MY NURSE FRIEND,
God is just good!
If you feel you are in a spiritual desert, won’t you stop what you are doing, right now, call out His name, and ask him to help you see his face, once again.
Maybe you have never been able to experience the power of the presence of God… ask Him!
God draws near to those who call on Him.
Oh, how He loves you!
Without any exaggeration, I can tell you from personal experience as a nurse of almost 12 years, God has never forsaken me. And, when I have called out to him for help with my nursing care, he has certainly allowed me to hear and know and by his grace FOLLOW his guidance.
If you are asking yourself “what am I doing in nursing? How am I making a difference in the life of my patient?” Then, you can be assured, this day, God has a message for you!!! YOU are unique and unlike any other nurse. God has equipped YOU specifically with the gifts he wants you to use to encounter those patients he brings into your life.
You can step back and consider and know God has chosen your uniqueness to minister life and health and healing to the patients he has brought you, this very day!
So won’t you cry out to Him, today?! Won’t you take a moment and consider His goodness? Use the link I have provided under “MUSIC TO ENCOURAGE YOU” and consider the words to this very wonderful and powerful song.
I love you.
God’s loving kindness from the ocean
Every time I come to the ocean the most enjoyable part of the experience is walking along the shore. During these walks, I hear the crushing waves, with their never ceasing powerful splashes plunging water onto the beach. And, looking out over the expanse of the ocean, it just seems like to go on forever, falling over the edge of the horizon. Looking down at the sand under my feet, and the bazillion grains of sand, this experience of being a small part of such a tremendously vast world is refreshingly somber. Here I am at a place millions of people visit each year – that of a beach – and somehow in the vastness of the moment, I feel almost as if I am insignificantly small! Mother began taking me to church at the age of two weeks old. Since I was old enough to understand, I’ve known the creator of the world is aware of me - intimately, and loves me. Yet, during these moments, I feel so insignificant! In these moments, the Holy Spirit reminds me of precious Scripture verses speaking of sand and the ocean.
One Scripture which often comes to my mind is in Micah 7:19, describing God hurling my sins into the depths of the sea. Can you imagine the loving kindness of our Lord? He knows our sins. He knows how awful we have been. He even knows the nitty-gritty details of the sin that perhaps no one else on earth knows of. However, in his incredible infinite love chooses to show kindness to us by casting our sins out into this vast ocean I am visiting! Can you imagine, for a moment, the items you may have lost during a fun beach trip? While Bill and I were playing in the Andaman Sea in Phuket, Thailand, I was wearing what had become my very favorite sun glasses. And, at one point in our play, I realized I was no longer wearing what had become my favorite pair of sunglasses! When he looked at me and wondered what I was looking for, I told him my sunglasses had come off my head. His response was “this is the sea, they are gone!” Because the sea is so wide and vast, how could a person find anything they may have dropped, here? Yet, Scripture talks about the Lord casting my sin into the sea of forgetfulness! What loving kindness this displays!
The love of my God is also described in the way He thinks about me, and, how often! Psalm 139:17-18 tells me God’s loving thoughts are toward me so often the frequency is compared to the grains of sand of the sea! The king of the universe loves me so much I could not even count the number of times His thoughts are toward me!
While being raised in church, we often would sing this delightful song “thy loving kindness is better than life, thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee, thus will I bless Thee, I will lift up my hands unto Thy name!” YES, LORD! I will lift up my hands unto Thy name. I will bless Thee! And, I will praise Thee! For your love and kindness is better than life!!!
GOD’S
MERCY
IS
GREATER
THAN
OUR
SIN
What Bible reading plan do you follow? Gateway issues a new Bible to each person who attends their new member classes. In the back is a daily reading guide. The reason I love this way of reading the Bible is that it gives me an opportunity to read some of the Old Testament chronologically stated events, some of Psalm, Proverbs and then a New Testament section.
In today's reading David has been tasked to build the temple for the Ark of the Covenant. Did you know the part of the story where David makes a decision of location for the ark? It happened to be that Satan caused David to conduct a census. ((( Now, I really don't know the reason this is so sinful. But, so did Caeser Augustus in order to find Jesus!!! ))) Did you know that the location David chose to build the temple was in response to the sin of conducting a census??? This is interesting to me because up to that point he knew God has told him to build an ark. But, this was just in his heart as God has called him to do. But, up to that point, it was just a dream. It was in response to HIS SIN that David finally spoke to Solomon that he would be the man to build the temple. In response to the dream God put in His heart and finally after realizing his sin, did David jump into action and begin formally organizing the materials Solomon would use for the ark.
It was after he realized and confessed his sin that the dream began to come to pass!
Also, what I loved in my reading, this morning, is the love of God and his mercy for us, his people, appears time and time again!!!
First in 1 Chronicles he shows his mercy toward David. He gives David 3 choices of punishment for the sin of conducting a census. Then, in Psalm God shows mercy to his people and forgives their sin. And, in Acts where Saul is persecuting God's people, God offers Saul a second life by appearing to him on the road to Damascus, where Saul plans to sin and kill many of God's people!
I tell you, today, GOD IS A GOD OF FORGIVENESS, MERCY AND RESTORATION!!!!!!!!! We can fully trust God for his love for us exceeds the shame and guilt of sin! God is fully aware of our humanness and the continual struggle of sin vs love. God knows we fall short. God knows we sin. None of us are perfect... NOT ONE!!! We ALL sin and fall short! There is none of us who is perfect and is without sin.
Today, I am praying you will stop and just allow the Holy Spirit to speak truth into your heart. Allow God to show you the dreams he has placed in your heart for you to fulfill for HIS GLORY! And, as you begin executing those dreams, you will sin. But, God's mercy is so much greater! So much greater!
KEEP
SEEKING
AND
TRUSTI NG
GOD
TO
ENCOURAGE
AND GUIDE
YOU
Job sought the Lord. Job was in a heap of trouble and despair. He had experienced the most incredible loss known to man, up to that time. His body was ridden with disease. He lost his children, servants, herders, livestock, and, almost lost his hope. Many chapters of this book of the Bible tell us how desperate he was for relief of suffering. Formerly a man of great wealth, influence, and possessions, as a result of a conversation with Satan, God allowed his servant to lose almost everything.
Job was surrounded by friends who questioned why he would continue to cry out to the One who was not delivering him. They asked, Job why do you cry out to a god who does not listen? Why not cry out for death? Surprisingly, even Job’s wife asked him why he would not request God to just take his life.
Was it the patience of Job which allowed him to ultimately win this devastating season of life? Or, was it the foundation of faith in His loving Father that allowed him to have quiet peace while his life seemingly crumbled around him?
God will receive the glory. Ultimately, God wins. He destines what path we will travel and the challenges we will experience. We can trust His will and praise His name for the patience and faith He, alone, can give us to endure whatever circumstances we experience.
Bless you, nurse, with God’s faith and patience in order to strengthen you and guide you through a time of trouble and/or despair.
When the world says "do what brings you JOY...." think in terms of bringing JOY to your Heavenly Father.... God loves us so much! He meets us when we cry out to Him... Yesterday morning on my drive to work I was praying He would give me wisdom, wisdom, wisdom. Man, don't you know He showed up on the day I would need to call a RAPID on my patient?!!!! God is never late, never early, but always available and hears us when we pray!
So, whether you are changing an ostomy appliance, giving the last dose of ativan your hospice patient will take, watching the tele monitor for SVT, providing tele nurse instructions to your new patient, enterally feeding that baby patient, out for recovery from a surgery, instructing young impressionable "Nurse Wanna-Be's," between jobs, running from patient to patient with your feet on fire, or coaching a mom to give birth, God is listening and watching, longing for you and me to sit at His feet and enjoy His presence, or, invite His presence while we care for the sick patient, or enjoy listening to Him on a walk in to meet our patient. God is always available. From a personal perspective, I can testify He has filled me with such JOY in moments like these! I hope you are trusting Him, today!
PROVERBS 9: 10-12
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdom[b] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
“Sssshhhhhh….” You know… you walk up on the huddled group of nurses, who, when they see you coming, seem to change their demeanor, facial expressions, and hushed chatter turns to small talk about lunch plans. After this encounter, eyebrows raised as you approach a formerly friendly peer. Or, horrors of all horrors, you are now receiving all the “unwanted” patient assignments, or, are worse still, being floated each time a different unit needs help. Instead of the upbeat conversations you had about the latest and greatest tricks to a med pass, you find yourself excluded from these informal pre-shift chats. Also, you are overhearing the gang who goes to dinner, carrying on and laughing about the good time they had after work. To your horror, you realize you are no longer being invited to join. So many of us have felt the sting of feeling left out, or unloved.
Feeling outcast in the nursing profession can be isolating, discouraging, and sometimes, dangerous! Loving others, and, showing a team spirit is most beneficial all the time. Love in nursing, can be shown in the small acts as well as the life-saving actions. Even while some may pass their medications on their own, there is still a collaboration needed for the correct dose of some medications as well as giving chest compressions to the patient in need of CPR!! The nurse who is unloved, or forced to be a lone wolf, should most assuredly confront those forcing the isolation for the safety of all patients, if nothing else! While we expect all of our colleagues will not be our closest allies, we must assume the best in every nurse and show love for all with the true team spirit of mutual respect and support. It is in our best interest to love all our fellow nurses, and, do away with foolish judgments against others. Instead, to question our motives for such unloving acts of isolationism.
In John 8 discusses another huddle of people. Teachers of the law had presented Jesus with a woman caught in adultery. Instead of Jesus being astonished by their insistence on the truth, he bent down and began writing in the sand. Together, they thought, certainly Jesus would side with them, as He was known to be a teacher of the ultimate truth. Trying to trap Jesus in order to have a basis for accusing him, they asked what should be done to her, as the Law of Moses command such a person be stoned. Seeing Jesus bend down and write in the sand, they pressed him for an answer. They were caught, themselves, for his response exonerated her when he stated “whoever is without sin, let him throw the first stone.” The rest of the story tells us as Jesus resumed writing in the sand, one by one, the accusers all left the woman. Seeing they had all left, Jesus asked the woman “woman, where are your accusers?” When she responded there was no one to accuse her, he stated “neither do I.
As nurses we can either isolate, or, we can lovingly include others, and prevent isolation. There will never be a perfect person, free of failures. Ask the most experienced of nurses around you and you will find, even veteran nurses most likely had a loving mentor who took the time to show them a skill. Through the example of our loving Savior, they have learned the secret of excellence is being inclusive, not isolating others. Taking a proactive stand to provide the best care to all patients means we act as a team of loving professionals, expecting the best in each other and fanning the flame of excellence to all our colleagues…this is kindness and love.
This morning I am reading in Isaiah. When I come to my quiet time of reading, reflection and worship, I am often so discouraged because of my sin. In these moments I am reminded of Christ redeeming love and His sacrifice for my sin. His sacrifice was so perfect for the imperfect. His blood atoned the life of the sinner. And, the hope of His redemption allows me to be reminded that after repentance and cleansing have taken place, God can, once again, use a life, like mine, for His glory. There is a lot of redemption in that statement. But, truth!
Nurse Friend, listen to the words of Isaiah 53: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+53&version=NIV
"Isaiah 53
New International Version
53 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life[d] and be satisfied[e];
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors."
This Word says Jesus took our rebellion upon Himself. Nurse Friend, God calls it out! My rebellion... I hate that! God calls out MY rebellion! Darnit! I hate that I even have to address this... I am so embarrassed and angry at myself for even needing to say I have been rebellious! Indeed! my sin and rebellion, Christ took upon Himself.
So, yesterday, while at work, I was telling myself not to be upset... upset with the Charge Nurse who seemed to have a "superior" attitude as she walked through the unit overlooking the work of our staff, making comments when she felt correction or direction was needed; but, still wanted to be part of the conversation when the nurses gathered and were expressing joy and gladness while sharing personal stories. ((( Thinking to myself, "does she not know that her "greater than thou" attitude repulses other staff?" ))) Also, trying to convince myself to not be upset with my colleague who pulled out four of her patients' medications while I was waiting on a PRN dose for my patient. ((( Thinking to myself, "excuse me! do you not see your nurse colleague standing and waiting on their patient meds, too?!!!" ))) RN who walks past me and gives me an "affectionate" thump with her finger. ((( Thinking to myself, "girl, HR would tear you up for that act of incivility!!" ))) And, the Tech, who wears a cap with the words, "RN STRONG," sits at the computer station for the same amount of time I am charting the entire shift assessment for two patients, chats with others, then when asked to perform a task, says "I'm so behind in charting," ((( Thinking to myself, "what?! You think you are an RN with arduous charting demands?!" smh ))) And, during shift change, when I see another nurse pass judgment on me for the work which has not been accomplished during day shift. ((( Thinking to myself, "Girl! You work a day shift 12 and see what tasks you are not able to accomplish!" )))
Nurse Friend, can I tell you where sin and rebellion start? Doesn't it start in our very soul? My soul has been filled with hatred and rebellion toward others. And, I submit to you, if I allow those thoughts and intentions to linger, they will manifest outward in rebellion and sin. Rebellion toward the Charge who asks me to perform a certain tasks and I tarry when I could have accomplished the task in half the time. Rebellion when the same nurse who pulls all four meds needs help at the bedside, but I act like I'm too busy to help. Sin in ratting out the nurse who did not mean any harm to me with that thump! HR will have no mercy! Rebellion with the Tech who might be behind because of the 13 patients she is caring for requires attention to detail in her charting! Or, sin with the shift change nurse when I am able to prioritize tasks to accomplish, but, don't because I know she will follow me.
Instead, should I not consider "...Christ 'poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." In all my sin and rebellion, Christ intercedes for me, for my sin, for my rebellion. So, in the midst of my busy nursing 12-hour shift, why is it so easy to turn to the dark side of my soul and relish in sin and rebellion? Darnit! God, help me!
After I have dealt with my sin, my heart is free of heaviness, condemnation, and the perfect convicting work of the Holy Spirit has restored my heart to the freedom God can use to redeem others! My heart is light, again, and I am able to move forward with His grace to help others come to know and trust in my Savior!
This morning, I tell you, we have hope! WE have hope! WE have hope! Hope in the One who bore our transgression! Hope in the One who, Himself, took on the form of man. He took on our sin and rebellion upon Himself.
Happy Valentine's Day! God loved FIRST! He took our sin and rebellion upon Himself, so we can walk in purity and lead others away from a daily life of sin and rebellion. As we remember the sacrifice made for us, we can then walk in love toward others.
While the world will say Valentine's Day means love leading to sexual pleasure, God wrote the greatest love chapter of all time, 1 Corinthians 13. First Corinthians 13 reminds us the true meaning of love. God's love is not symbolized with cupid's arrow, or romantic sexual pleasure. God's love is:
"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
God's beautiful Holy Spirit conviction brings me to a point in my soul where I can realize my sin and rebellion. But, I'm not just left there to repeat the same offenses. God has provided His Word! His living and active Word! His Word which is sharper than any two-edged sword for me to read, memorize and then bring into my nursing work space so I can help be the difference for those around me. If there were no sickness, there would be no nursing. But, while I am afforded the opportunity to contribute to the nursing world, with my Believing soul, I come forward with not only years of nursing experience, but, years of salvation, grace, forgiveness, redemption, and love for others.
I pray you, too, have experienced the difference God can make in your life and that you will allow yourself to deal with the hard stuff! As I am doing, daily, I pray you will surround yourself with reminders of God's Word and will allow His beautiful Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you in your affairs and make a difference in the life of others!
HAPPY VALENTINE's Day!!! I love you and am praying for you!
Good morning!
This morning I am reading in the amazing book of Exodus and wanted to share my "treasure" I found! How have I never seen this, before today? Or, perhaps I should ask myself "today, what is God wanting to tell me through this passage?"
Yesterday, at work, was a very challenging day of negotiating with a non compliant patient who decided when they were wheeled out to the cab, they chose not to transfer themselves from the wheelchair to the cab. Wow! Unbelievable!!! So, guess what happened? We were forced to have to bring the patient back into the hospital where, today, Monday, my boss will repeat the conversation she had with this person, last week. The conversation looked something like this, "you are being discharged. Here is your list of places you can choose to go. But, medically, you are cleared and are being discharged." Only for the patient to refuse to leave his wheelchair and board into a cab for a ride home!!
Back to Exodus 23! How often do I hear the words of my Lord and don't do them, myself.
How often do I "side with the crowd," verse 2. ((While sitting in the Break Room, decide what my itching ears would agree with?))
Or, "not return a donkey to its' owner," verse 4. ((or, a favorite pen to its nurse.))
Or, "oppress a foreigner," verse 9. ((How often am I guilty of oppressing a new nurse on the unit? Or, not giving what I have to give for their benefit of the new knowledge?))
Do I give my "field a rest every seven years so others may glean from its nourishment. And, give the earth a break," verse 11. ((Every year I am anxious to see what my garden will give back!!))
Do I "invoke the names of other gods," verse 13. ((Or,am I the one that says the latest news report is the final word on an issue, without researching it, myself?))
Ya'll! There is so much truth to each page of God's Word... from Genesis to Revelation we hear the very words, instructions, admonitions, corrections, others experiences, and references to God, Himself!
Through my experience, yesterday, with this man who would not follow the instructions of my manager, I learned that for whatever reason, this man did not want to leave the hospital... a place where sick people are treated for disease.
Today, I am asking myself if I am staying at a "sick" place. Instead of leaving this place of practicing those habits which have me deprived of God's true goodness! Don't you agree that God is omniscient? And, somehow in the laws He has written is the intention of providing His people with the BEST of his provision? Man! This is challenging to me!
Am I staying in a place of oppression, myself, when I do not follow what He has asked me to do? Would his heart be broken if I were to go after what my flesh desires, instead of the challenge of doing what He has asked and experiencing true spiritual growth in the process?
Yesterday, on my unit, there was a shortage of nurse techs (aids.) Often, in this situation, if we do have one extra nurse, they will use the nurse as a Tech! So, when my tech/RN helped me, yesterday, I often delegated work to her so I could do other nursing tasks. However, when this gentleman needed to be wheeled down to the cab, I continued with my other nursing tasks I felt were the priority, instead of going to the cab with her. Now, granted, she was an RN. And, as the RN she could have said "you are being discharged. This is your cab. I'll be here to help you." But, that is not what happened. So, this morning, I am asking myself what could have been different for this man had I been the one to escort him to his cab.
God bless you as you go about your day, today. Would you please stop for a moment and consider God's Words? Won't you allow Him to encourage your heart? You are probably all already engaged in the affairs of your Monday. Won't you make God's very words your portion, today? From my experience even the words of the Old Testament have value for 2023!
PRIORITIZING PATIENT CARE
Often, during my days as an acute care nurse, it seemed like the minute I walked onto the unit I was already behind! On a calm day, the initial rounds sounded something like “I’m introducing myself, and just checking to see if you need anything urgently, before I can get back to you, with your morning meds, in about 25 minutes.” If I was lucky, each of my four to six patients would answer with “other than waiting on the breakfast tray, I have what I need, for now.” Or, they might answer “the aide said she would be bringing my shaving supplies, in a few minutes.” Nice! This type answer would give me a minute to sort out my priorities, while allowing my patients to relax knowing I would be with them in a bit. A smooth start to a busy day would be priceless for the much needed organization on an observation unit!
While this was the perfect organized way to begin my day, more often than not, however, this observational unit shift start looked more like multiple interruptions for a new admit urgently arriving, or, a patient having just returned from testing, or, a discharging patient who was so inpatient to leave they were threatening to remove their IV, and their gown, to leave AMA, only to have me chasing them down the hall with a 4x4 and coband in hand! Take that day’s scenario, and multiple x3-12 hour days per week, and it pretty much sums up what nursing on an Observation unit could like like… BUSY, busy, busy!!!!
Have you ever heard of the story of Martha and Mary? Martha slaving away in the kitchen, wondering what was up with Mary that she wasn’t in the kitchen helping? Can you imagine? The Lord is in the house and Mary has the audacity to be sitting DOWN!!?? WHAT is she thinking? With so many details which must be accomplished to provide the very best for our Lord!!! Having in mind that perfect experience for Him to receive in her personal home? Why would she not, too, be bustling around the kitchen prepping a meal, for the King of Kings had come to her house!!!!!
In this story found in Luke 10, Martha goes to Jesus and complains for Mary’s lack of urgency in all the details and tasks required in preparation of the meal. Jesus rebukes Martha and explains while she has been frantically busy with meal preparations, Mary chose to be at his feet – listening to words of wisdom. Mary was quite aware that her Savior was in the house. This is exactly why she had chosen to come away from the business of the preparation to be present with the Lord of Lords. Mary craved more than physical food for the body, she craved spiritual food – eternal food – for the soul! She craved the eternal everlasting bread Jesus offers anyone who will sit at His feet.
What is a busy nurse’s take away from this story? Maybe there is a time to stop to consider Jesus’ words “there is only one thing worth being concerned about…” In this moment, maybe you can pull a small devotional book (THIS ONE!) out of your locker, isolate yourself for a brief 5 minutes, and contemplate words of wisdom your Heavenly Father would speak to you in the midst of patient care. Really, the best thing is to sit at His feet, Martha learned. In the midst of nursing care, take a moment to set your mind on God’s love for you. Think about God’s love for your patients. Allow the presence of God to fill you, to draw you to Himself, and renew your mind.
James 4:8 says God promises to draw near to us, when we draw near to Him. As you surrender all the cares of your patient care day to God, allow Him to fill you anew with peace and tell you the order of your day!
-PEGGI A HUDSPITH, BSN, RN
AUTHOR OF IT’S BREAK TIME FOR NURSES
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” John 1:1-3, 14. In astounding amazement the truth became real as Jesus, God’s son was born.
God, in his amazing love, is like that. If we will, just like Joseph and Mary, trust and obey, receive His gifts, and then step out and share them with others, we, too, can make an everlasting difference to those around us.
Nurse Friend!
Take a moment, today, and read the wonderful book of Isaiah 7-8.
Here, we find Isaiah being given instructions by God to tell King Ahaz to not fear other kings he dreads.
These two chapters help us remember GOD IS ALL ABOUT DETAILS!!! Details, details, details.
GOD HAS A PLAN!!!
God loves us all so much! God wants us to take the time to listen to him and his wonderful plan for our lives.
In chapter 7 verse verse 3-4 God gives specific detailed instructions to Isaiah about where he and his son are to go in order to meet King Ahaz. VERY SPECIFIC instructions “…you will find the king at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is bleached.”
Ya’ll Can you imagine how more specific God could have been?!
And, over in chapter 7 verse 10 God tells King Ahaz “Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want.”
Now, listen, my Friend! If you think the God of the universe asks you to make the sign as difficult as you want do you think for one second He is not able to move mountains for you?!! Is there really anything too hard for God?! Ha!!! Not one thing, I tell you!!!
And, in chapter 8, verse 11-14 God tells Isaiah “The Lord has said to me in the strongest terms: “Do not think like everyone else does. Do not be afraid that some plan conceived behind closed doors will be the end of you. Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear Him, you need fear nothing else. He will keep you safe.”
Nurses! I tell you! If God is our God, and He is; and if God is one our side, and He is; and if God is who He says he is, and He is; then what do we have to fear???!! covid, pandemic, the scheme of man, or, even disease and pestilence???? NO NOTHING! WE are not called to live a life of fear… but, we are called to LOVE, POWER AND A SOUND MIND!
So, my Friend, today, if you hear the voice of the Lord, do not harden your heart… turn to Him for ANYTHING, any answer, any directions, any solutions, and give Him all your problems. God can certainly handle anything which troubles you!
I love you and am praying for you!
-PEGGI HUDSPITH
AUTHOR OF “IT’S BREAK TIME FOR NURSES”
Psalm 104
1 Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
2 The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,[a]
flames of fire his servants.
5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.
10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
16 The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.
24 How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27 All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Praise the Lord.”
Hello, my precious NURSE FRIEND!!
Wow! Yesterday was quite the struggle! Working on the medical/surgical unit as a new Orientee on a very busy general medical unit with 35 beds has proven to be very challenging. Yesterday I had the worst day I've experienced in 8 weeks. Boo!!! for rough days!! Between lack of effective communication with my coworkers, to IV's that had blown, or were very positional, to misreading the dispensing amount and finding myself one PO tablet short only after I had arrived to the bedside, I was quite distraught with the lack of a smooth flowing busy day of work. Instead, I was awoken this morning around 3am thinking I was dreaming about my situation becoming personally dire!! Yikes!!
Today, I am crying out to God for help!! And, you know what I remember during prior times of distress? I remember when you are hurting yourself, to reach out and help others... because their situation might make yours pale in comparison.
Knowing I was in a pretty frustrating frame of mind, my dear husband of 30 years arrived home from an errand this afternoon and said "I've got it!!! 'count it all joy when you run into trouble.'" So, with the words from my precious husband's mouth, I've dived into God's Word to remind myself of this wonderful verse... and you know what, Nurse Friends?, my husband is RIGHT!!!
James 1:2-12"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom - if you want to know what God wants you to do - ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do...""vs 12 God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.""Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession."
Robert Morris, my GATEWAY pastor, reminded us, yesterday, God is a good god!! He loves us. He has a will, destiny and wonderful life for us, filled with dreams to come true!! Those exciting dreams which He placed in our hearts, for us to discover and explore! How encouraging is that!!! When we stay in God's Word, his presence is able to fill our lives with His plans he is waiting for us to experience. How blessed we are!
So, today, if you, like me, are struggling in some element of your job, my message from God for you, today is : COUNT IT ALL JOY!!! your patience is being developed and God is forming perfect patience in you. As you dwell in the mighty power of God's Word, He is going to bless you with his will to come about in your life. I hope I am close and that you will share what He does in and through you!
GOD LOVES YOU.
-PEGGI HUDSPITH
AUTHOR OF “IT’S BREAK TIME FOR NURSES”
God calls us to love one another. His spirit within us allows us to walk in forgiveness for others. We can reach out to others with true authentic love because we know the love God first showed us.
WE have precious promises as stated in His Word. One of the most precious promises is that He loved us FIRST!
Colossians 2:13 “When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins …”
God bless you, Nurse Friend, as you walk in forgiveness of others.
God has redeemed you by His Son, Jesus’ sacrifice. For this reason, YOU CAN WALK in forgiveness of others.
I love you and am praying for you.
-PEGGI HUDSPITH
AUTHOR OF “IT’S BREAK TIME FOR NURSES”
“Give your bodies to God
because all He has done for you.
Let them be a living and holy sacrifice
This is truly the way to worship Him.”
Romans 12:1-2
DAILY TRUTH
The reality is we are all sinners.
The truth is we have a Savior.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! And, He is ready and willing to receive you as you ADMIT you are a sinner, BELIEVE in your heart God raised Christ from the dead; and CONFESS Jesus as your Savior.
If you do these things, you are saved!
Your Heavenly Father loves you, Nurse Friend. He has made a way for you to have eternal life.
In His life is fullness of joy. And, the richness of experiences you could never imagine!
Accept Christ, today, and just see where He leads you!
CONTACT me and allow me to help you through this new journey of trusting your Savior.
I love you and am praying for you, today!
-Peggi