Read Online Spiritual Care: A Guide for Caregivers by Judith Allen Shelly - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Judith Allen Shelly
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Obviously we can't all quit
our jobs to care for aging parents, much less to do full-time Christian ministry. However, we can learn from her example to seek
God's direction for our lives and for the time he gives us, so that
we can work for shalom.
2. Reordering our lives: A guided personal retreat. The prophet Jeremiah offers us some clear direction in sorting through our values
and priorities. Take a day when you can go off to a quiet place by
yourself to seek the Lord's leading for your life. Allow at least four
hours for your retreat. Take along a Bible, hymnal, pen and paper,
and a lunch. Begin by committing your time to the Lord. Sing a
hymn or two. Next, read Jeremiah 29:1-14, a message to people
who were living as captives in Babylon, then meditate on verses
10-14 using the following suggestions.
"This is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious
promise to bring you back to this place"' (Jer 29:10 NIV). In
what ways do you feel that you are in "captivity"? A difficult job
situation? Family or relationship problems? Physical limitations?
Habits or addictions? Read Psalm 137. Allow yourself to feel the
emotion expressed. Let the Lord show you areas of sin in your life and lead you to repentance. Read Romans 7:4-6. Meditate on how
God is fulfilling his gracious promises to you. Thank him for it.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD,
'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future"' (Jer 29:11 NIV). Read Isaiah 30:1-22 and Isaiah
55. Meditate slowly on each verse, considering the contrast
between God's plans for you and your own values and goals. Read
Proverbs 3:5-8. Ask him to direct you. God does not reveal the
whole future, but he will show us the next step.
"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I
will listen to you" (Jer 29:12 NIV). Envision Jesus sitting with
you, perhaps holding your hand. Tell him about all your fears and
concerns. Pray for the people in your life who need God's love and
direction-friends, family, Christian leaders, missionaries, government and nursing leaders. Read Matthew 6:5-15; Romans 8:26-27;
and 1 Timothy 2:1-8. After Jesus has listened to you, be quiet and
listen to him.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your
heart" (Jer 29:13 NIV). Now envision Jesus sitting on a throne.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8, then Isaiah 57:15. Praise him for his sovereignty and his personal concern for you. Meditate on the character and attributes of God. Read prayerfully John 1:1; 8:12; 10:14;
11:25; 14:25-26; 16:7-15; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 Timothy 1:17;
Hebrews 1:1-4; and 1 John 4:15-21. Affirm your love and commitment to the Lord and his people. Praise him for who he is.
"'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring
you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and
places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will
bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile'"
(Jer 29:14 NIV). Read Matthew 7:7-8. Pray for all the people who
are involved in or affected by your "captivities"-unreasonable managers, difficult coworkers, supervisees, friends, family members, patients, fellow church members. Envision the "place" God
is bringing you into. Ask him to lead you toward it. Read Isaiah
60:1-3 and 61:1-3. Thank him for his salvation (and all that it
means in practical terms).
3. Dropping our facades. Bruce and Melissa Tompkins took seriously the biblical injunctions that church leaders should-first be
able to manage their own households as a prerequisite for leadership. Bruce had served his congregation as their pastor for fifteen
years. He prided himself on his strong family values. His teenagers excelled in school and sports. They took active roles in the
church youth group and related well to the adults in the church.
Then one night their seventeen-year-old
our jobs to care for aging parents, much less to do full-time Christian ministry. However, we can learn from her example to seek
God's direction for our lives and for the time he gives us, so that
we can work for shalom.
2. Reordering our lives: A guided personal retreat. The prophet Jeremiah offers us some clear direction in sorting through our values
and priorities. Take a day when you can go off to a quiet place by
yourself to seek the Lord's leading for your life. Allow at least four
hours for your retreat. Take along a Bible, hymnal, pen and paper,
and a lunch. Begin by committing your time to the Lord. Sing a
hymn or two. Next, read Jeremiah 29:1-14, a message to people
who were living as captives in Babylon, then meditate on verses
10-14 using the following suggestions.
"This is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious
promise to bring you back to this place"' (Jer 29:10 NIV). In
what ways do you feel that you are in "captivity"? A difficult job
situation? Family or relationship problems? Physical limitations?
Habits or addictions? Read Psalm 137. Allow yourself to feel the
emotion expressed. Let the Lord show you areas of sin in your life and lead you to repentance. Read Romans 7:4-6. Meditate on how
God is fulfilling his gracious promises to you. Thank him for it.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD,
'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future"' (Jer 29:11 NIV). Read Isaiah 30:1-22 and Isaiah
55. Meditate slowly on each verse, considering the contrast
between God's plans for you and your own values and goals. Read
Proverbs 3:5-8. Ask him to direct you. God does not reveal the
whole future, but he will show us the next step.
"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I
will listen to you" (Jer 29:12 NIV). Envision Jesus sitting with
you, perhaps holding your hand. Tell him about all your fears and
concerns. Pray for the people in your life who need God's love and
direction-friends, family, Christian leaders, missionaries, government and nursing leaders. Read Matthew 6:5-15; Romans 8:26-27;
and 1 Timothy 2:1-8. After Jesus has listened to you, be quiet and
listen to him.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your
heart" (Jer 29:13 NIV). Now envision Jesus sitting on a throne.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8, then Isaiah 57:15. Praise him for his sovereignty and his personal concern for you. Meditate on the character and attributes of God. Read prayerfully John 1:1; 8:12; 10:14;
11:25; 14:25-26; 16:7-15; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 Timothy 1:17;
Hebrews 1:1-4; and 1 John 4:15-21. Affirm your love and commitment to the Lord and his people. Praise him for who he is.
"'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring
you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and
places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will
bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile'"
(Jer 29:14 NIV). Read Matthew 7:7-8. Pray for all the people who
are involved in or affected by your "captivities"-unreasonable managers, difficult coworkers, supervisees, friends, family members, patients, fellow church members. Envision the "place" God
is bringing you into. Ask him to lead you toward it. Read Isaiah
60:1-3 and 61:1-3. Thank him for his salvation (and all that it
means in practical terms).
3. Dropping our facades. Bruce and Melissa Tompkins took seriously the biblical injunctions that church leaders should-first be
able to manage their own households as a prerequisite for leadership. Bruce had served his congregation as their pastor for fifteen
years. He prided himself on his strong family values. His teenagers excelled in school and sports. They took active roles in the
church youth group and related well to the adults in the church.
Then one night their seventeen-year-old
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