80 Navigating Loneliness Through Christ’s Example

“We are not meant to be lonely. We are meant to be socially connected and a part of the body of Christ.”

Dr. Kevin Vost on Navigating loneliness

Who is Kevin Vost? Kevin Vost

Kevin Vost, Psy.D., obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology from Adler University in Chicago and has taught psychology and gerontology at the University of Illinois at Springfield and Aquinas College in Nashville, Tennessee. A revert to Catholicism after 25 years of atheism, Kevin has written over 20 Catholic books from Memorize the Faith! to The Catholic Guide to Loneliness. The father of two sons and grandfather of three grandchildren, he lives with his wife Kathy in Springfield, Illinois.  

PQF · 80 Navigating Loneliness Through Christ’s ExampleNavigating Loneliness

In this episode, Dr. Kevin Vost talks about loneliness. He explains:
-How being alone is different from loneliness
-Why it is not good to be lonely?
-How Christ teaches us to navigate loneliness

When I wrote to Kevin about his book on loneliness, it was something that we were praying about for a long time. It was never on our list for 2021. One of our guests had COVID, another cancelled and I was praying about what we talk about for Christmas and whom to invite.

Through this season, I was also having so many tentative thoughts about this ministry and whether any of this mattered. I hate to say it, I was feeling lonely on my own personal walk and I wrote to Kevin based on that slight prompting from the Holy Spirit. He’s a famous author and I honestly didn’t even think he’d reply. But God has a way of surprising us. Kevin reached out to me twice. I was so glad he did because this message is so apt and wonderful especially as we face another COVID lockdown.

More people are struggling with mental health and finding it difficult to connect. Kevin has some practical advice. It’s a mix of physical, emotional, and spiritual steps.

His research showed that 1 in 4 people don’t have a close friend that they can share their emotions with. And I know many people will say how can you be alone when you have Jesus?

That’s what Kevin explains so well. Even Jesus had friends and his close three. We can only learn how to to deal with loneliness like Jesus did. By focusing on others rather than ourselves.

Kevin does a great job explaining it and I hope you will find encouragement in his words. I’m so grateful that he agreed to talk to us about this.

This Christmas Help People Deal With Loneliness

This Christmas, I urge you to reach out to people who are lonely. Ask God to show you who you need to share a few words with or make a phone call. If there’s someone who’s weighing on your heart, that’s the Holy Spirit’s nudge. Even if it’s a gentle nudge, don’t ignore it. You might be that person’s hope and reason to live or smile.

Don’t assume things because of social media or ignore that nudge because they always look happy. Talk, call, share a meal, a cup of tea, greet people, and smile. It makes someone’s day!

Let’s try and make this Christmas season meaningful for others and through them, for ourselves.

We Hit 80 Episodes

We also hit 80 episodes. I don’t know how we came so far. All I can say is “But by the grace of God.” I’ve said this many times, I’m not qualified as a podcaster, don’t have the knowledge, or the experience. God provided this ministry and He has sustained it.

I only ask that you support this ministry by praying for me and the guests that come on. One small prayer for us will do. Also, share us widely with people who might benefit. We don’t know what people’s needs are but God does. And so I pray that you can sow this podcast as a seed and God will take care of the harvest.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on St. Thomas Aquinas and Preparing for Advent. Finally, if you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint that you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

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