I am sitting here as Christmas is drawing near thinking about the encouragement we need this Christmas. It has been a crazy year.
From getting engaged the day this picture was taken, to Covid, to getting married in the midst of it all and being able to gather friends and family at the table to honeymooning in Italy.
And now it is Christmas and we are in our second lockdown of the year and cannot gather like we normally would. It does make me wonder what kind of encouragement we really need this Christmas. While my encouragement from last year or the year before or how to be single on Christmas are still valid I want to add another layer to it.
This year I want to encourage us with these three things
The encouragement we need this Christmas
Be thankful
One of the things that encouraged me the most this year was being thankful for the amazing year I have been given. I am not going to allow this year’s challenges to overshadow the fact that I got married to my best friend and had my dream wedding. Another thing we can be thankful for is the extra time we have been given this year. I don’t know about you but sometimes everything felt like being in this hamster wheel of time and we have been kicked out this year. I have enjoyed extra time this year.
Be present
It is so easy to fall into the trap of “last year everything was better” or “next year when everything is “normal” again”. I am a firm believer that being present in this moment is so important. We can learn from the past and we can dream of the future but we must live here and now. Yes, this year has been hard in many ways but we cannot change it so let us rather enjoy the moment, the quiet and most of all the real reason for Christmas.
Be generous
Speaking of the real reason for Christmas. For God so loved the world that he GAVE his son. Christmas is about giving and not about holding back and drawing back. Find ways to be extra generous this year by smiling, being kind, donating money or by baking something and delivering it to your friends. Do not allow this Christmas to be overshadowed or taken away. This year it is time to shine extra bright.
With that being said I hope this really is the encouragement you need this Christmas. Allow for it to be a beautiful, contemplative and special time this year.
Much love
Ramona
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