Hope for the Caregiver

Gracie was lying in bed. The surgeon had just been in to remove the stitches — but clearly, it was too early. A few minutes later, I came into the room. Gracie asked for help sitting up. She reached for my arm and started to pull herself upright. Then, the unthinkable happened. The wound suddenly split wide open — 10-12 inches long, four inches wide. It’s called dehiscence. I was instantly reminded why I studied music and not medicine. But there was no time to be queasy — Gracie needed me. I quickly summoned the nurses, who rushed in. I told them to urgently call the surgical team. Then I grabbed Gracie’s hand, helped her recline back on the bed, locked eyes with her and said: “Don’t look down.” As her breathing slowed, we began to sing: In my life, Lord, be glorified… Gracie softly changed the words: In my leg, Lord, be glorified today. The surgical team worked around us while she sang. They were stunned. So was I. She wasn’t thinking about tomorrow. Just: Be glorified in this. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3 Caregiving comes at you fast. Take a minute and read my book, A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday!    

When the surgeon told me Gracie would be in the hospital for three months, my mind raced: The kids are at school. I’ve got a job to hold down. Bills to pay. How am I supposed to hold this together for three months? Staring at the wall, I quietly muttered to myself: "I can’t do this for three months." The surgeon heard me. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "You're not going to do it for three months. You're going to do it for 24 hours." Then he pointed me to Jesus’ words: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (Matthew 6:34) That moment was more than 20 years ago. It still carries me. Caregiving often feels impossible when you try to take it all at once. But we were never asked to carry months or years — only today. Just today. By His grace. That’s the 24-Hour Rule. Caregiving comes at you fast - take a minute. Get A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday today!

Caregiving doesn’t just exhaust me — it exposes my broken thinking. In this episode, I share how total depravity clouds not only my actions but my thought process. Fatigue, frustration, fear, and sin distort judgment — even while I’m trying to advocate for the person I love. That’s why caregivers don’t just need rest — we need Christ to steady both our hands and our minds. I also share how this plays out in real conversations with doctors, staff, and decision makers: learning when to speak, when to stay quiet, and how the Holy Spirit helps caregivers respond wisely — even at 3AM when another crisis hits. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3 Caregiving comes at you fast: Take a minute with A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday    

In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I walk through one of the most practical, personal, and painful issues every caregiver faces: worry. We explore what Jesus really meant in Matthew 6 when He said, “Do not worry about tomorrow…” — and I back the truck up to show how that entire section of Scripture ties together. This is not sentimental. It’s hard theology lived out in hospital rooms, operating rooms, and late-night caregiver prayers. I share some deeply personal stories from our ongoing four-month hospitalization: The moment when my wife’s surgical wound burst open unexpectedly — and how, even then, worship replaced panic as Gracie sang “In My Leg, Lord, Be Glorified” while medical teams worked. How my dad, near the end of his life, calmed my mother with four powerful words: “Because I know God.” The late-night “Code Gray” in the hospital — and how that inspired my idea of a “Code Grace” for caregivers who are emotionally unraveling. Why daily trust in God is like Tchaikovsky’s daily piano practice: if you skip it, everyone notices. We also look at Paul and Silas — bruised, bleeding, shackled — still singing hymns in a Philippian jail. That same peace that passes understanding remains available to us today, even in hospital rooms, financial stress, and medical crises. Worry is real. But so is the sovereignty of God. I challenge caregivers (and myself) to make the intentional choice to trust Christ today — and to leave tomorrow where it belongs: in His capable hands. If you're a caregiver weighed down by fear, this episode is for you.

In this Memorial Day episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I open up about one of the hardest—and most overlooked—struggles caregivers face: resentment. After more than 40 years in this journey, I’ve learned that it’s not just the physical exhaustion that wears us down—it’s the internal striving, the bitterness, and the sense of being forgotten. In this episode, I talk about: The difference between sleep and true rest Why striving leaves us drained and bitter A quote from my new book, A Caregiver’s Companion, and the hymn that goes with it How gratitude becomes the antidote to resentment And what one surprising verse in Matthew 1:6 reveals about God’s justice, memory, and hope for caregivers I also share a story from the hospital room—something small, but sacred—that brought the Gospel into sharp focus for me. If you're weary, grieving, or stuck in resentment, I hope this message will point you toward the rest only Christ can give.

In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I reflect on our 118-day (and counting) hospital journey as Gracie prepares for her 98th surgery. From surgical setbacks to worn-out mattresses, it’s been a long road—but not without unexpected laughter, grace, and even a surprising riff from Gracie that would’ve made James Brown smile. We dig into the importance of vigilance—not just physical, but spiritual and emotional. I share thoughts on situational awareness, the loss of basic decorum in our culture, and what it means to see and respond to the pain in others. Whether it's the young man who doesn't know how to hold a door or the weary soul behind the mop, we're called to be ready—to serve, to comfort, and to live alert to the needs around us. If you're a caregiver, or just someone trying to walk through this world without getting swallowed by it, this one's for you.

fter more than 110 days in the hospital and Gracie approaching her 98th surgery, this episode explores what real faith looks like in the trenches of caregiving. I share two jaw-dropping moments with Gracie—responses to a psychiatrist that left us all speechless—and unpack what it means to trust “El Roi,” the God who sees, even when our view is blocked by suffering, hospital walls, or exhaustion. We talk about the daily grind of hospital life, how caregivers can practice faithful stewardship of their minds and bodies, and yes—how even pancakes can test your resolve. I also share how Scripture, hymns, and daily devotional habits have carried me through this long stretch. If you’ve ever wondered how to find hope when the days blur together, or what caregiving looks like with 98 surgeries behind you, this is the one to hear. Faith in suffering, joy in hardship, and the daily resolve to keep walking—these aren’t theories. This is the day the Lord has made—even here. Includes reflections on: • Christian caregiving • Psalm 118 & the Hallel Psalms • Hospital survival strategies • Marriage and disability • Devotional insights for caregivers • Singing hymns through suffering • The joy of the Lord in hardship

As America reflected on Trump's first 100 days, Peter Rosenberger reflects on 100 straight days in the hospital with his wife Gracie—her 95th surgery behind them, and hard lessons ahead. With hospital humor and deep spiritual insight, he unpacks what it means to endure, produce, and even minister while suffering. From “code blues” to a “Code Grace,” this episode offers raw hope from the front lines of caregiving.

When Easter feels hollow, hospitals replace hymns, and loneliness crowds the heart — what anchors a caregiver’s soul? Peter Rosenberger, four-decade caregiver and radio host, takes listeners inside a brutal Holy Week spent between airports and operating rooms. Through Scripture, song, and hard-won wisdom, Peter challenges the sugar-coated faith peddled by today's culture, and calls believers back to the rugged, soul-saving hope of Christ’s resurrection. This isn’t sentiment. This is survival — anchored in the living Word, forged through suffering, and sung even when the wound is still open.

What do our final words say about the condition of our hearts? In this Easter episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I explore the last recorded words of public figures, saints, and martyrs—from David Cassidy to Dietrich Bonhoeffer—and what they reveal about fear, faith, and eternity. I also share personal moments from the hospital during Gracie’s 94th surgery—where suffering, humor, and holy ground often meet. From elevator conversations to bedside worship, this is a reflection on what it means to be present, to see people as they are, and to live anchored in the redemptive power of Christ. We talk about the weight of Easter, the legacy of words, and how a caregiver’s perspective can sharpen our focus on what truly matters. In a world full of noise, maybe the most powerful thing we can do is speak hope, listen carefully, and live in such a way that our words echo something eternal.