Loneliness strategies for singles

In November's Inspire-O-Gram, I promised a special Christmas gift for you in the December issue. That gift is the entire first chapter of my book, Hope for Hurting Singles!

Christmas may be the toughest time of the year for single people. That's why I think the loneliness strategies in this fr'ee excerpt are especially relevant now. They were used by Jesus Christ himself, and yes, he did get lonely at times.

I hope this information proves helpful for you. It's quite lengthy, so you can read it online or print it out to read on a hard copy. Please enjoy Chapter One of Hope for Hurting Singles, Turn Your Loneliness Into Solitude.

Steady as she goes

My little ship is seaworthy
But isn't very strong.
The waves could easily break her up
When tempests come along.

Yes, the world is full of hazards,
Danger lurks on every side.
Temptation comes, temptation goes,
As certain as the tide.

"You must do this! You must do that!"
The siren voices shout.
I pay them no attention
For I know what they're about.

Instead I check my Compass
The true way Home He knows.
I keep my hand upon the wheel
It's steady as she goes.

It's steady as she goes
And my little ship obeys.
I keep my rudder pointed
On the course my Compass lays.

When Jesus is your Compass
Though the whole world may oppose,
Keep heading home to Heaven
For it's steady as she goes.

~ Jack Zavada, www.inspiration-for-singles.com, 2018 ~

Will your life be any different in 2019?

Do you want a book that will show you step-by-step how to get married?

Sorry, this isn't it.

But, if you want to feel happier, calmer, and more confident in the coming year, Hope for Hurting Singles can help you meet those goals, if you follow its simple advice.

You see, I'm not married, so I honestly can't tell you how to achieve that. I am, however, a happy, optimistic single person and I believe this paperback will move you in that direction. By the way, I didn't get like this overnight. It took decades.

But it won't take you that long because you won't have to go through the time-consuming trial and error I did. Hope for Hurting Singles shows you what detours to avoid and what positive steps to take to make your life better in 2019.

Hope for Hurting Singles is available in paperback for $10.99 plus amazon.com shipping.

You'll find proven tips to help you climb out of such ruts as:

Loneliness
Shyness
Rejection
Depression
Self-esteem
Fear
Bitterness
Peace of Mind
Faith

Whether you’re looking for that special someone or not, Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges will save you years of struggling for the answers. Now that's a good deal!

Disillusioned? Read our December QOTM

December's Quote of the Month comes from J.B. Priestly, English novelist, social commentator and broadcaster:

Living in an age of advertisement, we are perpetually disillusioned.
~ John Boynton Priestly (1894 - 1984) ~

I often think America's unofficial motto should be, "Figure out how to make money from it." That's what we've done with Christmas. TV commercials and ads practically order us to have a wonderful time, and if we don't, we believe there's something wrong with us.

Single friend, if you're not having a wonderful time this season, there's no need to feel guilty. The dirty secret is more stuff and more parties are not what we need. You and I need the soul-healing love only Jesus can supply. He cuts through all our disillusionment and disappointment with our life and says, "I approve of you. You are lovable in my eyes. You are more precious to me than you will ever know."

See the shininess for what it really is: pretty but unfulfilling. Let your disillusionment clear your vision this Christmas so you can see what really matters.

Tips for singles struggling with Christmas

If you love Christmas, if it's your favorite time of the year, more power to ya! But if you're a single who can't wait until the season is over, we have a few articles on the site that may help.

Appreciating Christmas gives you a different perspective for looking at the holidays. See it through new eyes and it becomes less frustrating.

Having a better Christmas shows you how to break free of the "musts" we feel at this time of the year. Once you remember who's in control of your thoughts, this becomes doable.

Getting through Christmas is for those determined holiday-haters who turn into a Grinch the day after Thanksgiving. It teaches the one-task-at-a-time approach to surviving the holidays.

Singleness: One of life's great mysteries

Some singles look at their status as a blessing; some see it as a curse. I prefer to view it as a mystery. The thing about mysteries (not the Sherlock Holmes types) is that no matter how hard you try, you can't figure them out. They defy understanding. They just are.

How does that help? Well, I've stopped wasting time on the why of my status. Only God knows the reason why, and he's not telling. Trusting God means accepting the mysteries of life he chooses not to explain.

There's a certain relief when you give up trying to figure out the "unfigurable." You can move on with your life.

Speaking of moving on, in a couple weeks we'll be moving on to a new year. I sometimes do goofy little things to motivate myself. I recently made up a little plaque for my home office, and I'm looking at it right now as I type. It says, "Do Something Different!"

I'll be trying new approaches to my problems in 2019, things I've never done before. Whether they will work remains to be seen. One thing is sure: I won't be repeating things that don't work!

If you have any New Year's resolutions or words of advice for your fellow singles, pass them along to me via our secure contact form, giving your first name, city and state, or country. We'll try to feature them in our January issue.

Until then, may your Christmas be meaningful and your New Year filled with hope!

Jack Zavada

www.inspiration-for-singles.com
401 Indiana Ave
Streator, IL 61364 USA

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