I grew up in a loving family where we wanted for nothing, and my family instilled a deep love and compassion for medicine; but the most valuable part of that family was that they taught me to love the Lord.
This love of Christ led me to a deep faith and relationship with the Lord, but it would be tested when I went to physician's assistant grad school.
Going into medicine was my dream, and it all started with my mom. She was a physician in the emergency room and I grew up going to the hospital to visit her, or waiting while she filled out forms. On top of that, I was very sick with meningitis when I was 15 months old. So medicine and hospitals have just always been a part of my life.
This dream was later confirmed when I would shadow physician assistants (PA's) in my undergrad. The hustle and bustle of a hospital makes no two days the same, and I loved it.
But, physician assistant graduate school is GRUELING. Taking over 30 credits a semester and five to seven tests a week gave me so little free time that I just about stopped having a spiritual life. I grew bitter and angry with the church and my faith, and so many questions seemed to go unanswered.
God, thankfully, is patient. He gave me all the time I needed to ask questions, to seek out answers.
Fast forward a bit and Cullen and I were on the launch team for Element Church. It was an amazing experience where we (he as the kids ministry director and me helping administratively from afar) had so many opportunities to volunteer and worship.
Eventually we also felt called to begin a youth ministry for middle/high school students, and we started Element Youth. That ministry has been such a blessing and gave us so much in the way of growth--both spiritually and in our marriage.
And so, as we are about to go to Hungary to serve God and spread his gospel, I am thankful for the patience God has shown me.
Thankful for God. Thankful for his people. Thankful for ways to serve Him.
