Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

So, it is that time of year again when, everywhere you turn people are getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is such a wonderful time of celebration and joy, but maybe you aren’t quite feeling full of Joy and Hope, or maybe you know someone who isn’t.  The holidays are a wonderful time of year and they can also be a time of remembering the loss you are feeling!  God wants you to know today that, while it may not feel like it today or for a while yet, if you just hold onto your hope in God, you will return to the place where not only will you praise Him, but you will feel like praising Him as well!  I know personally when my Dad passed, he passed just before Christmas that year, my children and I just couldn’t bring ourselves to celebrate Christmas not only that year but for the next couple of years.  The holidays just seemed overwhelming.  But now, I can celebrate and the memories of all of the years we had with my Dad are heartwarming, wonderful memories that warm our hearts and give us one more reason to praise God!  

If you know someone that you are close to who may be struggling this year, I would encourage you to pray for God’s leading on how you might be able to bring them just a little bit of joy this season to remind them that He sees and He cares about all of their tears.  Don’t try to “fix their pain”, allow them the time and space to grieve.  Be that kind of friend who can listen without trying to fix it because you can’t ~ only God can heal our broken hearts and that loss is real and isn’t just going to go away.  

God loves you and He cares, that is why He sent His son to earth!  He has kept track of your every tear and He still has a plan, as it says in Jeremiah 29:11, “…… a plan to give you hope and a future!”  Trust Him to carry you through!  Hold on to your hope in Him and know that He wants to give you His strength, grace, and love to carry you through.

Quote “Today is another verse: Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28