Not everyone, however, experiences joy at Christmastime. There are people who may dread the Christmas season. Those who have lost loved ones or who are alone can feel the incredible sting of loneliness and grief. Even those whose hope is in the Lord can feel the pangs of despair during this time of year.
In our family, we try to alleviate this feeling by sharing memories and laughing about funny stories from the past. Some, however, do not have the luxury of a large family to help share the burden of grief. Some are forced to go it alone.
This week, many people’s thoughts are centred around the families who lost loved ones in Newtown, Connecticut. They will feel a glaring and heart-wrenching absence for Christmas this year, if they’re even able to celebrate at all. Those families need our love and support, even if only through prayer. But there are others who live in our own community who have also suffered tragedy and loss. They will also have an empty seat at their Christmas dinner table. A kind word. A hug. A Christmas card. A tin of cookies. Any of these simple acts might make a world of difference to someone experiencing loneliness or lingering grief.
In our church library, I created a section for people who have experienced loss. Unlike some other systems that categorize this section of non-fiction as ‘grief,’ I chose instead to assign it the subject heading ‘healing.’ Healing suggests finding comfort, discovering peace and becoming healthy again.
Here are a few encouraging reads from our collection:
In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart By Ruth Graham
A Passage Through Grief By Barbara Baumgardner
Trusting God Again: Regaining Hope After Disappointment or Loss by Glandion Carney and William Long
Waiting for Morning: Seeking God in our Suffering by James Kok
And two classics:
When God Doesn’t Make Sense by Dr. James Dobson
Where is God when it hurts? By Philip Yancey
Remember those who are in the process of healing so that they can also share in the joy, hope, peace and love that Christmas brings!
