Single at Christmas

I have never lacked a place to go for the holidays. I live about an hour and a half from the city where my siblings and parents live, so it's an easy drive. If my sister, who works at the hospital, has to work on the holiday and doesn't "do" Christmas, there are always friends who are willing to offer me a place at their table.

And yet...

The holidays are often a time of sadness and loneliness. When others around me have a significant other, their smiles across the table make me feel left out. When my siblings feel joy through their children's wonder at Christmas, I wonder if I'll ever know that particular joy. Sometimes the loneliness threatens to overwhelm me.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Eric Demeter has an article in Relevant magazine that I have found encouraging. Relevant magazine is an excellent resource for believers as we walk through this Christian life. I hope you, too, will find it encouraging: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationships/guide-being-single-during-holidays

As you celebrate the birth of Christ, remember that you are not an afterthought or an add-on or the single plate that makes it an odd number. You are created in the image of Christ, and your life is important to God's plan!