by Diane Cretin
Are you struggling with anything this holiday season? We act like it is a time of total joy, but that is not true for so many people. Many are struggling with not having enough to eat or how to provide presents to those they love. Some of us have lost friends and family members in the last year. Some are lonely. Others are struggling financially.
When I am struggling, I find that listening to music helps me. A song that has really impacted me recently is Fall On Me, sung by Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo. This song makes me think of my relationship with God. I feel like I can express to God when I have questions and feel that life is not going how I want and God responds.
The first verse of the song talks about the questioning we do when we struggle. Then we get to the chorus, which I imagine as God’s response:
Fall on me, With open arms
Fall on me, From where you are
Fall on me, With all your light
With all your light, With all your light
Then more response from God in verse 2:
Soon you will find what your heart wants to know
Don't give up hope for I know you are close
Believe in yourself, every step that you take
(then the chorus repeats)
The part that I feel in my soul that brings me hope is the song’s bridge, which is how I feel
about God’s presence:
I step outside
It's like I'm breathing you in the air
I can feel you're there
(then God tells me once again that I can fall on God as the chorus repeats)
You can listen to the English version of the song here (It was used at the end of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms movie.)
Recognizing that we all struggle in some way is why I am so glad our church takes part in Redwood Gospel Mission's Nomadic Shelter. This enables our church to provide a safe place for sleeping and for members to provide a wholesome meal for homeless people. It is also why I am so glad our church did the Angel Tree, where gifts go to the children of Kid Street Learning Center. It is not uncommon for these gifts to be the only gifts received by many of those children.
I encourage you to reach out and let others know when you are struggling. We are a church family who wants to care for each other. Also try to remember that God is still there, even in the tough times. God is always available for you to fall upon.