00:02You know, there are moments in life when love asks more of us than we expected, and caregiving
00:11becomes one of those sacred callings that reshapes the heart in ways few people will
00:18ever understand.
00:20Some of you listening right now are caring for adult children navigating storms you never
00:28wanted them to face.
00:31Others are caring for parents who once carried you with strength and certainty, but now lean
00:40on you with fragile hands.
00:43In both places, your heart has been stretched thin.
00:49Your days have been filled with responsibility, and your strength has been poured out far beyond
00:56what most people will ever see.
01:00Yet, in those quiet places, where exhaustion whispers and emotion rises behind tired eyes,
01:10God, well, God stands beside you.
01:14He sees the weight, he honors the cost, and he holds your heart gently, because he knows
01:24what love like yours demands.
01:28Caregivers, we often wonder why something rooted in love can feel so heavy.
01:35And that question alone, well, that question can create a quiet ache inside the soul.
01:42You give because you love, but love does not always feel light.
01:50Love is not always soft.
01:53Love is not always simple.
01:56Often, in our case, it's work.
02:00It's sacrifice.
02:03It's often waking up each day to the same routine with the same needs and the same emotional
02:10weight, while silently hoping that God will give us just enough strength for one more moment.
02:19And the beauty is that he does.
02:24He always does.
02:26He never asks you to give from an empty well without supplying from his own.
02:32He walks with you through long nights, weary mornings, and quiet afternoons when you are too tired to put words
02:42to your prayers.
02:44Even when you feel unnoticed, heaven is watching with tenderness.
02:51And sometimes caregivers can feel guilty for being worn out, as if love is only real when it feels effortless.
03:02But nothing could be further from the truth.
03:06You see, love becomes more Christ-like when it costs something.
03:11Love becomes most like heaven when it continues, even in weakness.
03:20The world looks at strength as loud and visible.
03:24But God?
03:26God often reveals his greatest strength through gentle hands, doing quiet work.
03:33When Jesus described the heart of God, he spoke of a shepherd who tenderly carries the ones who cannot walk
03:42on their own.
03:44When you care for someone who depends on you, you are living out that very picture.
03:52You are not failing.
03:54You are reflecting the heart of God, who carries his people through every season of life.
04:01And that work?
04:04That work is sacred even when it feels ordinary.
04:09There are days when waiting rooms feel endless.
04:13When doctor's appointments sit heavy in your chest.
04:17When you wonder how long this season will last or how much more your heart can hold.
04:24But in those moments, I want to remind you that God is not distant.
04:31He draws closer.
04:33Scripture says he is near to the brokenhearted.
04:37And caregiving often breaks the heart in slow, quiet ways.
04:44But near is where God does his best work.
04:50You see, near is where he breathes peace into the tired parts of your soul.
04:56Near is where he strengthens what is trembling and steadies what is shaking.
05:04Near is where he whispers reassurance into the places where fear tries to settle.
05:11You are not going through this with the strength of one person.
05:16You are walking with the strength of a God who refuses to leave you moment by moment.
05:24Some of you may feel invisible, but I want to remind you that you are never unseen.
05:32Some of you feel weak, but I want to remind you, you are stronger than you imagine.
05:40Some of you feel like your life is on hold, but you know, heaven sees this season as the very
05:48place where your heart is being shaped into something eternal.
05:54Nothing about this journey is wasted, not the late nights, not the quiet tears, not the whispered prayers, not the
06:07moments when you breathe deeply and gather yourself before walking into another room to give more of yourself.
06:15God gathers every tear, every moment.
06:22He honors your every sacrifice.
06:27God surrounds every moment with grace you may not feel, but you absolutely have.
06:36And if you are caring for an adult child who is struggling, hurting, or fighting invisible battles, your love is
06:46a lifeline more powerful than you will ever know.
06:50And if you are caring for an aging parent whose days are fragile and whose strength is fading, you are
07:01honoring them in a way that echoes the very heart of God.
07:07Caregiving is holy ground.
07:10It is love in its most selfless form.
07:15It's faith lived out through tenderness, patience, and perseverance.
07:21And when heaven looks at you, at you, it does not see someone overwhelmed.
07:29It sees someone trusted with a sacred assignment.
07:35So, may this rest gently on your heart today, my friend.
07:40You are not alone.
07:42You are not overlooked.
07:45You are not forgotten.
07:48You are being carried as you carry others.
07:53God sees you.
07:55God strengthens you.
07:57God blesses you for what you are giving.
08:01And for the love that you continue to pour out even on the days when you feel empty.
08:08One day, when you stand before Him, you will hear the words your heart longs for.
08:17Well done for loving when it was difficult.
08:22Well done for serving when it was heavy.
08:25And well done for choosing compassion when it cost you something deep.
08:37God blesses you for the quiet, beautiful work you do every single day.
08:49God blesses you for the quiet, beautiful work you do every single day.
08:49My name is Douglas Vandergraaf, and I believe in Jesus Christ.
08:54I want you to know that I also believe in you and the work that you do.
09:01God bless you.
09:04God bless you.
09:05God bless you.
09:05God bless you.
09:05God bless you.
09:06God bless you.
09:06God bless you.
09:07God bless you.
09:07God bless you.
09:07God bless you.
09:08God bless you.
09:08God bless you.
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