A Reason to Celebrate

Chaplain Liz Danielsen
December 2025

Perhaps you are among the many for whom this Christmas season is not filled with joy, but instead feels like a trial because of the losses you’ve faced. For you, the usual Christmas cheer and celebration may feel distant—lost in the fog of confusion, disappointment, and loneliness. What once felt like a season to enjoy may now feel like a season simply to endure.

Holidays can stir discouragement, often more deeply than we expect. Discouragement keeps us from seeing the good that is still right in front of us. It can smother our motivation, stir up doubts, weaken our faith, magnify our problems, cloud our vision for the future, and leave our dreams feeling out of reach. In these moments, it becomes difficult to remember past victories or God’s faithfulness—and even harder to focus on the true meaning of Christmas: Jesus Christ.

But God has a gentle reminder for you this season—there is hope.

The light of God’s love is like the morning sun, warming us, guiding us, and awakening in us the possibility of new beginnings. He gives us a reason to celebrate by reminding us of His greatest gift: the gift of His Son. As we receive that love, we are then able to give it to others, and our hearts can begin to rediscover purpose, meaning, and peace.

May this Christmas season bring quiet comfort to your spirit. As you sit in His presence, may you sense His assurance that all will be well as you trust in Him.

Merry Christmas to you and your family,
from all of us at the Danielsen Center for Hope after Loss.