Written by TWFYT
Sunday April 27
"Whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." Psalm 142:3
One day you may end up caring for a sick or aging loved one. And to take care of them properly, you must learn to take care of yourself. Following her parents' deaths five weeks apart in a nursing home twelve hundred miles away, Beth Nitrogen McLeod succumbed to clinical depression. "By ignoring my physical and mental health, I set myself up for a breakdown that would take two years to recover from. Despite its rewards, caregiving can be overwhelming." David said, "Whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." So, if you're a caregiver, follow this: (1) Set boundaries. Learn to say no where you routinely say yes. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself so you can give the best possible care to someone else. (2) Beware of harmful coping patterns. Misusing medication, overeating, drinking "to take the edge off." You're human, and it can happen! (3) Don't isolate. Invite some friends over who have volunteered to help. One can cook and care for your loved one while you and another friend take a walk. (4) Ask for help. If family members aren't pulling their weight, call a meeting and delegate responsibility. Don't deny others the blessing that comes from "encouraging the fainthearted and helping the weak" (See 1Th 5:14 NAS). (5) Protect your time. It's easy to schedule every minute with nothing left over for yourself. Don't do it. Find something that feeds you: Read, pray, exercise, enjoy some solitude. And what's more, schedule it, or it won't happen!
Sunday April 27
"Whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." Psalm 142:3
One day you may end up caring for a sick or aging loved one. And to take care of them properly, you must learn to take care of yourself. Following her parents' deaths five weeks apart in a nursing home twelve hundred miles away, Beth Nitrogen McLeod succumbed to clinical depression. "By ignoring my physical and mental health, I set myself up for a breakdown that would take two years to recover from. Despite its rewards, caregiving can be overwhelming." David said, "Whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." So, if you're a caregiver, follow this: (1) Set boundaries. Learn to say no where you routinely say yes. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself so you can give the best possible care to someone else. (2) Beware of harmful coping patterns. Misusing medication, overeating, drinking "to take the edge off." You're human, and it can happen! (3) Don't isolate. Invite some friends over who have volunteered to help. One can cook and care for your loved one while you and another friend take a walk. (4) Ask for help. If family members aren't pulling their weight, call a meeting and delegate responsibility. Don't deny others the blessing that comes from "encouraging the fainthearted and helping the weak" (See 1Th 5:14 NAS). (5) Protect your time. It's easy to schedule every minute with nothing left over for yourself. Don't do it. Find something that feeds you: Read, pray, exercise, enjoy some solitude. And what's more, schedule it, or it won't happen!
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2025
January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
May
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOTHERKNOWING THE SEASON YOU'RE INFAITH IS NOT FAITH UNTIL IT IS ACTED UPONHAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVEFREE FROM JEALOUSYDON'T LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR GODGET ALONE WITH GOD (1)GET ALONE WITH GOD (2)GET ALONE WITH GOD (3)WHO ARE YOU DEPENDING ON?THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHOW TO STAY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GODDEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (1)DEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (2)COMPASSION BEGINS WITH THE WORD "NOTICE"