Lies

"Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart."

 Psalm 119:69

 

Recently I was told by someone that when someone lies about you it is important to "forgive and forget."  Well, I do believe that we are to forgive because the Bible tells us that we are to forgive as Christ forgave us, but I also believe that we are to remember in order to protect ourselves in the future.  We may also need to distance ourselves from certain individuals.  God gave us a memory in our brains for many reasons.  He wanted us to learn from our hurtful lessons and bad decisions.  We have to remember how we felt when someone said an untruth about us so that we will think before doing that to another.  In the past month I have seen an all out explosion of lies.  I have seen it with many of my students at school, I have experienced it from people I loved, and even from "church friends" who spoke quickly and did not check their facts.  Most of the people who have told falsehoods about me have all come and apologized and I have accepted.  I also now know to guard myself around these individuals.  That is not a bad thing for it will help to protect me from them in the future.  You know me, I went straight to the Bible and looked up "LIES" which I found tons of scripture about.  People have been hurt by lies since the Garden of Eden.  God does NOT like it when we lie about anything but especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.  I know this because I read it in His Word.  I encourage you to do the very same thing.  I know all of this has been a real learning experience and I am even more aware of my words and how they can break other people. 

Write What You Want

One year ago, this sweet man, Dan, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in writing a monthly column in his new magazine.  I was beyond flattered.  I remember asking him what my guidelines were.  He started explaining the length of the articles.  That wasn't what I meant at all.  I meant the religious guidelines.  To that he replied, "I don't have any. Write what you want."  I was in shock but so thankful.  Since then I have written for one year now articles that were given to me straight from the Holy Spirit himself.  God will open doors for you that man cannot and this was definitely one of those for our ministry!  Thanks, Dan!

Sea of Caregivers

When I see this crowd of people I see a sea of caregivers.  No matter where I go or what I am doing I come in contact with caregivers who are hurting, overwhelmed, or even hopeless.  God has given me a heart for these individuals and I immediately feel a connection to them.  Just the other evening, I was eating in a local restaurant with my husband and daughter.  While in the restaurant for only one hour, I came in contact with three different caregivers.  Each one's story was so very different but their burden and their struggles were oh so similar.  I listened to each one as they shared what they had been facing and how they were feeling.  I know from experience how precious that can be as a caregiver.  One was a young man whose fiance has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  The next was a couple who cares for their special needs son who recently had surgery.  The last was our precious waitress who not only moved to our town to take care of her grandmother that has passed away but also works full time while raising two young boys as a single mother.  Caregivers are real and they need the support and the love of the church.  My prayer is that those who lead our churches will see this need in each of our communities around the world. 

Keep Calm

I know that the "Keep Calm..." saying are everywhere, but this one was awesome and I had to share it!  How true is this?  When emergencies or tragedy occurs in the lives of caregivers, and it does a lot, God tells us to stay calm.  Have you ever asked God how in the world you could possibly stay calm when the world around you is collapsing?  I know I have!  But, I do have some amazing, mind-blowing news for you.  I have called on the name of Jesus in some of those horrible moments and actually felt the physical touch of the Holy Spirit fall on me and a calm that I could not put into words.  God can give you and I that calm spirit but we have to do two things.  One, a supernatural peace can come over you only when you ask Him for it and two, you have to believe He can do it!

Exhausted

Have you ever felt so tired from being a caregiver that you were falling asleep at work?  Well, I have.  There were nights that I was up most of the night with either Brian or Taylor and then had to work the following day.  I never complained but it was hard.  At times I would try not to sit down for fear that I would doze off.  Exhaustion is a tool of the enemy to weaken us and defeat us in our journey as a caregiver.  DON'T allow him to use this against you!  Even when I could not get physical sleep, I would pray for God to give me supernatural energy and stamina.  You know what?  He would and still does!  If God can heal your body from terminal disease why do we doubt that He can give us energy?  It's pretty silly when you look at it like that.  Call on the Lord to give you energy and help you meet the needs of your day.  He can and will do it for you!

Caring for Many

Many caregivers find themselves taking care of more than one person at a time.  This picture shows a woman who is caring for both her mother and her father.  This can be overwhelming when you realize you are responsible for meeting the needs of two people at the same time.  Caregivers many times even move into the home of the ones they are caring for to make things more convenient.  I know when my grandfather was bound to a wheelchair due to a severe stroke and my grandmother was fighting lung cancer, our family would stay days at a time at their home so that we could help my mother who was their primary caregiver as well as spend some time with her.  I watched my parents completely change their lives in order to care for their parents.  They were a great example for me as a caregiver. 

Esther's Favor

I was recently reminded that I share the very same favor of God that was poured out on Queen Esther of the Bible.  Queen Esther was an ordinary Jewish woman yet God placed His favor upon her life and supernatural unexplainable things began to happen.  Doors began to open for her which would lead to her using her influence as queen to save the Jewish people.  She did not use her favor in selfish ways.  Instead, she used what God had blessed her with in order to change the lives of others.  Do we do this?  Do we use our influence and blessings from the Father in order to touch and change the lives of those around us?  We cannot ever earn this amazing favor but instead it is freely given to us in love.  Queen Esther had a purpose for the Lord and so do you and I.