Wow!!!!! I can't explain how happy I am and while incredibly exhausted, at the same time, I feel soooooo full of energy!!!! I was practically singing all the way home from work...and the reason that's sooo incredible is because driving to work this morning, I was like, "God....I'm just sooo tired...I don't know if I can face all the demands of the work-force today!!! Please give me grace and extra strength..."
And He did!!!! It's as simple as that!!
In fact, today was one of those days that I felt truly fulfilled being a nurse! I didn't leave any loose ends undone, I actually succeeded at being the go-between btw doctors and patients and keeping both parties happy, and I felt like God helped me to make a real difference in more than just one persons day!!! It wasn't any less hectic than the rest, nor were my patients a "model bunch" yet, it was just a special day all the way around!
I am continually amazed at the way God keeps working in my life and opening doors for me to share hope and encouragement! The highlight of today, amidst many blessings, was that God led a seeking middle age gentleman across my path. I guess I should clarify "what" he was seeking! ;-) He was actually in for "Chest pain, Rule out MI" but more then the physical heart problems, he was dealing with some incredible heart-break over a broken relationship. And he was seeking hope and a reason to go on!
When I got report, I was told that he was anxious and cried off and on, and they had to give him anxiety meds a lot. So I was interested to learn more about him and see if I could help. Well, sure enough...God opened the doors! He had gone out to the patio to get some fresh air and had grabbed a Gideon Bible from his room. (Thank God for the Gideons!) And appeared to be haphazardly reading here and there in Psalms. I came out to check on him and ask how he was doing (I'd asked before and he hadn't really opened up, so I had tried not to pry). However, this time, he just started crying when I asked. He told me about all the health issues he'd been dealing with recently, and how it was unbearable. Then, after listening and empathizing a bit, I asked if he had much family support and how things were for him personally, and he cried the harder as he told how his girl-friend of 5 years had left him. He was truly broken and bleeding...and I wished I could wrap my arms around him (in a motherly fashion), but I just listened.
Finally, he paused and amidst the tears, waited to see what I thought of it all! And I was able to encourage him that God truly was with Him and wanted to give him strength and healing and a new purpose for life. I could tell that he was truly all ears, and soaked in every word! Toward the end of our talk, I shared with him Psalms 147:3 "He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds." He seemed to latch on to the hope that God could and would heal the pain...and before I left, I was able to pray with him!
Later, as I was at the nurses station giving report to the next shift, he came up just to say "Thank you!" He had a big smile on his face and while I could tell there was pain, He seemed much more at peace! I just praise the Lord!!!!!! He is sooo good!!! (And I never gave him any anxiety meds!!!) However, before I left the floor, I did slip back to his room to give him the booklet "Soul Care - How to become whole in a broken world." And he just grabbed my hand in the firmest handshake and would hardly let go! What a joy to be part of the link in the great chain to share the HOPE and HEALING that there is in Christ!!!!
My heart and desire is to reach all my patients and co-workers for Christ...yet...the task is overwhelming, and there are sooo many people and soooo many obstacles. It can often be discouraging!!
There is a story of a man that was walking along the beach and gently tossing stranded star fish back into the ocean, one by one. Someone stopped him and asked, "Why do you bother! There are sooo many, you can't possibly make that much difference??" The man continued to bend down and gently toss them, one by one, back to the water. Then he answered... "Maybe I can't make that much difference...but...I made a difference to that one....and to that one...and to that one!"
And so the story gives me courage as it reminds me that while I may not be able to take on the whole world...it's just about reaching one person at a time! I CAN make a difference to that ONE...and maybe that ONE...and maybe that ONE...
So...today just goes to show, that when we are at our weakest, God can work His strongest! I knew I could do nothing today...but because God is in charge, not me...He can do anything and everything...I just have to keep allowing Him to be the one at the controls!!!! I just praise Him!!!
*Mom - I know I shouldn't stay up soooo late blogging....but....I get sooo inspired about the daily events that I know if I don't write it down now, I'll forget, because something else will happen!!! And God has been giving me soo many precious lessons lately...that I just can't allow myself to forget or keep them locked in my heart!!! God is sooo good! I wish the whole world could know how Faithful He is!!!!
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