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Dr Bill Hurst: Learning To Love When The Holiday Seasons Hurt
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The holidays can be loud with joy and still leave space where the heart aches. We sit down with Dr. Bill Hurst for a frank, compassionate exploration of the Christmas blues, the weight of complicated memories, and the quiet courage it takes to choose love when celebration feels out of reach. From childhood years in protective care to teachings that labeled Christmas “pagan,” Dr. Bill charts a path many listeners will recognize: confusion, pressure, and an uneasy relationship with a season that’s supposed to be simple. What emerges is a wiser way forward—treating Christmas not as a test of correctness, but as a practical season for love, hospitality, and gentle witness.
Dr. Bill opens the door to his most painful chapter: the loss of his youngest daughter near Christmas. He shares how faith steadied sorrow without erasing it, how hope reframed grief, and why this time of year can still be meaningful when the chair at the table sits empty. We talk about moving from theological fights to relational presence, welcoming single neighbors and elders with no nearby family, and giving gifts that say “you are loved” with no strings attached. Along the way, we return to a core question that changes everything: did we learn to love?
If you’ve ever felt alone in December, this conversation offers warmth without hype and clarity without judgment. We reflect on becoming light by lifting Jesus with our lives, letting the Spirit guide us from knowing about truth to living it, and using the openness of the season to share comfort, courage, and the nearness of God. Join us, then tell a friend who needs a place to breathe. Subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review to help more people find a hopeful way through the holidays.
Support the show
Loving Yeshua/Jesus, Loving people... Come as you are and you will be loved!
Feel free to check out our website by typing in lifearoundthefire.com or Life Around The Fire ... We think you'll find some beneficial stuff to look at and apply to your life.
Shalom to you and your home.
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The holidays can be loud with joy and still leave space where the heart aches. We sit down with Dr. Bill Hurst for a frank, compassionate exploration of the Christmas blues, the weight of complicated memories, and the quiet courage it takes to choose love when celebration feels out of reach. From childhood years in protective care to teachings that labeled Christmas “pagan,” Dr. Bill charts a path many listeners will recognize: confusion, pressure, and an uneasy relationship with a season that’s supposed to be simple. What emerges is a wiser way forward—treating Christmas not as a test of correctness, but as a practical season for love, hospitality, and gentle witness.
Dr. Bill opens the door to his most painful chapter: the loss of his youngest daughter near Christmas. He shares how faith steadied sorrow without erasing it, how hope reframed grief, and why this time of year can still be meaningful when the chair at the table sits empty. We talk about moving from theological fights to relational presence, welcoming single neighbors and elders with no nearby family, and giving gifts that say “you are loved” with no strings attached. Along the way, we return to a core question that changes everything: did we learn to love?
If you’ve ever felt alone in December, this conversation offers warmth without hype and clarity without judgment. We reflect on becoming light by lifting Jesus with our lives, letting the Spirit guide us from knowing about truth to living it, and using the openness of the season to share comfort, courage, and the nearness of God. Join us, then tell a friend who needs a place to breathe. Subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review to help more people find a hopeful way through the holidays.
Support the show
Loving Yeshua/Jesus, Loving people... Come as you are and you will be loved!
Feel free to check out our website by typing in lifearoundthefire.com or Life Around The Fire ... We think you'll find some beneficial stuff to look at and apply to your life.
Shalom to you and your home.