The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot extinguish it. John 1:5 Voice
A long caregiving season can feel like a very dark place. I know because I have felt that darkness surround me like a wet blanket and chill my hope. At times it felt like the darkness would win. If felt like the light inside me was dimming more and more every day. At times, it felt like I didn’t even have a flashlight! Other times, the batteries on my flashlight would run down.
The darker it becomes, the more obvious a small light is. What does that mean? It means that you only need a spark of hope to ignite a change in the darkness. It can start with the simple statement, “God is good.”
Proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into shimmering light. 2 Peter 2:9 (Voice)
You have been called from darkness to light. I love this translation because it describes the darkness and the light. You may feel today that you are no more than an ink spot in a dark place of despair and hopelessness. In fact, it may seem so dark that you can’t even see your hand when you put it in front of your face.
God is calling you to step into a beautiful circle of light in His presence and glory. When you do, darkness flees. The light overwhelms the darkness. It has to disappear.
Proclaim His goodness and the wonderful miracles He has performed and has planned for you. He has chosen you and your experience as a caregiver to be a blessing to others going through the same thing.
Embrace the caregiving experience through joyful worship and understanding who He has called you to be in Him. Continue to do what only you can do. Flip the negatives into possibilities.
For the rest of the alphabet in the ABCs of Self Nurture for Caregivers please click here.
Karen Sebastian-Wirth has, over the years, lovingly cared for her mother-in-love, mother, father and husband. She certainly has learned the lessons of hope in what can become a treacherous ride over some rough waters. You will enjoy her candid approach to self nurture and the practical ways to take care of yourself. Her new book The Power of Hope for Caregivers: Honor the Ride will be released in November, 2017.
Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. Her books will inspire you to embrace hope no matter what you are going through. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love check out her Facebook page – The Power of Hope.
