Don\u2019t let worry tug the merry out of your Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lyrics of Christmas songs leap from television and radio\nright into our hearts, inspiring us to sing along. Everywhere we go, \u201cMerry\nChristmas\u201d greetings bring a smile. Holiday wishes arrive daily in the mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, indeed, we\u2019ll have ourselves a merry Christmas! Won\u2019t\nwe? I do hope you will. But a good dose of reality informs me some of you are\nstruggling during this wonderful season. Family worries. Financial worries.\nHealth worries. Lots of worries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just thinking\u2026what would it take to have a truly merry\nChristmas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please\u2026I know the reason we\u2019re celebrating. Our precious\nLord Jesus was born in a rugged stable in Bethlehem. He came for one purpose\u2014to\nsave us from our sins! Receiving him, God\u2019s unspeakable gift, is all we need to\nhave a truly merry Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are unresolved issues in life that tug at our\nmerry. If we let them, they will tug all the merry out of our Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conflicts leave families divided. Job loss casts finances into\nuncertainty. Health issues drape an ominous cloud over the future. How in this\nworld can we feel merry when everything seems to be falling apart? Just getting\nreal here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daily stuff becomes focus. The young child diagnosed with an\nincurable illness. The precious mother stolen by dementia. The hard-working\nhusband down-sized out of a paycheck. How can you think of anything else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Real life isn\u2019t fun and games. Real life is sometimes hard beyond words. Heartbreak. Loneliness. Hopelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\nReal life isn\u2019t all fun and games. Real life is sometimes hard beyond words. Heartbreak. Loneliness. Hopelessness. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n I apologize for pushing you into a sad mood. But some of you\nare already there. If you are not, then use these thoughts as a reminder to\npray for those who are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do I have any encouragement to offer? Only what the Lord has\ngiven me when hard places sent me seeking him above all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto\nyou. Let not your heart be troubled,\nneither let it be afraid\u201d (John 14:27).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and\nI will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;\nfor I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.\nFor my yoke is easy, and my burden is light\u201d (Matthew 11:28-30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed\non thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is\neverlasting strength\u201d (Isaiah 26:3-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance\u201d (Psalm 42:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy; yea, upon\nthe harp will I praise thee, O God my God\u201d (Psalm 43:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peace. Rest. Strength. Hope. Joy. Just what we need for a\nmerry Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How in this world can we feel merry when everything seems to be falling apart? Circumstances will not bring us to merry. These gifts\u2014peace, rest, strength, hope, joy\u2014are what Jesus brings to our circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Circumstances will not bring us to merry. These gifts\u2014peace, rest, strength, hope, joy\u2014are what Jesus brings to our circumstances. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t let worry tug the merry out of your Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I pray your Christmas is everything those wonderful songs of\nthe season promise\u2014because of the promises of Christ our Savior!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d love to know your thoughts. Please leave a comment. And\nshare this with your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Scriptures from KJV)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Don\u2019t let worry tug the merry out of your Christmas. The lyrics of Christmas songs leap from television and radio right into our hearts, inspiring us to sing along. Everywhere we go, \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d greetings bring a smile. Holiday wishes arrive daily in the mail. Yes, indeed, we\u2019ll have ourselves a merry Christmas! Won\u2019t we? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[13,9,14,456,438,457],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-abundant-life","tag-dianne-barker","tag-encouragement","tag-how-to-have-a-merry-christmas","tag-living-the-maximum-life","tag-loneliness"],"yoast_head":"\n