Christmas doesn't arrive on our terms. Whether we are ready for a party or not, the holiday is still here. It's okay to be sad (and if you are, it's okay to give yourself permission to be sad.) It's also okay to have grief and joy at the same time or on different days. There is no right way to feel this Christmas.
Our guest for this episode, Jami Nato, knows a few things about grief during the holidays. Her life as she knew it fell apart nearly a decade ago - right between Thanksgiving and New Year's. For years to follow she couldn't figure out why she wasn't better able to welcome the holiday season. She needed to give herself permission to grieve. From infidelity to addiction to that missing person at the table, we cover how heartbreak can feel acute this time of year.
And yet....we also know the very holiday we are celebrating right now is our reminder that God comes near to us because he loves us. He doesn't come because we have put together lives, just the opposite, he comes because we need him. If you are feeling low today, or you love someone who is, this is a great listen to remind us all that God loves the sinners - that's all of us - and he is with us no matter what.
Connect with Jami
On Instagram, or Facebook
A few things mentioned
Jami's book This Must Be the Place: Following the Breadcrumbs of Your Past to Discover Your Purpose Today
Breathing Through Grief: A Devotional Journal for Seasons of Loss by Dorina Gilmore-Young
Some questions for reflection
-How are you going to make sure you take care of yourself in your grief?
-How are you going to reach out to a friend who may be hurting?
-How might you hold on to the hope that is Christmas?
Ep.249: Hard Conversations Series: How To Have Hard Conversations Online
Ep.248: Supporting College Students and High School Seniors During COVID
Ep. 247: Repurposing Your Home To Set Up A School Space with Krista Gilbert
Ep.246: Back to School COVID Style: Homeschooling Tips
Ep.245: Work Flip - Sister Straight Talk with Alexandra Kuykendall & Krista Gilbert
Ep.244: Work Flip: Responding to COVID with Creativity with Tara Royer Steele
Ep.243: Work Flip - How to Choose A Profitable Idea & Plan for Business with Rachel Proctor
Ep.242: Work Flip Series: Women, Work, and COVID with Joanna Meyer
Ep.241: How to Steward Our Voice - Sister Straight Talk with Krista Gilbert & Alexandra Kuykendall
Ep.240: Helping Teens and Young Adults Hone Their Voices with Jen Hatmaker
Ep.239: Practical Tips for a Powerful Voice with Deborah Smith Pegues
Ep.238: Honing Your Voice: Moving Past Fear with Paula Faris
Ep.237: How To Discover Your Voice And Speak Up with Dr. Sasha Shillcutt
Ep.236: Summer Is Cancelled, Now What?: Ideas for Kids Ages 12 and Up with Kristen Hatton and Greta Eskridge
Ep.235: Summer is Cancelled: Now What? Fostering Mental Health with Colleen Blake Miller
Ep.234: Summer Is Cancelled: Ideas for Kids Ages 3-12 with Mia St. Clair & Crystal Miller
Ep.233: Summer is Cancelled: Now what? with Jessica Smartt
Ep.232: Celebrating Your Graduate (Pandemic Style) with Monica Swanson
Principles for the Work / Family Balance
Ep.230: The Seasons of Marriage with Debra Fileta
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Life After Ministry
Cast The Word
Let Me Be Frank | Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Podcast | Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
The Bible Recap
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)