Some years, Christmas isn’t the festive celebration everyone around you seems to be enjoying. In 2005 my sweet grandfather was in the hospital barely clinging to life at Christmas and my family and I were cloaked in grief.
That year we took great comfort in the name for Jesus found in Isaiah 7:14—Immanuel. Jesus truly is God with us. No matter what you are facing this Christmas, He is God with you in the midst of your circumstances.
A friend recently sent me this short video about praising God in seasons where He gives and seasons where He takes away. Grab a tissue. The people featured in this video aren’t actors. They’re real people facing Christmas with either incredible joy or heart wrenching sorrow this year.
I promise, at about 3 minutes long, it’s worth a watch. (If you subscribe to this blog via RSS feed you may need to click here to see the video.)
Blessed Be Your Name from Ev Free Fullerton on Vimeo.
Tags: grief at Christmas, loss at Christmas, sad at Christmas
Thank you, Shannon.
Beautiful. Tears in my coffee, but beautiful. “You give and take away my heart will choose to say blessed be your name.” My favorite part of that song That’s faith.
Love this “Jesus truly is God with us. No matter what you are facing this Christmas, He is God with you in the midst of your circumstances.” This is very comforting. God is with us and NEVER leaves.
This is a good writing post. Makes it very real. thanks
WOW! Really good post Shannon.
Whats the name of the song?
Sara: the song is called “Blessed Be Your Name”. Many people have covered it, but I know Matt Redman does it if you want to search for it on i-Tunes.
So finding Jesus means seeing how HE is working in our lives, no matter what the circumstances?