

Mary's experiences in France offer actionable lessons about faith, culture, and the power of embracing conversational nuances that have unfortunately gone missing in much of the American landscape these days. As she shares her journey, she inspired Stephanie to approach challenges with open hearts, seek delight in unexpected places, and nurture meaningful interactions in a diverse world. Her insights invite reflection and introspection, prioritizing empathy, patience, and understanding in the pursuit of a multi-faceted faith experience for the glory of God in Christ Jesus!

Mary recounts her journey of embracing the French language and culture. Having studied French in high school and pursued a minor in college, her foundation was laid for the experiences that lay ahead. Her venture into France wasn't just a tourist endeavor but stemmed from her faith and calling to ministry. The decision to move from the US to France, as church planters, unraveled a myriad of cultural, spiritual, and personal challenges. Good thing she and her family were deeply rooted in Christ!

Mary's experiences shed light on the complexity of cross-cultural ministry. Living in Southern France, she discovered the subtleties of the French evangelical landscape, leading her to a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with sharing the Gospel in a foreign context. As Mary narrates her time in France, vivid experiences of cultural shock and adaptation surface.

She candidly recalls the clash of cultures, highlighting the surprising source of her greatest culture shock, from Seattle to East Texas – not France! Mary's reflections unveil the shifting landscapes of cultural adaptation, showing the nuances of societal pressures and expectations. Her insights into the French 'joie de vivre' and approach to disagreements reveal the vibrant and diverse nature of French culture, something she is chagrined to find lacking in current day US.

Mary shares how her experiences in France reshaped her perspective on faith, culture, and human interaction. Her outlook is rooted in empathy, patience, and the cultivation of meaningful conversations. She addresses the complexities of re-entry into the US, reflecting on the jarring contrast her family faced upon returning, where the depth of dedication to Christ seemed to falter in the abundance of cultural Christianity.

Mary's experiences and insights serve as a guide for those embarking on their own journey. She articulates the importance of cultivating empathy, seeking delight, and engaging in nuanced conversations. Recognizing the value of foreign experiences and their impact on our faith, she highlights the need for understanding and embracing differences.

Mary concludes the interview with a heartfelt prayer for those stepping into new and unfamiliar cultural landscapes. Her prayer resonates with hope, protection, and an open-hearted approach to discovering God's beauty in different spaces.

CONNECT WITH MARY DEMUTH:

There is so much more to discuss with Mary! She will be back in a couple of months for another conversation about what matters to her. Until then, find her here: https://www.marydemuth.com/about/

Mary loves Jesus. And really that’s the most important thing about her. It’s not writing or speaking or praying or mommying or any other -ing you can find. She flat out loves Him. Why? Because he has utterly, truly, completely re-storied her. See her testimony below.

She has three adult children, and she’s been married to Patrick for 33 years now. Mary counts those relationships as the most important people in her life. In the mid 2000s, their family helped plant a church in Southern France–a difficult, but amazing experience. 

In her spare (ha!) time, she loves to cook, run, garden, decorate, paint, and do interior design. You can find all her artwork here.

She’s been writing for 30+ years–half of them in obscurity. She mentored many writers during that time, and continues to do so through the Rockwall Christian Writers Group and some of her  instructional books. Since then she has written over 45 books, translated into five languages. You can see a listing of all her books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, Lifeway and Parable.

Mary pioneered a literary agency in 2022, Mary DeMuth Literary, where she shepherds writers toward traditional publishing.

She currently lives in North Texas, serves in my local church alongside her husband, and she’s had the privilege of speaking around the world in places like Johannesburg, Monaco, Geneva, Munich, Port-au-Prince, Nice and Florence. Although her past story is difficult, her current story leaks adventure.

Not only has Mary been restored and restoried, but she longs to see the same for you. You no longer have to live haunted. I believe your new story starts today. Carl Bard wrote, “Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.”

Paul reminds us of this important truth: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). 

Living in retrospect is a bad idea. It’s time to heal, be set free, and find the new story God has for you. Mary has experienced God turning her storm into a story, moving her from a bitter story into a bigger one. Won’t you join her on the adventure?

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