Enjoying God’s Presence

My presence will travel with you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:16 Voice

Caregiving can truly become a long, lonely journey. It’s time for caregivers to unite and stop isolating themselves from life giving rest and the presence of the Lord. In the midst of the hard times, the presence of the Lord and His rest make all the difference. His presence brings hope in the darkest of nights. His presence is also embodied in those who love Him and serve Him.

The context of this verse is that God speaks these words to Moses as he takes on the task of leading the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. He had no idea what was ahead but he did know that he didn’t want to go if the Lord’s presence was not with him. No matter what stage of the caregiving journey you are facing you have the promise that you can find loving-kindness and mercy from the Lord at every turning point and crisis.

If you are running on empty today take time to rest. Get away from the situation for a few days. Others can pick up the responsibilities that you fill. Gain a new perspective and grow as a person. Surround yourself with others who can support you. Open the door to help others and let them help you. 

Hope Tools

Make time for what feeds your Spirit

Take time to replenish your personal well of strength and resilience. One of the greatest gifts I received from a dear friend is that she would come and sit with my husband every Sunday morning so that I could go to church. They both enjoyed a wonderful time of ‘speaking’ about grace. Bill would write on his white board and she would get so excited about the depth of truth that he shared. This time of gathering with my church community allowed me to recharge and be ready to face the next week.

Reconnect with what makes you come fully alive

What stirs up a passion within you? Kindle that fire. What do you love to do? Go do it. Get up off that couch and take steps toward your future. Your loved one has a journey and so do you. For me, it has been writing. This was something I had always wanted to do. I felt I had books inside me. I started with the HopeGrams blog and have continued (with a few stops in between). I now have two published books and working on the third one called, The Power of Hope for Caregivers: Navigate the Journey. (I’m not sure about the tagline yet). I want to make sure that all my life experiences can help someone else who is going through a dark time.

Prayer

Lord, thank You that You fill me when I’m empty. I can feel so alone in this caregiving journey yet you promise that you are with me. I thank You for Your presence even when I don’t feel it. You extend your favor toward me in such abundant ways. Give me the insight to see all the ways you are caring for me when I need it the most. Thank you for deep rest. I lean in to Your presence and breathe in peace and hope. In Jesus’ name. Amen.