Hope for the Caregiver

In this special Valentine's Day episode of Hope for the Caregiver , I share what it means to carry love when the person you cherish can no longer carry it back in the same way. I talk about relaunching our local caregiver support group after a long pause, about sitting alone in an empty room before anyone showed up, and why caregivers need a place where they are understood. I reflect on decorating...

I've spent much of my life in hospitals and ICUs, standing beside suffering that doesn't resolve and prayers that don't wrap up neatly. After a while, explanations stop helping. In this episode, I reflect on what has steadied me as a caregiver when nothing can be fixed. I talk about walking into yet another surgery knowing exactly how hard it will be, about learning what real comfort sounds like w...

In today's episode of Hope for the Caregiver , I begin with a reality caregivers understand instinctively: disruption rarely announces itself, and caregivers are often the ones who absorb the impact first. From ice storms devastating the Southeast to wildfire threats here in Montana, I reflect on how quickly normal life can unravel. For caregivers living close to the edge, preparation is not fear-...

Caregiving often begins with sincere promises made in healthier days. As circumstances change and needs increase, many of us discover that love alone does not equal capacity. Fear, obligation, and guilt can cloud judgment, leaving caregivers overwhelmed and unsure how to make wise, sustainable decisions. In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver , I explore what happens when caregiving decisions a...

In this episode of Truth Talk Live , I reflect on the recent disruption of a Sunday worship service in Minneapolis and ask a question that can't be answered by politics, outrage, or security plans alone: What happens to our faith when the world barges into sacred space, and are we actually prepared for that moment? As churches face increasing hostility, the conversation often turns quickly to fear...

In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver , I sit down with Lindsay Funches, a mother who has spent nearly two decades navigating life with a medically complex child. Her son, Steele, was born during a military deployment and later diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome, a rare craniofacial condition that has required dozens of surgeries, long hospital stays, and constant vigilance. We talk about what it...

I sat down with Ken and Mary Sue Grein knowing their story would be heavy. I didn't expect it to steady me the way it did. They were just 22 years old when their son Jacob was born with severe medical complications. Within days, doctors told them he wouldn't live long and encouraged them to let him die. Ken and Mary Sue refused. They chose life, even though no one could tell them what that life wo...

There's a particular look that crosses someone's face when they realize they've just been understood. I've seen it on a bus driver from Kenya after I spoke a few words of Swahili. I've seen it on a CNA from Ghana caring for my wife in a hospital room. I watched a hospital housekeeper from Haiti light up when I spoke a few words in French to her. And I've seen it countless times on caregivers who q...

Caregiving is relentless. The needs don't pause, the stress doesn't politely wait, and the temptation to put ourselves last feels almost virtuous. But in this episode of  Hope for the Caregiver , I push back on a lie many of us live with: that our health is expendable. Joined by my longtime friend and health coach D,ale Richardson we talk candidly about weight, stress eating, and the quiet ways ca...

Alzheimer's often reveals itself around the holiday table, when families see one another more closely than usual. My guest this week, author and longtime caregiver  Carol Steinberg , knows that experience well. Her father was diagnosed decades ago, long before the disease was widely understood, and the journey reshaped her life. She eventually helped lead one of the largest Alzheimer's organizatio...

I opened the show with Balaam, the original for-profit prophet. He was not the last one. We still have plenty today with nice suits, studio lighting, and partner plans "…if you act now!" Balaam took the job, hopped on his donkey, and headed out. God blocked the road. The donkey saw it. Balaam did not. After a few detours and a smashed foot, the donkey finally spoke. And instead of freezing or ques...

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 re...

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 li...

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 Thin...

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 o...

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 reflec...

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 Year...

In my regular guest-host slot on Truth Talk Live (Truth Network), I opened with a friend's dilemma: If people living through the events described in Revelation see beasts, plagues, and cosmic signs with their own eyes, doesn't that give them an advantage over those who died without seeing such proof? Isn't that unfair—almost as if some are lost on a technicality? That question pulled us into Roman...

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://r...

When Caregiving Means Sleeping in a Van: The Story Behind Daisy's Place On this week's Hope for the Caregiver , I spoke with Carolyn Wheeler O'Byrne from Florence, Alabama—a mother whose fierce advocacy for her 17-month-old daughter, Daisy, turned into a decades-long mission. Carolyn recounted the terrifying season when Daisy was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, endured failed procedures,...

This week on  Hope for the Caregiver , I opened the program by discussing my new Blaze Media article,  Reckless Hate Cannot Win: Christ Has Already Broken It .  The piece grew out of the grief and reflection surrounding Charlie Kirk's sudden death. Dana Perino's emotional appeal on Fox for a "circuit breaker" to the fury in our culture resonated deeply with me—but I reminded listeners that no huma...

In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver , I open with the story of a 1950s chemist who failed 39 times before discovering something simple yet world-changing. His quiet persistence became a picture of what caregivers need when our hearts feel rusted and stuck. We can't muscle our way through this life; we need grace that loosens what strain has tightened. That theme of letting go of force carrie...

I sat down with Dr. Barry Jacobs—a clinical psychologist, family therapist, and fellow caregiver whose story began when his father was diagnosed with brain cancer. Out of that crucible, he has spent nearly four decades helping families navigate the emotional and practical challenges of caregiving. We talked about the unspoken grief many caregivers carry, why sadness is not a weakness but a source...

Caregiving often hides what I call  smoldering rage —resentment that simmers quietly until a fresh crisis ignites it like a wildfire. In this week's  Hope for the Caregiver  radio show, I open with a monologue about those hidden embers, drawing from Montana's fire season to show how caregivers can confront resentment and apply God's grace before it consumes us. The program closes with a hymn every...

Caregiving has pushed me to the point where I've had to ask what I really believe when life gets overwhelming. In this episode, I talk about those moments of faith under fire and share clips from my conversation with author Jess Ronne (Caregiving with Grit and Grace). Jess opens up about raising a son with disabilities, losing her husband to brain cancer, and continuing forward as a caregiver. I c...