The Christmas countdown

[Cristo Rei]

 

[Cristo Rei]

 

[Cristo Rei]

 

[Cristo Rei]

A very sad Xmas for me. The first one under oppression and possibly the last with my family...
I doubt that Xmas will ever be the same

 

[April_Rose]

A very sad Xmas for me. The first one under oppression and possibly the last with my family...
I doubt that Xmas will ever be the same

Really? Why?

 

[Cristo Rei]

Really? Why?

Its a covid Xmas full of restrictions... This is the "new normal"

As for me personally, i have to leave this state and start over somewhere else...

 

[April_Rose]

Its a covid Xmas full of restrictions... This is the "new normal"

Yeah, but it's not going to be forever. It's probably going to be back to normal next Christmas.

 

[Cristo Rei]

Yeah, but it's not going to be forever. It's probably going to be back to normal next Christmas.

I wish i was as optimistic as you and i hope your right.
But none of the worlds leaders are saying we're going back, they all talk of this "new normal" a "great reset"

 

[Rita]

Well it’s Christmas Day here in the UK ( only just as it 12:15 ) I will be working in about 7hours, so I had better get some sleep.
Cristo many things impact Christmas as we get older, as we go through Covid I kind of try and remember what it must have been like in the war times.Through all the dark days there was always hope for when that war would end. We have the same hope, imagine if you didn’t know The Lord and didn’t know that Jesus is on the throne and has a battle plan and knows victory will come.
Yes it’s difficult and it’s frustrating, We go into tier four on boxing down, another lockdown!
If you spend most of your time focussing on what the enemy is doing you end up glorifying him, Jesus came and established his kingdom, we are in that Kingdom - let’s give God the glory and focus xxxxxx
Rita

 

[Nancy]

Well it’s Christmas Day here in the UK ( only just as it 12:15 ) I will be working in about 7hours, so I had better get some sleep.
Cristo many things impact Christmas as we get older, as we go through Covid I kind of try and remember what it must have been like in the war times.Through all the dark days there was always hope for when that war would end. We have the same hope, imagine if you didn’t know The Lord and didn’t know that Jesus is on the throne and has a battle plan and knows victory will come.
Yes it’s difficult and it’s frustrating, We go into tier four on boxing down, another lockdown!
If you spend most of your time focussing on what the enemy is doing you end up glorifying him, Jesus came and established his kingdom, we are in that Kingdom - let’s give God the glory and focus xxxxxx
Rita

Great words Rita! Focus really is key and, who/what is our focus on? Satan sure does play mind games with us...he will wear the saint's down.

"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High..."
Daniel 7:25

I think we are all battle weary from always fighting evil and, I can't think of anything for it other than using our spiritual warfare weapons and keeping our focus on Christ.
Can be so hard to do sometimes but, not impossible.
Merry Christmas over there even though you are probably catching your Z's :)
xx

 

[farouk]

Great words Rita! Focus really is key and, who/what is our focus on? Satan sure does play mind games with us...he will wear the saint's down.

"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High..."
Daniel 7:25

I think we are all battle weary from always fighting evil and, I can't think of anything for it other than using our spiritual warfare weapons and keeping our focus on Christ.
Can be so hard to do sometimes but, not impossible.
Merry Christmas over there even though you are probably catching your Z's :)
xx

@Nancy

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15.57-58) :)

 

[Rita]

Cristo I hope you are doing okay. I realise that it’s so easy to ‘ say ‘ things, to offer up what we should focus on, but when things have already got through it’s hard to detach. I have really struggled in recent months, as so many have, it does start to get through. So my earlier post, the words I shared are as much for me as anyone else. They are things that I am equally being challenged to do, to refocus.
I hope your Christmas Day has gone well , just wanted you to know you were in my thoughts and prayers this morning. Work now beckons for me on this Christmas morning. Couldn’t send some of your warm sunshine across the waters- it’s quite cold here !!
Rita

 

[amadeus]

I wish i was as optimistic as you and i hope your right.
But none of the worlds leaders are saying we're going back, they all talk of this "new normal" a "great reset"

The world of men in which we live will likely never go back, but we serve a God who never changes. Don't trust in men but in Him. I also have you in my prayers during difficult times!

 

[Cristo Rei]

If you spend most of your time focussing on what the enemy is doing you end up glorifying him

Thank you for your kind words along with @Nancy and @amadeus...

I think u raised a good point there Rita. I have to stand guard and can't turn my back on the evil one cos he takes advantage.
But focusing too much on the evil one, i can tend to miss God's will which is here, in me, the Holy Spirit.

And i have focused so much on the evil in the world this year but its not even my battlefield. Spiritual warfare is my internal war, i can't do anything to impact the march of evil through our world... And a few times i have turned off the media for a week it was fantastic

I had just begun to overcome this feeling of resentment that i had towards society, not people but the governments that be... It took years
Resentment against loved ones is easy for me now, resentment against people that have done wrong and not apologized is harder.
But how does one forgive a society or government entity... Its not human, u know... I had reached a spot where i was apathetic towards society.

But now, with covid, im dirty again... Its hard to explain, ive worked hard for this town, for this world. There are pieces of me everywhere.
I've put in what i could, leaving behind blood sweat and tears. Iv put my heart into everything iv done. It almost feels a bit like when my ex left, i feel betrayed by society.

A year ago i was cool, working, in an apartment. Then i had to downgrade back in with my parents. And in 4-6 weeks i'll be downgrading again to a van, in a new state were i know no one. Im aware that fear and resentment are my enemy here, i started becoming depressed the other day when i was thinking about the queen size double bed i was sleeping in, then i returned to my old single bed which i think is king size and now im on a narrow 700mm bed thats only 100mm thick... Might roll off it one night

I was going to start a thread to document the conversion of the van into my home, but i got embarrassed and just left it...
There is a sense of pride that still hangs around, i don't know how considering my life... Its the fact that i will be homeless that hasn't yet sunk in

 

[April_Rose]

Here even though I probably should have posted this last night lol

 

[Rita]

Thank you for your kind words along with @Nancy and @amadeus...

I think u raised a good point there Rita. I have to stand guard and can't turn my back on the evil one cos he takes advantage.
But focusing too much on the evil one, i can tend to miss God's will which is here, in me, the Holy Spirit.

And i have focused so much on the evil in the world this year but its not even my battlefield. Spiritual warfare is my internal war, i can't do anything to impact the march of evil through our world... And a few times i have turned off the media for a week it was fantastic

I had just begun to overcome this feeling of resentment that i had towards society, not people but the governments that be... It took years
Resentment against loved ones is easy for me now, resentment against people that have done wrong and not apologized is harder.
But how does one forgive a society or government entity... Its not human, u know... I had reached a spot where i was apathetic towards society.

But now, with covid, im dirty again... Its hard to explain, ive worked hard for this town, for this world. There are pieces of me everywhere.
I've put in what i could, leaving behind blood sweat and tears. Iv put my heart into everything iv done. It almost feels a bit like when my ex left, i feel betrayed by society.

A year ago i was cool, working, in an apartment. Then i had to downgrade back in with my parents. And in 4-6 weeks i'll be downgrading again to a van, in a new state were i know no one. Im aware that fear and resentment are my enemy here, i started becoming depressed the other day when i was thinking about the queen size double bed i was sleeping in, then i returned to my old single bed which i think is king size and now im on a narrow 700mm bed thats only 100mm thick... Might roll off it one night

I was going to start a thread to document the conversion of the van into my home, but i got embarrassed and just left it...
There is a sense of pride that still hangs around, i don't know how considering my life... Its the fact that i will be homeless that hasn't yet sunk in

You have to grieve what is lost, and that doesn’t just apply to people passing away. Losing jobs , homes , relationships, old life, can all create grief. How things are now is not how things will be in the future, but equally how things were will not always be how they are now.
I guess , because I am older and also because of working with the elderly in care, you experience losses as your body begins to ‘ age ‘, roles as your children dependencies change and you become the one that needs their support, and you see others losing their freedoms because they cannot function. It is sadly all part of life and our experience. When those things happen because of the decisions and actions of others you have to deal the resentments, anger ect. This can be a test of truly trusting in a sovereign Lord, in His knowledge and awareness of our circumstances, and equally trusting in why He is allowing it all to happen. Also the bible relays that we often learn empathy for others in and through our own losses. Who knows what your ministry will be in the future, but I guarantee nothing you face will be wasted. I truly trust in Romans 8:28, not instantly, but as a result of experiencing years of loss, grief, and pain. In the moment I didn’t see what The Lord was doing, it took a look back to really see things. Xxxxxx
The path of learning to forgive others, yourself, and God is a bumpy one, and it’s a process. It took me time to work with God on that. So many are facing loses right now, and I am so sorry for all you are facing xx
You have nothing to be embarrassed about, sharing brings others in, but it makes us vulnerable.
Rita x

 

[Nancy]

You have to grieve what is lost, and that doesn’t just apply to people passing away. Losing jobs , homes , relationships, old life, can all create grief. How things are now is not how things will be in the future, but equally how things were will not always be how they are now.
I guess , because I am older and also because of working with the elderly in care, you experience losses as your body begins to ‘ age ‘, roles as your children dependencies change and you become the one that needs their support, and you see others losing their freedoms because they cannot function. It is sadly all part of life and our experience. When those things happen because of the decisions and actions of others you have to deal the resentments, anger ect. This can be a test of truly trusting in a sovereign Lord, in His knowledge and awareness of our circumstances, and equally trusting in why He is allowing it all to happen. Also the bible relays that we often learn empathy for others in and through our own losses. Who knows what your ministry will be in the future, but I guarantee nothing you face will be wasted. I truly trust in Romans 8:28, not instantly, but as a result of experiencing years of loss, grief, and pain. In the moment I didn’t see what The Lord was doing, it took a look back to really see things. Xxxxxx
The path of learning to forgive others, yourself, and God is a bumpy one, and it’s a process. It took me time to work with God on that. So many are facing loses right now, and I am so sorry for all you are facing xx
You have nothing to be embarrassed about, sharing brings others in, but it makes us vulnerable.
Rita x

You missed your calling Reets! You should be a counselor! :)
Looking back to the times we had gone through other trials is a biggie, I think. And, when we do, it can sometimes sting to see where we got impatient, or crying out to Him, "where are you, where are you Lord?" out of our frustration and pain. It seems to be the only way we can see how He was working in us all along and, just about when we're about to give up on that "mountain", He comes through in ways that we could not have ever seen coming.
@Cristo Rei , just believe that He will provide all you need, He is our Jehovah Jira! And, "fear NOT what man can do to you.." Trust Him in the midst of what you are facing and watch Him do His work in your life! I pray Gods peace come over you and you can breathe a sigh of relief KNOWING (without seeing...yet) that He has it all under control despite appearances :)
Praying His peace for you brother.
nancy

 

[farouk]

Well it’s Christmas Day here in the UK ( only just as it 12:15 ) I will be working in about 7hours, so I had better get some sleep.
Cristo many things impact Christmas as we get older, as we go through Covid I kind of try and remember what it must have been like in the war times.Through all the dark days there was always hope for when that war would end. We have the same hope, imagine if you didn’t know The Lord and didn’t know that Jesus is on the throne and has a battle plan and knows victory will come.
Yes it’s difficult and it’s frustrating, We go into tier four on boxing down, another lockdown!
If you spend most of your time focussing on what the enemy is doing you end up glorifying him, Jesus came and established his kingdom, we are in that Kingdom - let’s give God the glory and focus xxxxxx
Rita

@Barbara Hoping you manage to rest after this busy working period for you, enjoying the promises of God at this Season.

 

[Rita]

@Barbara Hoping you manage to rest after this busy working period for you, enjoying the promises of God at this Season.

I have rested up today, I went to my sons after work yesterday but was absolutely exhausted when I got home. I am not working tomorrow either x
Rita

 

[farouk]

I have rested up today, I went to my sons after work yesterday but was absolutely exhausted when I got home. I am not working tomorrow either x
Rita

@Barbara A good rest can be essential sometimes... :)