My Experience with the Day of Respite
There is a word that carries within it both permission and peace — and that word is respite. Before I encountered this organization and the remarkable woman who founded it, I did not fully understand what it meant to give myself that grace. I was a caregiver. I was busy. I was needed. And in the middle of all that need, I had quietly forgotten about my own.
I had the privilege and the weight of caring for my brother during a deeply meaningful season of his life. Caregiving is a calling, but it is also a marathon, and many of us run it without ever stopping for water. That is why this organization exists, and that is why I am so grateful it found me.
I was invited to attend the Day of Respite, hosted by Janice Williams on August 30, 2025, at the Clark Tower building. The dress code was all white attire, and from the moment I walked in, there was something set apart about the atmosphere — a sense of purpose, of dignity, and of holy intention. Janice created a space where caregivers could breathe, be seen, and be reminded that their lives matter too.
During the session at the Clark Tower, Janice brought in excellent speakers who were both inspirational and accomplished. Alongside those who shared powerful personal testimonies of faith and perseverance, there were also professional business owners who poured wisdom and encouragement into every caregiver in that room. Their words were uplifting, their stories were real, and the atmosphere they created together was nothing short of anointed.
One of the most powerful messages I received that day was one of the simplest: even a trip to the grocery store can be a moment of rest. We were encouraged to use every small window of time for ourselves — not out of selfishness, but out of wisdom. You cannot pour from an empty vessel. The speakers reminded us that tending to our own souls and bodies is not a retreat from love; it is what makes love sustainable. We as caregivers also received so much valuable information and statistics that shed light on just how many people are walking this road, and what it truly costs them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That knowledge was both eye-opening and deeply validating — a reminder that what we carry is real, and that we do not have to carry it alone.
After the session concluded, we made our way downtown Memphis to the Halloran Theatre, where we attended a play called The Unforgettable. It was a moving, honest portrayal of the caregiver’s journey — of family, of sacrifice, of love that stretches itself thin but never breaks. And then, during intermission, something remarkable happened. The founder of the play came out on stage along with his guests, and they sat down before the audience and spoke with us directly — not at us, but with us. They opened up, shared from their hearts, and gave us even more to hold onto. To experience that kind of connection in the middle of such a powerful production was extraordinary. The entire day — from the Clark Tower to that theater — was seamlessly woven together, and I left feeling as though I had been ministered to in every possible way.
What set this organization apart for me was its spiritual foundation. Janice built something that honors God’s design for community and compassion. Her own journey began as a caregiver for her father, and from that experience — shaped by faith, by love, and by the Lord’s guidance — she created a refuge for people like me. As believers, we know that we are called to bear one another’s burdens, and this organization lives that out in a tangible, beautiful way.
Since attending the Day of Respite, my brother has gone home to be with the Lord. When I spoke with Janice and she offered her condolences, something moved in me. I wanted her to know that what she had built had not simply given me information — it had given me strength. I began to recall the testimonies of the speakers, their words, their courage, and the way they had wrapped their arms around a room full of tired caregivers and said: you are not alone, and you matter too. She was surprised that I remembered so much. But how could I forget? Those words had watered something dry inside me.
To anyone who is caregiving right now — whether for a parent, a sibling, or a dear friend — I want you to hear what I heard at the Clark Tower and again at the Halloran Theatre: your life matters. Your rest matters. Your joy matters. You are not invisible, and you do not have to disappear into someone else’s need. Janice Williams and this organization understand that truth in the deepest way. She does not just preach it. She has lived it.
I am forever grateful for the invitation, for the Day of Respite, for the speakers, for The Unforgettable, and for the reminder that I, too, am worthy of care. May God continue to bless this ministry and multiply its reach to every weary caregiver who needs it most.
— Submitted with a grateful heart,
Debbie Torry