The Crossway Podcast Help! I'm Feeling Lonely at Christmas (Lydia Brownback)
Dec 15, 2025
Lydia Brownback, an author and Bible teacher, shares profound insights about navigating loneliness during the holiday season. She discusses how comparison can amplify feelings of isolation and how loss can make traditions more poignant. Lydia emphasizes the importance of facing painful emotions and reaching out for support instead of numbing them. By inviting God into our loneliness and serving others, we can find purpose and community. She encourages proactive inclusion and laments as powerful tools for healing.
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Snowfall Conversation That Revealed Loneliness
- Lydia describes a snowfall conversation that triggered overwhelming loneliness and led her to skip getting a Christmas tree that year.
- A single casual comment exposed her habit of comparing imagined family scenes to her own life, deepening the pain.
Comparisons Are Often Imagined Realities
- Lydia shows that imagined pictures of others' lives often don't match reality, so comparisons deepen loneliness.
- Seeing the disparity as imagination helps reduce envy and corrects the 'greener grass' dynamic.
Bring Loneliness To The Lord And A Friend
- Do not numb or rush past painful loneliness; take the feeling to the Lord with honest prayer and crying out.
- Also call a friend and let them listen; you often need presence more than solutions.
