Entering the Mission Field from Christmas

Christmas lights are barely packed away, the last crumbs of sugar cookies still linger on the counter, and yet my heart has already stepped into the next season: the mission field.

For many people, the days after Christmas are about returns and resolutions. For a missionary, they’re about release and readiness—releasing what’s familiar and getting ready to step into what’s unknown, but fully known by God.

In this blog, I want to share what it looks like to prepare for the mission field after Christmas—not just the plane tickets and packing lists, but the deeper work God does in the heart.

1. The Quiet After the Carols

Christmas can be loud—in a beautiful way.

Church services are full. Worship is big. Families gather. Calendars are packed. But then December 26th arrives, and suddenly everything gets quieter. For a missionary, that quiet can feel like a holy pause.

This is where I stop and ask:

• Lord, am I ready to go where You’re sending me?

• What are You still wanting to shape in my heart?

• Is there anything I’m clinging to more tightly than I cling to You?

The days after Christmas become a kind of spiritual “debrief.” The celebration of Christ’s first coming reminds me why I’m going: because the world still needs to hear that the Savior came, and He is coming again.

2. Holding the Call in One Hand and a Suitcase in the Other

Being a missionary isn’t just one big “yes.” It’s a thousand little yeses that follow.

After Christmas, the call of God doesn’t change—but it does become very practical:

• Support raising and financesFollowing Jesus into the mission field means trusting Him with provision. After Christmas, when budgets are tight and people are tired, it can feel strange to still talk about giving and support. And yet God keeps reminding me: This is not about money; it’s about partnership.

  Every monthly supporter, every one-time gift, every prayer partner is a person God is weaving into the story. Preparing to enter the mission field means humbly asking others, “Will you go with us through your prayers and generosity?”

• Logistics and paperworkVisas, documents, medical checkups, housing, banking, packing, selling or storing belongings—it’s not the glamorous side of missions, but it’s real.

  After Christmas, I find myself staring at spreadsheets and to-do lists, praying over signatures, timelines, and appointments. This is part of obedience too. God is just as present in the details as He is in the moments of worship.

• Letting go and saying goodbyeThe mission field doesn’t just call you to a place; it calls you from a place—family, friends, a home church, a familiar culture.

  After Christmas, those “lasts” start to become more real:

  • Maybe it’s the last Christmas in this house.

  • The last holiday with everyone around the same table for a while.

  • The last time you drive familiar streets as a local instead of a visitor.

  These goodbyes aren’t easy. But they’re part of carrying the cross and following Jesus, trusting that He is worthy of every sacrifice and that He will care for those we leave behind.

  
  

3. Preparing the Heart, Not Just the Plans

You can pack a suitcase in a day, but it takes time for God to prepare a heart.

After Christmas, as the new year approaches, I ask the Lord to do specific work in me:

• Humility – It’s easy to think, I’m going to go help those people. The truth is, God is already there, and I’m the one who needs His help. I’m not the hero of this story—Jesus is.

• Flexibility – Plans will change. Timelines will shift. Governments will adjust laws. Support may come in differently than expected. Preparing for the mission field means learning to hold every detail with open hands.

• Dependence on God’s Word – Feelings will rise and fall. Culture shock will come. Loneliness may show up when the excitement fades. I need something more solid than emotion—I need the promises of God.

  Verses like:

  • “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

  • “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

  These aren’t just memory verses—they become anchors.

  
  

4. Remembering Why We Go

Christmas is the perfect backdrop for remembering why missionaries go.

At Christmas we celebrate:

• A God who came to us.

• A Savior who stepped into our world, not from a distance, but up close.

• A King who chose a manger instead of a throne.

Missions is simply continuing that heart of God:

• Going to people instead of waiting for them to come to us.

• Entering their world, their culture, their pain, their questions.

• Bringing the hope of Jesus where His name is rarely spoken or deeply misunderstood.

  
  

That’s why the weeks after Christmas are powerful. The story is fresh in our minds—the incarnation, the angels proclaiming good news of great joy for all people. And we get to say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

5. Inviting Others Into the Journey

Being a missionary is never a solo mission. God designed it to be a team effort.

In this season of preparation, after Christmas, I’m reminded to:

• Share the story often – with churches, small groups, friends over coffee, people who ask, “So what’s next for you?” Every conversation is an invitation into what God is doing.

• Ask boldly and gently – not just for financial support, but for prayer, for referrals, for wisdom, for encouragement.

• Thank deeply – those who have already said yes; those who are standing with us as we step into the unknown.

When someone prays, gives, or shares our story, they are not just “helping us.” They are joining God’s mission to reach people who may have never heard the true message of Christmas: that Jesus came to save sinners and bring them into His family.

6. Stepping Into the New Year with Open Hands

After Christmas, the calendar turns. A new year begins. And sometimes it feels like standing on a cliff, looking out over a land you’ve never walked before.

In that moment, my prayer is simple:

“Lord, this year belongs to You.Every mile, every conversation, every challenge, every victory—let it all be for Your glory and for people to know Jesus.”

Preparing to enter the mission field after Christmas is not about having everything perfectly planned. It’s about being perfectly willing.

• Willing to go.

• Willing to obey.

• Willing to trust.

• Willing to love people who may never have heard His name.

  
  

A Final Word to Those in Their Own “After Christmas” Season

Maybe you’re a missionary like us, packing boxes and juggling support letters.Maybe you’re someone who feels God stirring your heart for the nations.Or maybe you’re called to stay, send, and support from home.

Wherever you are, the heart of it is the same:

Jesus came. Jesus still sends. And we all have a part to play.

As the lights come down and the decorations go back into the attic, let’s not pack away the message of Christmas. Let’s carry it—into the new year, into the mission field, and into every place God leads.

If you feel God tugging on your heart for missions—whether to go or to send—don’t ignore it. Pray. Ask Him what your next step is. And be ready to say, “Yes, Lord,” even if that yes comes after Christmas.