Guest post by Diana Derringer

I stood in front of my husband’s walker as he began his daily exercises. He did the hard work while I served as prompter and cheerleader. Soon after we started, the wind picked up. Leaves, twigs, and assorted debris flew by the house.

Looking out the window, I said, “That’s the strangest wind I’ve ever seen.”

“Uh-huh.” And he kept working.

The intensity increased at an alarming speed.

“We must be on the edge of that storm in today’s forecast.”

“Uh-huh.” And he kept working

After the wind slowed, we received a telephone call with a tornado warning. Since we have no basement, a neighbor had previously invited us to his underground garage when severe storms arose. However, by the time we could put on my husband’s shoes and gait belt, and make our way to the car, we risked facing the storm’s fury. Plus, cars offer no protection from a storm, so we hunkered down at home.

The telephone rang again. Our neighbor, voice shaking, asked, “Are you okay?’

“Yes, we’re fine.” How about you?”

“We are, and the puppies are, but our front porch and part of the roof are gone.”

The tornado made a direct hit only yards from our house.

As with the tornado, we can’t stop personal crises. However, we can trust God’s presence through them. In the meantime, God calls us to keep going, like my husband with his exercises, to complete whatever tasks lie before us.

May we remain faithful and faith-filled through all life’s caregiving storms.

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV

Diana C. Derringer, author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary, shares hope and joy through more than 1,100 devotions, articles, dramas, planning guides, Bible studies, and poems in 70-plus publications. She and her husband serve as a friendship family to international university students. Enjoy her Words, Wit, and Wisdom at dianaderringer.com.

Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her award-winning book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness (CrossLink Publishing, 2021). A former intensive care nurse, she cared for her parents and her mother-in-law and understands both the burdens and joys of caregiving. Her devotions have been featured in Guideposts books, The Upper Room, and many other publications, and she has contributed 22 stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul® books. She also conducts writing workshops, freelance edits, and proofreads for Farmers’ Almanac. But her most important job is Grandma to five completely unspoiled grandchildren.