Episodes
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Perception Isn’t Always Reality
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
While in Ghana with our prosthetic limb outreach, Standing With Hope, Gracie and I visited a church in the port city of Tema. Following the service, I met a tall, impressive man wearing a flowing white traditional costume with gold trim. With a thick English/Ghanian accent, I heard him introduce himself as “…de King,’ Amos.”
Never meeting a king, I felt a bit tongue-tied and stammered, “Sir, I apologize – I don’t know how to properly address you.”
With a huge smile, he offered in his deep voice, “Just call me “Amos.”
“Sir, I can’t just call you that,” I replied – but he graciously continued chatting. Shortly after, while attending a reception with the pastor, I exclaimed, “I just met the King!”
With a perplexed look, the pastor asked, “What King?”
“The King, Amos,” I replied.
Thinking for a minute, the pastor exploded in laughter and spoke in his native language to the room full of Ghanaians – who also started chuckling.
Sheepishly, I asked him to explain.
With his equally thick Ghanian accent, the pastor laughed and shared. “You met a church officer, ‘Dea-con’ Amos – not ‘De King,’ Amos.”
Perceptions often cloud hearing. The man looked regal – and perception allowed my ears to misinterpret. While my mistake only resulted in laughter, many misconstrued conversations can result in hurt feelings, resentment, and fractured relationships.
Caregiving breeds isolation and isolation distorts perception – which leads to significant challenges. Asking for clarification, regardless of embarrassment, always trumps misunderstanding.
Studies have shown that 90% of error in thinking is due to error in perception. - Edward de Bono
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Hope for the Caregiver Broadcast 09-17-2022
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
From our nationally syndicated broadcast for family caregivers 09-17-2022
For more, visit www,hopeforthecaregiver.com
Friday Aug 19, 2022
Facing Our Giants
Friday Aug 19, 2022
Friday Aug 19, 2022
Before the famous altercation with Goliath, when David expressed anger at the blasphemous giant, one of his embarrassed older brothers camped at the battle scene furiously derided him. But King Saul heard about David, and astonishingly, the king allowed the teenager to fight Goliath. Saul even put his tunic and armor on him. Saul was a tall man, but David wasn't, and the king's armor didn't fit. Struggling to function in the ill-fitting battle garb, David removed it and faced Goliath his way – depending upon God's might. David recognized he couldn't succeed while wearing something that didn't fit him. How many try to "conquer a Goliath" while wearing something that doesn't fit? The conditions of our loved ones serve as formidable giants to us, and we can't fight them while trying to be, do, and act like something that doesn't fit us. David faced Goliath with his familiar sling – and his even more familiar trust in God's abilities. While not a trained soldier, David’s love and trust provided the courage to face a giant. Most of us aren't trained medical professionals - and don't have to be. When facing our giants, we can be ourselves and, with love and trust, remain confident that the battle is the Lord's. “And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's” – 1 Samuel 17:47 (KJV)
Wednesday Aug 17, 2022
Caregivers In the Kingdom of Tonga
Wednesday Aug 17, 2022
Wednesday Aug 17, 2022
My longtime friend, Lynn Vander Woude Aho joined me from across the world in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga. She regularly listens to the program there and uses information from this program to help caregivers in Tonga.
As she shares her heart and passion for ministry and missions, I am confident you will be touched and inspired by Lynn's story.
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
A Box Of Things That God Will Have To Redeem
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
A frustration point for many family caregivers lies in unmet expectations, hopes, and dreams. We often visualize what could be – but things beyond our control are roadblocks. Ashamedly, I admit attempting control and trying to force things on more than one occasion – only to frustrate myself, my wife, and (many) others. Letting go of those hopes and expectations, however, can be painful. Over the last few years, I've tried a different approach. In my mind, I envision a rather large container I call "The Box of Things That God Will Have to Redeem."
Offloading those items, losses, heartaches, and disappointment to God reduces my angst and the potential for resentment.
For me, the box is genuine and reflects my faith that God will indeed redeem each of those things - He's better at carrying them than me. Saying that "…God will have to redeem" does not demand the Almighty to act; it simply recognizes that He alone has the power to do so. Of course, the temptation to retrieve items and stew on them often grips me. Yet I can affirm that each time I place them back in the box, I grow less tempted to dwell on them.
Letting go of what is impossible to carry helps me live more peacefully with things I can't change.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 (KJV)
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Interviewing Author, Pastor, and Caregiver, Robert Morgan
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Drawing upon nearly 50 years as a teaching pastor and 25+ years as a caregiver, Rob Morgan brings a wealth of understanding and experience to today's challenging issues.
Following the death of his wife, Rob candidly shares his thoughts and experiences while anchoring himself and others in the Scripture. Teaching on the book of Revelation, Rob recently authored THE 50 FINAL EVENTS IN WORLD HISTORY. In this new book, Rob shares how he draws encouragement from this book that confuses and even frightens so many.
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
A Gracious Word in Weird Moments
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
From our July 16, 2022 program.
Have you ever had someone say something strange, insensitive, or even weird to you - and a flood of responses immediately filled your mind? Sometimes, we save ourselves from unnecessary drama when we "bite our tongues and learn to like the taste of blood!"
But it can torque our brain to do so ...doesn't it? Who knows, though - we may get a funny story out of it that brings laughter years later.
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