As we navigate this festive season, let's remember to be kind to those around us, for we may never truly know the burdens they carry. For so many, this time of year can be the hardest. The pain of pretending to be joyful when your heart is breaking is something I deeply understand.

For me, November to January has historically been a trigger season since I lost my village to migration in October at five years old, with that being the first of many displacements that would follow. The ache of that loss has lingered in different ways over the years.

Last year, when the weight of it all began to settle in early November, I was blessed to have my Elijah House tribe sister, Wendy, come to visit for a few hours. Together, we began to unravel the deep roots of the pain that stemmed from losing my community at such a young age. We didn’t uncover all the sinful responses in that time, but God has done so much healing and brought so many breakthroughs in the year since. 

This year, remarkably, I’ve made it through the trigger season without feeling the familiar heaviness, though I’m still very much aware of those around me who say they’re "fine" but whose eyes tell a different story.

Just this past Sunday, I crossed paths with one such person. Since then, I’ve been burden-bearing & praying for her.

So this Christmas, let's bear in mind those who are:

Sometimes, all we need is someone to see us for who we really are – not just the face we present to the world, but the heart beneath.

Love, compassion & kindness really do go a long way.