I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what makes a successful caregiving household. It is easy to make a list of attributes that help things run smoothly: caregivers that are well trained; a house that can accommodate medical needs; financial stability. These things all help of course, but they are not the key component.

Family caregiving is the sort of activity that will leave you feeling drained physically, tired emotionally, and even spiritually empty. You give so much of yourself by pouring out love and care on your loved one that you may forget to seek renewal for yourself. God offers strength that doesn’t run out.

I have a confession. For a couple of months earlier this year I got sucked into some viral videos where people read aloud messages left on Reddit boards. Long tales of ruined weddings, unfaithful spouses, and bad employers came with a laugh as the hosts gave advice on how the situation should be handled. What amazed me was how frequently people’s lives were being devastated by the selfishness of others.

As caregivers, we often have lists full of plans for the future. Plans for if a surgery goes ahead. Plans for if we are not able to pay a bill. Plans for meals to prepare for the holidays. We try to account for all contingencies ahead of time and when things go off our well-designed, color coded, carbon copied plans, we feel our control slipping away.

Caregiving is a weighty thing. Though we may choose to do the work, we often feel it is heavy with its endless responsibilities, emotional strain, and the ache of watching your loved one struggle. It may feel like you have no pause for rest or know of anyone who truly understands your frustrations.

Caregiving is a calling and a challenge. You pour out your love daily by meeting the needs, offering comfort, giving your best to your loved one—usually without any recognition. In a world that measures worth by achievement, it may be easy to look around and wonder if you are making a difference.

This passage is part of David’s Song of Thanks as he and the Levites brought the ark of the covenant to the city of David. He was celebrating, giving thanks to God who had brought his people through every trial.

My first year in college I remember reading a book about the church being counterculture. It was a rather revolutionary thought to me, as well as deeply uncomfortable.

Since the time of the original sin, people have lived in a broken world. We hear about it every day. Crime, wars, disease—all byproducts of this gap that was created between us and God. Since this is the case, we all understand the natural life cycle. Birth through death, we all have similar milestones that link us together. So the question is, why are we unable to talk about it?

I commonly hear my husband get frustrated with two types of people in his workplace. First, the ones that are prideful and won’t admit they don’t know everything. Second, ignorant people that don’t realize they have only skimmed the surface of a topic. In either scenario there is an unwillingness to learn new things and it tends to hinder their work.

My mind has turned to the upcoming holidays. I have been working on some special Advent lessons to share, and every time I go through these teachings I am struck anew at how God has worked through each generation.

Writing these devotionals has brought up a lot of memories, both good and bad, from my time as a caregiver for my youngest child. We knew before she was born that she was going to require multiple heart surgeries in order to survive. Comforting her in the hospital became routine under the circumstances.

My two teenagers are just a few years from being legal adults and moving out on their own. It has made me start thinking through all the things I want them to know before that happens. Can they do their own laundry? Are they able to cook for themselves? Will they be able to budget their money?

When was the last time you felt you needed the Armor of God? Yesterday I prepared for an event by walking through each item individually. In my imagination I “fastened on the belt of truth” and picked up my “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” and so forth. Each item was preparation for my battle against the dark forces I expected to encounter.

Do you ever find that the same verse or lesson keeps popping up every which way you look? This was the one for me last week.

I love to garden. It is one of the joys of my life to go muck around in the dirt and see God’s beautiful creation up close. It also makes certain parts of the Bible come alive for me.

I remember the first time I heard the words breadth, length, height, and depth as they applied to the Father’s love for us. While I was running around the house doing my caregiving duties, and just being mom to all three of my kiddos, I would listen to a particular radio show. This idea stopped me in my tracks. Who cares about clean laundry when your spiritual foundation is being reformed?

Life as a caregiver is like riding a rollercoaster. Our medical team warned us of this early and often.

One day in 2017 I headed down to the doctor’s office to have an anatomy scan for my third child. Having done this twice before, I didn’t ask my husband to join me. I dropped off the older kids with a friend and looked forward to a few minutes of “me time.” Instead of relaxation, I received news that my daughter had a heart defect and that I would need to see cardiology the following Monday.

As a family medical caregiver I was asked to put my faith in a lot of things. The knowledge of our medical care team. Medicines that were both dangerous and life-saving.