When the “Most Wonderful Time of Year” Feels Anything But –
Maybe you’re facing your first holiday season after loss. Maybe you’re navigating major life changes. Maybe you’re just feeling disconnected from the joy everyone else seems to be experiencing.
If the thought of holiday gatherings makes you anxious…
If you’re dreading the cheerfulness you’re expected to perform…
If you’re not sure how to honor both your grief AND the season…
You’re not alone. And you don’t have to pretend.
I remember my first holiday season after my world shattered.
A one-two punch of betrayal and a horrific moped crash in Jamaica during what should have been a family vacation of a lifetime – left me broken in every way. Then, while wrestling with burn wounds and a broken body, I received devastating news: my brother’s remains had been found nearly a year after his disappearance.
As The Great Physician was mending not just my body, but my shattered spirit too, I learned something profound: healing requires time, but it also requires intention.
A Different Kind of Holiday Guide
That’s why I created When Joy Takes Courage: A 12-Day Retreat for Navigating the Holiday Season with Grace.
This isn’t another book telling you to “stay positive” or “push through.” This is a compassionate companion that meets you exactly where you are.
No forced cheerfulness.
No artificial timelines.
Just authentic healing at your own pace.
What Makes This Workbook Different
Through daily reflections, scripture-based encouragement, and practical exercises, this 12-day retreat invites you to embrace the bittersweet moments of the season with grace—acknowledging both your hurt and your healing.
Inside, you’ll find tools to:
- Honor your pain AND your hope
- Give yourself permission to reimagine traditions that feel too heavy
- Set boundaries with grace
- Practice gentle self-care during difficult days
- Find moments of joy amidst confusion and grief
Each day includes:
- Daily scripture-based encouragement
- Guided journaling prompts
- Practical exercises for emotional wellbeing
- Space for personal reflection
- Permission slips for setting boundaries
- Creative activities for processing grief
Your Healing Matters—Even During the Holidays
As I waited for my skin to grow back, my toes to wiggle and walk again, I learned that healing requires both time and active participation. I made hard sacrifices to pursue the path of healing. I temporarily gave up parts of my business. I stripped back commitments and let a few people down along the way.
Whether you’ve been hurt recently or you are working through past trauma and wounds—your healing is worth your time.
This workbook represents the healing practices I discovered during my own journey. It’s the companion I wish I’d had—a friend you can quietly escape to sit by the tree with, even as tears slide down your cheeks.
A Gift That Says “I See You”
When Joy Takes Courage makes a meaningful gift for anyone navigating:
- Grief and loss during the holidays
- Major life transitions
- Difficult family dynamics
- The pressure to “be festive” when hurting
- The desire for more authentic, meaningful celebrations
This full-color workbook is more than pretty pages—it’s a retreat, a permission slip, and a gentle guide all in one.
Let This Guide Walk Beside You
There’s no “right” way to heal. This guide won’t become a pang of guilt or one more item on your to-do list.
Instead, I pray that this guide will be like a friend you can quietly escape to sit by the tree with, even as tears slide down your cheeks. May it help you feel more deeply, savor more fully, and perhaps heal just a bit more this holiday season.
Your journey of healing matters. Let this guide walk beside you as you walk through this season with courage, authenticity, and grace.
Order Your Copy Today | Give as a Gift
When Joy Takes Courage: A 12-Day Retreat for Navigating the Holiday Season with Grace
By Tenneil Register
Available exclusively at ShopR7.com
About the Author
Tenneil Register, a small business owner and mother of five, found her world upended during what should have been a family vacation of a lifetime. A horrific crash left her physically injured, and while wrestling with both a broken body and a broken heart, she received more devastating news: her brother’s remains had been found nearly a year after his disappearance. Through her reliance on God, Tenneil’s journey of physical healing became a powerful parallel to her emotional and spiritual recovery. In this workbook, she shares the healing practices she discovered, offering hope and guidance to others facing their own struggles.
Please go easy on yourself. There’s no “right” way to heal. Don’t let this guide become a pang of guilt or one more item on your to-do list. Your healing is worth your time.
—Tenneil
