12 Aug When You Are Asking, “What’s Next?”

Sometimes people come home after a mission trip and say, “What’s next?”

That’s what happened to Sheri Postma. The question, “What’s next?” led her to begin Mission Partners for Christ. “Initially,” she says, “I was leading trips every other year with my church, and when I’d come back, I’d sit in my house and say, ‘What’s next, Lord? The need is so great. What’s next?’”

What Comes Next

After a missions trip, when the time comes to go home, it can seem as if going home will be an end to important work. But it isn’t.

“What trip participants can do prior to their leaving is ask [missionaries,] ‘How can I stay connected with you? What can I do after I leave?’”

Stay Connected

Sheri is quick to emphasize that the biggest need is not always financial.

“Missionaries love the connection. I have people from different countries reach out to me just to say ‘hello’ or ‘how are you doing?’ And I encourage them and they encourage me.”

Sheri urges team members to stay connected with those who are serving long-term. “You can continue to stay connected and encourage the partners around the world after you get home. They often feel alone out there. Sometimes all that’s needed is a little ‘hello’ or a ‘thinking about you.’”

Stay Involved

Once you are connected, stay involved in the people and places where you’ve already invested.

“You can become involved in a prayer team for other outreaches,” Sheri suggests.

“One of my translators is a pastor in Cameroon,” she adds, “and he was recently holding outreaches. I got on WhatsApp, and even though Cameroon is in a different time zone, I met to pray with them for several nights prior to the outreach. It still makes me feel like I’m doing something even though I’m not there, and it encourages them.”

If You’re Asking, “What’s Next?”

If you’re asking “What’s next?” it shows your heart is in a posture ready for action. Embrace that and don’t suppose that any action is too small. As Sheri says, “You just have to be purposeful.”

Let’s ask “What’s next?” in a way that seeks God’s purpose.