CAREGIVING
CAREGIVERS WALK THEIR OWN UNIQUE PATH THROUGH CHRONIC ILLNESS
A caregiver’s role can be both rewarding and exhausting, difficult and joy-filled, meaningful and frustrating, isolating and inspiring.
Wherever you are on the journey, we’re so glad you’re here! Step into hope, find purpose, embrace worth, and encounter God’s joy.
About Caregiving
More than 20% of the population provides care for a loved one.
Caregivers learn to navigate doctor’s appointments, medications, care plans, and the emotional needs of their loved ones. They do this while balancing work and other family responsibilities. This leaves them weary, often feeling isolated, alone, and forgotten.
Caregivers often neglect their own health needs and have an increased risk for chronic illness, anxiety, and depression.
Self-Care Saturdays • Little Moments of TLC for YOU!
Send a fun little care package to someone you love.
Today, have a little fun gathering sweet surprises to pack and ship to someone you love.
Watch the sunset.
Today, as the sun begins to set, consider these verses: “You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” (Psalm 65:8b)
Pray for someone who is hurting.
“Prayer is one of God’s most gracious gifts, a powerful way to care for others. In prayer, we pull close those who are far away. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath – we cannot live without it.” (Tim Jennings)
Engage your hands!
Engage your hands today! Pick up a spade, thread a needle, grab a hammer and nails, plunge your hands in the dirt, or wave to a neighbor you haven’t seen much this spring. Engage with your world.
Snuggle up with your pet.
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10) • Snuggle up with your beloved pet today. You’ll both be glad you did.
Celebrate ordinary moments and unexpected victories.
Today, celebrate a small, often-overlooked victory. Did you get out of bed? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Did you take a shower? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Did you make dinner? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Every single, small, ordinary victory is a precious step forward.
Steep and savor your favorite flavor of tea today.
“You are the God of the universe Who hears everyone, sees everything, and commands the world. Yet at the soft whisper of my voice, You turn Your ear to me and savor every word I say as if it’s the only thing You have to do.” (Kendall Hiatt)
Read these verses over yourself today. You are…Enough, Strong, Capable, Chosen, Never Alone, Always Loved.
You are so loved! — even if you don’t feel it today. Why? Because you are God’s – made in His image, breathed into life, redeemed by His Son.
Write encouraging messages on sticky notes.
Take a few minutes to write a short encouraging message to yourself on a sticky note. Then hang it where you’ll see it often because YOU matter!
Donate to your favorite charity and tell them why.
Today, donate to your favorite charity and tell them why. Sharing your “why” is a huge and often-unexpected encouragement.
Beautiful music is the art of the prophets.
Today, turn up the music and let it fill your soul. (Love notes from God)
Caring for our own hearts isn’t selfishness; it’s how we begin to love.
“Caring for our own hearts isn’t selfishness; it’s how we begin to love.” (John Eldredge)
Spring: the music of open windows.
Take a few minutes today and step outside or gaze out a window. Notice the birds or the budding trees, listen for spring peepers or children at play, feel the sun’s warmth or the gentle breeze. As you breathe in God’s beauty, thank Him for today
Build a jigsaw puzzle. It improves mental health, short-term memory, and visual processing.
“God’s will is like a jigsaw puzzle, you won’t be able to see the whole picture until all the pieces are together.” (Danny L. Deaube’) • Build a puzzle. Let each piece remind you of the myriad details God is orchestrating in your life.
Lace up your shoes and go for a walk today.
Lace up your shoes, step out the door, and walk around the block, through your neighborhood, or even up and down the aisles of your favorite store today. Every step makes a difference.
Today, find three things to give away, throw away, or recycle.
Sort through a stack. Clear off a counter. Clean out a closet. If you aren’t using it, be a blessing to one who will.
Listen to a TED Talk.
Why not listen to a TED Talk today? Are TED talks unfamiliar to you? TED Talks (18 minutes or less) started in 1984 and now include thousands of speakers on hundreds of topics in more than 100 languages.
Treat yourself to good poetry today.
Today, read a few lines from your favorite poem — or savor some of the most beautiful poetry ever written: the Psalms. “…for me, the Psalms express the same delight in God which made David dance.” (C.S. Lewis)
Pack a picnic lunch and eat it indoors.
Today, pack yourself a picnic. Enjoy it in a chair beside the window, on a blanket on the lawn, at a local park, or relaxing on your bed. A picnic is a reminder of simple summer days. Relax. Refresh. Enjoy.
Today, grab a blanket, get comfy, and watch your favorite movie.
Do you have a favorite movie? A favorite genre? Grab a blanket and your favorite snack, settle in, and enjoy your favorite movie.
Sit in the sunshine for a few minutes today.
“Sunlight cues special areas in the retina, which triggers the release of serotonin.” (Rachel Nall, RN, BSN, CCRN) • Step outside and boost your body’s “feel-good” hormone today.
Dance with language. Dream with words.
“I write about joy because I know sorrow…I write about gratitude because I am thankful – for all of it.” (Kristin Armstrong) • Friends, today let the words hit the paper. Pick up a pen, open the floodgates, set them free.
Write a letter to a friend or loved one today.
#PenToPaper is one of our favorite programs! Today, encourage a friend or loved one by sending a card or letter. Need some inspiration — or a free stationery starter set? We offer both!
Challenge your brain with a riddle or word puzzle.
Today, challenge your brain with a riddle or word puzzle. Download a puzzle app. Read a book of riddles. Google “riddles and answers.” Text a riddle to your son, daughter, grandchild, or friend. Laughter is good medicine!
Scroll through old photos.
Page through a photo album today or pull out your phone and scroll through your photos. Reminisce. Remember. Thank God for every treasured moment.
Enjoy the simple pleasure of cloud watching.
Today, enjoy the simple pleasure of cloud watching. Notice their movements across the sky, their speed, their shapes. What do you see?
Bake and enjoy homemade cookies fresh from the oven.
The smell of cookies fresh from the oven is a warm and welcoming invitation to breathe deep and savor the love. When was the last time you baked simply to enjoy the fruit of your labor? Maybe today is the day!
Spend 10 minutes looking at 5 beautiful things around you.
“Beauty is God’s handwriting … drink it in, simply and earnestly, with all your eyes; it is … a cup of blessing.” (Charles Kingsley) • Today set a timer. Look for five beautiful things. Thank God for them.
Have a good laugh.
“Humour is … a prelude to faith; laughter is the beginning of prayer.” (Reinhold Niebuhr) • Friends, laughter is a gift. Unwrap it.
Relax with an audiobook.
Find a comfy spot and enjoy an hour or two engaged in a great audio book.
Do something delightful for someone you love today.
“Surprise and delight and connection are remarkable.” (Seth Godin) • Today, surprise and delight someone you love. It will strengthen and deepen your relationship.
Write a short (3-4 sentence) review for your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, small business, book, blog, podcast, radio show, or non-profit today.
Your words matter! Today, write a short review of your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, small business, or non-profit. Let them know what you love! It will mean more than you know.
Snuggle up and nap.
Sleep is self-care too! Today, lie down, snuggle up, and close your eyes. Sleep is good for the mind, body, and soul. Savor a nap.
Sing along to your favorite music today.
We sing because all of creation sings. Job 38:7 reminds us that “the morning stars sang together,” and Hillsong United worships with the words, “If creation sings Your praises, so will I.” Today, join all of creation and sing!
Star Gaze • “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Psalm 147:4
“You are a God of winds and tides. Of journeys and storms and navigation by stars and faith.” (Lisa Wingate) • Look up into the night sky, and remember that “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” (Psalm 147:4)
Treat yourself to a piece of good chocolate, a bouquet of fresh flowers, a new books, or a great cup of tea or coffee. You’re worth it!
Take a moment to celebrate you today – your heart, your character, the image of the One you’re made in. You are treasured. You are loved. You are delighted over with singing — for YOU are a child of the One True King.
Today, declutter your wardrobe, junk drawer, or coat closet.
“The more we remove the clutter from our lives, the more we’ll have space and time to spend with our Father.” (tounearth.com) • “Jesus modeled a very simple life.” (Rick Warren)
Today, pour yourself a cup of tea, find a comfy sat, and call a friend. You’ll both be blessed.
Pour yourself a cup of your favorite hot coffee, tea, or cocoa, settle into a comfortable chair under your softest blanket, and call a friend. You’ll both be blessed.
Prioritize and Minimize • Simplify your To-Do List.
Prioritize and Minimize • Simplify your To-Do List. Today, make space for what matters. What is necessary? What can go?
Write down 3 things you like about yourself.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a child of God, the image-bearer of the King. You are so loved! Today, write down three things you like about yourself, how God created you, and who you are in Him.
Listen to a sermon on-line.
What better way to care for yourself today than by listening to an on-line sermon? Rest your body, captivate your mind, and engage your heart.
Prayer for Caregivers
Being a caregiver is hard. Often finding and/or being a part of a community when chronic illness is a constant companion can be even more challenging.
Being There: How to Love Those Who Are Hurting
Dave Furman
We all know people suffering from sickness, disability, depression, or grief. Where are we to find strength in such circumstances? Dave Furman offers support, encouragement, and wisdom for those called to care for others in need, equipping us to effectively care for the hurting and pointing us to the strength that God provides.
Blessings & Prayers for Caregivers
Annetta Dellinger
Find encouragement for the realities of daily caregiving challenges. Through brief Gospel-focused readings and Scripture verses, this small book offers refreshment and renewal for the exhausted caregiver. Each reading focuses on Jesus as the source of our hope and strength. Blessings and Prayers for Caregivers can be tucked in a pocket or a purse to go with you wherever you go and to be at your fingertips whenever you have a minute or two and need a word of encouragement.
Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart: How to Relate to Those Who are Suffering
Kenneth C. Haugk, PhD
Haugk has written an essential guide on how to care for and relate to people as they encounter difficult times in life. This book draws on extensive research of those who have experienced various kinds of suffering in their lives, offering key insights and suggestions of what to say and do—and what not to say or do—when people are hurting. With its biblical foundation, compassionate approach, and concrete ideas, this book will help you bring God’s loving presence to hurting people when they need it most.
A Spirituality of Caregiving
Henri J.M. Nouwen
If you provide care for another person, whether you are a family member or a professional caregiver, you know that caregiving is hard, sometimes unappreciated work. However, have you ever considered that it isn't easy to be the care receiver?
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Blog Posts
Honey I’m Here: A Caregiver’s Story of God’s Amazing Grace
When Debbie arrived at the scene, a crack zigzagged across her heart. “I didn’t know how anyone could survive such a bad crash,” she thought. As they carried Mark’s stretcher to the ambulance, Debbie ran to his side and cried, “Honey, I’m here!” It's been her refrain ever since.
Running Out Of Sympathy? 4 Things To Do
It is physically impossible to maintain a state of emotion (whatever it is) indefinitely. In one sense, it is natural that we don’t feel very sympathetic any longer.
Even More
WEBSITES
Caregivers with Hope exists with the goal of offering caregivers the tools and empowerment to be better. Drawing upon founder Peter Rosenberger’s 30 years of experience as a caregiver, Caregivers with Hope offers clear, proven, strategies and tools to guide caregivers towards a healthier lifestyle in every facet of their life. In addition, Caregivers with Hope provides invaluable tools to counselors, clergy, medical practitioners, employers and businesses faced with addressing the needs of the caregiver.
Because only another caregiver can understand…
Not everyone has friends who understand or will even listen; that’s why we’re here. We provide a safe and open space—at no cost to you—where you can be real about what it’s like to care for someone dealing with a serious disability or illness.
Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring ministry that equips congregations and empowers lay caregivers to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. Stephen Ministries offers many caregiving books and resources.
BLOGS
For the family members, friends, spouses, neighbors and co-workers of individuals with chronic physical or mental illness. There is nothing easy about watching others struggle with chronic illness. In watching, we suffer too. There are two answers, one is community , the other is God. This blog points watchers to both.
A blog site with the goal of recognizing and helping family caregivers.
Daily Devotions for Caregivers
Jeanie Olinger was thrust into caregiving when her son was in a tragic accident, but she soon discovered that there is “a whole world of ‘us’ out there! Many times we find ourselves alone. Even the church can disappear quickly and good friends distance themselves because our world has changed. But God does not change with circumstance. My faith is what has carried me through and these devotions will hopefully help us all make one more day – encouraged in Him.”
Devotions to inspire hope and victory. “As I have watched my father and so many friends become full-time caregivers, I realized that there was a need to tell their stories. I hope the stories, Scripture verses, and prayers on these blogs will inspire you as you care for others, and that the stories of others in similar situations will be a source of encouragement to you.” – Nancy Bowen Brown
Care is … the source of human tenderness.
“Care is … the source of human tenderness.” Rollo May
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience..
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the things which you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Caregiver is a gift.
“Caregiver isn’t a noun or a verb. It’s a gift.”
Caregiving calls us to lean into love
“Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible.” Tia Walker
Caregiving is a gift of great love.
“Caregiving is a gift of great love.” Melodee Claassen
Caregiving is a constant learning experience
“Caregiving is a constant learning experience.” Vivian Frazier
The simple act of caring is heroic.
“The simple act of caring is heroic.” Edward Albert
