Gratefully, I am blessed with gifts and talents, plus perseverance, but that doesn’t mean it has been an easy road to bring forth what I believe God called me to develop. Many a time, feeling fear and insecurity, I was tempted to give up, but sensed God wouldn’t be asking me to do something, without blessing me with the ability to succeed, so I pressed on. Persevering, God guided my steps. (“Then the Lord will guide you always and satisfy your thirst in parched places, will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a flowing spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11)
Through the process, I experienced God’s faithfulness and provision. Taking continued steps of faith broke any limitations I had. At the heart of faith is a call to surrender, believing all things are possible, because the Lord has our back. Staying aligned with God helped me to push past excuses and fears and I now share what I have been directed to work on for the past two years midst the rest of my life, which includes caretaking.
As some of you know, I worked for Catholic Health for nine years developing and writing a training program, preparing men and women with basic pastoral care skills, to visit in hospitals and nursing homes. After training over 500 people, I was removed from this position. Being discouraged for a short while, I received several calls from other health systems asking me to develop a volunteer training program. When we hear ‘something’ more than once, we need to pay attention to where God is guiding. Thus, began the journey to create an Instructional Spiritual Care Volunteer Manual that offers a curriculum with every necessary tool. This simplified step-by-step, twenty-hour, eight-unit training contains all components for Chaplains to train volunteers. (This is also an excellent introduction for anyone interested in Chaplaincy.)
This training is a win-win for both volunteers and those they visit - patients/residents or the elderly homebound. Research has shown that the best way for people to be happy is by doing for others. It is a plus that when we volunteer, it benefits our health. Interacting with others allows one to see the difference made in various lives, plus an opportunity to give back and feel useful. The program incorporates Scripture, hand-outs, exercises and personal faith experience. Embrace Caretaking was formed to bring people to an awareness of the challenges and opportunities involved in caretaking, be it on a one-on-one basis or as a volunteer visiting patients/residents in hospitals, nursing homes or the elderly homebound. In this training, volunteers are cautioned not to fix or become emotionally involved, to live within their gifts and not exceed the boundaries of their inexperience. They are not Chaplains and their ongoing referrals to the Chaplain will be invaluable.
This How-To-Manual is now available, with supporting documentation, including a visual slide presentation, plus an Appendix that contains the necessary components to begin, maintain or increase volunteers. For further information on how to purchase and check where our seminar training will be visit: www.embracecaretaking.com.