Yes, once again the holiday season is upon us and it seems to have arrived on a swifter schedule than last year and all previous years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like a line from a song I wrote years ago: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The years they come and go
Like clouds on a windy day
The moments pass so swiftly
Our lives just slip away <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nI stopped by our local hardware store just the other day and already, in the early part of November, Christmas decorations, trees, lights and all related items were up and ready for purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It really does all come too quickly! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the risk of having this letter read like one of those blow by blow, diary\/travelogue volumes occasionally received at year\u2019s end from some distant relative or friend (who you\u2019re not totally sure you even know), I felt I should update you as to where we are and how we\u2019re doing as a family. Also, I want to share some insight as to our future ministry plans. I do this because we\u2019ve had so many friends email or write us asking about Linda\u2019s health and the health of our daughter and son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year has been a tough and challenging one for our family. You may remember that at the first of the year our daughter was diagnosed with a rare cancer. At the same time, my wife, Linda, had a severe reaction to a new immunotherapy trial she was on. It put her in bed and eventually in the hospital. The total \u201cdown time\u201d for her was almost six weeks. Then, in the midst of all this, our son began having severe anxiety attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A friend of ours said, \u201cYou\u2019re going through a cluster bomb attack!\u201d That\u2019s exactly what it felt like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m pleased to report our son, Jeffrey, is doing much better. He still has occasional bouts with anxiety, but nothing like when it began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our daughter, Jennifer, is doing very well. The cancer was completely removed surgically. There were some lingering complications from the surgery that persisted for months, but these issues have been almost totally resolved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Linda continues to wage war against her thirty-two year nemesis of breast cancer. It\u2019s taken a lot from her through the years, most recently the craniotomy of almost three years ago now. Because of the effects of the craniotomy and subsequent radiation, her mobility and balance have been compromised. This has prohibited her from traveling with me most of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me pause here a moment and assure you that God\u2019s grace has indeed been sufficient throughout this \u201cbumpy\u201d part of the road on life\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mentioned that much has been taken from Linda through the years of her struggle with cancer. However, I must testify that way more has been given to us because of God\u2019s grace and faithfulness in the midst of the struggle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A song Linda often sang says it best: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase
To added affliction He addeth His mercy
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace <\/p>Annie Flint Johnson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nLinda and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary on the 27th of this month. We have been abundantly blessed with a wonderful marriage, two wonderful children and five amazing grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has given us the marvelous privilege of being \u201cco-laborers together with Christ Jesus\u201d throughout the years of ministry, particularly through Praise Ministries. Many souls have been won to Christ, lives rescued, and families healed because of God\u2019s faithfulness to use us in ministry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We will continue to minister. People often ask me, \u201cHow long are you going to keep ministering?\u201d I always reply by saying, \u201cAs long as I have breath and opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone asked me the other day if I was retired. I responded by saying, \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve had to cut back our traveling dates and will probably continue to do so because of health issues and age. (I turned 71 in November.) Not old, but I can tell you, I can\u2019t do it all as easily as I used to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately we live at a time when we can continue to minister very effectively without always having to travel somewhere to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many have commented how much they love and appreciate our online ministry through our website, Facebook and YouTube. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The newsletter, the daily posts, the \u201cStories Behind the Songs\u201d have been such a blessing to so many, hopefully to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We plan to expand our ministry opportunities online in the coming year. I think you\u2019re going to really like and appreciate that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay tuned! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll continue to take a limited number of concert dates and speaking engagements, but we\u2019re at a point in our lives where we have to make some changes. Tis the Season of our lives! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe we\u2019ll be even more effective in ministering to those God brings into our care, as we steward our time, talents and treasures of God\u2019s grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please continue to pray for us as we seek God for direction, for strength to run the race and for His Spirit\u2019s anointing on all we do in the name of ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recently read a marvelous verse and comment by Charles Spurgeon that was a great encouragement and blessing to me. I share it here in hopes it will similarly encourage and bless you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands. <\/p>Isaiah 49:16 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBehold,\u201d is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands. \u201cI have graven thee.\u201d It does not say, \u201cThy name.\u201d Thy name is there, but that is not all: \u201cI have graven thee.\u201d See the fulness of this! I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works: I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there.
<\/p>Charles H. Spurgeon <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAs you celebrate the Christmas season, whether at a family feast, exchanging of gifts around a Christmas tree or just in simple solitude, remember the greatest gift; that of our Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, God\u2019s great gift in a wooden manger and His great sacrifice on a wooden cross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember the tiny Christ child\u2019s hands that reached up to touch His mother\u2019s face, but also remember these same nail pierced hands that reached out to save sinners like you and me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And lastly, remember that we are graven in these same hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflect, Rejoice, Respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tis the Season!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yes, once again the holiday season is upon us and it seems to have arrived on a swifter schedule than last year and all previous years. Like a line from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2793,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Tis The Season - Dallas Holm<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tis The Season - Dallas Holm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Yes, once again the holiday season is upon us and it seems to have arrived on a swifter schedule than last year and all previous years. Like a line from […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dallas Holm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/christmas-1010749_1280.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1020\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dallas Holm\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dallas Holm\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dallas Holm\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9fce4bd6148f3738db529c4cf73ad8\"},\"headline\":\"Tis The Season\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\"},\"wordCount\":1148,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Updates\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\",\"name\":\"Tis The Season - Dallas Holm\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/home\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Tis The Season\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/\",\"name\":\"Dallas Holm\",\"description\":\"Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Author\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Dallas Holm Praise Ministries\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/header-013.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/header-013.png\",\"width\":340,\"height\":156,\"caption\":\"Dallas Holm Praise Ministries\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9fce4bd6148f3738db529c4cf73ad8\",\"name\":\"Dallas Holm\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/304ca5b75b970fa1fbe321308cd6c13e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/304ca5b75b970fa1fbe321308cd6c13e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dallas Holm\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/author\/dallas\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Tis The Season - Dallas Holm","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Tis The Season - Dallas Holm","og_description":"Yes, once again the holiday season is upon us and it seems to have arrived on a swifter schedule than last year and all previous years. Like a line from […]","og_url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/","og_site_name":"Dallas Holm","article_published_time":"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":1020,"url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/christmas-1010749_1280.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dallas Holm","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dallas Holm","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/"},"author":{"name":"Dallas Holm","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9fce4bd6148f3738db529c4cf73ad8"},"headline":"Tis The Season","datePublished":"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/"},"wordCount":1148,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Updates"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/","url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/","name":"Tis The Season - Dallas Holm","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-12-06T16:18:42+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-06T16:18:44+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/tis-the-season\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tis The Season"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/","name":"Dallas Holm","description":"Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Author","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#organization","name":"Dallas Holm Praise Ministries","url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/header-013.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/header-013.png","width":340,"height":156,"caption":"Dallas Holm Praise Ministries"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9fce4bd6148f3738db529c4cf73ad8","name":"Dallas Holm","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/304ca5b75b970fa1fbe321308cd6c13e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/304ca5b75b970fa1fbe321308cd6c13e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dallas Holm"},"url":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/author\/dallas\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasholm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}