Episode Summary:

Caring for others is one of the most beautiful expressions of Christlike love, yet it can also be one of the most exhausting. Whether someone is caring for an aging parent, a chronically ill spouse, a child with special needs, or a friend struggling through a difficult diagnosis, caregivers often experience emotional fatigue, compassion overload, and spiritual depletion.

In honor of National Caregiver’s Day, today on Your Hope-Filled Perspective we are shining a bright and honoring spotlight on caregivers who quietly pour out strength and tenderness day after day. If you are a caregiver who feels seen and unseen all at once, this conversation is for you.

Quotables from the episode:

• In this episode we want to acknowledge the deep emotional and spiritual cost that comes with caregiving, whether it’s caring for children, spouses, parents or someone else. Many caregivers love fiercely yet carry silent burdens. They often neglect their own rest while tending to the needs of others. They juggle responsibilities, appointments, medications, medical decisions, financial pressures, and emotional strain until their own souls feel frayed. If that describes you, know that God sees every moment of sacrifice. He understands every tear cried in private. He knows how heavy this calling can feel. Whether you are in a short-term caregiving season or you have been carrying this responsibility for years, we want to help you find strength, rest, and spiritual renewal.
• Yet God created rest not as a luxury but as a divine necessity. He invites caregivers to receive the strength they need directly from His presence.
• Caregivers often do not realize how overwhelmed they are until they are already close to burnout. They believe they should be able to keep going. They think rest is selfish. They feel guilty for asking for help. But caregiving is not meant to be a one-person mission.
• Caregiver burnout does not happen overnight. It happens slowly and quietly, often while someone is trying to be strong for everyone else.
• God never intended caregiving to be an isolating burden. Galatians teaches us to carry one another’s burdens. That includes the weight of caregiving. Asking for help is not a failure. It is a biblical principle
• If you have begun feeling resentful or emotionally disconnected, that is a powerful signal that your soul is in need of restoration. You cannot pour out what has not been filled.
• I want caregivers to hear this truth. You are not responsible for outcomes. You are responsible to love well and to walk faithfully, but God holds the results.

Scripture References:

• Isaiah 40:29 “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
• Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
• Psalm 18:28 “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
• Jeremiah 31:25 “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Recommended Resources:

• Free Caregiver Burnout Warning Sign Checklist
• Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel
• Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
• Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win
• Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue

Social Media Links for Host and Guest:

Connect with Rev. Jessica Van Roekel:

Website / Instagram / Facebook

Connect with Dr. Bengtson:

Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book  Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /   Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple

Co-Host:

Jessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others.

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson

Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson