In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I share three ordinary moments from life in our Montana cabin that turned into extraordinary lessons for caregivers.

First, I finally leveled our refrigerator—a small victory that reminded me how good it feels to make one crooked thing straight in a world that leans. Then I talk about a tough situation a friend faced with her aging father, and what it really means to honor our parents when impairment or sin clouds their judgment. Using the story of Noah and his sons, I call it "walking backward with a blanket"—protecting dignity even when it's painful.

Finally, as I cleaned the big new windows in our addition for Gracie, I saw a picture of how resentment, fear, and fatigue can cloud our hearts—and how only Christ can wash us clean. The episode ends at the caregiver keyboard with one of my favorite hymns, Fairest Lord Jesus, and a reminder that He truly makes the woeful heart to sing.

Out here at our home in Montana, I had one of those nights that turned into a sermon I didn't plan to preach. A young calf had wedged himself tight in a fence — and if I hadn't gone back to check the mineral bucket, he'd have been mountain lion food by morning. I cut the chain loose, he bolted off without so much as a "thank you," and I stood there on that hillside grinning like a fool, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

It had nothing to do with caregiving — and that's exactly the point. Every caregiver needs something that lifts the soul, something that reminds us we're still alive, not just functioning. For me, it was freeing a calf. For you, it might be painting, gardening, music, or a quiet moment with a puzzle. These aren't hobbies — they're oxygen for the spirit.

I wrapped the show with Gracie's favorite hymn, This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made. We've sung it in hospital rooms and now here at home with the mountains out our window. It's not a children's song to us — it's a statement of faith when the day looks hard.

Zephaniah wrote, "The Lord your God is in your midst… He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." That's the kind of God we serve — one who doesn't just command us to rejoice, but actually rejoices over us.

So that's my message this week: find your thing. Give yourself permission to breathe, to laugh, to live. Because the God who called you into this life is already singing over you.

Each week on Hope for the Caregiver, I take listeners into the heart of what sustains us when life's weight feels too heavy. This week, I shared why our deepest comfort as caregivers doesn't come from rest, money, or even help—it comes from knowing we are not our own, but belong body and soul to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

From the Heidelberg Catechism to the story behind the hymn Have Thine Own Way, Lord, I explored what it means to surrender our weariness to the One who shapes and reshapes us like clay in the hands of a potter. Caregiving forces us to face what we can't fix—but it also invites us to trust the One who holds every broken piece.

I also shared about our new addition at home—Built for Grace—and the moment Gracie saw her new accessible space for the first time. It reminded me that love doesn't cling to what used to be; it builds again with what remains.
"Love that endures learns to build again with what remains." — Wendell Berry

🎧 Listen to this week's episode: Have Thine Own Way, Lord – Hymns Every Caregiver Ought to Know
📘 My new book: A Caregiver's Companion
More resources: PeterRosenberger.com
Support the ministry: StandingWithHope.com/giving

After 40 years of caring for my wife Gracie — a double amputee who's endured 98 surgeries — I know what it means to retrofit life around disability. For decades, we chased our tails trying to adapt spaces in our Nashville home and later our little Montana cabin. This year, we finally stopped retrofitting and built a space custom-made around us. From wide doorways and a roll-in shower to moving our grand piano into the bedroom so Gracie wouldn't have to leave her bed to make music, every detail was designed to restore her dignity and independence.

When she walked into that new room with her walker and saw it for the first time, her eyes were wide. Later that night, with firelight flickering across the walls, I sat at the piano and played Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Gracie sang — filling the room with music. In that moment, I thought of Christ's words, "I go to prepare a place for you," and the joy of preparing a place for someone you love. I also share the powerful story behind This Is My Father's World — and how its message strengthens weary family caregivers like me to remember that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. What does it look like for you to prepare a place — physically or emotionally — for someone you love?

In this powerful episode of Hope for the Caregiver, Peter Rosenberger shares a deeply personal story from Aurora, Colorado — a chance encounter with a frightened young woman that turned into a moment of grace and truth. Instead of debating or preaching, Peter reminded her of a truth many caregivers and wounded souls need to hear: "You are worth protecting." Drawing from Hebrews 7:25, he reflects on Christ's ongoing intercession for us and calls listeners to join Him by offering compassion to those who are hurting — even when their pain looks different from our owntranscript_2025-10-14T16_37_22.….

Peter is then joined by psychologist and fellow caregiver Dr. Barry Jacobs, author of The Caregiver Answer Book. Together they unpack the emotional weight of caregiving — deferred grief, family conflict, sibling rivalries, and the burnout that comes when caregivers try to "muscle through." Jacobs urges caregivers to acknowledge their grief, be kind to themselves, and even reclaim joy, reminding them there's no such thing as a perfect caregiver — only "good enough" ones who show up with lovetranscript_2025-10-14T16_37_22.…transcript_2025-10-14T16_37_22.….

Peter also shares updates from Standing With Hope's prosthetic limb outreach in Ghana, marking 20 years of service to the wounded. And at the caregiver keyboard, he performs "His Eye Is on the Sparrow," reflecting on its origins and why this timeless song continues to comfort weary hearts. It's not a performance piece, he says — it's a song "sung in the watches of the night" when despair looms, a reminder that God sees, knows, and watches over ustranscript_2025-10-14T16_37_22.….

Whether you're deep in the trenches of caregiving or just beginning the journey, this episode offers biblical hope, practical wisdom, and heartfelt encouragement to help you stay strong — body, mind, and soul.

Order A CAREGIVER'S COMPANION TODAY!

If you've ever wondered how to hang on—much less laugh—while caring for someone you love, this episode of Hope for the Caregiver is for you.

I recently joined Dr. Jessica Peck, known to her listeners as Dr. Nurse Mama on American Family Radio, for a conversation about faith, humor, and the realities of caregiving. We talked about my new book, A Caregiver's Companion: Scriptures, Hymns, and 40 Years of Insights for Life's Toughest Role, and the lessons Gracie and I have learned through her 98 surgeries, chronic pain, and the daily challenges that come with four decades of caregiving.

You'll hear how I've found strength in Scripture, laughter in the hardest places, and peace in trusting God when nothing makes sense. We discussed what it means to be healthy while caring for someone who isn't—and why I believe healthy caregivers make better caregivers.

I also shared one of the most powerful moments of my life: Gracie singing "In My Life, Lord, Be Glorified" while nurses worked on her open leg wound—and later, singing hymns with Joni Eareckson Tada over FaceTime. Those moments reveal what the world can't understand but what believers know deeply: even in the ICU, there is hope.

I close the program at the Caregiver Keyboard with one of my favorite hymns, "Near to the Heart of God," and the story behind its writing—a reminder that even in sorrow, there is a place of quiet rest near to His heart.

If you're a caregiver—or love someone who is—I invite you to listen, share, and visit HopefortheCaregiver.com
for more resources, music, and encouragement.

On this week's Hope for the Caregiver radio show and podcast, I shared why healthy caregivers make better caregivers—and how small daily choices shape our future. From rest and prayer to forgiveness and boundaries, each decision helps caregivers reduce stress, avoid resentment, and stay strong for the long journey.

Check out my friend Dale's page that I referenced in the first block.

https://richerhealthforyou.com/

I also spoke with Carolyn Wheeler O'Byrne, founder of Daisy's Place in Florence, Alabama, a nonprofit offering safe housing, meals, and support for families caring for loved ones in the hospital. Born out of her own experience sleeping in a hospital parking lot, Carolyn now provides caregivers with a refuge of rest and community rooted in Christian faith.

At the Caregiver Keyboard, I featured the beloved hymn Open My Eyes That I May See, reminding us that even in exhaustion, God opens our eyes to His truth and peace.

➡️ Listen to the full interview, hear the hymn performance, and explore more resources for family caregivers at HopeForTheCaregiver.com and caregiver.substack.com.