When You Think You Can’t Hold On

So many ways to be reminded of how hard it is to hold on in these days and weeks around Christmas.

If your heart is barely able to beat, the pressure to be “hap-hap-happy” can send you over the edge.

If your home is empty of cheerful voices, the constant barrage of commercials touting family togetherness can leave you feeling oh, so lonely.

Early sunsets and darker nights send feel-good hormones flying and leave a body aching for just a little relief from anxious and depressing thoughts.

SadGirlBeach

When you think you can’t hold on, let go.  

Let go of expectations-yours and other people’s.

Let go of traditions that no longer serve your heart or draw you closer to the Babe in the manger.

Let go of tons of baking or cooking or entertaining with perfect centerpieces and fragile china.

Let go of blasting Christmas music through the house.

Let go of shopping for the perfect gift or mailing all those cards.

candle and hand

Be still.

Light a candle in the darkness.

Sit quietly and see how even the faintest light can chase away the black of night.

And then hold your empty hands out to the God Who made you, the God Who loves you, the God Who longs to draw you to His heart and let Him fill you with hope.  

jesus-the-heart-of-christmas

There IS hope.

He came in the form of a Baby-weak and vulnerable just like us.

He KNOWS our pain.

He is not impressed with our busyness or our decorations or our presents piled high beneath the tree.  

He sees the heart.  He looks with mercy on a broken heart.  He is the Healer of hearts. 

He longs to heal yours.  

heals the broken hearted
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Author: Melanie

I am a shepherd, wife and mother of four amazing children, three that walk the earth with me and one who lives with Jesus. This is a record of my grief journey and a look into the life I didn't choose. If you are interested in joining a community of bereaved parents leaning on the promises of God in Christ, please like the public Facebook page, "Heartache and Hope: Life After Losing a Child" and join the conversation.

11 thoughts on “When You Think You Can’t Hold On”

  1. Lost a husband days before the holidays. I don’t know if I’ll ever celebrate again. There is no joy. There are no children, or grandchildren. There is no future. I asked God to heal my husband, he did not. I have asked God to heal my heart, it never will be.

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  3. Christmas was always a time of stress.
    As a pastors family, I always felt the stress of expectations by the church as well as the commercialization of the season. And I worked so that our children had a magical season.
    I always believed that I was building this for our future. That one day all the kids would come home for Christmas with their children.
    And then it was all gone.
    David’s death imploded the family.
    Now, there is just the 2 of us. No one comes here, there are no grandchildren.
    I am learning to let go. It’s hard.

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    2. I am so very sorry, dear heart.

      Pastoring is hard. Pastoring is harder when your life implodes and includes the unbearable pain of child loss.

      Praying for you to receive the comfort, peace and strength of Christ in this most challenging season. ❤

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