Each year, roughly 3 million people die in the US and over 67 million worldwide. In the US alone, this leaves as many as 15–27 million people behind in grief.

Many people don’t know where to turn to find comfort and healing for this life-altering event.

Dodie, our dear friend Jill Young, and I lead a weekly group of individuals in our community to provide support and the help they need with grief. We are blessed that First Baptist Church of Medina, here in the Texas Hill Country, is so loving and supportive of this ministry.

Here are some practical ideas for coping during the coming holidays and decreasing your stress in the process.

1. Make a Prioritizing list of what and with your family, you would like to accomplish, do, or not do during the holidays. 

• Sit down with your family, and allow each person to discuss what
would be helpful to him or her.

• Each person needs to be specific with his or her
preferences and desires. Allow everyone plenty of leeway as each one will be dealing with different emotions.

• Be creative; give yourself and your family members permission to do something out of the ordinary when it comes to
family celebrations or traditions.

• Regarding holiday tasks and responsibilities that you usually take care
of, ask yourself, ”Is this something someone else can do?” (This planning activity can include friends.)

2. Accept your limitations:

• Grief consumes your energy no matter what the season. Holidays place additional demands on time and emotions.

• Expect fluctuations in your mood and perspective. Lower your expectations to accommodate your current needs.

• Flexibility is the key word during this time. Your needs will change, so keep loved ones, friends and church family aware of what you’re thinking and feeling.

3. Accommodate changes that came with your circumstances, and find ways to decrease your stress:

• Consider changing your surroundings or your traditions to decrease your stress.

• Be honest with family and friends and let them know things might be different this year.

• Limit social, family, and church commitments to
your existing energy level.

• Shop early, use catalogs, or shop online.

• Look at the priorities you listed in number one and reevaluate them. Leave out unnecessary activities or obligations that you’ve either placed on yourself or that others may want to place on you.

4. Ask for and accept help:

• Accept offers of assistance with holidays- shopping, decorating, cleaning, cooking, etc.

• Your loved ones and
friends may be looking for ways to come alongside you and lessen your pain. Allow them to support you in concrete ways.

• Let them do or help with the thing you would like to see done, yet have no energy to do.

Bottom line, there is no “formula” for dealing with grief or loss over the holidays that will make everything better.

You are walking in an unknown territory, but God promises His children that He will never leave nor forsake us
(Hebrews 13:5b).

Learn all you can from what you are called upon to endure so that in time you can come alongside someone else and comfort that person with the comfort you were given (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

To learn more about the topics shared in this article, take time to read the following Scriptures:

Faith: Hebrews 11:1; Colossians 1:23,

Comfort: 2 Corinthians1:3-4,

Courage: Isaiah 41:10,

Memory: Philippians
1:3; Psalm 111:4,

Love: Romans 8:37-39,

Hope: Psalm 71:14; Romans 5:1-5

Every measure of comfort you receive is like a seed—the more you share these seeds with others, the more they bloom into hope and healing in yourself and those you’re comforting.

☆☆☆☆☆

IN GOD WE TRUST

Please and Thank You 😊

Thanks for supporting independent true journalism with a small tip. Dodie & Jack

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CINDY LEAL MASSEY, TEXAS AUTHOR

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