Adapted from books by Shelly Beach: Ambushed By Grace: Help and Hope in the Caregiving Journey, and It Is Well with My Soul.
Each time Moses went up Mount Sinai to meet God, he came away a changed man. His face shone so brightly that the Israelites could not even bear to see it, and he had to put on a veil. An encounter with God always leads to transformation.
It is the same with caregiving. If we see it not just as a task, but a divine encounter and journey, it will transform us in ways we could never have expected. We may feel uncertain about what might happen or is already happening, but if we hang in there and keep trusting God, we will see the transformation that He brings in our lives. Through the experience and process of caregiving, God gives us the opportunity to change as we journey with Him and witness what He reveals to us.
The journey may reveal much about ourselves too. What might we see? Will we be throwing tantrums in a clash of wills with those we love? Will we see ourselves as martyrs and bask in self-pity? Will we indulge a sense of entitlement and focus on what we think is "fair"? Or will we become judgemental of those we care for, and those we feel should be doing more to help us?
These are all common struggles for caregivers. But God can use them to mature us spiritually as He transforms us into the people He meant us to be. As we learn to rely completely on His strength and surrender our will to His, we will develop new attitudes towards those we care for. We will start to see them as God sees them - people created in His image - and begin to love them as Jesus loves us, selflessly and sacrificially.
If our hearts are open to this transformation, the process of learning to care and give will teach us to see what is precious and valuable in life. It will show us what it means to live out our commitment, and give us the opportunity to love someone better. And above all, it will allow us to see for ourselves that God's grace is always sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Caregiving can transform us.
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http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KF/2016/02/10/George_Redhawk_1_TOO_BIG.gif
https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/65028
Whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. - Exodus 34:34-35
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https://www.facebook.com/iklan.sorgawi/photos/1378440202298095
Each time Moses went up Mount Sinai to meet God, he came away a changed man. His face shone so brightly that the Israelites could not even bear to see it, and he had to put on a veil. An encounter with God always leads to transformation.
Picture posted by fansshare
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http://spanish.fansshare.com/community/uploads43/7445/sevenstars/?d=spanish.fansshare.com
It is the same with caregiving. If we see it not just as a task, but a divine encounter and journey, it will transform us in ways we could never have expected. We may feel uncertain about what might happen or is already happening, but if we hang in there and keep trusting God, we will see the transformation that He brings in our lives. Through the experience and process of caregiving, God gives us the opportunity to change as we journey with Him and witness what He reveals to us.
Picture posted by Mark Sengele, SEEDS of Faith
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtTaSQPAjFdBNgLlvZKijVoJK9GWnHfNExh9N0ux3rJ1UMBbNDWBnV5_p4LWy5Wbg7u-B79rV5y49J3jRdEgKNmog3Epn9oq7cdOa0OLJs5vPjeb2F63aiBST9OGSsbFHRtvU1lazNFkxc6IdIbAwYl9i0Y_vt0mYWYA16nS6GNLeY0Q4DJDa8Qvz/s1200/cph_30239416244.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cph_30239416244.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/2016/03/30/new-testament-3-lesson-5-the-transfiguration/
The journey may reveal much about ourselves too. What might we see? Will we be throwing tantrums in a clash of wills with those we love? Will we see ourselves as martyrs and bask in self-pity? Will we indulge a sense of entitlement and focus on what we think is "fair"? Or will we become judgemental of those we care for, and those we feel should be doing more to help us?
Picture posted by Mark Sengele, SEEDS of Faith
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_cOEYuff-8JgsAlp9jr3udj0ALAMgy66HfmMRCMGeAqgxfcII6cqKUkmPaqcWayUqhysy7DdJq8vmtCBGQqgfs-O7yND7pdJGAV_ws5cCcRnMzUiyDYjLS2uQ-1Rk4YTPRZcJbA99X7f2uJW7VLDVTe9nGzU-U3_NoXxOIr7A3PvK9xqd-7ht4fK/s1200/cph_30239630988_1.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cph_30239630988.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/2016/04/13/new-testament-3-lesson-7-the-good-samaritan/
These are all common struggles for caregivers. But God can use them to mature us spiritually as He transforms us into the people He meant us to be. As we learn to rely completely on His strength and surrender our will to His, we will develop new attitudes towards those we care for. We will start to see them as God sees them - people created in His image - and begin to love them as Jesus loves us, selflessly and sacrificially.
Picture posted by Home Helpers Home Care on Thursday, 19 August 2021 at 09:19 pm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXLZAGc7MZel8DQGsJ5C0LRVfSeRIcE5EnOv6WHCW7Pr6FfBGVgROL1RkRJsJQlO0hKWKvsET3HMwFXvyuOIOMpENNyb6KH75CioP98C65l3ck3UpIKwWAOWLKu9Yr9c8Vs0cEuX7YxRmThrx8d0zYuIrPBgDUlOnp9pzIta1Z2vFNnaLVNHEEuzo/s628/240106604_4314021528686754_6839793693940963017_n_1.jpg
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https://www.facebook.com/HomeHelpersNewnanGA/photos/4314021515353422
If our hearts are open to this transformation, the process of learning to care and give will teach us to see what is precious and valuable in life. It will show us what it means to live out our commitment, and give us the opportunity to love someone better. And above all, it will allow us to see for ourselves that God's grace is always sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Caregiving can transform us.
If our hearts are open to this transformation, the process of learning to care and give will teach us to see what is precious and valuable in life. It will show us what it means to live out our commitment, and give us the opportunity to love someone better. And above all, it will allow us to see for ourselves that God's grace is always sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
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Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by VectorStock
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Source (book): "He Walks with Me - Devotions for Your Caregiving Journey with God", PART II "JOURNEYING WITH YOURSELF", Chapter 11 "A transformation of self", Page 34.
Adapted from books by Shelly Beach: Ambushed By Grace: Help and Hope in the Caregiving Journey, and It Is Well with My Soul.
Other Books (Links)
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html
"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html
New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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