The deeper we move into this wretched disease, the more tasks become mine and the less time I have to correspond. However, today I need to share my frustrations! My husband has now moved into the Moderate stage of Alzheimer’s, so he can do less and less. His short term memory is practically gone, but he still remembers friends and family, which is a blessing. The problem is really with me! I often resent the fact that I have to assume all the responsibilities for: the house, the yard, the animals, the driving, the laundry, the shopping, the cooking, managing the finances, and teaching two online graduate courses. Then there is the time spent making sure that I eat right, exercise, take my vitamins, get enough rest and take some respite time. There are not enough hours in the day! How can I do it all?

Today we studied Romans in our Life Group and I am reminded by Paul that, “We can rejoice…when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5: 3-4, New Living Translation) Well, I am becoming quite a character…I mean my character is being shaped. 🙂 It is just a tough process. The Beyond Suffering Bible, created by Joni Eareckson Tada, suggests, “In our weakened state. we learn to stop relying on our own strength of mind or body and increasingly shift our reliance to the Creator. God’s strength becomes evident in our weakness” (Joni and Friends, 2016, p.1280).

That’s my answer, stop relying on my own strength! I need to turn to God for all my needs, from the smallest frustration to the largest difficulty. I know in my heart that God is big enough to handle all my problems, now I just have to convince my brain to stop trying to figure everything out. I need to give my situation to the Lord and leave it in His hands to make straight my path. Please pray for me as I run this marathon and I will pray for you.
Through His Grace,
Evelyn