When we’re overwhelmed by all we think we “should” do this holiday season, we can instead choose to remember, re-prioritize, and remove in order to keep our eyes on Christ.

In the darkness of grief and suffering, Christmas is our promise of Light. Jesus—the Dawn from on High—has come to redeem and restore all things.

The truth we celebrate at Christmas—that Christ has come to be Immanuel, “God with us”—is the truth that also anchors us through our deepest valleys.

In a season rife with pressures and expectation, the gospel gives us freedom from shame and a secure identity in Christ.

Singing familiar hymns and carols together during the Advent season can invite us into more regular rhythms of family worship throughout the rest of the year.

As our children miss a lost loved one during the holiday season, we can disciple them in the hope of the gospel and provide tangible ways for them to express their grief.

As time with our children marches along, we can embrace each new and fleeting season as a gracious gift from God’s hand.

Christmas as a single mom brings unique sorrows and pressures, but through it all, we are held by Emmanuel—the God who is “with us.”

The gospel brings freedom and perspective to our holiday traditions as we intentionally choose what and how to celebrate in our homes.

When Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of loss, we can trust God to help us walk the tension of “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor. 6:10).

Cold and flu season can be an opportunity to acknowledge our neediness and turn to the Savior who brings us true healing.

We can look to Christ—our joy and our strength—and receive his gifts of Scripture, song, and community to help us fight our battles against the winter blues.