Dear
Present Truth Magazine Subscriber:
We
are glad to have you as a subscriber to our Present Truth Magazine. Below
you will find articles from individual authors who have written for our
magazine. Our prayer for all who
receive read these articles is that the Lord "...may give to you the
Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may
know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18).

Anointings of the God of the
Bible
By A. Wilson Phillips
In the Old Testament times, the
common Jewish man/woman had no anointing in or on them. The
presence of Israel’s God was kept shut up in the holy of holies in the
tabernacle and temple.
By divine intervention, God
began the practice of anointing prophets, priests,
and kings—giving them revelation to stand or function in their
office.
God’s literary prophet Moses
described how spices, liquid myrrh, sweet smelling cinnamon, and sweet
smelling cane along with olive oil were used to make a holy anointing
oil that would be used to prepare a person or a place for service (Ex.
30). The anointing oil was poured out, smeared on, and rubbed in the one
being consecrated for spiritual service.
Anointing of
Jesus
When Jesus of Nazareth was
about age 30, He came to the Jordon River in Palestine where His cousin
John the Baptist was baptizing. While Jesus was praying,
…the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit
descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from
heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased”
(Luke 3:21-22).
After 40 days of being tempted
by the devil in a wilderness place, Jesus came into the synagogue in
Nazareth. He read from a scroll of God’s prophet Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord
is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed
(Luke 4:18).
God’s anointing remained upon
Jesus because He lived a holy life as the Son of Man (John 1:33).
Under the anointing of
the Holy Spirit, Jesus preached, taught, and demonstrated the kingdom
of God. The kingdom of God deals with the government rule and
authority of God in the earth and the universe. Father God’s anointing
upon Jesus enabled and empowered Him to function under delegated
authority as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. All
authority in heaven and earth was given to Jesus as the Son of Man/God
(Matt. 28:18).
After the ascension of Jesus to
the Father’s throne, the Holy Spirit came into the church at the Feast of
Pentecost (Acts 1, 2). The anointing, given to those in Christ, enabled
and empowered ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Jesus, the pattern Son, was
conceived and born by the Spirit’s power (Luke 1:35) and
sinless His whole lifetime (John 8:46), yet He did not attempt
ministry without the Spirit’s power. Jesus understood that without the
anointing, God’s kingdom is ineffective and powerless.
Today many claim certain
offices in the church, but the anointing is not there.
Dual Role of Holy Spirit
There is a dual working
of the Spirit of God in the life of every believer. There is the new
birth and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The latter is to
increase the anointing for service and ministry. This anointing is the
very key in living a kingdom lifestyle.
God’s literary apostle Paul
wrote to the new creation people using the term “Christ in you.” The word
“Christ” means “the Anointed One.” Through the new birth, the
Anointed One is in you. It is the only hope of glory for both
the Jew and Gentile (Col. 1:26-29). The glory of God is the character,
integrity, splendor, and acts of God (W.E. Vine’s definition). God’s glory
will be manifested in His anointed ones.
The literary apostle John adds,
But you have an anointing from the Holy
One, and you know all things… But the anointing which you have
received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach
you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things,
and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will
abide in Him…He who is in you is greater that he who is in the world
(1 John 2:20, 27, 4:4).
The
anointings of God have broken the power of sin, self (lower nature),
Satan, poverty, and every form of sickness
and disease known to mankind. By faith in God’s Word and Spirit, we can
enter experientially into His abundant blessings of
righteousness, peace, joy, healing, riches, wealth,
and prosperity. Father God is still calling people into His everlasting
kingdom and anointing them to do the works of Jesus in their generation.
A. Wilson Phillips is the co-founding and senior
pastor of Abundant Life Covenant
Church.

GIVE THANKS
By Richard K. Clark
In the month of November are
two important happenings—the Thanksgiving holiday and my birthday. In
fact, about every seven years both events occur on the same day. I
consider the Thanksgiving holiday’s proximity to my birthday as a treat
since I’m convinced that the practice of giving thanks is one of the most
important things we ever do. A thankful heart is a necessary ingredient to
a healthy life and contributes to a healthy society. Scripture unceasingly
instructs us to give thanks.
The Old Testament prophets
declared:
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High
(Ps. 92:1).
Jesus demonstrated
gratefulness.
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood
of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But
I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until
that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matt.
26:27-29).
And the New Testament apostles
encouraged us to maintain a thankful heart.
… giving thanks always for all things
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph.
5:20).
Offering thanks positions us
rightly before our infinite God. He is the source of everything, and we
are the recipients. We can settle into our small world and lose focus of
the big picture. Children come from the womb convinced that they are the
center of the universe, and they may grow up to adulthood never having
learned differently.
We are alive today because of
God. We are alive in Christ because of God. Our breath, our heartbeats,
our provisions, our relationships, our visions, and our dreams are all
encompassed by God. As we give thanks, we are humbling ourselves and
exalting Him. As we offer back to God what He has given to us, we
complete the circle of life. 
To the end that my
glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord
my God, I will give thanks to You
forever (Ps. 30:12).
… giving thanks to the Father who has qualified
us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col.
1:12).
Richard K. Clark is an associate pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Church.

A Practical Gospel for
Healthy Youth Today
By Benjamin Davis
I recently attended a
mini-seminar on “40 Building Blocks for Healthy Youth.” The program,
sponsored by Springfield’s Community Partnership Organization and the
United Way, is based on research that shows there are 40 “developmental
assets” or “building blocks” that youth should experience to have a
healthy lifestyle. These assets include things such as family support,
positive peer influence, good self-esteem, good adult role models, etc.
National surveys were done to
find out what percentage of youth were experiencing each of the 40
building blocks. The asset with the lowest percentage and the asset with
the highest percentage were pointed out to us. For example, only 20
percent of youth claimed to have the asset of creative activities in their
life. This asset would include regular lessons or practice in things like
music, theatre, or other arts. Conversely, the highest percentage was
building block number 40—a positive view of their personal future.
Seventy-four percent of youth surveyed claimed to have this asset in their
life.
As I sat listening, my mind
began to wander to my personal application of this data: “How are we
presenting the gospel to this current generation of youth?”
The fact that 74 percent of
youth have a positive view of their own personal future tells me that the
John Hagee-type gospel of “Countdown to Armageddon” and the “terminal
generation” mentality is not reaching this generation of youth. They are
not looking for doom and gloom but a practical faith that will help solve
their problems and give them a hope for the future. This is fitting, since
God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah a promise that applies today:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares
the Lord, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer.
29:11, NIV)
Where only 20 percent of youth
experience the asset of creative activities, conversely our church has had
a coffeehouse-type ministry called New Creation House to build these
assets in our youth. On Friday nights, youth are invited to this free
venue where we have live bands, free digital gaming/internet, and
inexpensive food. The unique thing about this ministry is that the youth
are being challenged to take creative roles to keep the ministry going. We
currently have five bands (and at present are imparting vision for six or
seven) that are made up of youth. Each band has an adult coach to help
them draw on the creative power of the Holy Spirit in learning their
instruments and singing. Just
as
King David exhorted: “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a
shout of joy” (Ps. 33:3), so we
are teaching youth how to compose, play, sing, and give an
expression of worship through their music.
Fundamentally, I agree with the
40 building blocks that will help our youth have a healthy lifestyle. The
burden is on the church and youth leadership to present the gospel in such
a way that meets these needs that our youth have.
Benjamin Davis is an associate pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Church

U.S.
HEALTHCARE: THE CRISIS
By Jonathan Clark, M.D.
Our current healthcare system
in the United States is facing a crisis. On the one hand, medical
science’s technology and innovation continue to progress at a rapid rate.
Useful medical discoveries occur daily. Surgical techniques are advancing.
Medical equipment and devices are improving. Pharmaceutical therapies are
advancing. Many conditions are now curable that were once considered
terminal. Many other conditions are treatable that formerly were destined
to produce ongoing disease, suffering, and a poor quality of life.
On the other hand, the delivery
of medical science to the people—otherwise known as healthcare—is the
source of much turmoil and anguish. The cost of medical care has
skyrocketed. From doctor’s visits to hospitalizations to prescription
drugs to surgeries to medical equipment to insurance premiums to nursing
home care, paying for healthcare has become unaffordable.
Recently, one of my patients
showed me her new “toy” (as she put it). She has suffered from back pain
for years, and her surgeon had implanted a new device under her skin that
sends impulses to her spine, alleviating pain. She opened her purse,
pulled out the remote control activator of the device, and began
demonstrating how it works. She said that it does help her pain somewhat,
but doesn’t have the ability to cure the problem. She then informed me the
cost was $93,000 and asked me if I wanted to inspect the remote control.
After hearing the price, I somewhat timidly declined.
Even those who can afford U.S.
healthcare are often disgruntled with how they are treated by the
healthcare system. Besides high costs, common complaints include being
treated rudely by physicians, staff workers, the insurance industry, etc.
The rudeness complaint is often a system-wide indictment. The old adage
applies: “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much
you care.” The healthcare system, as a whole, seems to run short on
care.
And even when a patient finds
caring workers and has a payment plan, the payment systems (insurance,
HMO’s, Medicare, Medicaid) often are unaffordable and “un-navigable.” The
cost of insurance coverage has skyrocketed. The complexity of the payer
systems is often confusing, frustrating, and intimidating. As often
happens, “bureaucracy” increases rules and paperwork, and patients
increasingly must seek out someone on the “inside” to try to submit their
bills properly…and once submitted, hope that their payment requests will
be processed smoothly and completely without denials.
As always, there are exceptions
to the rule, since many caring and skilled individuals within all aspects
of healthcare do their specific jobs very well. Occasionally, I will hear
of a patient who received the best of care with the best of results, with
his/her “insurance” seamlessly and smoothly paying the bills. When this
happens, what a wonderful thing for which the recipient should be
extremely grateful. But, because of “the system,” this is most often the
exception. Many healthcare analysts will admit that the system is a
quagmire at best and completely broken at worst.
As medical science and
technology increases, wisdom needs to increase to know how and when to
utilize it. Without divine wisdom from God, current knowledge and
treatments may be used in situations that are unwise and inappropriate,
overall diminishing a person’s quality of life and unwisely increasing
overall costs.
What is the U.S to do about the
current healthcare crisis? Many are advocating moving toward a system such
as Canada’s, where healthcare is guaranteed for all citizens. However,
David Gratzer, a physician who was raised and attended medical school in
Canada, has written extensively on the ineffective and malfunctioning
Canadian system of healthcare. Many Canadians are disgruntled with their
system, and some from within are urging that they move more toward the
U.S. system.
Currently, Dr. Gratzer
practices in the U.S. and has had extensive dealings with our system of
healthcare, both as a provider and as a patient. In his writings about the
U.S. system, he explains how the employer-sponsored healthcare plans,
which have been the norm in our system for many years, gained popularity
during World War II as an incentive by employers to attract workers during
the temporary war-induced wage controls. At the time, medical care was
relatively inexpensive and “low-tech.” Not only were the employers able to
use healthcare to attract their workers, but the government made
employer-based insurance a tax break for the employer.
After World War II, wage
controls ceased, but the temporarily based employer-sponsored health
insurances remained. In the 1940s, medical science/technology exploded
with more effective treatments (such as the discovery of penicillin). The
cost for medical care increased. However, as Dr. Gratzer explains, the
system of providing medical care was still stuck in the now out-dated mode
of employer-sponsored healthcare. Patients were not directly paying for
their healthcare, and the natural market forces of free-market competition
were not able to come into play to keep prices in check (compared with
other areas of technology, such as microchips and calculators). Soon
thereafter, government-sponsored health plans entered the picture, which
also shielded the consumers (the patients) from the direct costs of
healthcare. Employer-based and government-based health insurances are, for
the most part, not grounded in sustainable fiscal reality. Dr. Gratzer and
many others argue that until healthcare consumers have a direct financial
incentive in paying for their healthcare (such as through Health Savings
Accounts), the cost of medical science will continue to escalate and
prices will not be kept in check.
The crisis in our current U.S.
healthcare is immense. The problem affects all Americans. Despite the
magnitude and complexity of the problem, I am convinced that God has real
and practical healthcare solutions for those individuals who will walk in
covenant with Him: “The secret of the Lord
is with
those
who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (Ps. 25:14).
Covenant healthcare with the Lord will work
regardless of whether we do or do not have an insurance plan.
In next month’s Present
Truth, my intention is to discuss further how covenant healthcare with
the Lord will work for any individual in any situation.
Jonathan Clark is an elder of Abundant Life Covenant Church and a physician in
Springfield, Missouri.

HARVEST TIME
By Paul Gabbert
Ring the bell of Jubilee
His Word came to set men free.
Ring it loud and ring it clear,
For harvest time is here.
No longer need we wait,
He has set the harvest date.
His timing is always right,
See the fields are already white.
Through His Spirit, Word,
and man,
He gave His vision and His plan.
Our identity is complete
As we rest at His feet
In Christ we overcome,
Let the harvest be done.
Alert the crew with the
news,
There is no time to lose.
The vision He gave in years past
Has come to fruition at last.
We shall reap from our own,
We shall reap where others have sown.
Both within His body and without,
Men shall give a victory shout,
When they are freed by the score,
As they enter “The Great Open Door.”
Paul Gabbert owns and operates R & P
Cleaning Service.

GOD’S GOODNESS IN TRYING TIMES
By Harold Patterson
During our ice storm this past
winter, my mother stayed at our house a few days. Her visit proved to be
very enlightening. Over the years, the Lord has spoken to my mother
through visions and dreams. As she was praying for my brother, who has
been going through a difficult time, the Lord gave her a vision to pray
for me. The next morning as we discussed her vision, I wondered what the
Lord was about to do in my life. Her vision went something like this: The
room went dark, and the Lord brought her up above the earth. As she
marveled at the stars in the heavenlies, the Lord spoke, “Isn’t My
creation beautiful?” She saw glorious starbursts coming up through the sky
and wondered what they were. “Those are prayers from My children for
Harold,” the Lord answered. “Pray for Harold.”
Obviously, I wondered what God
meant. The next month, my question was answered.
I visited my doctor for my
annual physical. I had experienced headaches, but that was not uncommon
for me. For the past ten to fifteen years, headaches had plagued me from
time to time. My wife Linnie insisted that I tell the doctor about them.
He suggested I get a CAT scan, so I did.
Days passed, and I called the
doctor. He wanted me to come in and talk. In his office, he told me I had
a problem, possibly a tumor. I then got an MRI. Through this entire time,
I didn’t experience any fear or anxiety.
The MRI confirmed a tumor, so
my doctor sent me to a neurologist. I eventually ended up in the office of
a neurosurgeon, who had come highly recommended. He explained that I had a
benign tumor about the size of a golf ball in the top right portion of my
brain. My thought was “Just get rid of it.” I still had no anxiety because
of the nine surgeries I had had in my lifetime already. My wife, on the
other hand, had some concerns.
The surgery went fine, but I
had some difficulty getting rest in the neuro intensive care unit.
Constant sounds of nurses and staff working were on the other side of my
curtain, and a patient died in the next room. At one point, I had a vision
of a young woman with curly long hair in a black robe standing at the foot
of my bed. I couldn’t see her face and didn’t understand the sight.
Weeks after my surgery—just
before Mother’s Day—my stepdaughter Julia Lowe died suddenly from a brain
aneurysm. She had long curly hair. I wondered if somehow the Lord had
given me the vision in the NICU to prepare me for what was going to
happen. Another dream He gave me just after Julia’s death was a scene of
people walking around her empty casket. I knew what this meant—Julia had
transitioned and was with Him, not in the grave.
A few days went by, and I began
having pain and numbness in my left arm. Apparently, the positioning of my
neck and head during the surgery had aggravated a pre-condition. To fix
the problem, I was going to have to undergo another surgery.
The neurosurgeon gave me a
couple of surgical options. Neither sounded any fun, but I decided on the
one that would give more mobility yet more pain.
After the surgery and physical
therapy, I was back at probably 80 percent.
It has been a very trying year,
but as I have trusted the Lord, He has guided me through each step and
given me great success.
Trust in the Lord
with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths (Prov.
3:5-6).
I look forward to a bright and
healthy future.
Harold Patterson works in maintenance
utility at Regal Beloit in Springfield, Missouri.

FAITH OF A CHILD
By Lisa Krueger
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive
the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it (Mark
10:15).
As I was getting ready to go to
bed one evening, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. After asking who was
there, I found that it was my six-year-old son Treyson. I knew something
was wrong because he does not normally get out of bed after being tucked
in for the night.
Treyson was born with three
separate heart issues—Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), mild Pulmonic
Stenosis (PS), and Super Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT). A surgeon in
Kansas City repaired the PDA when Trey was four. The PS, which is a valve
that is not working properly, has been improving for the past six years.
Since leaving the neonatal intensive care unit at one week old, he has had
no episodes of SVT, which is when the heart has an extremely rapid heart
rate sometimes accompanied by an irregular heart rhythm. He has had no
heart medications since he was thirteen months old, but Trey’s pediatric
cardiologist continues to monitor his heart.
Apparently, Treyson is
beginning to have some understanding of these things, as this situation
revealed…
Trey had been watching the
History Channel on television earlier in the evening. He watched a
documentary presenting Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster as being real.
The information caused fear to rise up inside of him. If that wasn’t
enough, he also watched a portion of a scary movie over his teenage
brother’s shoulder until he was noticed.
So now, he is standing in my
doorway asking me to listen to his heart and make sure it is “OK.” It was
beating normally. I told him this, and he asked if I thought it was
beating “kind of hard.” I responded by asking him what he had been
thinking about while trying to go to sleep. He gave me a side-ways look
and said he had been thinking about Big Foot and asked if there were any
in the United States where we live. I told him I wasn’t sure if Big Foot
even existed, but if he did, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t want to live in
the city.
I asked Treyson if he wanted me
to pray with him, and he said he did. We asked the Lord to take the scary
thoughts from Treyson’s mind and give him peace (Phil. 4:7), and we
thanked Him that He was healing Trey’s heart (Phil. 4:6). We also thanked
the Lord that He is always with us (Ps. 34:7) and that He always hears us
(Ps. 34:4). We thanked the Lord that He didn’t give us the spirit of fear,
but that He did give us a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind (2 Tim. 1:7).
When we had finished praying,
Treyson swiped his forehead with the back of his hand and said, “Whew, I
feel better!” He then hopped from my lap, went back to bed “alone,” and
fell soundly to sleep. No more nightmares, no more fear, only trust.
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to
Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven
(Matt. 19:14).
Lisa Krueger works part-time in special
education at Pittman Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri.

HIS WAYS
By Randy Underwood
Sometime ago God had me reflect
on the days of my youth. Growing up in southwest Missouri, I lived on a
farm where my family raised crops and animals. Farming is a full-time job
for everyone; even the young always have chores to do. Since my mom worked
jobs off the farm most of the time, my sisters and I spent most of our
days with our father. We could usually be found in a field somewhere
preparing the ground, planting, harvesting, or baling hay.
When I was 10 years old, I began driving tractors. I could finally reach
the pedals while resting against the seat, not yet able to sit in it. I
had spent many hours playing in the field and even more time riding behind
Dad on the tractor watching. Now I was going to steer it by myself. I was
so scared that I would do something wrong. I was going to use a mowing
machine that places rows behind the machine. My fear was that I would not
leave rows that the hay baler could follow. My dad assured me that if I
did what he said, everything would work just fine. He took me to the
field, got the tractor set up, and actually jumped off and let me steer.
As time went on, he would take me to the field and make the first few
rounds with me, showing me what to look for; then he would let me go. For
the next step, he took me out to the fields and told me where the
boundaries were and then released me to go.
As I grew older, my father could just tell me to go, and I knew where he
meant. I knew exactly how he wanted the job done. I even knew how he would
react to any situations that might arise while in the field. I had grown
to know his ways. I had spent so much time in the field with him that I
knew his ways. It took some years, lots of hours of watching and doing the
work, and sometimes making mistakes and receiving correction, but I grew
to know his ways.
As my heavenly Father brought all these thoughts back to my memory, He
revealed to me that He too uses time and experiences to teach me His ways.
Too often I have not been willing to spend my time to learn. I was
successful in farming because I listened to my earthly father. How much
more can I benefit if I listen and learn the ways of my heavenly Father.
…He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in
His paths... (Is. 2:3)
Randy Underwood is a department manager
for Wal-Mart Supercenter in Springfield, Missouri.

OBEYING THE LORD—THE BEST
PATH
By Mandy Christy
A few years ago the Lord
allowed me to taste the sweet fruit of teaching college (my dream from
childhood), but I treated that honor disrespectfully and, for selfish
reasons, turned in my resignation after three years of teaching. The Lord
showed me very bluntly that it was not His idea for me to quit. I had
thought He was leading me into some other position so I quit, not knowing
where I was going. Because of my decision, God led my husband and me down
a very difficult financial path.
Four months after quitting my
job, the Lord directed me to talk to my former boss and tell her what had
happened and ask for her forgiveness. Still thinking I knew best, I
ignored that directive until the financial pressure heightened to the
point that my husband and I had to humble ourselves and go before our
pastor and ask for help with bills and groceries. Our church family helped
us for a month; our bills were paid, and we ate. It was during this time
that the Lord broke my heart at a deeper level, and I admitted my sin to
Him. I told God that I now understood I had quit my job because of pride
and arrogance. I thought I could “do better” making it on my own. I then
asked the Lord what He wanted me to do, and He showed me that I had
to talk to my former boss and reconcile the relationship, and I must
go apply for a nursing job at the hospital and do basic nursing care—a
task I abhorred.
With a better understanding and
humbler attitude, but still dealing with pride and selfishness, I called
my old boss and reconciled the relationship and then went and applied at
different hospitals for several jobs other than basic nursing care.
I kept hitting roadblocks at every turn. My husband and I prayed about it
together, and he gently told me that I really just needed to adjust my
attitude and start applying for basic nursing positions anywhere that
offered them. I humbled myself before the Lord again, and He removed some
more pride and selfishness and made for Himself a larger living area in my
heart.
Three months after God’s
initial instructions of what He wanted me to do, I began applying for
several basic nursing positions at a local hospital. Within a couple of
days, I received a call for a position on a general surgery floor. I
interviewed and, for the first time in months, had peace about accepting
the position. The nurse supervisor hired me on the spot. However, this
was just the beginning of God breaking me… He would eventually get me so
isolated that my only option would be to call out to Him.
Due to church commitments, I
chose to work on the night shift. It didn’t take long before I was a
basket case! I would cry inconsolably almost every night before work. My
husband was distraught just watching me. I was making it quite hard on
both of us. By now, our financial situation was beginning to improve so
that strain was lessening, but there was still an enormous emotional and
physical toll I was causing both of us because I simply would not break
down the remaining pride and selfishness standing in our way of living a
peaceful, God-focused life.
God finally placed so much
pressure on me that I had nowhere to go but to Him. I was in a public
bathroom at work one night when God reached out to me and pulled me gently
back together. The anxiety, fear, and dread of being back on a hospital
floor in the middle of the night—feeling alone, making decisions about
very sick patients, and knowing what I had put my husband and myself
through—overwhelmed my heart, and all I could do was weep. I cried out
softly to the Lord to help me, and He was there in an instant. This
amazing peace swept over me like a warm summer breeze. I knew He was with
me and would never leave me.
From that night on, for about
two more months, God walked me through every night I worked. I stopped
crying before work. My home life improved. Our finances were getting under
control. The Lord then opened the door for me to move to a day shift
position so we could spend more time together and so our church
commitments would be less strained. I stayed on that nursing unit for an
additional five months and did well. After a while, I even enjoyed going
to work. God used this experience to show me that He could use me no
matter what area of nursing He had for me.
Once I was at peace with the
floor nursing position, God promoted me to a job where I could have my
weekends free and have less stress during the day. Now, nothing interfered
with my church priorities. I took a position at a hospital clinic and
worked there a year.
After a year of working in the
clinic, God directed me to apply for an instructor position in the nursing
department at Missouri State University. I prayed with our youth pastor
about this decision, and he believed the Lord was making a place for me at
MSU. I followed through on our pastor’s direction, and within a day and a
half of mailing in the application, I was contacted to set up an
interview! Over the next couple of weeks, God secured a place for me at
MSU. Now, every day, I am excited to go and teach and to be doing what God
has called me to do! To quote a friend, “I have died and gone to job
heaven!”
Over these past couple of
years, I have learned a tremendous amount about God’s love and His
provision for each of His children. I believe He is more concerned with
the miracle of our growth and understanding of His character than creating
a miracle such as giving me my old job back. My heart’s desire must always
be whatever God’s heart desires. Only when I was able to truly settle in
my heart that I only wanted what God wanted was He able to bless me in
ways that only He can. His way is so much better than anything I could
ever dream up! God has blessed us tremendously with improved health and
improved finances. Our greatest joy has been seeing the gradual increase
in the amount we are able to tithe and give in offerings to our church
family. The more God gives us, the more we are able to give back to Him to
sow in His kingdom! This truly is the good life!
Mandy Christy is a nursing instructor at
Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.