no looking back

Recently, I have transitioned from being a full time nurse to feeling unemployed in some ways. Another new adjustment is when John and I signed a lease for our rental downtown. In many ways there have been times where I have enjoyed this season and sometimes like yesterday, I had to tell John I was bored. Mind you I've done the usual things like get in the Word in the morning and then I even did a sewing project. I heard Beth Moore speak about being prepared by getting in these promises ingrained on my heart for those seasons of desert and spiritual battles. I desire the realness of knowing God like when I pray with John, there's a God who loves the people of Dayton more than we could ever love them. He can care much greater for their hearts and souls than we could ever imagine! God is using us for his purposes and we want to give Him our all. I love that TCC is an established church and it cares so much for it's members and right now I know that I cannot compare our new beginnings with something that God has started. He is at work, I will be going with Him. The members still remind us of His goodness from time to time and it is amazing to hear from them. True encouragement comes from the Father, and I pray I will run to His tender arms of mercy and run to His loving embrace. May my comfort always be seeking out my Savior and not the safer and the familiar things.

Spiritual Walking

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I often find myself exercising more as the weather is warmer, so the past two days I walked around the lakes and was awed by creation yet again. I love seeing the Canadian geese, woodpeckers, squirrels and the tall tress around me - I just had to soak it in. Glorious design by a great Maker! So I stopped midtrack in my jogging and started praying and the verse that has been on my mind recently is Ephesians 5:15. A spiritual walking through our life and He is watching, guiding, our steps throught the Spirit if we ask Him too. The wisdom of God is here in front of us - His word. Father may I become wise in the way I walk, speak and act. May you make the most of my time and continue the work you've begun in me.

the best and worst part of being a nurse

Yesterday I took care of a 43 y.o. female she had been deaf until three years ago she had a cochlear implant. Can you imagine!
I came home yesterday crying because she was admitted with a bowel obstruction. The medical doctor taking care of her is affectionately named "Dr. G" - he and his interns pulled up the CT scan of her abdomen and he stated look that could be mal-practice (this means the Doctor in the ER was not paying attention and didn't read the CT scan properly). Dr. G said she needs a surgeon to consult her very soon. My thoughts, "Yikes this is serious!" She had come into the Emergency department the night before with nausea and vomiting. So today my plan of care was to make sure she was comfortable and be her advocate. I kept letting the doc's know she was extremely nervous please explain her test results and the next procedures. The test she was having today was a endoscopy. Knowing there was a bowel obstruction/mass the medical professionals took a sample of the cells for testing. The result: Cancer.
My patient came back from her test and I honestly hadn't been given any information nor had she. So she asked, "Am I okay?"
I looked at her and said the doctors are trying to take samples for what kind of cells the are they will come and talk to you as soon as they know the results. And so Dr. G said please text page me when the family is visiting. So I did. Soon enough the doctors came at the end of my shift bearing the bad news of her cancer diagnosis. I waved good-bye to her as I left for the day amongst her family members and smiled as if I had no words to console them at this period in her life-she smiled back and said thank you.

Trust in the LORD

This is often a simple command that happens to be a harder one to put into practice for me. I've also observed it in others...when finances fall short, when (I/we) don't have a job, you fill in the blanks. Why cannot I just trust HIM? Hasn't he been faithful before this! Yes and he remains to be faithful. I got a call today from the Nurse Recruitment office at Duke that I no longer have an interview. Oh okay. What then do I fear. Nope. I took a good look at my heart today and found some joy without the interview - where will it take me (should I say "God take me" excuse me). Perhaps to just the right job he has in mind. It wasn't until something else happened that I started to let fear creep in. Lord thank you for being a faithful and loving God who cares about my comings and goings.
This is the passage of scripture I read today. Galatians chapt. 5 especially verse 26 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."
Wow I need to dwell in that mind-set. The earlier verses say For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit...
Everything contrary to Spirit which includes fear, faithlessness, and a lifestyle not trusting her Savior.
I want my desires to become one of a holy lifestyle and living to glorify my Father. I hope I too can repeat Paul's words I have crucified the sinful nature...and I'm not living for myself.