I am a work in progress when it comes to my spiritual journey.
Here’s what I know for sure, the more I lean into God, the better I feel about myself and all the areas of my life.
As family caregivers, events taking us away from our homes can be a struggle. For some leaving the house may mean securing a companion for our care recipient or children and perhaps the finances for this are non-existent. In-home and online services may be the antidote to this problem.
I wanted to share a few methods of exploring the Christian faith I find to be flexible, mobile, and rewarding.
Online Bible Studies
One of my intentions for this year is to complete an online bible study. I didn’t have to look far to find one. My wellness coach, whom I strength train in a small group twice weekly, Ashley, has another passion called Ladies Who Love Christ (LWLC). She started LWLC during the four years I have known her, and her organic enthusiasm for her relationship with God and devotion to her faith have spread.
Ashley’s LWLC Bible Study Ministry Facebook Group has at least six online bible studies you can access from your home. This Facebook Group is also super active! The group initially live streams the bible study. Afterward, the live study sessions with all the comments are saved in the Facebook Group’s album section.
Favorite Bible App
My little sister, Annie, introduced me to the Bible app by YouVersion late last year. All the relatable content in it blows me away. While I enjoy the ‘Verse of the Day,’ my favorite app feature is the online topical plans. You can find plans on any subject, including anxiety, divorce, depression, gratitude, grief, stress, doubt, and joy. There is even one on the topic of caregiving called “Keeping Love Alive As Memories Fade.”
I only focus on one plan at a time, but I have two dozen saved for the future! What I like about these plans is they are short and sweet. My new habit is to read my daily plan on my phone as soon as I turn off my alarm. This practice grounds me before I even put my feet on the floor! Each day of the plan includes a devotion and a related verse (or two). When the verse speaks to me, I can create an image of it or bookmark it.
Here are a few of the images I have created within the YouVersion app:
Spiritual Music
When my dad was in a hospice facility, my family was with him in his final days. I shared about our hospice experience and how we celebrated his life with a living memorial in this post. While with him, we played some of his favorite music, particularly from the ’50s. In his final days, the music no longer matched the mood. On the fly, we created this Spotify playlist that I named ‘Dads hymns‘. The memory of us around his bed, reminiscing and sharing our favorite church hymns and Christian songs, tugs on my heart.
I love to hear and see stories about how caregiving has prompted creativity. A team of songwriters, singers, and musicians collaborated for two years with the input of several caregivers to create this recording of ‘Dignity: Songs and Stories for Caregivers.’
May you find peace and spiritual connection in some of these resources.
