Being a caregiver is hard because of the daily emptying of oneself. And unreplenished, one can just sit on empty. Does this sound familiar?
I've done weeks on end as an emotionally needy being, emotionally draining any friend who would let me "cry on their shoulder" literally or figuratively. Sorry y'all. :)
I'm here to say that no caregiver has to live like this- and the solution is simple: let God talk to you first every morning.
Mornings used to start like this: my alarm goes off, but I turn it off and just roll over because I'm emotionally exhausted and 30 minutes of sleep would be better for me. When I did wake up, I would spend my first 30 minutes reading emails and checking Facebook, delighting in a few minutes of me time. Oh, dear! Because now I've run out of quiet time: I'm hungry, my phone rings, the dog needs to go out, people need information or help, outside chores need to be done before it gets hot, etc. And somehow I still need to be a loving, devoted, caregiver.
God created us to be channels of His Love. So the design is right, we are just abusing His creations purpose.
So I'm turning over a new leaf, and I'm inviting you to join me: give God you first 15 minutes every morning. Let God speak to you through His Word. Let His love, kindness, grace and peace be the first emotions of your day. Connect to His channel and you will never be empty. Amen?
Why 15 minutes? Because 15 minutes can happen. This exercise is not about being super spiritual, but practically being ready to serve.
I hope this helps and encourages you.
Sarah
