Sometimes the Season aint' so Great... and isn't so Jolly...
 

I wanted to start a thread for those of you who are suffering thru this Christmas Season. Whether it's been a rough year, or you have some sadness in your life or you have lost a loved one during this time.

I want you to know that your appreciated here and Your loved here and God Loves You!

I know we have many threads on the joy's of Christmas but for many folks this time of year can be rough and doesn't add much to your life. But I want to encourage you that you can make it through whatever your going through just keep holding God's hand and he will bring you thru it.

Please post if you need prayer this year...

Randy...

Thank you Randy! I needed to read this. This is a really hard time for my family. My dad passed away 2 years ago, the day before Thanksgiving. So the holidays are bitter sweet. Please keep the Alicea family in your prayers. Thank you for being so sensitive and starting this thread.

This has been one of the most difficult years of my life for too many reasons to mention on a forum, but I've survived it. God never changes. He's the Solid Rock. Sometimes I've allowed myself to flounder in the swamplands - but the Rock was still there. Suffering? We are told that if we want to KNOW Him, we will suffer, so that's no surprise.

Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

I feel unworthy to be on anybody's prayer list, but if there is a person out there with a few seconds of time to spare and a concern for others, please pray a short prayer for TalkLady2.

Thanks.

Thank you my dear friend ,as this year has been one of roughest years financial wise of my married life,so this means alot to me.
But God is good and I thank Him for His mercy.
My wife is a trooper and knows how to strecth money,she really is a great woman.

A prayer said for us would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

We are not looking forward to Thanksgiving in our family. This will be the first holiday since my 17 year old niece was killed in September. I know already that it's going to be a rough one. We always go bowling after we eat. That's something that Jamie looked sooooooo forward to every year. It's the only time of the year that she and Jenna get to go bowling (the rest of the grandkids all bowl on leagues, but not Jamie and Jenna). So I know that the bowling is going to be extremely hard. Shoot, I'm sitting here with tears running even just thinking about it.

I'd appreciate any prayers you all want to pray on our behalf.

And I'm making a list so I can pray for all of the rest of you who've asked as well.

It'll be a good holiday season. Just a rough one. But we're still celebrating. God is still good and He is still faithful and we still love Him more than anything.

There many request here I would hope ADMIN could make this a sticky... We will pray with you folks!!

Pray for those who won't post that they need prayer.

It's very different for me

- my mom has been gone for three years this Dec.
- my third year divorced
- my son is married this Christmas

Things change and you keep hoping for the Norman Rockwell Christmas. It can get tough, but I always try to look at the glass half full!

Great thread and I'd appreciate the thoughts.

It's a time to pray real hard. My prayer these past few days has been that God give me the strength to control my thoughts. Its real easy to get swallowed up by circumstances and grief. He's the only one that can see the hurt, feel the hurt and ease the hurt, all at the same time.

Always the thoughtful one, Randy...good thread and a good reminder.

Instead of responding to each post, I'll just post this - praying for everyone who has asked for prayer on this thread. I can relate to a few of them, my mother passed away 18 years ago on the day before Thanksgiving, Darcie - it's a rough time of the year to lose a loved one.........

Scott, three years ago we were near bankruptcy, all for following what I thought was a call to a specific ministry, but God has been good, and it's turned around now............

Margie, I know your family, and I know the pain you guys will be feeling this year..........

Mike, I can't believe your sweet mom has been gone for 18 years already. My goodness, how time flies! Your mom was a saint if I've ever met one. I was blessed to know her. (and your sister also. Two precious people!)

Super post, Michael.

Your compassion is showing, thank God.

I would like to join you in praying for these, please.

Thank you. I hate the holidays, but have a merry MithraMass anyways :donuts

We'll keep you in our prayers too...

I have troubles at Thanksgiving for I lost my Dad on Nov 16, 2001.

Thanks for the thread Randy!



(let RevsHoney post now, will ya?)

Will be praying for all needs mentioned in particular, but know this, a lot of you are always near in my thoughts & prayers already.

Remember this if you forget anything else.....


Mr Rogers was right--YOU ARE SPECIAL, TO GOD, AND TO OTHERS AS WELL!

God Bless you all!

Thanks for this post. It has been a diffcult year for my wife and I. Serious financial trials going on now. We were "starved out" of a church we were pastoring for being to "lib" (church was growing and the older saints got nervous). We are helping at a church that we are not really thrilled to be at and then, my wife lost her dad last week to Lukemia. But, God is good! I thank Him for the financial miracle we receved "before the foundations of the earth" and for the direction that I have recieved just recently and for His comfort through these times! God be praised!

We've had some sort of tragedy or drama at Thanksgiving time for the last several years. It does make you wonder when the other shoe is going to drop, and has made me dread the holidays. I would honestly rather just skip the holidays entirely and thought that the idea in the John Grisham novel, "Skipping Christmas" was a pretty good idea.. I start holding my breath in November and hold it until after Valentine's day...(I'm also disillusioned with all of the commercialism during this exact same period, so that doesn't help.) It is marketing genious... they start playing Christmas music in October now, and that initiates a Pavlovian response so that people start buying gifts. This will be my only post about this because I hate being a scrooge, just thought I would pipe in since Randy was nice enough to make a thread. :)

what has happend to you at TG ???

Same for us - only it was my grandpa 2 days before thanksgiving. It was unexpected - he was only in his 60's. Last year was a rough thanksgiving, I'm sure this year will be somewhat better but it will still be rough. I just have to say I am sooooo thankful that I got to know him as long as I did - he was a wonderful man who has made a lasting impression on our family.

Ditto! This year has been a rough one financially - God always makes a way somehow! :)

Randy....thank you for this...

:yourock

We just lost my second Mom last month. This holiday will be difficult for all.

Thanks for all your prayers.

I totally feel the same way. Funny. I always get this "sick" feeling in October that lasts until like March.

The holidays are always hard when you have to go through them emotionally alone. I have a HUGE family, but we are emotionally detached from each other. I am spending this thanksgiving alone (besides the time I volunteer at a soup kitchen Thursday morning). Haven't figured out the Christmas situation yet.

Nice to know you all are praying for each other....and maybe me too.

Please do remember my husband in prayer, ( he has about 6 more months in Iraq).

Today is his birthday.

I just talked to him, and I reminded him that it is almost over, then he will be home.

Blessings to all, and you are in my prayers.

Please tell him that the AFF family thanks him for serving and defending our country.

I appreciate RG for this thread.He has always been nice to me on the phone.

Please pray for me. This is a really rough time of the year for me for too many reasons to list. I keep wanting to just be ok, but if I'm really honest, I'm not.

Sometimes honesty is the best next step we take...

This has been the roughest year of my life since 1991-1994. Transition, change...change..and more change. Can't wait for watchnight service.

Love & Blessings to everyone...
Rhoni

Praying for you and others, Sis.

Thank you Sis Darcie!

You don't know how much your comment will mean to my husband.

I will tell him the next time he calls home.

I didn't want to cry this early in the day.....

Yesterday was kinda rough altho I held it together.

I haven't seen my brother or talked to him since July....he is ok....we aren't close and it is one of those times when I don't know what to say and for many reason's I just haven't made the step to contact him.

If you wouldn't mind adding my family to your prayer list...I know my parents could use it.

Thanks
trent4

Wow! So many needs. I know that our God will keep each one of you in His tender arms. This has been a bitter sweet year for me. God has blessed us with two beautiful children but I have also faced some of the hardest trials I have ever faced in my walk with God. I have been convinced that Satan would have loved to destroy me but thank God I am still standing, as are each one of you. I find God to be more real to me everyday, I pray that you will find Him greater in your life through this season.

Amen.I am just so glad for the spirit of Thankfulness that has come upon me this year.I am not going through a great time or anything but for what i do have I am so greatly thankful.I am thankful to have the blessings of the Lord as it really does make you rich.Not money wise though it helps but in family
and love and all the things that really count.Its a new beginning for my family.God is good and He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him.
I pray that each person would use this time of uncomfortableness to become more thankful in your thoughts and deeds.You don't have alot this year? How about volunteering at some of the places where there are those who are alot less fortunate.Be the hands and feet and heart of Jesus.Its not about buying alot of things but of giving of yourself.Jesus owned the whole world but He did not nail the world to the cross.He nailed Himself.Bless you all in Jesus Name.

I'm not wanting to be in Austin alone this year for Christmas.

Nate and his family will be coming up the weekend before to stay with me for a couple days, then I'll be following them back to Huntsville to stay with them for a few days, and then I'll be heading to Danzerella's to stay with him for a day or two.

Looking forward to getting out of town... and not being alone.

Ron, I'm glad you have a great circle of friends. Without my friends, I'd also be alone (albeit with my children) for the holidays.