About the Author

Kayla Craig is the author of “To Light Their Way" and "Every Season Sacred" and creator of Liturgies for Parents. A former journalist, she’s adamant about paying attention and staying curious. She writes the popular "Year of Breath" devotional newsletter and lives in Iowa with her husband and four wild,...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. It seems like such a simple task and yet it is so difficult to accomplish at times. But I know when I take a moment to find the joy, I feel physically lighter. Today, instead of being weighed down with tasks on a raw dreary rainy day, I can find joy in the bird as they sing and chirp. Such a sweet sound.

  2. Thank you, I so needed to hear this today. I need to look for small everyday actions that lead to joy. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and think that we can’t take time to enjoy life! This was a great mental reset this morning.

    • Finding joy and moments of laughter can be powerful in difficult times, and I hope you can find those moments in your daily life, Judy!

  3. Great advice! Ironically a friend sends me a Bible verse each morning & today’s verse was Ps 73:26 My flesh & my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever. I have this verse marked in my Bible as a friend’s life verse. It became his life verse as he died thru colon then pancreatic cancer. The joy & strength he had was obvious to all even as his body failed around him. It truly is the True Living God that can give us pockets of joy. We all need those! We all need Him! Thank you for this wonderful reminder. Heavy heavy subject but you brought a smile to my face! Blessings. May your pockets of joy be many & deep!

    • Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to share here! Know that you are not alone, and that there are others out there who are going through similar experiences.

  4. Oh my this statement literally brought me to tears. “This season of life requires a lot out of me,” I admitted. “In the midst of all I have going on, I’m not sure I know what brings me joy.” I feel this sentence in every inch of my soul. I’m the primary caregiver to my 90 year old Momma. While I love that I can be there and will walk with her to the end of her days on this earth, I’m tired in ways I just can’t put into words. You just gave my feelings words. This post has made me stop and realize that I need to find those small pockets of joy in each day for both of us or I will find myself in a place where I can’t give Mom the best of me when she deserves it most. From the bottom of my heart Thank You!

    • The work you are doing is important and valued, and God sees and honors your sacrifice and care for your mom, Stella. Thanks so much for reading and sharing, today. Praying you are able to find small pockets of joy and rest today!

  5. Thanks for sharing. My mother was wheelchair bound for almost 20 years. She could not transfer herself. I used a Hoyer lift. She used a commode that I had to empty.
    I wanted to do for her (out of love), but some days were hard. Thanks for the reminder of self-care.

    • Don’t underestimate your care and love’s impact on your mom. Your unseen care mattered so much. I hope you are taking time to care for yourself now, too. Thanks for reading and being here today.

  6. Beautiful share & inspiration
    Thank you Kayla
    Thank you for encouraging us to find those pockets of joy
    Blessings to you as you continue to do the same

    • I appreciate you taking the time to read this and hope it can serve as a source of hope and encouragement. Praying with you for glimmers of God’s guidance and peace today!

  7. Kayla,
    I’m great at extending empathy and understanding to others, but I am very stingy when it comes to giving myself a little compassion and grace. Why are we hardest on ourselves? Joining with you in looking for the little pockets of joy in each day — especially when trials seem to be a constant in my life. Thank you!
    Blessings,
    Bev

  8. Dear Friend,

    May God reach the Hearts of
    People near your area. Give them
    Your EMail or whatever you prefer
    So they pray with you or even
    Sing with you. It will be a start.
    Hugs
    Sandy

  9. Thank you! This was very helpful in my difficult season of being a caregiver to my very sick elderly husband!

  10. Kayla,

    I spent 10+ years caring for my aging parents & in-laws. It was tough at times but God got me through it. I will never regret the time I spent caring for them. Caregiving takes a lot out of people. We give until there is nothing left to give. Bonnie Gray in her book “Whispers of Rest” talks about soul care. She states we need to put margin in our lives. That can be hard when you are caring for others, but just blotting out ten minutes here & there to do something for yourself can be life changing. Give yourself permission to sit & listen to music or go for a short walk to help relieve some stress. You may be surprised how that little extra “me time” can make you feel.

    Blessings 🙂

  11. Thank you for this article. This is aimed toward parents but it also is applicable to those who’s parent is in need of extra support. Frankly, it is fitting for many others such as those whose loved one has a mental health diagnosis.

  12. Oh Kayla, thank you so much for this! I live with and take care of my 85 year old parents. My mom has dementia. I also have an hour commute to a full time job. My parents were not exactly loving, and I’m ashamed of the bitterness I sometimes feel in taking care of them now, when they were never there for me, even through a cancer diagnosis. I struggle to find peace and am very lonely. I do try to take a moment to find joy in sunsets, nature and the stars. Your post helped me to refocus, thank you!