Dealing With Difficult Times During The Holidays

Hi ladies it's me again, happy Tuesday, and happy December! Oh my goodness I can't believe we're in December the last month of the year! Wow! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. The title I have for this blog is called "Dealing With Difficult Times During The Holidays". Ladies this topic is near and dear to my heart for a number of reasons. I remember dealing with that myself when we went through COVID five years earlier (I hope y'all haven't forgotten that) and I've dealt with loss of loved ones too. Folks we know that though the holidays can be the "most wonderful time of the year" it can be the most difficult. Remember the previous blog I wrote about "The 400 Years Of Silence"? I mentioned how that impacted the Jews with their struggles and how it relates today? Some of you maybe looking forward to Christmas while others are dreading it and that can be for many reasons. Number one you may have lost a loved one. How many of y'all know grief is very complex. Maybe you lost a parent, spouse, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, a child, or even a pet. Loss is never easy by any means and you have to carry on without them. Folks I know that all too well because I went through it and we know that grief has its stages. There's shock/denial, sadness, anger, bargaining, and acceptance. That's tough to deal with during the regular part of the year but the holidays makes it all the more harder to deal with. The holidays maybe hard because you lost a job or dealing with financial challenges. I believe this is something people address throughout the year but rarely mention that during the holidays. In fact I have a book coming out soon that addresses that very issue. (I'll let y'all know when it's available on Amazon.) Some people may worry how they'll afford rent, food to eat much less Christmas gifts to buy for others. Jobs can be difficult to find and my heart goes out to people who deal with that. Others the holidays maybe difficult because of unresolved family drama. Oh my goodness that can be a pain in the behind. Maybe you have to deal with a relative (you know who they are) that aren't the easiest to get along with. Maybe you're not looking forward to being with them and have to pray for extra measure of grace to deal with them. For others they maybe single, divorced, or widowed making the holidays feel lonely even if they're around people. Maybe watching love movies is too much for them. For others they may have a loved one incarcerated and folks I've been there too. I've had family members and even someone dear right now dealing with this! Friends I want y'all to know if you're struggling emotionally for these reasons and more you're not alone. In fact "the first Christmas" wasn't glamorous by any means. Remember how I mentioned in the previous blog before Jesus arrived on Christmas night how dark the world was? Rome oppressed Israel, Herod the Great sadly was no better. (Remember he tried to destroy Jesus along with the boys of Bethlehem after the Magi returned home. That's for another blog.) There was corruption in spiritual leadership too during that time. But that's when Jesus needed to come the most. He revealed Himself on flesh in form of a baby to a peasant Virgin girl and carpenter in Bethlehem to bring light in a dark world. His birth not only brought hope and comfort to Mary and Joseph but to the shepherds later the Magi and to the world at large that neither Jesus or the Father forgot about humanity. Ultimately Christ's coming was to bring the world salvation that's available then and now. Ladies if you're feeling heavy during this time of year know that God knows. In fact the Bible promises that if you lost a loved one our Lord is our Comforter. If there's family drama pray about it and ask God to fend for you. When there's lack of employment or finances remember God as Jehovah Jireh out Provider. If you're loved one is incarcerated well best thing you can do is pray for them and find ways to communicate with them while not forgetting to keep living your life and trust God to deal with them. For those who are divorced, widowed, or single (as I am), one of Jesus names is Emmanuel is "God is with us". He's with us in the good and bad times throughout the year and the same is true if you're dealing with difficulties during the holidays too. That doesn't mean that things will get any easier but it does remind us if He's with us during the regular part of the year He's with us now as we remember His birth. That's what I wanted to share with you ladies and if anyone is in a season like this, you're in my prayers. This is one of my raw blogs to share with y'all and pray it encourages y'all. Blessings to each of you ladies, have a blessed week, and Merry Christmas!










