Bins and Barrels

 

This morning, I went to the fridge to get something. When I opened the door, I noticed a bag of grapes on the second shelf. Nothing significant, except that I thought I had eaten all of them. So, I grabbed the bag and ate the rest of them again. lol. 

I thought for a second about the widow in 1 Kings 17. God sent Elisha to her house after he'd been fed by ravens by the brook during the famine. He asked her to make him a cake. Her reply is heartbreaking. She explained that she only had enough flour and oil to make a meal for her son and herself. That was it. She figured after that, they would just die. 

The wise prophet told her to make him a small loaf first. Seems a bit selfish to me, but she obeyed. He then explained that her flour and oil would not run out for the rest of the famine. Sure enough. Her bin always had enough flour, and her jar always had enough oil. My imagination jumped on that one. 

What if every time I opened the fridge, there was a small cluster of grapes left, even though I'd just eaten the rest of them! That had to be amazing. Every meal she prepared, she came to the end of her supplies, but when she was ready for the next meal, there was more. 

Maybe God hasn't done this exact miracle in our lives (although sometimes I am sure He has stretched what I had and made it last!). But isn't this a picture of His grace? His peace. His mercies. His love.

Just when we think we are at our ends and pretty sure God can't help us, the bin is full again with just what we need in the moment. Even though the widow experienced this miracle in the natural, caregivers experience the spiritual equivalent every single day.

Today, I will be thankful for His endless supply of grace, mercy, peace, and love. It doesn't matter if we end our days staring into an empty emotional barrel; when we come back to Him, we find it full again. I love that about God! I'll remind myself that His supply never runs out. He always has just enough. His grace is sufficient for our needs. He's got us covered before we even discover we've run out! I'm going to trust Him with 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.