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December 23, 2025 11 mins

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Christmas week has a way of stirring both joy and anxiety—often at the same time. In this episode, I’m inviting you to pause with me and gently reflect on the tension so many of us feel during the holidays: the Christmas we’re chasing versus the Christ we’re longing for.

As women—especially midlife women who lead, care, and carry a lot—we often find ourselves managing Christmas instead of receiving it. Somewhere between the to-do lists, the expectations, and the desire to make the season meaningful for everyone else, we can quietly miss the peace that was promised to us.

In this episode, I explore:

  • Why holiday anxiety is so common (and why it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you)
  • How the first Christmas was anything but calm or controlled—and why that matters
  • The difference between performing Christmas and receiving Christ
  • The theology of presence over performance and Emmanuel—God with us
  • How holiday busyness impacts the nervous system, sleep, hormones, and stress levels
  • Practical, grace-filled strategies to reduce anxiety and cultivate peace this Christmas week

This conversation is an invitation to stop striving for a feeling and instead receive the gift that has already been given. You don’t have to create peace—Christ already came to bring it.

If Christmas feels heavy, rushed, or emotionally complex this year, I hope this episode feels like a gentle exhale and a reminder that God meets us right where we are.

I hope this episode blesses you!

Xoxo,

Tanya

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Reminder:  The information you hear on this show is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.  It is for educational purposes only. Always consult with your own health practitioner before you make any changes to your health.

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