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Grief for the Holidays

My friend Daniel Darling wrote a beautiful, heart-rending article about losing his mother. He writes: “In the span of a single year, my mother went from a vibrant, constant presence in my life—through phone calls, texts, and when we could, in-person visits—to a swift decline in mental and physical health.”

It was a lovely tribute to his mother and a reminder that many, like him, are celebrating the holidays while navigating grief. And often the holidays can amplify that grief. If you’re one of the many people who will be grieving the absence of a loved one this Christmas, you’ll be blessed by Darling’s thoughtful reflection. Read: When Grief like Sea Billows Roll Through Your Holidays

If you’re looking for a great read over Christmas, you’re in luck. Christianity Today’s 2024 Book Awards just rolled out. Whether you’re looking for a Christian living book or fiction or something for your children, you’ll find great recommendations on this list.

Drew Dyck Drew Dyck
Contributing Editor
2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Book Lovers
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Featured
Enter to win Christianity Today's 15 best books of the year
Our picks for the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture.
When Grief like Sea Billows Roll Through Your Holidays
I learned how to mourn when my mom lost her mind, and then her life, to dementia.
Daniel Darling
Comfort, Comfort My People
Israel under attack needs Christian empathy, not judgment or presumptuous theological speculation.
Deborah Pardo-Kaplan
Aaron Armstrong: I’m a Christian. Now What?
Viral Jesus
Coming to faith as an adult can get complicated. Here’s a handbook for new believers and those who are called to disciple them.
Heather Thompson Day
Teaching
Teaching the Hard Parts of Scripture
The Bible is full of difficult passages, and too often they get skipped over in favor of less controversial topics. When churches aren't addressing these kinds of questions, they leave people to turn elsewhere for answers, and settle for an incomplete view of God and the Bible. This download will help you and anyone who teaches or preaches at your church prepare to address the most difficult passages and topics in the Bible in ways that point people toward the fullness of God and his Word.
Stuart Briscoe, Dan Kimball, Joshua Ryan Butler, and more
New Teachers
Make sure new teachers are ready for their first day.
Susan Shadid; Ken McDuff; Sarah Smith and others
Developing Your Preaching and Teaching Style
This resource has articles that offer insights and practices to help you find and develop the unique voice God has given you so you can use your gifts to their fullest potential.
Craig Brian Larson, Nancy Ortberg, Bryan Loritts, and more
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‘The Poor Will Always Be Among You’ Is a Call to Obedience
This verse can be misconstrued as a justification for systemic poverty. But what does it really mean?
Jared Brock
Mary Was More Than a Mother
Treating her as a static figure obscures a lifetime of gospel witness.
Interview by Taylor Turkington
Blessed Are the Bearers of ‘Han’: What Koreans and the Israelites Teach Us About Collective Grief
My culture and the Bible call us to become aching visionaries.
Sara Kyoungah White
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