We Need Connection
Creative connections.
According to the National Institute on Aging, social isolation and loneliness lead to higher risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death.
This time of year, if you’re unable to attend all the family gatherings, office parties, cookie exchanges and face to face face rendezvous, get creative about how to stay connected.
1. Use Zoom or Skype or FaceTime
After months and months of not being able to visit Eli (my youngest who lives 950 miles away from me), he FaceTimed me. Girl! I couldn’t even speak. I just stared at his face till it was awkward.
2. Strike up a conversation with a stranger
Instead of fiddling with your cell phone, smile all the way up to your eyeballs and strike up a conversation with someone as you line up at the checkout lane, make a deposit at the bank or wait for your coffee order. Even from 6 feet away, a simple conversation with a stranger can breathe life. For all you know, you may be the only conversation that person has!
3. Send a Christmas (or New Year’s) letter
After a long year, wouldn’t it be fun to see a couple of snapshots and read a juicy holiday letter from family and friends? If you want one, you should send one. You are not boring and we are all hungry for the news on each other.
We need connection!
2000 years ago, Jesus came to the earth to be with us. Immanuel – God with us! “…She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14
What a difference He makes in our lives! His present to us was, and still is, His presence. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
The first person to make sure to connect with is HIM! “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Oh, Girlfriend, it’s so worth waking up 10 minutes earlier, or going to bed a few minutes later or spending a little bit of your lunch break with God to be refreshed and revived.
Take time to make connections.
Who’s in? Leave me a comment to let me know how you’ll be making creative connections this holiday season.
Lord, as we celebrate your glorious birth this season, be with us. Urge us toget past our own stuff and make connections with people who need to see you in us. Make me a great representative of who you are in my life so that others would want more of you, too. Thank you Jesus, amen.
Thank you so much Robyn for all of your emails. I enjoy them all .You give great advice and encouragement. I enjoy spending time with my Bible each morning while the household is still sleeping Have a great Christmas
Lyse
Oooh, me too, Nothing like a quiet house,open Bible and hot beverage to start my day.
My son Bryce and grandson Chase were going to come from San Diego to Iowa for Christmas but airline tickets are SO EXPENSIVE. So they can’t do it. We will at some point Facetime. I so wanted us all to be together. We haven’t had a family Christmas in 5 years ?. My husband and I will celebrate with our daughter and her family. She is expecting any day. So we might have a BIG celebration. (We met you in November at Faith Community Church in Palmer,Iowa) so you might remember us. The rest of our family is in Pennsylvania. Holidays are hard. But God gets us through them.
Hi Carole, I feel ya! My long-distance kid won’t be home for Christmas AGAIN this year. My mama’s heart wants to be with them, but I know they need to be forging their own traditions, too.
Thank you Robyn for your words of wisdom all year long. I love reading them and they so often hit the nail on the head that day!
Merry Christmas to you!
Wow thanks, Shirley. You made my day!
We discussed this at our Bible study. In this crazy season, people need to see peace and Jesus in us. Let them know that it is
all about Jesus that we have this season to celebrate. Without Him, it would just be another date on the calendar. We as
Christians need to stay focused on the reason for the season and not get caught up in the world’s way of celebrating.
Merry Christmas!
Agreed, Becky. We need to be lights reflecting the Light of the World, don’t we?
Thank you for sharing. We need God and positive people in out lives.
We sure do, Connie. Thanks for posting.
I agree….we are made for fellowship with Christ and each other. I’m one of the crazy ladies that do speak up to folks I don’t know just to get a smile or hello from them. Chatting and seeing someone smile makes my day brighter and hopefully theirs as well. Small groups, Bible studies, having coffee with friends or visiting on the phone….all ways to meet, encourage one another. Thank you for the reminder of how important fellowship is and various ways we can reach out to others. Blessings to you and your family for a Wonderful Christmas!
Love it, Bonnie. Glad you pipe up.
Merry Christmas! Looking forward to your new devotional. Was hoping to give some out as Christmas gifts!
Leslie, I was so so so disappointed with the delays, too. Thanks for your encouragement and patience.
Dear Robyn,
I agree with you and thank you for your message about how important it is we connect with God, and with others. Thank you for the nudge to keep spending time with our Lord in His Word, busyness and tiredness can get in the way. I realized in a very powerful way how important connections are with others this past summer. It is not something I did not know, but the feelings of appreciation and need for others were very powerful. My father passed away this summer, but he spent 17 days in the hospital and it was very stressful, but God used that time to bring family members and friends to visit, express their love, and say goodbye. I knew in my heart how important this was to me, they were a ray of light during a sad time. At the calling hours, funeral, those who were able to attend provided love, sympathy, and an assurance we were not alone, and my dad, and our family were important. I came away from the entire experience very grateful for all who visited, the hospice chaplain, the nurses, dr.’s, and friends and family. I am so grateful it was during a time when we were allowed to visit my dad while in hospital. These days of covid make it very difficult for those who cannot have visitors and family. I know God was always with me, I prayed and talked to Him daily, but it was such a relief when a visitor came, prayed with us, smiled, talked about memories, laughed, cried- it lightened the burden. May God Bless you and encourage you, Merry Christmas (PS I still use your applesauce recipe from a few years ago!)
Rita, your post makes my heart happy. So sorry about your dad’s passing, but I’m celebrating with you for every kind word and visitor.