Thank you Kristen for inviting us to speak at the Stroke Caregiver’s support group at Florida Hospital today. Met some awesome caregivers.
Earlier this week I attended the memorial service of a dear friend. The service was beautiful and there were many great memories shared by all. Although it was a sad occasion it also was a time of reconnecting with longtime friends. Some of them I had not seen or spoken to in many years.
Why am I writing about this you may ask? The answer is simple. Learn to say yes to more opportunities, and more invitations. Take advantage of every chance you are given to share and show love. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, holidays or any family/friend get together should be a priority. Spending time with people you love is important.
If there is one thing I learned from my dear deceased friend, it is to live life to the fullest. When we live our best life we live a life of few regrets. The world has many kinds of people. All of them have a choice of whether they enjoy life or just exist in life.
We only pass this way once, so I say why not enjoy it. Purpose to say yes when opportunity presents itself, you never no who needs what you have to offer. If I could say one thing to my younger self, it would be “don’t get so busy building a life that you neglect to live life.”
I’ve heard it said many times, “I’m going to live life on my own terms.” Well, I do not wish to live life on my terms but on God’s terms. Even when we think we know what is best for us, many times we do not. I want to be where God wants me to be and when He wants me there.
I do not wish to arrive too early or too late. My timing often is off, but His timing is always perfect. When we try to do things on our own, we struggle for years trying to accomplish what could have been done in one day. Have you ever experienced something just open up to you? Something that you have been trying to work out on your own and it suddenly works. Timing has everything to do with us accomplishing our dreams in life.
Isaiah 40:31“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” God will renew the strength of those who wait for His perfect timing. Stop worrying so much is easy to say but not always easy to carry out. Many times when people say “I’m not going to worry about it,” what they really mean is I’m not going to talk about it. I can tell you from experience, not talking about an issue does not mean you are not worrying about it.
We all can agree that worrying does not change anything. I recommend that you go to bed, get a good night sleep and allow God to work things out in His time. Many times while we are resting, He is working. Things tend to look better in the morning. His timing is not our timing but His timing is best. Make a decision today to stop living life on your own terms and live them according to the plans that God has laid out for your life.
Every morning gives us new opportunities to do better. What did you do yesterday that you would like to try again? Perhaps you didn’t speak to the person who checked you out at the store register. Maybe you were rude to another driver or neglected to get any physical exercise in. Whatever you neglected to do yesterday, guess what? Today is a new day. Do not let this day go by without taking advantage of new opportunities.
Set goals for your day. A day lived without purpose is a wasted day. Maybe your purpose today is to share a smile or a helping hand. It’s a new day. Let’s make it happen. All we really have is this moment of this day. Tomorrow is not promised.
I want to embrace every opportunity that God gives me to make a difference this day. When life is finished there are no do overs. Let’s try hard to live life with no regrets my friends.
Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor
See Me Hear Me Know Me from The Heart of a Caregiver has arrived. I will be doing my first signing tomorrow at Corner Cafe Bakery in Regency Square in Brandon FL. This project is very dear to my heart as I have been my husband’s caregiver for nearly nine years. My desire is to give a voice to those who care for loved ones. The readers will also gain knowledge on how they can assist those who care for loved ones.
My journey has been long and difficult but I have gain great wisdom in the process. I have learned the meaning of unconditional love and what it means to keep moving forward. In this book my husband contributes regarding what it has meant to him to have a caregiver. I am confident that you will be encouraged, inspired, and challenged by this book.
To order your copy click this link Purchase today or visit one of my upcoming events.
04/22/2017 Book Signing 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Corner Bakery Cafe
Regency Square 2326 W Brandon Blvd, Brandon FL
04/29/2017 Book Signing 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM
Sips Specialty Coffee Sho
6118 Gunn Hwy Tampa FL
07/08/2017 Barnes and Noble Book Signing 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
213 N Dale Mabry Tampa, FL 33609
South Tampa Store
Excerpts from the book…Order book and journal this weekend and receive free tote bag.
……Over the years, I have been accused of being in denial regarding his condition. I have never been in denial; I simply do not want my faith to waver. To keep my faith strong, I have had to be careful who and what I allowed in my ear.
My advice to caregivers is when your faith seems to waver, reaffirm what you know to be true about God. Read the Word to see what the Scripture teaches us about who He is. The Word of God teaches that He is a healer of all manner of diseases. Tuberculosis was not too hard for God.
When we do not see the manifestation of the promises in our own lives, it doesn’t mean that God is not able. I made the decision to believe the Word knowing that God knew the situation we were in. I had to believe He was able to bring us out and that He would provide whatever we needed during this time. Trying to process it all in my mind overwhelmed me. I had to trust God and stand firm on my faith in Him knowing that He was able……………………….
From the heart of a caregiver:
“Caring for a loved one is most likely one of the greatest challenges a person will face in life. Many have walked this road before me and offered insight, and for that I am grateful. Each person’s journey is unique, but the mission remains the same. How do you care for a loved one in a way that adds value to their life while not diminishing the value of your own life?”
That is a question that I ask myself. When a person is in great pain, it is hard for them to focus outside of their own experience. While showing compassion for another do not forget to show yourself the same compassion. It is vital that the caregiver be in good health emotionally and physically to be effective as a caregiver.
Pick up your copy today!
Available at
Ask your local bookstore as well.
If you would like to host me for a book signing in your area please contact me at info@evelynjtaylor.org
Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor
Over the next few blogs I will be sharing excerpts from my new book See Me Hear Me Know Me from The Heart of the Caregiver. This book was written to give a voice to caregivers who are often known as the invisible victims. In this book I admonish the reader to not just see the functions of the caregiver but to see the heart with which they performs their daily tasks.
The excerpt below deals with when my husband was preparing for his stem cell transplant:
Book Excerpt
The patient and the caregiver are required to meet with the transplant nurse and transplant physician, who discusses the results of the vital organ testing and explains the details of the transplant. At this appointment, we received the report that his heart, lungs, and kidneys were all in excellent condition and the latest bone marrow biopsy was clean. Scott was an outstanding candidate for the stem cell transplant. All parties appeared to be ready and the bone marrow transplant was scheduled. We had come so far and were feeling hopeful that this would soon be in our distant memory. But we encountered one unexpected challenge. A challenge we never thought about; we did not see this one coming.
Book release is scheduled for April exact date will be listed on:
Blog
Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor
Stop! I don’t want it back, you can keep it. Frequently I hear believers proclaim, “I’m going to get my stuff.” While I understand the thought behind the proclamation, may I say “there are somethings that I do not want back.” If the anguish of this life caused you to lose your joy, peace, or something of value then yes you need to get it back. But if something has gone from my life that has caused me to trust God more then I don’t want it back in my life. Many times we try to hold on to things that God wants us to release. There are some people we need to disconnect from. I’m not talking about your spouse or children but I am referring to those relationships that bring you heartache and bring God no glory.
I vowed this year to be more intentional about how I pray and how I live. Everything for me has to be connected to my purpose. I’m tired of the days of just doing things so that I can say, “I did it.” If it’s not connected to the plan that God has for my life then I’m letting it go and I say bye-bye. The important thing to remember is that once you say bye-bye, don’t go back and get it.
Our cry to the Lord should be “God I want to know your heart.” “If we are truly going to make an impact in the Kingdom we have to let something go and not try to get them back. Learn to spend more time in the presence of God. Worshipping, praying, studying and reading His Word. To be mighty in the Kingdom we need our artillery ready and we must know how to use it. The weapons will do us no good if we don’t have the proper training. Our time in prayer and study of God’s Word provides us with the necessary training.
Instead of worrying about what you need to get back, focus on what you need to do to preserve the assignment God has given you. Learn to pray over and for your family. Pray for His will for their lives, He has a better plan then we could ever imagine. For many of us the things we proclaim the enemy stole were never ours to begin with. When you lose a car, or a home it’s not always the devil attacking your finances. It could be as simple as overspending and poor planning. It could also be related to your disobedience in giving. If you are unwilling to sow into the Kingdom of God, you cannot expect God to bless your finances. We give the devil too much credit, let him have the junk he took and allow God to mold you into who He has called you to be.
Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor
Do you ever feel like you have too many balls in the air? Well that’s how I feel today, so many things going on but not really accomplishing anything. My advice to you and to myself is to just breathe and take a moment to focus. What is it that you really believe God is calling you to do? And how can you best accomplish that goal?
Below are 5 steps to help you refocus and gain some perceptive on what your divine assignment might be.
- Pray and seek the heart of God
- Have a conversation with your spiritual leader or mentor
- Make a list of all that you are trying to accomplish
- Begin to ponder what avenues might be available to assist you in accomplishing your goals
- Rest in God knowing that He knows the plans He has for you
Okay! That sounds easy right? Well, I will be the first to admit that it is not as easy as it sounds. There are so many things yearning for our attention and they all seem equally as important. A wise friend shared some worthy instructions with me that I will share with you. She told me, ” No matter how important it may seem if it is not what God has called you to do release it.” In fulfilling your purpose you may have to walk away from good opportunities, and even from some prosperous ministry assignments. Remember, every assignment is not for you and while you are utilizing your valuable time on something that is not for you, God’s plans for your life remains unfulfilled.
Let’s be intentional about seeking God for His direction for every area of our lives.
Stop juggling and start producing!
Evelyn Johnson-Taylor Ph.D.