Caregivers Need Prayer

Editor’s Note: Baby Grace from Little House on the Prairie has written a beautiful devotional based upon the beloved TV show. Enjoy this excerpt.

Wendi and her sister, Brenda Weatherby, on the set with “Pa” Ingalls, Michael Landon. (Photo: Jackie Juchniewicz)

*

Season 3, Episode 13, “Quarantine”

“The worst part about being sick, I think, is how sad it makes other people.” — Laura Ingalls

Sickness is difficult, not only for the person with the ailment, but also for the caregivers who are filled with worry. When Laura is suspected of having mountain fever, her parents are beside themselves. Seeing their daughter suffer from her sickness causes them tremendous heartache, and Laura feels bad for her parents.

What can we do for people who lovingly care for us yet are filled with distress?

After brain surgery, I had eight weeks of recovery. Some days I made huge strides forward. I’d walk to the mailbox without getting dizzy or find I was able to stand in the shower. But other days I stayed in bed, my head throbbing. I never knew what to expect.

My husband endured the most. The uncertainty of my health drained him, but far worse were my fickle emotions. A coin flip could have decided if I greeted him at the door with a kiss or ignored him completely. The toll my illness took showed on his face, revealing his concern that I might never return to being a healthy and happy person again.

His pain tore me apart. I accepted my own temporary misery and confusion but would have done anything to cheer him up. In the beginning I attempted to fix the problem on my own. I’d force myself to smile, pretending my head didn’t hurt. But I couldn’t fake it. He saw right through my attempts to mask the pain. The only thing I could do happened to be the best possible option.

Pray.

I prayed for my husband’s crushed spirit, for God to be near him in his brokenness. I prayed for Josh to loosen his grip and trust God to take care of me. And I prayed that as God healed my brain, He would heal my husband’s heart.

When we are sick, we welcome every prayer for healing and a quick recovery. But our caregivers are hurting too. Charles and Caroline’s sadness made Laura’s heart ache.

Behind every sick patient is a caregiver who also needs our prayers for energy and courage and hope.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. — Psalm 34:17-18 NIV

Think of a time when you saw someone hurting because of your pain. How can you lift up others in prayer even while you suffer? Take a moment to pray for the caregivers you know.

Excerpted with permission from A Prairie Devotional by Wendi Lou Lee, copyright Wendi Lou Lee.

* * *

Your Turn

If you’ve ever cared for an ill or disabled family member, or if you’re doing so now, you know the highs and the lows, the privilege and the sacrifice. And, you know the heartache and the need for divine guidance and strength. Today, let’s pray for and reach out to the caregivers among us. Come share who you’re praying for on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full