“But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”—Romans 8:6b (NLT)
The first part of Romans 8:6 reads, So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. It ends with how we live a life of peace…letting the Spirit control our minds. I know it wasn’t a coincidence when I titled this blog post earlier this week, our church sermon was called; Let Peace Rule Our Lives
I hadn’t read ahead to know Peace was this week’s topic, but God knew it would coincide with my writing. In addition, I picked up a folded piece of paper, in my journal basket with Romans 8:6b on it. These were the little confirmations I needed to continue on with this post.
Because I was in the emergency room on Valentine’s Day two years ago, I can remember the exact day my mother’s Alzheimer’s started to rapidly progress. Realizing she could no longer live alone; she was moved to an assisted living facility closer to where I live.
The first several months, she was angry and mad. Mostly at me, but my brothers also got the nasty phone calls. Once she found a boyfriend at her facility, we thought her negative behavior would get better. While it did help for her to have a friend/companion, she was still up and down with her demeanor.
This past November, when my mom was released from being under the care of the neurologist, I was told her behaviors could best be managed by a geriatric psychiatrist who worked with dementia. I was disappointed. I shared my frustration with the residential director. She told me not to give up on finding the right cocktail of medication for my mother. She said it was a matter of the doctor finding a combination to make her a more pleasant person.
Rather than play Russian roulette to find out what medications would or would not work (which is what we had been doing), the new doctor recommended genetic testing to see what medications her body could and couldn’t metabolize. Turned out, one of the ones she was on was one of them. This explained why it wasn’t working.
It has been a roller coaster the past few months weaning her off it so that she could take the one the medical practitioner thought would be a good fit for her. On her February 3rd appointment the doctor was able to put her on a different dosage. Within a week, I could tell it was working, Last Sunday I only received one phone call. It is definitely helping with her anxiety.
Now when she leaves us messages, while not positive and uplifting, they are no longer mean and nasty. Praise Jesus! I have no idea how long this “calm” will last, so I am enjoying it while I can. Even her boyfriend said to me, I don’t know what they are giving her, but it is working! She is not nearly as angry.
In this calm, I give God praise for giving our family a bit of a reprieve with a less negative mother. She is 86. At this stage there aren’t any medications to make her memory better. Trying to find the right medications to get her in the right head space is all we have wanted.
What I saw as a closed door with my mother’s release from the neurologist, was God opening the door to purse another type of doctor for her care. I thank God for leading us to a doctor who recommended the genetic testing.
There were days I didn’t know how much more I could take of her erratic emotions. However, in the back of my mind, I heard her residential director telling me, don’t give up. It takes time to find the right combination of medication. Along with her words, and putting my trust in Jesus, I knew there was hope.
I also know that while I have been praying for some kind of pill to make her a happier/nicer person, that her true happiness won’t ever be found on this earth. It will be the day she sees Jesus face-to-face.
This is why God gave me Philippians 4:18 for my verse for 2025. When I fill my mind with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and honorable, I am living out Romans 8:6b by letting the Spirit control my mind which is the only thing that will lead me to life and peace.
Father God,
Thank You for leading me to professionals to help with my mother’s care. When I fix my eyes on who You are, my thoughts are filled with Your peace and love. Forgive me when I worry and don’t trust that You will bring me the answers in Your prefect timing. I lift those up to You who are carrying a heavy burden. Help them be able to give it to You to lighten their load. May they feel Your peace and presence in the middle of uncertainty. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
February Verse
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12
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