Holidays are some of my favorite times of the year, especially the ones approaching the next couple of months.  They bring times of laughter, fellowship, and fun.  However, I am keenly aware that these days may also bring times of stress and struggle for some individuals.

Several years ago, I was arduously searching for employment during what was supposed to be a very festive time of the year. I recall the feelings of discouragement and grief over opportunities not opening up for me and confusion as to how the Lord would intervene.  Further, I felt helpless because I could not afford gifts for those whom I loved.

As time ticked through the holidays, I found the Lord revealing to me that it is more important to present whoYOU are rather than what you can provide.  Instead of buying gifts, I spent time making them for my family and friends, reflecting on their talents and interests, and then I implemented my creative skills, crafting collages that centered on the uniqueness of their personhood.  Moreover, as I delivered these creative expressions, I devoted quality time with each individual—decorating, storytelling, laughing, and expressing various forms of love.  To this day, that specific holiday season remains one of the most memorable and treasured (and probably for them as well), discovering how to move effectively and creatively through a very rainy season in my life.

It is apparent that we are entering into a rainy season as we face the ensuing transitions of our morphing healthcare.  Whether we like it or not, we are being forced to modify how we perform our duties as our country encounters an unknown future.  One associate shared how she is coping with all that is happening by quoting the author Vivian Greene: “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass… It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

So, how are you going to “dance in the rain,” especially with the upcoming holidays?  What battles are you facing at this moment where you may have to force yourself to dance, even if it involves only swaying to the music of current obstacles?  Psalm 30:10-12 offers encouraging guidance in these times of effort: “Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.  You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  Lord, my God, I will praise you forever.”  Thus, call upon the Lord and allow Him to transform your “wailing into dancing”—no matter what you are experiencing.