Preparing for Christmas in the Darkness of Grief - Journey to Christmas
Christmas calls Christians to gather with family and loved ones. We hunger for that mystical joy and reminder that in this messy, broken world, there is hope. That light does shine in the darkness. But for many, the call of Christmas challenges our deepest emotions, because instead of joy, we grieve. Every family will experience loss at some point and the empty chair, the aching arms, a favorite food, or just being with one another magnifies the absence of the missing father, mother, grandparent, husband, wife, sister, brother, best friend. For some the grief seems too great to bear, as our arms long to hold our child once more, or even hold that missing baby just one time.
Across our world, humanity heaves with ugly crying and unquenchable sorrow, that matches the grief of families longing for what was. We understand.
One of the first questions we asked after Mark's death was, "Christmas. What will we doa bout Christmas?" Many tears and excruciating agony swallowed up that question, but in a moment of clarity, we concluded that our first Christmas without Mark could be our most important Christmas. We share some of our journey that first Christmas in this interview. We speak candidly about how we approached our most favorite time of the year without our youngest child. If you are struggling with grief and loss, for whatever reason, we invite you to listen to our story Preparing for Christmas in the Darkness of Grief
and perhaps you will find treasures in the darkness that will help turn your heart toward Jesus.
One of the first questions we asked after Mark's death was, "Christmas. What will we doa bout Christmas?" Many tears and excruciating agony swallowed up that question, but in a moment of clarity, we concluded that our first Christmas without Mark could be our most important Christmas. We share some of our journey that first Christmas in this interview. We speak candidly about how we approached our most favorite time of the year without our youngest child. If you are struggling with grief and loss, for whatever reason, we invite you to listen to our story Preparing for Christmas in the Darkness of Grief
and perhaps you will find treasures in the darkness that will help turn your heart toward Jesus.
Over the next few weeks I will share some of my most popular Christmas posts, designed to help turn hearts toward Jesus this Christmas season.
God promises people with shattered hearts, that one day, "The people who walked in darkness will see a great light; those who walk in a land of deep darkness, on them a light will shine."
Jesus is that light. The Apostle John opens the Gospel of John with the declaration that the "light enters the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it."
Grief turns out the lights in our hearts. But Jesus, the Light, helps us find our way to the Cross and His love. Isaiah reminds us that Jesus, our Messiah "has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus arrived in a world not unlike our own. Bloodshed, terrorism, uncertainty.
He knows us. The gift of Jesus goes beyond salvation for Christians and can permeate the darkest parts of our soul, as our sorrow leads us to the Cross.
Jesus is that light. The Apostle John opens the Gospel of John with the declaration that the "light enters the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it."
He knows us. The gift of Jesus goes beyond salvation for Christians and can permeate the darkest parts of our soul, as our sorrow leads us to the Cross.
Christmas is for those who grieve. I invite you to join me on our journey to Christmas, and it's my prayer that the teaching moments along my own grief journey will help turn other shattered hearts toward Jesus this holy season.
In His grip,
Sharon