Daily Devotions

There are many times in my daily life that I encounter people that think they have all the answers. Sometimes they are right. Often they are wrong. And frequently, they argue against God’s wisdom because they are waiting for “new knowledge” or a “special revelation” that will make God real to them.

Someone recently asked me an honest question about my grief over losing my daughter to heart disease. She asked if I could go back and were I to have a choice about whether or not to be a mom to a child with special needs, would I choose to bypass all the heartache? I acknowledged that there are many things that I would do differently, but having my daughter would not be something I’d change. So, it made me wonder about how we, as believers, see our hardships in this life.

There is a difference between saying the right things and living them. We all know of church leaders, politicians, and celebrities that have said things to the approval of their followers, only to be later exposed as hypocrites. We are reminded in 1 John, that as part of the body of Christ, we are to love our brothers not only in word, but in action.

There is a difference between saying the right things and living them. We all know of church leaders, politicians, and celebrities that have said things to the approval of their followers, only to be later exposed as hypocrites. We are reminded in 1 John, that as part of the body of Christ, we are to love our brothers not only in word, but in action.

When we think of a pure heart that loves God, we do not speak of outward perfection or religious performance. We need to think of something far deeper that cannot be measured through ritual observance, checklists, or appearances. The purity of heart described in Matthew 5:8 is a life that seeks to love God not only with our emotions, but with our minds and actions.

Family caregiving is full of moments that don’t allow time to search and study the Bible for guidance or comfort. Decisions are required quickly. Emotions are running  high. Fatigue has settled in deep. And in these moments, what we have already stored in our hearts is what will guide us and keep us from error.

We often try to change ourselves from the outside in. We adjust habits, modify behavior, and manage our appearance.  We set goals and make resolutions. God is concerned with something deeper. He is waiting for us to choose a relationship with him–one where sin is cut away to enable us to love him more.

On the eve of his arrest and crucifixion,  Jesus prepares his disciples for the change ahead. He tells them to not let their hearts be troubled even though he knows that the events to come will be difficult, shake them to their foundation.

Human expectations and standards are not the same as God’s. When God sent Samuel to anoint a new king for Israel– to follow Saul’s reign– Samuel was reminded that a man’s stature and physical attributes say nothing of his heart. God alone knew what was written on the heart of Jesse’s sons that passed before Samuel and God alone knew who Israel needed to lead them–a shepherd named David.

Words are important. Words reveal what we believe, what we think, and likely, how we behave. Jesus tells the Pharisees that their words about him reveal what they think about God. And what they were holding in their hearts wasn’t pretty.

Heart Awareness Month reminds us to pay attention to what keeps our physical hearts beating strong. Scripture tells us to look at our spiritual hearts–the inner place where our thoughts and faith take root.

What fills our hearts shows on our faces. Joy is not only an emotion to show, but the evidence of the life we have in and through Christ. Likewise, sorrow dampens our mood, and shifts the focus from God to our troubles.

God is the original heart surgeon. In this passage of Ezekiel he is telling his people that he is going to replace their hearts in order to make them holy, set apart. They have been captives in Babylon and needed to understand God would not let them live like other cultures, worship other gods. As Christians, we have a similar message. We are to be set apart as the spotless Bride of Christ.

Are you content with your life? Contentment is defined on gotquestions.org as “the state of being mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are.” Especially as a caregiver, you may feel this is a difficult thing to achieve when your days are full of uncertainty, difficult medical decisions, and bills. But the reality is that true contentment and rest in the Lord will be above the circumstances of your life.

There aren’t a lot of things in this world that are guaranteed, certainly not when it comes to healthcare and caregiving. Have you ever heard a doctor promise with 100% certainty the outcome of a surgery? If you did, he was foolish or incredibly arrogant. But there is something that we can have assurance in, our freedom in Christ.

I have a confession. For a couple of months earlier this year I got sucked into some viral videos where people read aloud messages left on Reddit boards. Long tales of ruined weddings, unfaithful spouses, and bad employers came with a laugh as the hosts gave advice on how the situation should be handled. What amazed me was how frequently people’s lives were being devastated by the selfishness of others. It is proof that we do indeed live in a sin-sick world, where people often prioritize their own needs above the needs of others.

Caregiving is a weighty thing. Though we may choose to do the work, we often feel it is heavy with its endless responsibilities, emotional strain, and the ache of watching your loved one struggle. It may feel like you have no pause for rest or know of anyone who truly understands your frustrations.

Caregiving is a calling and a challenge. You pour out your love daily by meeting the needs, offering comfort, giving your best to your loved one—usually without any recognition. In a world that measures worth by achievement, it may be easy to look around and wonder if you are making a difference.

Shortly after receiving my daughter’s diagnosis, I took a trip to the store to buy her baby clothes. In that moment, I had no way of knowing if she would ever need them, but I couldn’t stop myself from preparing for her arrival. I remember thinking that to anyone else I would appear just like any other expectant mother. But I wasn’t. The fear I carried in my heart for my little girl’s safety outweighed the joy of her upcoming arrival.

My first year in college I remember reading a book about the church being counterculture. It was a rather revolutionary thought to me, as well as deeply uncomfortable. As a recovering people pleaser, there have been many times when I thought, no I felt, that I needed the approval of everyone I met. I have great admiration for those of you who do not share this burden.

Have you let worry creep into your life? It happens with great ease when we take our eyes off God. In the middle of caregiving tasks we become distracted by our to-do lists. When we finally look up we realize that a whole day, week, month has gone by without spending time with the Lord.

How often do you receive advice when you share with people about being a caregiver? I bet it is easy to pick out who has actually gone through your type of situation. There is a lot of bad advice floating around—thank you, social media. Most of it comes from people who want to comfort you but have no idea what they are talking about.

As a family medical caregiver I was asked to put my faith in a lot of things. The knowledge of our medical care team. Medicines that were both dangerous and life-saving. Twenty years of favorable results for the surgeries performed on Leah’s heart. The thing I came to realize while listening to the staff during rounds every morning, is that medical care is as much art as science. Each patient is unique in their makeup and responds differently to treatments as a result.

I remember the first time I heard the words breadth, length, height, and depth as they applied to the Father’s love for us. While I was running around the house doing my caregiving duties, and just being mom to all three of my kiddos, I would listen to a particular radio show. This idea stopped me in my tracks. Who cares about clean laundry when your spiritual foundation is being reformed?

This passage is part of David’s Song of Thanks as he and the Levites brought the ark of the covenant to the city of David. He was celebrating, giving thanks to God who had brought his people through every trial. They played music with harps and lyres, dressed in fine linen robes, blew the shofar, and danced down the street in celebration. No one in the city could have missed that testimony.

One day in 2016 I headed down to the doctor’s office to have an anatomy scan for my third child. Having done this twice before, I didn’t ask my husband to join me. I dropped off the older kids with a friend and looked forward to a few minutes of “me time.” Instead of relaxation, I received news that my daughter had a heart defect and that I would need to see cardiology the following Monday.

Caregiving strips us bare and exposes what is real in our faith. When routines are relentless and strength is limited, it becomes harder to rely on appearances or easy answers. What remains is our genuine belief. Ecclesiastes brings us back to the heart of our faith–a steady devotion to God and keeping his commandments.