Have Yourself a Mission-Minded Christmas!

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“I’ll be Home for Christmas”

Isn’t it an awesome song, with a heart-tugging theme?

With three of our seven totally-homeschooled children now practically “grown-up” and beginning to live on their own, it’s a momma-dream I can relate to . . . sprinkled with annual hopes and anticipation. Christmas-at-home brings to mind favorite traditions, thoughts of yummy delicacies, memories of siblings laughing together and playing games, and of course, snow and mistletoe.

However, as a surrendered mission-minded believers, I’ve come to understand that my lovely “Home-Sweet-Home” Christmas-dream isn’t necessarily a guaranteed “right” I should always expect or think I “deserve.”

A Mission-Minded Christmas . . . focuses on GOD’S HOME:

As homeschooling families (and as the premier experts on the “home” front . . . right?) we especially need to keep in mind that Christmas is about far-more than our home and our family. The true meaning of Christmas centers on the reality of God’s home in heaven (because that’s why Jesus came), and loving people into His family, so that others can go to heaven too.

Christmas, and everything about true Christianity, is about God’s Greatness (including God’s Great Commandment, to love God and love others: Matthew 22:36-40, and God’s Great Commission, to go into all the world to share His love with others: Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15).

We all know the clichés, how, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” and “Wise men still seek Him”; but have you and your family ever considered your willingness to surrender to God’s purpose for Christmas, in every nitty-gritty area?

Recently, an informal “counseling” question with a newlywed bride turned to a passionate discussion about international missions and family life. This God-loving friend and her new husband were having a common early-marriage struggle about where to spend their first Christmas. Since they were already living near his family and relatives, wasn’t it “right” that they celebrate Christmastime with her family?

I shared with her a story:

I’ll be Home for Christmas?

It was only a few days before Christmas as Bernie May, a pilot for Wycliffe Bible Translators successfully delivered emergency medical supplies to the isolated Amazon village. Now he eagerly anticipated being back with his wife and children in their South American home-away-from-home. Yet as the evening grew dark, he knew he would not be able to fly out until the morning.

With his pontoon plane waiting on the river, Bernie arranged for temporary protection for the night. But then . . . it began to rain. The rain continued, even up until Christmas Eve, the missionary felt increasingly depressed by his misfortune. His wife, Nancy, and their boys were six hours away; and by this time, they would have received his radio message: he would not be home for Christmas.

As a family, they had prepared their hearts to be separated from their loved ones and friends, but it was Christmas Eve . . . and they were now separated even from each other.

Back in Pennsylvania, everyone would be coming home from church—to the sounds of caroling, the smell of roasting turkey, and the sight of falling snow. But where was God’s missionary? Here he was . . . stuck in a remote jungle . . . in a makeshift shelter . . . in the pouring rain . . . alone.

In Ruth Tucker’s book “From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya”, Bernie May tells of his experience:

“Oh God,” I moaned, “I’m in the wrong place.” . . . But that night, under my mosquito net, I had a visitation from God— something like those shepherds must have had on the hills of Bethlehem.

There were no angels, and no bright lights. But as I lay there in my hammock, desperately homesick, I felt I heard God say, “My son, this is what Christmas is all about. Jesus left heaven and on Christmas morning He woke up in the ‘wrong place’—a stable in Bethlehem. Christmas means leaving home, not going home. My only begotten Son did not come home for Christmas— He left home to be with you.”

(Excerpted from The Mission-Minded Family – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny, by Ann Dunagan – Published by Biblica/Authentic)

A Mission-Minded Christmas . . . focuses on SURRENDER:

Our Savior Jesus Christ surrendered everything when He came to this earth; and He did it to not only save us, but to provide His salvation for the whole world!

• So, what if this Christmas, God would perhaps call upon your homeschooling family to give something BIGGER than ever?
• What if He would ask you, as a mom or a dad, to give something even greater than an extra missions-offering or a few dollars in that red Salvation Army bucket?

Brace yourself . . . as you consider . . .

• What if God wanted your family to pray about taking a short-term mission trip in 2010?
• Or, what if God would want you to prepare yourself and your family . . . to perhaps pack up everything, and to move overseas to begin a season of fulltime foreign missionary work?

YIKES!!! – Have you ever, recently, given the Lord the opportunity to even whisper the suggestion?

• Or, what if God would ask you, as a loving parent, to release one of your own precious children or teenagers or young adults into a non-conventional ministry, or perhaps into even dangerous, overseas Christian service?
• What if someday one of your own big kids, out of direct obedience to God’s call, was called to live across the world as a missionary . . . and he or she wouldn’t always be able to be with you and your family for Christmas?

As parents, would you be supportive and encouraging toward God’s call on your child’s life . . . or would you be God’s greatest hindrance?

YIKES!!! YIKES!!! – I know it can be scary; but I also know that whenever God calls an individual to follow Him, He also provides His GRACE and JOY (and if God would someday call one of your kids to something a bit “out-of-your-comfort-zone” or downright SCARY, He also has a GRACE and JOY for you, as parents, to be able to handle it).

Mission-minded Christmas carols:

• “Go, Tell it on the Mountain!”
• “Silent Night”
• “Joy to the World”
• “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

A Mission-Minded Christmas . . . focuses on GIVING IT ALL:

This Christmas, let’s do something different.
Let’s “get” what Christmas is really all about . . . and then “give it” all to God.

“I Gave Myself”

It was Christmas, and the Liberian Christians had been asked this year instead of receiving gifts, to help carry the gospel to others.

As in many mission fields, they brought, not money, but produce. Presently, the great plates were piled high with offerings of rice, cocoa, bananas, palm nuts, pineapple, and cassava.

There was a moment’s pause . . .

Slowly, a twelve-year-old boy walked forward and solemnly placed his feet in one of the plates. Afterward, when the missionary questioned him, the boy said, “We are very poor. I did not have anything else to give . . . so I gave myself.”

A Mission-Minded Christmas . . . focuses on GOD’S PRESENCE:

Christmas is not just about HOME, or PRESENTS; it’s about living in the PRESENCE of the Lord, and sharing His PRESENCE with others.

Here are a few baby-steps to incorporate a mission-mindset into your family’s yearly Christmas celebrations.

• Incorporate a GLOBE into your Christmas celebrations. Perhaps use this to bring a mission theme into a corner of a room. Add some garland and lights, or place a mini-nativity beside this globe (or map) as you encourage your children that Jesus came to earth to be the Savior for ALL people. If your decorations are looking a bit old and shabby, and you’re wondering about using them for yet another year, remember that 1.6 million people around the world have yet to hear the Christmas story… for the first time!

• Plan a specific family giving project for Christmas. Perhaps put a coin jar next to your Christmas cookie jar and begin saving coins for a specific mission need to help others.

• Learn how Christmas is celebrated in different parts of the world, such as St. Lucia Day in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries (the legend of St. Lucia focuses on a Sicilian girl who gave away her dowry to feed the poor) or Las Pasadas from Mexico and Latin American countries. You can also learn about Hannakah (as you pray for the nation of Israel, and for Jewish families to come to know Jesus as their Messiah). Perhaps incorporate one or two new international traditions into your family celebration.

• Remember that Christmas is one of the easiest times of the year to be a strong witness for Jesus. Whenever anyone says, “Happy Holidays,” encourage your children to be bold and friendly as you respond with a cheerful “Merry Christmas!” or “Jesus Loves You!” (and don’t be afraid to invite people to your church or to a special Christ-centered event). Pray specifically for your unsaved neighbors, and perhaps deliver a plate of Christmas cookies along with hand-written cards or loving notes about God’s salvation. Visit elderly people in a nursing home and sing God-glorifying Christmas carols and talk to these precious people about the Lord. Specifically pray for relatives who need Jesus (and maybe plan a little Christmas Eve “skit” performed by your sweet non-threatening kids, to clearly share the real salvation reason for Christ’s coming to earth).

• Communicate a few times during December to your own missionary friends and their children. Today, most overseas missionaries and international ministers utilize online tools such as facebook, twitter, blogs, or websites, so it’s easier than ever to keep in touch. Don’t be afraid to share about your fun Christmas activities, but be sensitive and appreciative for the sacrifices they are making for Jesus to serve Him so far from home.

This Christmas, I invite you to seek God’s purposes for your family.

As homeschooling families, if we really want God’s direction in every areas of our lives, we need to begin by surrendering ALL of our “rights” to God.

All to Jesus, I surrender.
All to Him I freely give.
I will ever love and trust Him.
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all. I surrender all.
All to Thee, My Blessed Savior.
I surrender all.

God gave His Only Son for us; this Christmas, let’s give HIM the reigns, and make Him LORD over every area: over where we live, where we’re willing to go, how we spend money, how we use time, what we say, and over our children’s lives . . . and their futures. Let’s make Him LORD of our Christmas!

Have yourself a MISSION-MINDED CHRISTMAS!!!

Click here for a FREE Sample of THE MISSION-MINDED FAMILY:
http://harvestministry.org/mission-minded-family

Ann Dunagan is a longtime homeschool mother of 7 (with 3 graduates). Since 1987, she and her husband Jon have ministered worldwide with Harvest Ministry. Ann is co-founder of two African orphanages, writer for “Better Parents, Better Families” on the Christian Post and “The Missional Mind” with Biblica, and author of several books including The Mission-Minded Family.