New Year Nursing Dream

December 17, 2022

This is the time of the year when a lot of people are setting their new year goals. A couple of weeks ago as I was writing in my journal, I began to really get transparent with myself and dig deep into my nursing journey so far. I have had three nursing jobs. Out of the three, I am convinced that home healthcare is the right road for me, at least where I am at in life right now. But to be honest with myself, I realized that I still lack the passion and fire that I know I once had. There was a time when I worked and volunteered in San Diego, where I had such passion for serving people that my heart felt it would burst with joy. I was full of life and zeal for the Lord and I felt that I was doing exactly what I was made to be doing. As I thought about this recently, I realized some things that I am lacking now.

The first big difference that God showed me was that I am not sharing Jesus with my patients. (I have five patients I see on a weekly basis, three are nonverbal and one has aphasia.) The second thing He showed me was that I am not using my gift of encouragement. Every believer in Christ who has been saved has been given at least one spiritual gift to use to build up the church. One of my spiritual gifts is the gift of exhortation – or encouragement – where it comes very easy and natural for me to encourage others. The third revelation He gave me as I searched for reasons why I lack passion, is that I am not praying for people. I used to serve in churches on the altar call team and praying on people is a very exciting and natural way that God has used me to help others. Why wasn't I operating in my God given gifts?

He brought back to my memory a ministry dream I scribbled down in my journal when I was 21 years old. I had written, “What I really want is to have a ministry where I give nursing care, give out Bibles, pray on people and heal them, cook for them and meet all their needs. But how?” I believe He gently showed me that I am in a place where I can do that now. The first thing I decided to do was get liability insurance. The second thing I did was begin to grow my clientele. I prayed for God to send me the right patients. Then I purposefully started encouraging the families in my care. I believe the best way to make progress with this new year goal is to surrender the whole idea into God’s hands, continue to pray about it, and let it naturally unfold. If it’s truly God inspired, it will happen. The best thing I can do is to be aware of the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit.

And so my nursing journey continues!