There's a name of God that has become more meaningful and encouraging to me the more I experience the holidays as a single woman. That name is
Immanuel
, which means
God with us
.
And this
withness
changes singleness.
With all its wonder and magic, the Christmas season can have a way of magnifying the hard stuff of singleness, as it brings closer proximity to the contrast of couples and families; a deluge of moments we wish we were sharing with that person we could call "mine"; added to-dos we must handle solo; the gatherings we must navigate alone; and greater frequency of comments about our singleness that are at best annoying and at worst hurtful.
How can we celebrate this season with joy and hope, when in this season being single feels hard, heavy, and maybe even hurts?
Through exploring the truth and promise of
, Jessica Faith Hagen offers encouragement and advice for navigating the holidays while single. As she shares biblical teaching and some of her own story, she covers topics such as:
resting in God's compassion when experiencing hard and heavy emotions
navigating the disappointment of coming to the end of another year
still
single
finding peace amidst the stress of having to do all the to-dos alone
what the incarnation means for us in our singleness
and more!
Each chapter includes a Scripture reading, reflection questions, and a prayer.
So while the holidays can have a way of magnifying the hard stuff of singleness, so too can the truth of
in the midst of what's hard and heavy be magnified, both in our singleness as an encouragement to our own hearts, and through our singleness as a testament to those around us.