All is calm and all is bright, everywhere but in your heart tonight. They’re singing carol’s of joy and peace but you feel too far gone and too far out of reach. Somewhere in your silent night, Heaven hears the song your broken heart has cried. Hope is there, just lift your head. For love has come to find you, Somewhere in your silent night. From heavens height to manger low, there is no distance the Prince of Peace won’t go. From manger low to Calvary’s hill, when your pain runs deep His love runs deeper still. He has always loved you, Child and He always will.

You don’t need to feel alone, God hears your cries:

If you feel broken, unloved or are in pain for any reason, fall on your knees and pray. God knows what your’re going through, he hears your cries. He loves you more than anybody ever will. He will mend your wounds and take your pain away. If you feel lonely, pick up the phone, He’s waiting on your call. Just like calling a friend, sometimes you call to vent, sometimes you want to hear feedback. Make sure on some of your calls, you take some Silent time and listen for His feedback.

Holiday depression is real, but you are not alone:

Christmas season is the most magical season of all. Celebrating the birth of our Savior! The beauty of all the pretty lights and decorations, Christmas music, falling of white snow (in some lucky areas). Family traditions; making cookies, decorating the tree, shopping, caroling, Christmas Eve service, Christmas parties, spending time with friends and family.

Heart breaking but true, there is no Christmas magic for a lot of people, instead it’s a season of depression. Sadly there are many, too many if you ask me that are homeless. Some people may feel alone because they are widowed or lost someone close to them. Many of us this year (myself included) are feeling depressed & isolated under quarantine, not able to spend the holidays with our loved ones. Some (as I did for 18 years) may be with someone who is intentionally making their Christmas and holidays miserable because they are narcissistic uncaring individuals who want nothing good for you. They don’t even recognize the real meaning of Christmas. Seeing Joy & Peace in your soul makes them cringe.

The Narcissistic Grinch who stole Christmas

For 18 years, I was not allowed to put a Christmas tree up. It took me several years to talk him into letting me put some decorations outside (no he was not Jewish, he claimed to be a Christian). His argument for all those years was “it’s too much of a hassle for a short time”, “I’m not bringing a tree with dirt and bugs in MY house”, “hanging lights on the house is going to ruin the gutters”, etc. A true Grinch-bah humbug attitude which made me miserable.

After many years of pleading, I talked him into a Nativity that was in his Mom’s garage. It was one of those old fashioned plastic nativity’s, and I was so happy to have that displayed out on the front lawn. Even it only lasted 2 or 3 Christmas’s, it made me happy. But still no Christmas tree. One year I bought an artificial Charlie Brown table top tree, yes it was sad but I did it to make a point of how badly I wanted a tree, this didn’t move him at all. I used to tell him that he “Sucked the Spirit, right out of Christmas”.

Don’t let someone steal your Christmas Spirit

In our line of business we work a lot in December, it’s our busiest month (with the exception of this year due to the horrible pandemic), which includes working on Christmas Eve and day. My Mom hated that I worked on Christmas, always begged me not too and honestly I always felt bad working on Jesus’s birthday. But the money was too good to pass up and my Ex always laid the guilt trip on me (as a selfish-controlling person will because they think only of themselves). He repeatedly reminded me that if we both worked it was double the money (which I knew we needed because Jan & Feb are slow months), so basically gave me no choice…again guilt tripping me.

Take back control

If I tried to take an early or later solo job, so I could fit my family in, he would flip out. Threatened me that if I didn’t work with him he wouldn’t work at all, which would leave a customer without help. This meant no family time, no family tradition of going to my Aunt & Uncles house on Christmas Eve, no Christmas Church service and I was stuck spending my whole day with him. It was very depressing, it NEVER felt like Christmas during those 18 years that I lived with him. Christmas day was just an ordinary day; got up, showered & dressed and went to work. It was beyond depressing but I am so happy to be in “Control” over my own life again. God is the only one who has the authority to happily control my life, no man will ever bully or control me again.

Looking at the good thru the bad

Ironically, I have no choice to work this year as Covid-19 shut down my business. I finally have a Thanksgiving and Christmas off and my Mom is now in heaven. I still can’t spend it with family, since I contracted the dreaded Covid, so no Christmas activities for me this year. It is a bit depressing but I know God has great plans for me, he wants me to use this quarantine time to draw closer to Him, so that’s what I am focusing on. I will not let depression sink in, I am fighting it with lots of prayer, which we all need to do.

We have to look on the bright side of every situation, it could always be worse. I happily can rejoice because I am alone with Jesus, that’s a lot to be grateful for! I am not stuck in a house with Mr. Bah humbug. This year has been a year like no other, such a struggle for so many. We are NOT AlONE in this, and it’s comforting to know that I won’t be alone on Christmas. I will be celebrating with Jesus (and family on Zoom). Thank God for 2020 technology!

You are worthy & Loved

Within the last 10 years with him the Christmas presents stopped. This made me feel so unloved & unworthy, I wasn’t even worth the value of a penny. Thankfully, we have a Savior that thinks we are so worthy and He loves us so much! He loves us so much the he died for us, think about that!

Luke 12: 6-7; “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows“.

God knows the # of hairs on our head, He has YOU imprinted on the palm of his hands (Isiah 49:16), He has EVERY one of your tears counted in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). Is this not enough for you to feel loved and worthy? It took me many years to get my head out of the sand to remember this, but it’s never too late to ask Jesus for forgiveness. You are beautiful, strong, intelligent, worthy, loved, competent, and valued. You matter! Man’s degrading opinions do not matter when you have Jesus, so don’t let anyone make you feel differently.

How to feel worth & Love

If you feel lonely or hurt today, you don’t need to. Ask Jesus into your heart, it’s as easy as ABC. Admit, Believe and Commit. My Pastor add’s a D for Do it today! Every day is a great day to accept Jesus as your Savior (I was 8 yrs old when I said my acceptance prayer) but doing it during Christmas time, the time of His birth is pretty amazing. It will be the BEST Christmas present you can give yourself. Start your New Year out full of forgiveness, Love, Joy, Salvation! Your life will be changed in the most amazing way.

All you have to do is Admit that you are a sinner, Believe that Jesus was born and died so that your sins could be forgiven, Commit your life to Him. Acceptance Prayer: (Lift your hands up to God and say); Father in heaven, Thank you for loving me. I admit to you that I’ve done things that were wrong. Be merciful to me as a sinner. I believe that Jesus died for me to take upon himself for all my sins-past, present & future. Today, Jesus I receive you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart, I give you my life.

The Angels are rejoicing!

If you said this prayer, Congratulations! It is the best decision that you will ever make, your life will be transformed. I am so excited for you to experience God’s love and to live each day filled with the Holy Spirit. Please message me and let me know that you accepted Jesus as your Savior, I want to personally congratulate and celebrate with you! I would also like to send you a gift. And remember always that God has always Loved you Child, and He always will. Nothing or No One will ever change that.

At this time of the Christmas season, may I recommended reading the planning, conception & birth of our Savior. Luke Chapters 1 & 2. Mary is a good role model to follow. Let’s be more like Mary and trust in Gods plans. Let’s be obedient and cooperate with Him, do what He asks us to do. Allow God to work in you as He wants to, and know that all his plans for you are for good, not harm. When unexpected things happen, keep your head up and keep trusting and praising Him! Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy-Healthy New Year!

Lift your Christmas Spirits, know that you are not alone. If you are hurting and missing someone special this Christmas, listen to this beautiful song by Francesca Battistelli, called “Behold Him”