#prayingforMark

The title of today's blog is a hash tag campaign circulating around on Twitter. One of my favorite bands is Casting Crowns, and just within this past week, it was announced that the lead singer, Mark was diagnosed with cancer and is having surgery this upcoming Wednesday. I was completely stunned when I read about it. It really just makes you think; about life, what you've done in your life and all the good you've accomplished and those in whom you have made a difference. This afternoon, I ended up going for a walk. A really long walk, with nothing but my iPod and the sights and sounds of central Kentucky. For reasons I can't explain, I ended up walking around the cemetery. I had visited it a few years back, but had never gone back until today. As I was about to head out, I saw something on one of the headstones that I couldn't get out of my head.

Be a part of something good. Leave something good behind. 

For the remainder of my walk, I thought about my patients and the various walks of life they have come from. One of my rudest patients was a former pastor. Some of my nicest patients have been atheists. I've met mothers, fathers, grandmothers, mothers-to-be with baby #3 or that first-time mother who has said to me "I think I may be pregnant." I've met Veterans from Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, World War 1 and Iraq. High school seniors, college graduates, law students, med students, nurses, doctors and musicians. Every story of how they end up where I work is different. "I lost my job. Lost my house." Got in a fight with boyfriend/girlfriend. Got in a fight with spouse. Divorce. Foreclosure. Bankruptcy. Parent passed away. Spouse passed away. Lost a child. PTSD from war, abuse, drugs, death, etc. Too much stress in school. Too much stress at work. Just had a baby. Or..."I'm not sure. I'm just really depressed." "I just can't take it anymore." Something tips them over the edge or nothing at all. It all just made me think, you know, we're all children in God's eyes, and sometimes things happen in our lives that scares us, hurts us, makes us angry. And nobody is immune to it. Everybody at one point in their life will endure something tragic. It's not because we're being punished, it's just life. The question is, when someone comes to you with something going on in their life, how do you respond? How do I respond? As Mark's wife wrote, when it happens to you, where do you go?

Yesterday at work I had a patient come to me and say "I don't remember your name, but I remember that you were so nice to me when I was last here." It's safe to say not everyday where I work is a walk in the park. When I was driving home last night, I was thinking about that quote in where it says it's not about what you say it's how you made them feel...or something like that. Sometimes that means saying "yes of course" when a patient asks "will you pray for me?" or saying nothing at all and letting a patient cry beside you in the hallway. As many from my church have said, God has bestowed upon me a calling and a desire that is truly felt by few. It's a wild card 99.9% of the time I walk into the door; I don't know what is going to happen or what to expect. No two days where I work are the same. Yet I am often encouraged and blessed by what I experience day-to-day, and I know that once I move units the blessings and encouragement will only continue. So if anyone takes away anything from this, it's this; keep pushing on in faith. God's got you! No matter where in life you are, He will provide in ways you may or may not expect, but don't be afraid to ask for help. Call on a friend, a loved one, and especially Him.