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Speaker 1: Life Audio.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so glad to

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Speaker 2: have you listening. Michelle Zurich. Today's topic is when Christmas

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Speaker 2: doesn't look like you hoped. We'll be back after word

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Speaker 2: from our sponsor. When Christmas doesn't look like you hoped

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Speaker 2: were written and read by Michelle S.

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Speaker 1: Lazurik.

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Speaker 2: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a long and

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Speaker 2: fulfilled is a tree of life. Prob'b thirteen, verse sixteen.

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Speaker 2: I'm not coming home for Christmas. These words hit hard

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Speaker 2: when my husband and I realized my son would not

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Speaker 2: be home for Christmas this year. In his third year

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Speaker 2: of college, he's met a girlfriend who wants to spend

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Speaker 2: Christmas with her and her family. All we love who

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Speaker 2: is with and want him to have a good relationship

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Speaker 2: with her family. Here its as deeply we won't get

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Speaker 2: to see him during one of our favorite times of

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Speaker 2: the year. For me, my favorite part of Christmas is

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Speaker 2: not opening presents for myself, watching my children open their

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Speaker 2: presence on Christmas Morning. To know that he wouldn't be

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Speaker 2: there to open his presence felt like Christmas wouldn't be

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Speaker 2: the same without him. If you are grieving a loss

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Speaker 2: of a loved one or a loved one won't be

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Speaker 2: at Christmas like you'd hoped. You are not alone, but

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Speaker 2: of us will have a different type of Christmas a share.

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Speaker 2: Sometimes it is because family and loved ones can't make

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Speaker 2: the trip to see you. For others, it's a financial

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Speaker 2: issue and relatives can't afford by presents like they used

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Speaker 2: to a great way to make the most of the holidays,

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Speaker 2: even if they don't look like you remember, is to

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Speaker 2: create new traditions. While it's okay to have feelings like

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Speaker 2: anger and sadness over the loss of years past, the

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Speaker 2: best way to forge ahead is to make new memories

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Speaker 2: in this new chapter in your life. For us, it

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Speaker 2: means making the most having our daughter home and the

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Speaker 2: few remaining years she has left with us. It also

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Speaker 2: means connecting with ours on through zoom or phone so

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Speaker 2: we can be together for the holidays. It is difficult

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Speaker 2: to hold on to hope what it all seems like

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Speaker 2: it's lost. The above verse tells us that when we

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Speaker 2: hold out hope for something that seems far beyond our

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Speaker 2: reach and feel as if our life is falling apart. However,

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Speaker 2: God is a god of miracles. He can turn any

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Speaker 2: situation to his advantage. But all He can answer our requests,

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Speaker 2: even the most difficult ones in a moment. The above

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Speaker 2: verse reminds us not to give up hope, keep on praying,

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Speaker 2: keep on asking God to answer your prayer request, even

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Speaker 2: if it has been years. Christmas is a time for miracles.

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Speaker 2: Our ability to still pray for situations seem nearly impossible

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Speaker 2: test our faith stretching and growingness Spiritually. God wants us

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Speaker 2: to rely on Him and ask Him in faith for anything.

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Speaker 2: Although we may not always get what we ask for,

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Speaker 2: it is essential we still ask and pray, trusting that

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Speaker 2: God will allow the situation to turn out exactly as

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Speaker 2: He wants. Consider new ways to make the most of

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Speaker 2: your holiday. Be contact with your relatives who won't be

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Speaker 2: able to make the twe offer to pay for gifts

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Speaker 2: for a loved one who is financially strapped this year.

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Speaker 2: Share of the true meeting of the season by being

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Speaker 2: the handsome feet of Christ, especially during holiday season. Though

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Speaker 2: the holidies are meant to be joyful, they aren't for everyone.

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Speaker 2: Sometimes people grieve deep losses during the holidays. Just because

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Speaker 2: someone is suffering doesn't mean you can't help. Then make

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Speaker 2: the most of it. If you're the one grieving, lean

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Speaker 2: on others for help. Don't be afraid to ask for

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Speaker 2: prayer or for help from those who can offer. It

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Speaker 2: may mean your failing members bring in side dishes while

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Speaker 2: you provide the main entrade for the holiday meal. Perhaps

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Speaker 2: it means not giving gifts to share. Whatever you need

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Speaker 2: to do, do it to make your holiday the best

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Speaker 2: it can be, even if it's not the way you

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Speaker 2: hoped to. What you need to do. Christmas ultimately is

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Speaker 2: not about gifts or extravagance. Instead is about spending time

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Speaker 2: with loved ones who are near you. It's also a

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Speaker 2: great way to connect with those who are far away.

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Speaker 2: I fear relatives can't come to you, go to them

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Speaker 2: and make the effort to see them. Pray and ask

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Speaker 2: God for everything, even the situations that seem hopeless. Don't

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Speaker 2: allow your heart to be troubled. Instead, make the most

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Speaker 2: of your holiday season and do what you can to

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Speaker 2: connect with loved ones and observe the real meeting of

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Speaker 2: the season. Father, let us be people who remember who

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Speaker 2: you are and what the holiday season is for. Let

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Speaker 2: us remember that Christmas is not about gifts, but instead

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Speaker 2: about being connected to family. Let us reach out to

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Speaker 2: communicate with family members who cannot make it this season.

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Speaker 2: Amen intersecting faith in life. Is there a loved one

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Speaker 2: someone who haven't seen but would love to connect with

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Speaker 2: this holiday season? What is one step you can take

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Speaker 2: to make that connection happen? Further reading Matthew one verse

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Speaker 2: twenty three.

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Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and

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Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please

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Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com. M