Thriving Through Seasons of Grief by Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

This book is for the broken hearted, the disappointed, and those picking up the pieces of their life. Full of true stories, easy to read and will give the reader hope and practical tools.

Now available on Amazon in paperback or on Kindle. #grief #hope #griefjourney #griefsupport #author #griefhelp #thrivingthroughseasonsofgrief

God's healing touch during the holidays

God’s healing touch during the holidays By Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie copyright 2021

Most of us think of the holidays as a time of celebration, gatherings with friends and family, and pretty lights. For others, the holidays only remind them of what is NOT in their lives anymore. Grief often shows up unexpected during this season triggering the pain that might have remained hidden the rest of the year. Christmas is full of memories and those precious memories tend to come to mind during this season. The good news is, God is with us in our pain and heals. I speak from experience. The things I have learned from walking through grief have been some of the best teachers in my life. Learning that no matter what I face, God holds my hand and is full of compassion, has given me great confidence and expanded my compassion for other people, which is priceless. God cares when our hearts hurt and wants to heal us. Psalms 34:17 (NIV) states “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” It may not feel like God is close in our pain, but the truth is, He has never been closer. As I have experienced Him guiding me, encouraging me and His kindness, it has made the above scripture very real. God relentlessly kept showing me He was right beside me. Too often, our feelings lie to us and in tough times, we feel like life is over, God has forsaken us, but we must believe the truth of God’s word and press through the feelings. If you are brokenhearted over losing a loved one, recently divorced or have experienced another loss, let me encourage you to ask God to open your eyes to see His nearness and to encourage your heart. I have done that and it works. You are precious to Him and He cares that your heart hurts. Six years ago, I lost of both of my parents before and right after the holidays. I was not looking forward to the first holiday without them, as they had been with me for more than 50 years. As I approached the holiday, instead of focusing on missing them, I began to wonder, what adventure would God had ahead for me. God is always good, and I’ve learned from losing my late husband that, when facing something new and different without a loved one, I could find comfort and joy, looking for the adventure and God’s goodness. Needless to say, it was different the first year without them, as I spent the holiday in Alpine, Texas, with my new husband on a 40,000-acre ranch, mule deer hunting and helping him with his hunting business, a side business he has done for years. The beauty and majesty of the area was breathtaking, and I missed a 10-point buck … I’ll get him one day! My dad loved West Texas, and it will always remind me of him. Enjoying something he loved so much brought me a smile. I’ve found joy in the differentness and enjoyed the challenge. Christmas can be challenging for those suffering from grief as it brings up so many memories. Oftentimes, these are memories of the good times we have shared with those we love. These memories bring the reality of our loss to the forefront of our minds. You may not be grieving this holiday season, but God may want to use you to be His arms of compassion and love. Often, people that are grieving just need people to affirm their pain and loss and encourage them. Life isn’t the same without those that have been a huge part of our lives. It is challenging to go on without them. They may have lost a mother, father, child, brother etc. Love and compassion will always win and bring healing. Love never fails. Sometimes, someone else’s arms and kind words mean the world to a grieving person. Just to know that someone cares that their heart hurts, means the world to those that have loved and lost. I encourage you to give those who have lost a love one, a hug. The Holy Spirit is the best comforter, however, let me encourage you to ask God how He might want to use you to be a gift to someone hurting this season. There are several widows I have called frequently this holiday season. Just to know someone is thinking about them and cares that their heart is struggling brings comfort. Being sensitive to others helps us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and vice versa. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” God may want to use you to bring His peace to those who need compassion this holiday season. Let me encourage you to be sensitive to those around you. Psalm 147:3 says “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Hang on to the promises and enjoy the new adventures that await you. And don’t forget to look for people to bless with a hug.

Kathleen is a Hill Country writer, speaker and podcaster. She is passionate about helping people bring God into their everyday life. She can be reached at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com. For more information, to listen to her podcast, or purchase her book, Thriving Through Seasons of Grief, visit her website, www.kathleenmaxwellrambie.com.

#grief #healing #griefjourney #Jesus #Christmas #memeories #griefsupport