The Old Testament sometimes gets a bad rap. Maybe it's because we don't always see the thread of grace that runs through it. I mean, some of those OT prophets can seem a bit harsh, asking people to repent and all. But even in the midst of what seems legalistic, if we look a little deeper, we'll find God's grace actively at work. Recently, I found myself in Isaiah 49. I have it all marked up, with several things specifically underlined and outlined in the chapter. I couldn't believe there was so much grace shining through these verses. If you have a minute, go read the whole chapter. We're going to walk through it for the next few days. In the first two verses, Isaiah acknowledges that God knew and called him from the womb. We can draw a parallel here to Psalm 139, where David talks about how God watched us form in the womb. Isaiah got that too! I love that Isaiah adds a more personal flair by saying, from within the womb, He called me by name.  What a great pic...

  Ever hear the phrase, gracefully broken? Yeah? That's not me. Oh, I can put on a front so no one knows or sees how shattered my heart and emotions are - but I'm not so graceful sometimes. As caregivers, we never know what is going to come at us any given day. And while I know that I have HIS all-sufficient grace  for each and every day, I don't always handle things in a super graceful way. One little hiccup, and I lose it. It can be anything! Literally! From spilled coffee (hey, that's serious!) to unwashed dishes waiting for their turn in the dishwasher. Little things from not being able to find the perfect temperature to bigger things like heart attacks can send my emotions off and leave me trying to reel them back in. I've laughed about struggling to open a trash bag. Hey, the struggle is real!  The frustrations often come from feelings of brokenness. My outbursts indicate that I am "not-so-gracefully" broken at times. But what I love about God is tha...

                         Ever have those times when you feel all puttered out ? For me, it can happen at any time with no warning at all. I can be rocking along, getting things done, and BAM! It seems like all of a sudden, my emotions are spent. I'm mentally drained, and I need a lifelong nap. It feels like I am living Psalm 62:3... So many enemies against one person! And all of them are trying to kill me! (My loose translation!) Overwhelm is real for caregivers. Sometimes, it feels like it's mid-afternoon before we can take a deep breath. Just caregiving can be overwhelming, but then there are the dishes, the laundry, meal prep, and daily household tasks that take an extra toll, besides taking care of another whole human being. And then if the caregiver works at another job, even if it's at home...it all stacks up. Until we are all puttered out. I'm glad for this description David gives us in Psalm 62. He had ph...

For family caregivers supporting an aging parent or relative, senior caregiving challenges rarely arrive one at a time. Between work deadlines, appointments, medication questions, and the ongoing pull of personal responsibilities, work-caregiver-personal life balance can feel like a daily no-win decision. That constant tug-of-war feeds emotional stress in caregivers, especially when sleep, relationships, and spiritual time keep getting pushed aside. When the days run on autopilot, caregiver burnout can start to look like the only predictable outcome. There are ways to steady the pace and protect energy without adding more guilt. Quick Key Takeaways Prioritize time management for caregivers by identifying essentials and protecting focused time for what matters most. Lean on a caregiver support network by asking for help and sharing responsibilities with trusted people. Explore flexible work options by discussing schedules, remote work, or adjusted duties to reduce daily strain. Consider...

I would ask you if you ever feel overwhelmed, but I'm pretty sure what your answer would be after you stopped laughing. Caregiving can create such a sense of overwhelm it's hard to see out from underneath it. As my friend (I mentioned yesterday) and I were talking, I heard her say something I've said thousands of times I'm behind on everything.  And the other part is that these feelings rarely go away.  I took an overloaded heart to bed last night. My last thoughts and breaths last night were prayers on how and what I can change to make things less overwhelming for me. I know  something needs to change, but what and how? With all these thoughts running through my head, I found myself crying out to God again. It really is a wonder that He never tires of us running to Him. I have this mental image of myself with my arms loaded full of stuff, inching my way to Him. He never disappoints. I love that God doesn't disqualify my overwhelm. He never tells me that I brought i...

 Earlier this morning, I was talking to a friend who's been caring for her mom for the last few years. We were talking about the overwhelm of caregiving. I said, "There's a special armor for caregivers!" I know there is an extra measure of grace for us. There just has to be.  Paul wasn't a caregiver like us, but he did have a lot on his plate, caring for the early church. In fact, it's in 2 Corinthians 11 where he mentions it. He's giving a list of things God has brought him through; maybe he's encouraging himself a little like David did. He's listing shipwrecks, beatings, traveling miles and miles, and more.  Then in verse 28, he says, then besides all this , I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. (NLT) Sounds like a caregiver to me. Personally, as I'm running through my list of the day, the needs, the situations, there is almost always an emphatic, PLUS ... But as Paul is going through his experiences, he wraps it all ...