Midnight at Noon

 Sometimes the days are a little bit crazy, and we can feel like our heads are spinning. Of course, there are better days where things go as planned (or real close to it). I like those smooth-running days. But lately, there have been so many more disruptions, including a not-so-quick run to the ER. Even our best days can be shrouded by grief. 

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they want to be a full-time caregiver to their loved ones when they grow up. Lol. Of course, we begin to realize with our parents that it's very likely going that way. But it's not our goal in our youth. It's something that life puts on our plates, and most of the time we accept it gracefully and try to do the best we can, with whoever we are taking care of. No one ever said caregiving was easy! Not anyone who's ever done it, anyway! lol.

It's easy for our souls to become shrouded. Oswald Chambers (one of my favs!) called it the dark night of the soul. It's when the soul is walking through dark and difficult things, but the rest of the world seems to be living in the light. We must stop to grieve. To cry. To regroup, etc. It's like our soul is walking in a midnight in broad daylight.

You know what, though? God's got the grace for that, too! No matter what we are walking through, carrying around, or trying to navigate in life - His grace is always enough.

We don't even have to feel like we can do it all ourselves. (Even though many of us have little to no help!) David was a warrior. He was a good one! How did I come to this conclusion? He died of old age, not at the hand of war. David survived because in the midnight of his soul, he learned to wait on God.

He would ask God before taking on a battle. He'd pray about whether they should go up to the battle or not. Have You given them into our hands? He'd ask God. David was well-trained, had decades of experience, and expertise in battle strategies. Yet, he knew to stop and ask God every single time. And he knew to wait for that answer.

Today, even though we are experienced caregivers, let's stop and ask God one more time about the battle before us. Let's ask Him to guide us along life's rocky cliffs and sudden valleys. We can trust Him for strategies that help our wounded souls survive the day-to-days of caregiving. I will take a few minutes to just ask God to guide my steps back to His heart. I'll remind myself that there's nothing that will come today that He won't offer the grace to help me through. I'll get quiet in my soul, even though I'm a good soul-warrior (lol). I'll remind myself that He has me covered, and He is the light when my soul feels like it's midnight. I will trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

_______________________________________________

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.