When I Asked God
(As I finish the hectic last two weeks of my program, here’s a reflection from 2015 that was part of my thinking when I decided to become a nurse!) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV) So…what are you going to do now? The question above is one that so many of us get asked – and probably one we most often ask of ourselves. I know I’ve been pondering...
Read MoreWholehearted
Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NIV) I always forget that the context of this verse was a Pharisee who was an expert in religious law and “tried to trap” Jesus with the question, “Which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” (Matthew 22:34-39). In the Old Testament, that command is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, with the three parts of a human being listed in the same order. Interestingly, the section of Deuteronomy 6 in my Bible is labeled “A Call for Wholehearted Commitment,” and in...
Read MoreHuman Misconceptions
God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19 NIV) Writer’s block. In all honesty, that’s what I have while sitting here writing this article. Usually when I write an FYI, I feel like God is telling me a theme or a verse. I don’t know how to explain it any more than that. Or I find something in my devotions that sticks with me for a couple of weeks. This time? It seems like silence. If memory serves me well, I’ve written about stepping down or becoming silent myself in...
Read MoreThe Least of These
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40 NIV) Many of you have asked me how I’ve been doing now that I’m a licensed RN. Well, I’ve been doing more school—I have 8 months left—and two jobs that are vastly different from each other: a pediatric nursing home and an eating disorder residential treatment center. As I’m about to brave the ice and snow for work with the kids today, they are on my heart and mind. Not many have heard of a pediatric nursing home health model, but it’s exactly...
Read MorePraying His Attributes
“But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name In the presence of your faithful people. “ (Psalm 52:8-9 NLT) At the end of the year, I always feel some trepidation of things left undone or spending too much time on things that don’t matter. Those of you who know me well or know what I’ve been up to might be smiling right now at how ridiculous it may sound. And what I choose to do depends on how in tune I am with following a good, good father. God...
Read MoreHeart of Praise
My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:1-2 NIV) In my prayer life, I can’t seem to do anything the past month, but praise! Like Hannah in the Old Testament, I cried out to God, out of fear, and I passed my NCLEX. Thank you for those of you at Creekside who prayed alongside me! Since then, I’ve felt promptings to continue to praise. I’m not sure how often I do this in my prayer times—with most of my...
Read MoreShout to the Lord
“…Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!” (Joshua 6:16 NLT) Every season except for summer feels like one of “new beginnings.” For me, as it may be for many of you, it’s the beginning of a new school year! I finished one capstone project just in time to start up the second one in my program. At church, it’s the beginning of our fall series, the start of new programs, and getting back into the swing of things. And I’m going to guess that for many of us, the stress is starting to pile up. Whether you are starting something new that’s exciting/terrifying or continuing where you left off,...
Read MoreComing and Going
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:7-8 NIV) Psalm 121 begins with, “I lift my eyes up to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth,” and ends with the verses above. When I travel, I always fear the worst that can happen. My family might argue that I still think I’m invincible, with an adventurous streak and all, but during any trip—whether for work or fun, with my family or without—my “what-if” questions include the...
Read MoreLaughing with God
“Sarah said, God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6 NIV) I love to laugh and giggle. When I was growing up, my siblings and I laughed and giggled so much that we would get a bit too rowdy. Did you know there’s such a thing as a “Laughter Club”? I was first introduced to the official “laughter movement” this year at school. The idea is that prolonged laughter in a group helps mood and is a form of exercise. I felt silly trying to laugh for five minutes straight, but I will say it felt good to laugh at nothing in particular. Why do we...
Read MoreSitting Still
This post was originally published in April of 2015. “He says, ‘Be still and know that I am God…’” (Psalm 46:10 NIV) “The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” (Exodus 14:14 NIV) “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…” (Psalm 37:7 NIV) Sometimes I feel like a two-year-old. I am a fidgeter; I don’t sit still very well. Lectures were always the worst. Lots of the time, I tend to overthink and overanalyze. I feel unproductive when I’m sitting still. And I know patience is not my strong suit, no matter how hard I try sometimes! On the flip side, when I am busy,...
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