December has a quiet way of showcasing both light and shadow.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” – Desmond Tutu

My Story

December has a quiet way of showcasing both light and shadow. It’s wrapped in music and memories — and stirs the things we’ve tucked away.

Grief.

Longing.

The ache of what once was… or what never came to be.

Every year as the season unfolds, I feel that soft tug of loss. While my childhood Christmases were full of joy and simplicity, my late teen years were overshadowed by illness in the family that caused a deep ache in my heart that lingered for years. My memories often rise like fog every December — reminders of seasons when celebration felt overshadowed by worry and distress.

And now, as an adult without children of my own and without close family nearby for the holidays, that familiar loneliness sometimes finds me again. I don’t carry it all season long, but December has a way of brushing me up against old bruises.

Over time, I’ve learned to see these moments not as weakness, but as invitations — invitations to pause, breathe, and let God meet me exactly where I am.

What About You?

Maybe you feel something similar.

Maybe December awakens a mix of joy and heaviness — memories of who is here and who is missing, hopes fulfilled and hopes deferred.

Maybe you, too, feel stretched thin.

Or weary.

Or quietly longing for renewal.

Whatever your December looks like, the ache and the beauty can coexist — and you’re not the only one navigating both.

Hopeful Insight

Suffering has a way of reshaping us.

It softens us. It deepens us. It teaches us to see others with the eyes of Jesus — eyes that notice the lonely, the hurting, the weary.

And in those tender places, God meets us.

Not with pressure, but with presence.

Not with demands, but with comfort.

I experienced that recently when I reached the brink of burnout, God whispered a truth I needed to hear: you need rest, too.

There was no shame in that moment — only honesty. Only grace.

As this December unfolds, I’m choosing practices that help me release pressure and welcome renewal.

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Gentle Ways To Reflect and Renew

These small practices help steady the mind, soften the heart, and create room for God’s peace:

Simplify celebrations — choose presence over perfection.
Create space for emotion — let tears come, knowing release is also renewal.
Ask God to redirect loneliness into compassion for someone who may need you.
Rest without guilt — allow your body and spirit the care they’ve been asking for.
Invite God to reshape your thoughts when discouragement begins to drift in. This practice has been crucial for my renewal.

Be Encouraged

If December brings both ache and beauty for you, know this:

You’re not alone.

God meets us in the quiet places.

Right there — in the tender space between grief and hope — He renews us again.

This month inside The Flourish Circle, we’re exploring what it means to Reflect & Renew — gently, honestly, and in community.

If your heart is longing for deeper rest and meaningful reflection this December, I’d love to welcome you into the circle.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

Reflect & Renew Invitation

If December feels tender for you too, take heart — you don’t have to walk through it alone.
If you’d love a gentle, faith-filled space to reflect, reset, and renew this month, I’d love to welcome you into

The Flourish Circle

➡ Join us this month https://www.wellnowfitness.com/flourish-circle

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Well Now Fitness

I’m Susan, the heart behind Well Now Fitness—a wellness community developed for women like you (and me)—women who are navigating the shifting seasons of life, and who are ready to embrace health not just as a habit, but as a way of life.

With 30 years of experience as an educator, a black belt former martial arts instructor, and a certified group fitness and personal trainer, I bring a unique blend of knowledge, coaching, and compassion to every class and conversation. Holistic wellness in my programs is not just a tagline or an add-on; it’s woven into every detail.

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