Learning to pray while caring for my mum

Lydias Ladies

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 NIV

2) I love this scripture because it reminds me...

• that I have power from God with me all the time which is to pray and most of all never give up.
• Sometimes forget the scripture has two points which says pray first and focus more on the give up part
• Life is very hard right now. I never really had to worry about things in a big way in life before until my mums Dementia has become more prevalent.
• Sometimes I feel like giving up rather than praying as my mum's care right now is like caring for a 74 year old child she cannot do much for herself she is incontinent, can't walk without help, needs help eating and cannot be left alone.
• When the strongest people in your life become weak right in front of your eyes, you feel like there is nothing you can do to make a big difference
• My mum's dementia can make her fearful, angry, frustrated as it has affected how she speaks so it is hard to understand what she says. She is slowly but surely becoming locked in herself which must be hard for her as she is a people's person.
• I can often feel angry, afraid, let down by God and feeling hopeless
• Dementia can make me feel helpless but if I look at it with spiritual eyes it gives me time with my mum, reminder to pray for my mum & sisters and to replace worry with constant prayers to God.
• QUOTE by Smith Wigglesworth. He was a turn of the century English 19th century preacher : “I never pray for more than 15 minutes at a time, but I never go more than 15 minutes without praying.”
• Pray and keep praying as there is power, strength and peace in prayer.

3) Looking at how Jesus dealt with prayer at the cross.

• Jesus prayed always:

☆In the wilderness when being tempted for 40 days

☆In the garden of Gethsemane

☆On the cross when he says ” forgive them rather for they do not know what they are doing “ in luke 23:34.

• Jesus never gave up on the lost or God and I need to imitate that as he always prayed and focused on God
• I need to copy Jesus here and pray even when it is very hard and through the day.
• I will pray out loud sometimes with my mum when caring for her and she can still say “Amen” which is a joy to hear as somewhere deep down in the cloud of dementia she is still there...that gives me a reason to keep praying.
  4) Finally Ladies pray and trust in God.
• Persist in prayer being like Jesus
• Pray through the day, short, bold brief powerful prayers work too
• God hears even those silent in your mind prayers or the quiet words when walking to the station or on the bus
• Keep praying for everything, all day, everyday and do not give up.
• Be like Jesus meeting every situation with prayer.