Is Anybody Out There?

It's not unusual for caregivers to feel overwhelmed. There is a lot on our plates, and each day seems to bring more. Decisions, tasks, and plans, just seem to wear on and on. They are just part of our journey so we tend to adjust and proceed. But every once in a while, at least for me, it seems I get sucked into the I'm all alone syndrome. The odd thing is that the feelings of being alone can be strongest when others are all around.

When I go for a hike, an evening walk, or anywhere else occasionally, I seem to be the only person there all alone. Everyone else at least appears to be enjoying the company of friends, companions, or others. It tends to gnaw at one's soul. I hope you don't understand.

Last night, after the zoom Bible study I host, which was very enjoyable, I just got sucked into the I'm all alone vacuum. There was no warning. No sign of anything. I just felt so all alone.

What are we supposed to do with these feelings? Of course, we take them to God. Maybe He feels all alone too - several scriptures say, I am God alone. (lol - you know I'm just kidding. We gotta laugh sometimes!) I know I can take everything to Him and He fully understands those feelings of abandonment and aloneness. Sometimes, just spreading my heart out before Him is all that it takes for my emotions to shift. I encourage you - if you feel alone right where you are - spread it all out to Him.

One thing I've found encouraging is knowing He is in my now. He's in the right now - present here - whatever here looks like today. He hasn't (and won't) abandon because life got ugly or difficult. He is committed to the journey - and I am committed to Him.

Today, I will remind myself that I am not alone. That someone is with me and that someone created everything by starting with a simple phrase, let there be light. That same God can shine the light of His glory in my heart so that the aloneness is no longer the focus. Today, I will remind myself of His eternal commitment to be with me. I will look for His interactions throughout my day. I'll be thankful that I am not alone because I am hidden in Him. Will you join me?

If you enjoy these devotionals, I have others! I've expanded my bookstore on Amazon. My devotionals are available in Kindle or print format. The new Bible study guides are now available on Kindle and in print! Check out my growing bookstore!

I also recently opened my own bookstore. I'm presently filling it up with my books - check out the ones I have available in eBook format. You can download them and read them on your phone! Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore.

Comments

Ups and Downs

Maybe it's just "that time of year" for me, but I've struggled a lot the last few weeks. I still affectionately call it the caregiver's fog. Lol. Okay, maybe it's not-so-affectionately. I know I can share my true feelings with you guys because you get it. You understand the day-to-day grind of caregiving. The military has a saying about there being no easy day. I think we live in that reality. It's just not easy caring for another whole person, is it? Caregiving presents many difficulties. We can find ourselves alone, so very alone on this journey. It doesn't just go away. We don't just work through it. It seems to go on and on. There are lots of ups and downs - and that can be about every 90 seconds some days. Right? (smile!) As I've been working through this emotional maze the last few days, I turned my thoughts to Daniel. Let's take a realistic look at his circumstances because as we read his story in the Bible, we tend to glamorize i

Seasons Are Temporary

This morning, I found myself reading in Isaiah 28. I ended up there because I was looking for something in particular, and even though I didn't find what I was looking for, I found what I needed. God's so cool like that, isn't He? My eyes first fell on verse 29, which says in the NKJ: This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. I rolled that over in my mind and heart a few times and spent a few minutes thinking about how I'd seen His counsel in action in my own life. We've all had those times when we weren't sure what to do or where to go, and suddenly, an idea drops into our thoughts. There are many ways He provides direction for us. He may direct our steps through a passage of scripture, a trusted spiritual leader such as a pastor, a YouTube teacher, and maybe even a lowly blog writer. Lol. No matter how He chooses to deliver His counsel, it comes - but we must listen. After I had rolled these thoughts and t

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Over the last few weeks, I've been trying to strategize ways of dealing with stress. It's something we all deal with, especially caregivers. I'm walking and exercising more, which helps the body get rid of stress and it helps improve sleep to some degree. But I've also been working on training my thoughts. I've been working on purposefully finding things to be thankful for. At first, it was a bit difficult because let's face it, caregiving is hard work. This morning, I was plugging Chris into a nebulizer for a breathing treatment as he had an asthma attack yesterday afternoon after we'd been out for a little bit. As I was doing his treatment and his tube feeding, I didn't even really think about it; this "thought" just rolled up out of me. I thought, thank you, Lord, for carrying us through the long night. My own thankfulness surprised me! Lol. I realized at that moment that it's getting easier and easier to be thankful, even for the litt

Daily Devotions for Caregivers

Search This Blog