Happy Friday! 

WOW!  End of the first week of CPE.  It has been an amazing week.  We were not originally scheduled to go to the floors until next week, but were far enough ahead in group cohesion that we went to the floors this afternoon.  I am continually amazed at the involvement of chaplains in hospital life.  I have learned today how to chart a patient for chaplaincy purposes.  The goal is to make sure that each patient who enters the hospital receives a visit from a chaplain.  I really loved visiting and praying with the patients this afternoon. 

Yesterday we were at John Peter Smith Hospital.  The program I am in partners Huguley with JPS.  At JPS, when we are on call as chaplains we are to respond to all Trauma 1’s as well as any other calls we receive.  We speak to families in the event of the death of their loved one.  We take family members to view the bodies of their loved one and help to put all of the persons in place if there is an organ donation issue.  We do not initiate the process, but we are there in support of the family as they work through the process. 

The other thing I am discovering is that all of this new learning at a rapid pace is exhausting!!  My prayer for myself is that I will have the stamina for this job especially with the on-call nights and working the next day.  I ask your prayers that I will continue to learn and that God will give me the strength and stamina to make me equal to the task. 

If I do not get a chance to write in the future, it will be because I have been on call all night or I am really exhausted.  But I promise to continue to pray for you and please continue to pray for me.  I never understood the depth and necessity of prayer for pastors until now!!

Prayer:  “Good morning to the One who is both crucified Savior and risen LORD! Today I begin this day as one who is so very grateful for an old wooden Cross that stood somewhere just outside an ancient Jerusalem gate some two-thousand-plus years ago.  I thank You, precious risen Lord, that I have responded to the message of that Cross and now live in its shadow daily.  Today I pray that You will crucify me with You on that Cross that I may die to all that would keep me from Your will.  May I live in such a way that I always reflect Your glory. Amen.”

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1: 18

Every faith has some sort of visual symbol that brings recognition.  Christianity uses the cross, but not just any cross, but the Cross of Jesus Christ.  This symbol of salvation is unique as it allows us to come before it and lay our sins beneath it and go beyond it to have relationship with God who sent Jesus so that we might know Him.  In Christianity there are no other options for salvation.  I love crosses and tend to wear them as jewelry. When I enter certain areas of the hospital I will have to tuck it away for safety, but each time I put the cross on I am reminded that I have been saved by the very power of God.  Any maybe, just maybe, if I wear it around my neck and act on it in my heart someone who does not know about the sweet salvation given freely by God through Jesus will want to know more.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all and thank you so much for all of your prayerful support, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.