Daily Devotions for Caregivers

 Do you ever get a day off? How about an hour here or there? I used to be able to get out for a weekend or a quick overnight trip, but it still felt like I wasn't really "off." My phone had to be on and near me every second in case my substitute had a question or situation they needed my input on. In the last few months, I've had zero time off from caregiving. The thing is that you can't just clock out and go home. There's no chance to get away and just live life - it is our lives. It's just so daily. I remember Joni Eareckson Tada, who has lots of wonderful resources for caregivers, btw, said about her disability. It's  just so daily. How well we understand that brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, birth defects, dementia, Alzheimer's, and any other condition are just so daily. There's not a magic button to turn it all off, right? It's always on, so we have to be always on. But that's okay. Because all of who God is - is always on, to...

This morning, I found myself in Psalm 16. There were several scriptures that stood out to me. However, verse 8 tugged at my heart the longest. In the New Living Translation, verse 8 says, I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. It seems this verse can be broken down into three powerful parts.  Affirmation: I know the Lord is always with me. Declaration: I will not be shaken. Confirmation: He is right beside me. I am currently working on a new book of affirmations for caregivers. This verse is likely to be the next one I use! To know that God is with us is empowering. He will not leave us. God never shakes His head at our circumstances and says it's just too much for Him. He doesn't say it's too complicated or complex that He just "can't deal." He just continues to stay with us, never abandoning us to our crazy thoughts or out-of-control emotions. He remains. That's a powerful positive for the caregiver. Over the ...

 It's too bad everyone doesn't understand caregivers and caregiving. Very few truly understand the toll it takes on one's body, mind, emotions, mental health, etc., until they have to take that journey themselves. And sadly, many people refuse to care for their loved ones. It's fair to say that many just can't do it. I've seen so many choose to walk away. It's a sad ordeal. But I get it - caregiving takes a lot out of you. But we have to just keep moving along and trusting God for each day. Of course, that's easier said than done. One of the biggest challenges many caregivers face is social isolation. For instance, not only did I have to change the way I worked to care for my son - I had to change the way I lived too. While it's easier to get him out and about now, there are still many challenges on a social level. On one hand, we can feel like we stick out like a sore thumb. At the same time - while feeling awkwardly placed in a social event, we ar...

 Peter is one of my favorite characters in the New Testament. Maybe that is partially due to my potential to spout off and sound off without a lot of thought, like he does. But perhaps it's because I relate to his tenacity and quick action. Of course, he was the one who grabbed a sword and cut off the dude's ear when they came to take Jesus captive. But he was also the only one out of 12 disciples who jumped out of the boat in a storm and walked toward Jesus on the water. The 11 other disciples just sat there watching it unfold but didn't make a move toward Jesus. No condemnation here. I don't know what I'd have done in that situation. But today, I read another story in John about Peter jumping out of yet another boat to go to Jesus. The disciples had gone fishing after the resurrection. That may seem odd, but I can only imagine the extreme emotions they had gone through over the last 3-4 days. First, Jesus was crucified, and all their dreams and expectations hung ...

  Have you ever been disappointed with God? Of course, the religious answer is a quick no. But the real answer that we often don't feel like we can express is yes. As I was making the ICU waiting room my home for over three weeks, I really thought God was going to come riding in on His white horse and rescue us, raise up my son, and heal him. Then, we could get back to life as usual. When that didn't happen, I became disappointed. I had tons of questions that we are indirectly told by religion we can't ask. Instead of being condemned by God for asking the hard questions, I felt accepted. I also learned that I wasn't alone. Scriptures I'd read a hundred times before began to stand out to me. For instance, I read Pslam 13 over and over. In this psalm alone, David cries out to God. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily ? I learned that God did not...

 The old song, The Anchor Holds,  is playing over and over in my mind this morning. Today is the 15th anniversary of my son's accident. I would be lying if I told you it hasn't been the most difficult season of my life. I'm pretty sure anyone who's faced the challenges of caregiving would agree, at least on some level!  Life's trials help reveal what we are made of. Sometimes, they serve to show us where we are weakest or the most vulnerable. While it feels horrible, it's really a good thing. Over the last decade and a half, I've learned how to trust God more deeply. One of the first things I learned, even while we were in the hospital for 107 days, was how to redefine faith. That's been a journey in itself. I learned that faith doesn't prevent bad stuff from happening (ask Moses, Abraham, David, Paul, and Jesus), but it carries us through the trials and struggles. Scripture tells us to give thanks in all things, and I have become able to thank Him f...

  As I was reading Galatians this morning, I realized that Paul began his greeting by praying grace and peace to the readers. Then, he ended the letter to the new church by speaking grace and peace over them. He spent the letter explaining to them how they were free from the law and free to live in Christ and His abundance. We are no longer bondslaves or slaves to sin because the Liberator lives in us. God provides us with a life of freedom from the bondage of the law - which had the purpose of bringing us to Christ. Now, our lives are hidden in Him, and Jesus lives through us. Wow! Paul also mentioned in his letter to the Corinthians that God explained how His grace was enough - enough for whatever Paul was going through - and the dude went through a LOT! It seems God has us totally covered from the inside out. There is nothing that can come our way that His grace will not cover. The cool thing for me as a caregiver is that His grace knows just when to step in and carry me. But it...