PC?

 Yesterday, I was reading and sharing from Colossians 3. Paul is reminding the young church to keep their minds on things above, and not focus on things on this earth. He tells them that they are hidden in Christ, who is our life! What a great way to encourage other believers, right?

But then I thought about where Paul was. He was writing this letter to the saints from a prison cell. He could have been sitting there whining, crying, and moaning about being held captive for no wrongdoing at all. But not Paul. He had turned his Prison Cell into a Prayer Chamber. With his freedom taken away (wrongfully, I might add), he could no longer make his trips around to encourage the churches he'd established in person. But he could pray for them. And he could write to them! And that is exactly what he did.

That letter, written in a prison cell, was sent to encourage other Christians. And I believe it was bathed in prayer.

Sometimes, it can feel like caregiving is a prison. Many of us lost some of our "freedom" to go and do things we like or need to do. Others lost most (or all) of their freedom, as it's not always possible to get out when you are a caregiver. We can't always just hop in the car and run to the movie, the store, or anywhere else. It feels like - and is often true- that our lives were snatched away when we became caregivers. 

Like Paul, we have a choice. We can sit down and cry and whine about the losses (and they are many!!!!). Or we can turn our prison cells into prayer chambers and touch heaven on behalf of others. Do you have a running prayer list? Maybe you pray for your local church and pastor, whether you can attend or not! Maybe you pray for family members or loved ones bound by addiction.

I'd like to change my perspective a little bit, because it can really feel like I am locked up tight in this cell. Instead of whining, I want to turn to praying for others. We never know when someone else may be praying for us, too!

Today, I will shift my focus and look past the walls that seem to be pressing in on me. I will pray that God will direct me to pray for others, some in similar positions and others who are not. My meditations will be on how much bigger God is than this "cell" that contains my life. I will purposefully look past what feels like it is squeezing the life out of me and I will focus on my eternal, all-present, all-powerful, God who is not afraid to live with me here in this tight spot. Since He's here anyway, I think I'll just trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

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Affirmations for Caregivers

I wrote Affirmations for Caregivers because it was what I needed to hear! This 31-day journal includes 31 scripturally based affirmations. Each day, the affirmation is followed by a short writing prompt and a verse or two to read. I also have videos on YouTube that coincide with each day's affirmation.