Trudy

Wishing You God’s Gift of Love and Hope this Christmas and Always!

Incredible
Unbelievable
Indescribable
The Gift of
Yourself, LORD,
Is Precious
Oh So Precious
Beyond Words

GOD IS WITH US!
GOD IS FOR US!
GOD IS IN US!

Are You Struggling This Christmas Season?


I encourage you to read this hope-filled message:

🦋 For When It’s a Bittersweet Christmas 🦋
by Linda Stoll

A couple of her quotes:

🦋 “Loss and grief take many forms. Life-altering situations and difficult transitions leave us reeling with exhaustion and numb with sorrow. They beg to be named, acknowledged, and honored. And rightly so.“

🦋 “If the kids are grown and gone (in more ways than one) and no carols play in the background and you’re lucky if there’s one other hand to hold, know this to be true:

That the sweet, adored, long-expected baby Jesus grew up to be ‘despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’ (Isaiah 53:3).”

21 comments

  1. Merry Christmas, Trudy! Yes, God is with us! And that is an absolutely beautiful song you shared. Now I must explore more of the Livingstone Quartet!

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    • Thank you, Lynn. My husband discovered that Quartet. We love their beautiful harmony and meaningful singing. 🙂 May you and your family have a wonder-filled Christmas! 💕

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  5. Thank you for this encouragement at this Christmas season, dear Trudy. I have several loved ones who are in deep seasons of loss, so this was a blessing to keep loving and praying for them, and for all of us, to be able to see our Immanuel, God with us! Blessings & hugs to you this Christmas and New Year dear friend!

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    • Thank you, Bettie. It’s so hard to see loved ones experiencing such loss, isn’t it? As you say, we need “to keep loving and praying for them, and for all of us, to be able to see our Immanuel, God with us!” Blessings and hugs to you, too, my friend! May you and your family be filled with comfort and wonder this Christmas and always! 💕

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  6. Dear Trudy – Thank you, dear one, for sharing For When It’s a Bittersweet Christmas with your friends and followers. It’s a hard time of year for so many, but as someone wrote recently, we pray for more focus on the ‘sweet’ even when things aren’t going like we had dreamed they would.

    Bless you, friend. You are a faithful encourager to so many. I am grateful to be one.

    xo

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    • Thank you for your kind words, Linda. I have read your post several times these last days and knew in my heart I needed to share it with others. I am grateful to have “met” you years ago and to have been a receiver of your understanding, nonjudgmental encouragement. Yes, may we have grace to “focus on the ‘sweet’ even when things aren’t going like we had dreamed they would.” May you and your family have a wonder-filled Christmas! 💕

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  7. I love the song, Trudy. Linda’s post was a wonderful one to share here too. By the way, Randy is watching a football game right now that is reminding me of you: North Dakota State vs. South Dakota State. 🙂 Hope all is well with you and yours, dear friend.

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    • Aww, Lois, that’s sweet of you to think of us. 💕 We are doing better after a bad virus and bronchitis. It broke our hearts that we missed our Thanksgiving gathering with our kids and grandkids, but we are looking forward to our Christmas gathering. 🙂 And today is our 40th anniversary! We are so blessed! I’ve been thinking a lot about you, too. May you and Randy and your beautiful daughters have a hope-filled and wonder-filled Christmas!

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  9. I hope you had a lovely Christmas, Trudy! And congratulations on your anniversary too – I saw it mentioned in a comment above. Praying that you know God’s love and blessing as we move into 2025.

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  10. It was such a comfort to see dear Linda’s words included here with your own encouraging words. I pray you had a wonderful Christmas, Trudy, and may the Lord bless you through this new year!

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    • Thank you, Cheryl. I’m so grateful you were comforted. Linda’s words are so hope-filled, aren’t they? May the Lord bless you as well in this new year!

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