Somehow I managed to select the choice of typing in Hindi-didn't even know that was possible, but given how much I'd love to learn those characters, I think it's pretty neat that I could! So the title of this blog is, "अ शोर्ट अपडेट" or "a short update."
For those of you following this from far away, just a note to say what I've been up to. I work regularly 32 hrs/week at Sacred Heart Medical Center here in Spokane as a nurse. God has brought me through a lot to stay in this place, and I am truly grateful for the job He has provided for me at this time, and all that He is teaching me through this-patience, patience, patience, a few skills, and more patience. I work on a gynecology/urology floor, so the things I see and do on a daily basis are typically those that wouldn't come up in your average dinner conversations-unless of course you are in the medical field yourself. It is amazing the things you become comfortable talking about during nursing school, and even more so now that what I was learning then has become a part of my every-day life at work.
On a weekly basis I see a lot of woman come through the unit after a hysterectomy or other surgery in the lower organ systems of the body, a few men with surgeries unique to them, and some random other medical patients we admit from the ER on nights [eg, cellulitis and other odd skin rashes/manifestations, sepsis (infection that gets into the blood), UTIs, injuries from falls, MVA/MBA, meningitis, and a lot of confused elderly) . Adjusting to a night schedule has certainly been one of the biggest challenges for me. It is hard not to get depressed when you sleep through the beautiful long summer days, and have to go to work just as all your friends and family are gathering to enjoy the summer evening before they head to bed. It certainly takes a toll on your body, and not just physically.
I could go into all the research about how working nights really affects your long-term physical, mental and emotional health, but will spare you all the boredom and complaining. So, what else have I been doing?
On my days off I try hard to switch back and forth, so that I can enjoy the long summer days, go out for a geocaching adventure with my family, spend some time at the River where my grandparents live, and spend time with yet another of my closest friends about to begin the journey of marriage with her fiance and then move to Colorado! Every summer I question if I could handle one more wedding, and every year God brings at least one more. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful and splendid celebrations to enjoy, especially when two people are truly commited to the Lord and one another by His strength. All the same, it makes growing up feel that much more a reality, and goodbyes that much more frequent.
Other than work and play, I have been blessed to participate in worship ministry with my church, and help with our summer chidren's programs. I've enjoyed fellowship more and learned its importance as I've struggled with the loneliness of working nights while the rest of the world sleeps, and transitioning to life back in this town of many past memories. God has opened doors for me at work with my patients and co-workers, for me to represent Him; sometimes, I do this well, and it seems more often, I find myself getting caught up in the complaining and disatisfaction of the sacrifice our patients don't often appreciate. My co-workers will tell me that to survive as a nurse you have to complain about your patients to each other and let your team members carry some of the burden with you, and I guess I see some truth in that. Still, I'd love to carry the same passion and will to serve to every patient I have, faithfully and fully; and I cannot do that apart from the grace and power of Christ-no matter how hard I try.
My heart for India and the lost souls there continues to grow and come back to me in my prayers, a humbling reminder of how thankful I could be. I'm still praying towards following God to new experiences where He might train and equip me for ministry there or elsewhere, and ultimately that I would desire to make Him known wherever I am and in whatever I'm doing. Strange how it seems easier and more natural to be on fire for Him in a country where He's more readily appreciated and received because a need is recognized; while in the country that perhaps needs Him most, people blindly live in pursuit of wealth and fame, comfort and luxuries on earth, rejecting Him or just not recognizing what freedom He holds for them. It's easier because people in a place like India are looking for a Savior, while people in the USA don't think they need one. Oh what a sad and terrible lie the enemy has grown!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Come and Listen (Blog Description)
I've thought for some time that I should explain my Blog's description, seeing as it could come across very... well, arrogant.
This chapter of scripture is one of my favorites (Is. 55), and has become such through a series of events in the past year. My first memory of hearing it began in a morning chapel at Trinity-where I graduated this past December with my Nursing degree. That same year, I was asked to help organize a couple of our Sunday Night Alive Worship meetings. When it came time for me to lead one week's SNA, I was reminded of the significance and relevance of this passage in Isaiah to our gatherings as a body of believers. Many times in that past month I had come before God broken and humbled, so in need of His grace, and He would gently remind me that He is always ready to receive me-no matter where I've been.
When that Sunday evening came, I prayed that God would welcome each individual into our meeting to realize that they don't have to fight to succeed and be "good enough," but that they can come into His presence just as they are, and all because of Christ. As a university student at a private liberal arts school, and in the highly competitive nursing program, I constantly felt pressure to do my best to achieve in academics and everything, as to honor God. I had many conversations with others who felt pressure to please. So many times, I fall to my knees under this pressure, as God reminds me that I place this pressure on myself, and that He expected so much less of me, again because of Christ. He's just waiting for me to come to Him, not to finish my list of achievements first, or present myself clean-He makes me clean when I come.
That night I asked other students in the room to come forward and share their own stories of God's work in their lives, so that others could come and listen. Then I shared my own reflection on what "come and listen" meant for me. We introduced the song "Come and Listen" by the David Crowder band. This song repeats these words: "Come and Listen, Come and Listen to what He has done." I wanted that night to be an opportunity for us as a body of believers to come together and share what He was doing, and to listen to what He was doing in our brother's and sister's lives. In our individualistic culture we can get so caught up in ourselves, our goals, and becoming who we believe we want to be, or our parents, our boss, our teachers, or God wants us to be. We forget that God calls us to come as we are, to come thirsty, to come weary and heavy laden, come while He is still holding His arms wide open, to come and listen to food that satisfies, and that it is FREE!!!! (Read the rest of Isaiah 55 to understand more of this)
So, as I began to think of what I wanted to share in this site, I thought this verse was perfect. I want others to come and see the work of Christ in me, not just here, but in all of my life. I want them to believe that they can come to God with anything, from any place, and trust Him to satisfy. HE WILL SATISFY, with Himself. I pray that others, and I myself, would learn to stop wasting our energy and resources on what does not satisfy, and turn to our free gift in Him, who does. I want my friends, family, and strangers to be able to come and share their life with me, believing that I will not turn them away because I'm too busy or don't approve of their lifestyle. I want them to see this attribute of Christ in me. I hope that God's word will always be the place you come to for its all-satisfying content, no matter where you are coming from, or what you believe you have to offer. I also pray that anything I share here will be reflection of God's message-fruitful and edifying to your soul, as we come and hear of God's work together. I'll leave you with these lines from the song, that reflect Isaiah 55's call to come and listen to all that He has done and will yet do to satisfy.
Come and Listen, by David Crowder Band:
"Come and Listen,
Come to the Water's edge all you, who know and fear the Lord.
Come and Listen,
Come to the Water's edge all you, who are thirsty come.
Let me tell you what He, has done for me.
Let me tell you what He, has done for me.
He has done fo you,
What He has done for us.
Come and Listen,
Come and Listen to what He has done.
Come and Listen,
Come and Listen to what He has done.
Praise Our God, for He is Good.
Praise Our God, for He is Good."
This chapter of scripture is one of my favorites (Is. 55), and has become such through a series of events in the past year. My first memory of hearing it began in a morning chapel at Trinity-where I graduated this past December with my Nursing degree. That same year, I was asked to help organize a couple of our Sunday Night Alive Worship meetings. When it came time for me to lead one week's SNA, I was reminded of the significance and relevance of this passage in Isaiah to our gatherings as a body of believers. Many times in that past month I had come before God broken and humbled, so in need of His grace, and He would gently remind me that He is always ready to receive me-no matter where I've been.
When that Sunday evening came, I prayed that God would welcome each individual into our meeting to realize that they don't have to fight to succeed and be "good enough," but that they can come into His presence just as they are, and all because of Christ. As a university student at a private liberal arts school, and in the highly competitive nursing program, I constantly felt pressure to do my best to achieve in academics and everything, as to honor God. I had many conversations with others who felt pressure to please. So many times, I fall to my knees under this pressure, as God reminds me that I place this pressure on myself, and that He expected so much less of me, again because of Christ. He's just waiting for me to come to Him, not to finish my list of achievements first, or present myself clean-He makes me clean when I come.
That night I asked other students in the room to come forward and share their own stories of God's work in their lives, so that others could come and listen. Then I shared my own reflection on what "come and listen" meant for me. We introduced the song "Come and Listen" by the David Crowder band. This song repeats these words: "Come and Listen, Come and Listen to what He has done." I wanted that night to be an opportunity for us as a body of believers to come together and share what He was doing, and to listen to what He was doing in our brother's and sister's lives. In our individualistic culture we can get so caught up in ourselves, our goals, and becoming who we believe we want to be, or our parents, our boss, our teachers, or God wants us to be. We forget that God calls us to come as we are, to come thirsty, to come weary and heavy laden, come while He is still holding His arms wide open, to come and listen to food that satisfies, and that it is FREE!!!! (Read the rest of Isaiah 55 to understand more of this)
So, as I began to think of what I wanted to share in this site, I thought this verse was perfect. I want others to come and see the work of Christ in me, not just here, but in all of my life. I want them to believe that they can come to God with anything, from any place, and trust Him to satisfy. HE WILL SATISFY, with Himself. I pray that others, and I myself, would learn to stop wasting our energy and resources on what does not satisfy, and turn to our free gift in Him, who does. I want my friends, family, and strangers to be able to come and share their life with me, believing that I will not turn them away because I'm too busy or don't approve of their lifestyle. I want them to see this attribute of Christ in me. I hope that God's word will always be the place you come to for its all-satisfying content, no matter where you are coming from, or what you believe you have to offer. I also pray that anything I share here will be reflection of God's message-fruitful and edifying to your soul, as we come and hear of God's work together. I'll leave you with these lines from the song, that reflect Isaiah 55's call to come and listen to all that He has done and will yet do to satisfy.
Come and Listen, by David Crowder Band:
"Come and Listen,
Come to the Water's edge all you, who know and fear the Lord.
Come and Listen,
Come to the Water's edge all you, who are thirsty come.
Let me tell you what He, has done for me.
Let me tell you what He, has done for me.
He has done fo you,
What He has done for us.
Come and Listen,
Come and Listen to what He has done.
Come and Listen,
Come and Listen to what He has done.
Praise Our God, for He is Good.
Praise Our God, for He is Good."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)