Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
Even though I haven’t dated anyone, I’ve still had several broken hearts. It feels like unrequited love (i.e., falling for someone who doesn’t share my feelings) has been the theme of my single years. I’ve learned that having a formal relationship isn’t a prerequisite for getting a broken heart. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly easy to get one. If you’ve found that to be true too, this post is for you.
When I started to make the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood, I also started to feel angsty at Christmastime. I wanted Christmas to be a happy holiday, but that didn’t feel possible anymore. Nothing felt the same as it had felt when I was a little kid—giddy to buy gifts, make gifts, and (without a doubt) get gifts. What happened to all those Christmas feels that I had when I was a kid?
You know that crushed feeling you get when the guy you like starts dating someone else? I wrote this poem on the same day I found out the guy I secretly liked was dating someone else. Honestly, it was a very depressing day for me. But the purpose of this poem isn't to throw a pity party; it's to express my emotions and provide an outlet for you to express yours, too. You don't have to stuff the sadness down into the depths of your soul. You can take that sadness to Someone.
I want you to know that you’re believing a lie if you think you’re the only one who can’t find Christmas spirit—at least the “Christmas spirit” described in Hallmark movies and Christmas pop songs, anyway. But no matter how you feel this Christmas, the truths of Christmas still hold true for you.
Think of this post as a letter from God to you. Obviously, His real letter to us is His Word. But I felt like God was sharing these things with me when I was let down recently. He spoke words of comfort, assurance, and strength when I felt distressed, insecure, and weary.
This post was written by my dear friend, Isabelle, whose mom has been battling cancer. Isabelle wrote this months ago, but her mom is still in the process of recovering. Please pray for their family during this difficult season, and let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart through her story.
Those scenarios are fictional, but perhaps they feel familiar to you. You could be facing a variety of unexpected situations this Christmas—a breakup, difficult family situation, death of a loved one, financial burden, medical issue, church dispute, challenging move, betrayal by a friend, doubts and depression, tension at school, or something else. Christmastime is supposed to be a joyous season, but you don't have any joy right now.
The announcer didn’t call my name. He didn’t hand me a certificate. He didn’t congratulate me. He just called off other people’s names and written pieces and awards. And I just sat quietly in my chair and wondered why I had lost—again.
However, Christianity is different. It says, “Everything is going to be okay” and can promise a bright future. Maybe that future won’t come today or tomorrow, but hope is indeed in our future. In fact, we can have that hope today.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 