The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and wonderment. For many, however, the holidays are lonely, stressful, and depressing. Even while finding joy in the Lord, deep feelings of loss can overshadow the hope and thanksgiving we express this time of year. The absence of a loved one can leave a person feeling alone in a crowded room. Celebrating with blood relatives or church family, while wonderful, doesn’t fill the empty seat of the person that is missing. The feeling of loss can take its toll at any time, but it often feels more prevalent this time of year. If you are facing the holidays alone, please know…

In our 23 years of marriage, my husband and I have had many opportunities to celebrate. We’ve also had many opportunities to walk with one another through grief. We’ve grieved over the death of loved ones, the loss of jobs, unwanted medical diagnoses, the effects of our own sin, and the effects of others’ sin. The list could keep going. Helping your spouse grieve is a privilege because it’s an opportunity to love, support, comfort, and rely on the Lord in a very specific way. But I would also say, helping your spouse grieve is a burden of love, because grief is hard, it’s exhausting, it takes time, and can…

As we enter into the holiday season, it’s easy to look at those around us who seem to have it all together and be reminded of what’s lacking in our own lives. This can make it difficult to find joy and to have a spirit of thanksgiving. For many, the holidays are a dark season of depression and self-loathing. Think of those with no family to celebrate with, the homeless, the incarcerated, or the shut-ins. There are countless reasons why someone might find the holidays to be more depressing than exciting, and any of these reasons can easily lead to a critical spirit, depression, and in the most severe cases,…