12/20/09 Message - Carols of Christmas: Replacing My Grief

Welcome to the Christmas season Twin Cities style. Last week we entered into the Christmas spirit as we began our series on “The Carols of Christmas.” If you missed last week, please stop by the Next Step Bookstore before you leave today and order a copy of the CD. We were all inspired to look at Christmas with the wonder of a child. It was an amazing day.

This week we’re going to focus on helping those who feel loss, grief, and disappointment at Christmas time. The holidays seem to turn up the heat on those feelings as many people place their hopes in the Christmas of their dreams, which often times is not reasonable, let alone possible. It’s been my prayer as I prepare this week that those of us who feel grief because of the loss we have experienced, whether it’s the loss of a family member, relationship, job, health or financial, that we will be encouraged and have a new outlook on the upcoming holidays.