About the Author

Caroline Beidler, MSW is an author, speaker, recovery advocate, and founder of the storytelling platform Circle of Chairs at carolinebeidler.substack.com. She is the author of You Are Not Your Trauma: Uproot Unhealthy Patterns, Heal the Family Tree. Caroline writes extensively about addiction recovery, mental health, and faith.

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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
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  1. Caroline,
    What a beautiful way you have of weaving words into a meaningful tapestry! Your message is clear, and the imagery of our aging hands in His in the final sentence is one I intend to carry with me.

    Blessings on your good works,
    Kathleen

  2. Caroline thank you for your excellent reading. What came to mind when I read your title of the reading. The song probably most of us have heard before. It is “Burdens are lifted at Calvary Jesus is very near” how true that is Burdens are lifted at Calvary as Jesus is very near. But when we have a burden no matter what it is how many of us take it to Jesus in prayer first. Before getting other to pray for us. When we should take it to Jesus first stand in the promises in his word and believe them over us. We go will you please please pray they panic. When they should have went to Jesus first in prayer over it stood on this promise in God’s word. I done that in the past. But it took time for me to go to Jesus first in prayer and see what he says about it or if a sickness what to do about it. Let his Holy Spirit speak to me to tell me what to do. I have gone into panic mode said will you please pray told the person what it is. God has said to me in the past who are you trusting in what your going through. Why are you not going to me first in prayer and standing on my promises in my word. So when I have burden no matter what it to do with. I go God in prayer and stand on the promises of his word. Saying them time and time over myself believing what they say. But over different things in the past that I have been burden with. God has not answered me right away. I had to wait for him to answer me to do with my burden. God has told me why Dawn I didn’t answer you as quickly as you liked when you have prayed to me stood on my promises in my word. Instead of going to someone else first before me. To test you to see how strong your faith is. Will you no matter what your going through with the burden keep looking up to me and trusting me. Even though you might not like that I have not answered you as quickly as you’d like. That also has been hard to do. Then when I have first taken it to God my burden in prayer then stood on the promises in his word. I have then asked other to pray. But it is reminding to go to God first and no matter what the burden is and not panice saying first will you please pray to someone. Another good song too we can sing to ourselves when a burden comes into our life. “What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer” that is so true. We can be burdened by life and what we are going through. We have to trust God no matter what as he does hear our prayers when we pray to him about it. But we have to do that. Thank you for the excellent reading. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx

  3. Dear Caroline…What an inspiring story you told us today. I loved your ” Bird/Wings” story and could relate to this. I to have gone through so many horrible situations and now at 77 years old it continues on, but there is just too much to write today. My hands are numb and tingling from all the work they have done over my 55 work years and at home with my recently divorced husband of 54 years. He has dementia and abused me every night for 3+ years until I always would go back to The Serenity Prayer and finally knew I did not have the wisdom to know the difference between “can and can’t”. I really thought I could get him out of denial that he really was sick and was doing these things that he said I was lying about. He was drinking heavily and that did not help the “Dementia rages” is what they called them, but his neurologists told me I had to stop worrying about Jim and start to realize after 3+ years, I needed to think about my safety. So many things happened after this and he did try to kill me. I had to take steps. It is too long to go into, but I had been praying about Jim, but never mentioned myself. This incident on 4/20/2024 woke me up so to speak and My prayers changed a bit. I still pray for him, but all of this has really affected me, so I have gone to Jesus and pray often daily. The stories that you girls tell me are my anchor right now as I always take something away from your words. My Mother is no longer on this Earth, but I look at my hands and they look just like hers when she was my age. Thank you so much Caroline for your devotion. There is so much more,but my fingers will not cooperate with the keys on my computer. I wish you a Blessed Day and a good weekend. Fall is here in the area I live in so the trees and the air have changed here on the East Coast (North). Betsy Basile

    • Many of us have been there dear Basile.. but in Christ we can do everything in Him who strengthens us He has made you stronger and has kept you in the palm of His hands! I still pray for my ex husband because every person needs prayers and God hears us… praying now for you to rest in Him.. you are in perfect peace

  4. Thank you. Beautifully expressed and inspiring. May the scars of this life be like those of Christ, powerful and victorious reminders of traumas and sorrows definitively overcome. May the new creation that is you, comfort and bring you great joy in His presence always. In Christ!

  5. I pray this heavy burden our family carries from past sin turns into wings.May the blood of Jesus be pored over us & heal the brokenness

  6. Besty my prayers are with you. We all have problems to do with Family at times. We have to know the Saviour Jesus is there helping us to be able to cope with them and get through them no matter what we go through. Telling us what direction we need to go next. If need help. My heart goes out to you through all you have been through. Remember Jesus is with you and burdens are lifted at Calvary the song so are yours. Love Dawn xx

  7. What a wonderful truth so beautifully told and so easy to understand.
    I love this article and how it was written much like that of a parable. A truth shared in a way that brings life and understanding to the reader. A now word to encourage, bring hope, and bless others. A sound teaching that offers explanation, meaning, and life-giving fulfilment from the the works of our hands and the overflow of God’s heart.
    It certainly has revived and refreshed my soul in a way that makes me strive to be more and do more for Christ, not b/c it is expected of me, but b/c I want to.
    What a joy to serve God by serving others. What a great plan of God’s to include us in helping others through simple acts of love. And what an awesome display of our Father’s heart and character when we portray Him as He really is!
    Praying kindness consumes us and our lives forever be God’s love letter to all He touches through us!

    Diane Wright- Salem,Va.

    • Thank you for your comment. I love this: “our lives be God’s love letter to all He touches through us.” May the fruit of your hands continue to bless others.

  8. Carolyn, I have never heard that fable before—and now I won’t soon forget it. What a beautiful weaving of your story with God’s unshakable hope. We’re so honored to host your words on (in)courage.

  9. Thank you for sharing this article today. I am so grateful to my mother and my grandmother for fighting to protect my integrity. Now that I have three young adult daughters, I want them to know the Love of Christ, be thankful for their blessings, be kind to others and choose right over wrong. I pray that their lives are productive. I hope they have healthy relationships and positive thoughts from day to day. I finally realize what my mother wanted for me, her only child.

    Thank You Lord for Your Plans For My Life.

    Amen.

    Brenda
    Your Sister in Christ

  10. Beautiful, love the last sentence‼️ I see my Mothers hands as mine now at my 75 th year too .
    Thankyou lord for yours holding mine and for my Mothers care for me. And my Grandmothers hands also.

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