O Antiphons Devotional Series

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Merry Christmas from NCFI.

This year we want to give you a special gift centered on the identities of Christ. Enjoy!

I enjoy learning how our Christian ancestors worshipped the Lord. Depending on your denomination, you may be familiar with the O Antiphons or chants sung from December 17 to the 23. They were first written in the 6th or 7th century and cover the 7 titles of Christ mentioned in Scripture. Each title is in Latin and creates the acrostic ero cras which translated means “Tomorrow, I will be there” mirroring the theme of the antiphons: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, & Sapienta. The order begins with Sapienta (Wisdom) and leads to the final antiphon, Emmanuel.

What surprised me most in my research was one of my favorite Christmas hymns “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is the combination of all 7 antiphons in 1 song. So amazing!

Each antiphon has the following structure:

  • a Messianic title preceded by “O”. Example: “O Wisdom”
  • elaboration of the title: “coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things”
  • the verb “come”
  • elaboration of the request to come: “and teach us the way of prudence.”

This holiday season, I invite you to join me praying and meditating on the beautiful ancient prayers of the O Antiphons. There are many ways to engage with the devotions: Follow the ancient tradition by beginning December 17 and completing the series by December 23; or, start earlier and take a couple days to meditate on a single antiphon; or dive deeper and link scriptures with the antiphon discovering wealth of grace and love the Lord has for you.  One website suggested singing the corresponding verse from “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” which I have included.

During this beautiful time of Advent, let us not only pray for ourselves and our loved ones to receive a fresh Christmas spirit, but may we also pray for our world to find Christ during this holy season. Come O Lord Jesus, come.

December 17:  O Wisdom (Sapienta)

“O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly, ordering all things. Come and teach us the way of prudence.”

Isaiah 11:2-3: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 28:2; Proverbs 8:1-36; John 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:24

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 2: O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 18: O Sacred Lord (O Adonai)

“O Adonai and leader of the House of Israel who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai. Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.”

Isaiah 63:11-12: Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 33:22; Exodus 3:2; 24:12; Micah 6:4; Acts 7:30-31

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 3: O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

December 19: O Root of Jesse (O Radix Jesse)

“O Root of Jesse standing as a sign among the peoples, before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer. Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.”

Isaiah 11:1, 10:  There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit….In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 52:15; Romans 15:12

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 4: O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny. From depth of Hell they people save and give them vict’ry o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 20: O Key of David (O Clavis Davidica)

“O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel, you open and no one can shut, you shut and no one can open. Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

Isaiah 22:22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:16; 16:19 Luke 1:79 Revelation 3:7

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 5: O Come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav’nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

December 21: O Morning Star (O Oriens)

O Morning Star, splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness. Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9:2: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 58:8; 60:18-20 Malachi 4:2 Luke 1:78-79 John 8:12 Revelation 21:23-25; 22:16 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel verse 6: O Come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine Advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 22: O King of Nations (O Rex Gentium)

O King of Nations and their desire, the cornerstone making both one. Come and save the human race which you fashioned from clay.

Daniel 7:14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 2:4; 11:10; Romans 15:12; Ephesians 2:14, 19-20 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 7: O Come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven’s peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 23: O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel our King and our Lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour. Come and save us, O Lord our God.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Additional Scriptures: Matthew 1:23 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 1: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

Conclusion:

Enjoy the beautiful O Antiphons Plainsong with accompaniment. It includes the additional O Antiphon sung on Christmas eve.

NCFI Cares: The Face of Kindness

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And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

As a nursing professor who teaches gerontology care of older adults, I am always intrigued by articles that support caring for patients with dementia. These vulnerable adults can be caught up in their own world filled with fear and paranoia, especially when they are surrounded by people they don’t know. This can be very troublesome for caregivers or nurses who are trying to provide for their basic needs like nutrition and cleaning. A few years back I found a study about how the simple act of a kind facial expression can alleviate fear and calm someone with dementia. The person sees the calm expression and bright smile and there fear is changed to trust and calmness. The same is said for contrast. When the caregivers are rushed or frustrated, the person with dementia sees their face and feels threatened and fearful.
 
I think the same can be said of anyone. Our facial expressions speaks loudly to others without us moving our lips. A big smile says joy and love. A hopeful expression communicates trust and security. A simple nod shows respect and honor to others. The greatest thing about our facial expressions is there no need for a language interpreter, for it is universal.
 
Take some time and reflect on your facial expressions. Does your face communicate the love and joy you have in Christ? Is your calmness and joy spilling over into your smile? Does your expression change when you work with patients, colleagues, or even family members? Keep in mind no one can illuminate joy all the time. Yet, we can become more cognizant of whether our expressions are congruent with our heart and spirit.
 
p.s. You can find more information on communicating with people with dementia on the Alzheimer’s websites around the world.

Faith More Than Belief

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But he (Thomas) said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:24 ESV)

Unfortunately, Thomas bold statement “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” marked Thomas as “Doubting Thomas.” Let’s bring in some important facts about Thomas. Scripture tells us none of the disciples believed Mary Magdalene who reported her witnessing Jesus’ resurrection (Mark 16:11). The other 11 disciples were afraid and hiding in the upper room (v. 19) when Jesus did appear, thus the same 11 disciples were able to “see to believe.” Thomas was not in the upper room when the other disciples seen Jesus(v. 24).

We can see that even the disciples were doubtful and afraid. In Luke 24, Jesus comes to them and instructs them to touch him, as proof he is not a spirit. The evidence or proof of Jesus miraculous return from the dead is found in him explaining scripture (Luke 24:27), eating and drinking with disciples (John 21:14; Luke 24:42), miraculous catch of fish (John 21:6)Everyone struggles with unbelief and experiences doubt. Instead of giving Thomas a bad rap, we can see the lengths Christ will go to help someone’s unbelief.

Do you know of someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus, or the work on the cross for redemption? Or maybe a fellow Christian who is experiencing a season of doubt? Jesus continues to reveal himself to the world today through the testimony of the disciples.

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31).

Jesus also reveals himself through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let’s respond to the reality of the resurrection as Thomas did, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Carrying One Another Burdens

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Bear on another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

As I was preparing for the most recent global prayer meeting, I found the verse from Galatians about bearing one another’s burdens.  I enjoy asking AI questions; so, on a whim I asked, what is a prayer burden. This Gemini (google) AI’s reply:

“A “prayer burden” refers to a deep, persistent sense of concern or responsibility that motivates one to pray for a specific person, situation, or cause. It’s a spiritual prompting from God, a call to intercede and offer focused prayer, often accompanied by a feeling of weight or urgency. This burden can arise from various sources, including a specific need, a divine vision or dream, or simply a strong love for someone.”

It was perfect! It spoke specifically to the burden NCFI has for nurses and midwives affiliated with the national fellowships and regions. We are concerned and drawn to pray when there are lack of staff, challenges to finances, overworked nurses, and the many other burdens of managing a ministry. Our heart is heavy and focused on petitions to the Lord for those country contacts without a fellowship who need the community of nurses and midwives to stay strong in their faith. I am sure many in the NCFI leadership are prompted by the Lord to pray for specific situations. The most recent ones that come to mind are when I think about the nurses caring for patients in war-torn areas, places of disasters, or spreading infections and illnesses. These colleagues are on the frontlines representing Christ to the most vulnerable and we are supporting them with prayers of love and wisdom.

I can speak for myself, that I have a deep sense of responsibility to pray for each member of the International Board, Board of Directors, and our partner leaders, as well as the many volunteers who give of their time, talent, and treasure in supporting the mission of NCFI. Probably like you, my responsibility extends to the Christian nurses I personally know and work with. I lift them up in prayer as we labor in the work of Christ every day.

Rest assured, we at NCFI actively carry the prayer burdens of many nurses and midwives, their colleagues, their patients and families, and their students and staff. We do so joyfully and with a bright mission of assisting the Lord with his burden of loving the world.

Yoke of Trust

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Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30, ESV).

We are familiar with Jesus’ comforting words, and I can imagine we all desire to lighten our burdens and find rest for our souls. As an educator who works with nurses from a variety of patient settings, I hear the nursing burdens: Not enough staff to care for patients; more and more patients who are sicker and sicker; units closing, which displaces or deletes nursing positions; and management changes. In my long career in nursing, these issues have always existed, and most of the nurses I know are accustomed to adapting to each crisis that comes by. 

We also care for patients, manage staff, and educate students whose burdens are heavy and difficult. How can we make the care that the Lord has entrusted to us lighter? Let’s break down Jesus’ promise and find a way to lighten our burdens.

First, we need to recognize that Jesus didn’t say, IF you have burdens. The assumption is we WILL have burdens. One of the barriers to releasing our heavy burdens is the unrealistic idea that our lives should be worry-free and complication-free. It sounds crazy to say it out loud, yet when a problem comes along, we are dismayed. Whether it is an illness, work-related stress, or a family crisis, these are all human experiences. This is true for our patients as well. There will be extended illnesses, surgery complications, and unforeseen diagnoses. Even though the Gospels have multiple accounts of Jesus healing people, there were even more people who weren’t healed. Yet, Jesus brought the Good News to them, which is Himself.

This brings us to our second point of Jesus’ teaching—“Come to Me!” Life’s burdens cannot be lighter if we don’t hand them over to Jesus. Handing them over to Jesus is more than just praying for healing, seeking His wisdom, and trusting Him. It is daily, and many times, frequently saying, “Jesus, I trust in You!” For example, when the fear of complications attempts to overwhelm a patient’s peace, we can direct them to trust in Jesus and let go of the outcome. I know, sounds frightening! Yet, this is how Jesus will make the burdens lighter, giving the present AND the future of our burdens to Him.

If you are feeling burdened by work, personal, family, or life in general, then you are carrying the load, and Jesus is not. Right now, what burden do you have? Write them down. How do they feel? Are they heavy, uncomfortable, stressful, or worrisome? Then you are carrying them. Or maybe there is a patient, student, or staff member whose burden is keeping them anxious and depressed. Help them as well come to Jesus and exchange the yoke of burden for the yoke of trust.

A Light in the Darkness

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“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV).

This month’s NCFI Cares devotion is a call to pray for the ICN Congress in Helsinki, Finland during the 1st week of June. It is an event where nursing scholars and experts present their research and teachings, while networking with nurses from around the world.  This year, as in years past, NCFI nurses and leaders will be attending the congress to present and network with nurses from around the world. At the same time, NCFI has a special purpose in sponsoring a booth—be a bright light!

Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:4) and came to shine his light into the darkness of our world (John 12:46).  “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5). As followers of Jesus, we are instructed to walk in the light (Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7).

We not only walk in the light, but the very light of Christ shines in our hearts to illuminate the glory of God through Christ.

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

 In the preceding verses, Paul teaches that our ministry is one of mercy of God and how the gospel is veiled due to the evil one blinded the minds of the unbelievers. Satan’s purposes is to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ as is the image of God. This is why we don’t proclaim ourselves. Instead, as Christ servants, we proclaim Christ as Lord. (4:1-5). We know the evil one masquerades as an angel of the light (2 Corinthians 11:4). Thus, we need clear guidance as to the darkness Jesus came to dispel.

Galatians 5:19-21 gives a list of darkness. A great translation for this is in The Message:

This is the darkness Jesus came to dispel and is our ministry, as well.

As we walk in the light and illuminate others we are enveloped in the love of God

Pray for the light of Christ to shine through our NCFI presenters and through the Finland national fellowship.

Are you a David? The Future of Nursing

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And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took a horn of oil and anointed hi in the midset of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Dvid from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16:12-13, ESV).

In the previous devotion, we reviewed how God called Samuel to anoint David as the future king of Israel. We found three key points Samuel did to follow God’s directive: get over the past with King Saul, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and go to the new king. Let’s look at how these three points can guide us as we look for the Davids and the future of Christian nursing.

In 1 Samuel chapter 16, we read how Samuel examined all of Jesse’s sons, yet the Lord did not direct Samuel to anoint them. The Lord was not looking for the smartest or the tallest son of Jessee. Instead, the Lord was looking at the “heart” of each son (16:7).  David was summoned from the field, anointed by Samuel, and was immediately filled with the Spirit of the Lord. Once again, Samuel had to listen to the Holy Spirit and remove his preconceived ideas of a future king. Like Samuel, David allowed the Holy Spirit to direct his path, which is our first point: Listen to the Holy Spirit.  Remember, David was a simple shepherd boy who turned king by listening to the Lord.

This leads to our next point which is Get over the future.  Be willing for the Lord to change your life radically. David went from being a shepherd to “king in training.” I am sure David never imagined being king. He was son number eight! He was probably quite content getting married, having a family, and working for his older brothers. Thankfully for the Israelites and Christians, God had other ideas. David spent 15 years preparing to become king. He soothed Saul by playing his harp, killed Goliath, developed a close friendship with Jonathon, conquered many territories for King Saul, and penned many Psalms.

Today, when we look at getting over our future, it may mean ditching our nursing dreams. I will be brave and say that for many cultures, especially here in the West, planning out our life, career, and future is more than expected; it is demanded. Before high school, we are expected to create a career plan, strategize having 2.5 children, money for a house, etc. We don’t leave room for God to direct “his will be done” in how we use our talents in nursing for the Kingdom. I think that, as followers of Christ, it is a sin. There I was blunt. I call it a sin because anytime anything is of more importance than God’s will, then it is a sin—enough about that.

Be flexible with your nursing future and allow God to come in and make changes.

The final step for both Samuel and David is to Go. David had to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and go where the Lord sent. I can imagine when David was playing the harp for Saul, he wondered about the validity of Samuel’s anointing. Yet, David went and followed the Spirit wherever it led.

My nursing career differs from what I imagined thirty years ago as a new graduate strategizing to work in the ER or ICU. The Lord intervened when, 20+ years ago, I returned to school for a graduate degree with the original plan of being a clinical nurse specialist. Instead, the Lord called me into academics as a nurse educator.

When I came for my job interview, I walked around the campus weeping joyfully. Jesus had done two amazing things that day, and 20 + years later, he continues to do. He brought me back to the place I had met Him. For, I became a believer while taking my science courses. I knew He was calling me back to where we had met. Second, Jesus gave me the desire of my heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37 3). When many nurses reflect on their childhood career dreams, they say they wanted to be nurses. Not me. I wanted to be a teacher. 😊So, the Lord took the desires of my heart, weaved my talent for nursing, and created my career in academics. This passion and heart reaches out to you through my work with NCFI over the past 14 years. Sharing my love with Jesus and passion for nursing.

Whether you are a Samuel, with years in Christian nursing, or a David, who is just entering, follow their example:

  • Listen to the Holy Spirt
  • Let Go of the Past or the Future—whichever one is getting in your way.
  • Go.

As a Samuel, go looking for the future of Christian nursing and find all those creative, talented Davids. If you are a David, let God be radically brave with your nursing career. He may have something amazing in store for you. So, that others can say the following about you:

A servant of Saul described David, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” (16:18).

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NCFI Cares: Be A Samuel–For the Future of Nursing

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 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16:1, ESV)

In 1 Samuel, chapter 16, Samuel responds to the Lord’s command, “I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons” (16:1). There, Samuel finds a young David, around the age of 15, and anoints him to be the future king of Israel. When I reflected on the account of Samuel anointing the teenager David as the future king of Israel, I found parallels that could be applied to the future of Christian Nursing. An insight was that those of us active in Christian nursing ministry could be like Samuel and be on the lookout for the future of Christian nursing, which I see as David’s. This first devotion will explore three key points to guide the Samuels. In the next devotion, we will explore how to be a David, the future of Christian nursing.

The first point is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Lord spoke to Samuel and specifically told him where to go and what to do. “Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16:1, ESV). Like Samuel, we need to actively listen to the Lord. The Lord is at work in nursing, and we can hear and discover what He is doing and to whom He may lead us.

The Lord asked Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul…?” which brings up the next point: Get over the Past. From the Lord’s question, we can see that Samuel was having difficulty moving past King Saul, who was still king. Getting over the past is also an essential step for the future of Christian nursing. Older or more “seasoned” nurses are often stuck in their ways. This applies to nursing care, educational methodologies, and leadership skills.

Another way to get over the past was for Samuel to look to new ways the Lord would lead the Israelites. We can embrace the latest technology and tools the Lord uses or will use. How younger nurses connect or how future nurses will access scholarly publications and/or attend workshops are just a few questions to be open to new ways.

The final point is to Go. The Lord was evident to Samuel, residing in Ramah, to “go” to Bethlehem. Samuel had to leave his current place and role to venture into unknown territory and people to find the next king. For Christian nursing we may need to look for the future in new places or within different environments. This may be reaching out to new communities, clinics, or nursing schools.

As we look and pray for the future of Christian nursing, it takes an active purpose. Like Samuel, who the Lord sent, we need to be actively engaged in finding younger or less seasoned colleagues. Don’t wait for them to come to you! We need to look for Davids who are doing new and exciting things in ministry.

In the next devotion, we will explore how the Davids can be the future of nursing.

NCFI Cares: Quick Prayers for Lent

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After he (Jesus) fasted for 40 days and 40 nights he was famished. (Matthew 4:2)

As we enter the beginning of Lent, 40 days before the Passion of Christ and Easter, many of us are seeking the Lord’s guidance in giving up something or adding something.

Some everyday things Christians give up for Lent are favorite foods and drinks, like chocolate,  coffee, or alcohol, or specific food pleasures, such as eating out, desserts, or meat. Others may give up an activity, like phone time, watching movies, or other distractions. When I asked Google AI, I received additional responses, including sleeping without a pillow, abstaining from gossiping, or refraining from following/watching social media postings. To add a little bit of humor, my favorite activity Google AI noted was to give up “being a backseat driver.” – I have to admit—my husband would probably enjoy my 40-day struggle—LOL!

Humor aside, I think the Lenten period is not only a time to meditate on our Lord’s suffering; it is a time to add habits to our walk with the Lord while growing closer to him and his sufferings. Some of those daily habits include reading your Bible, adding another prayer time, reading a Lenten devotion, attending church or Bible study, and others.

Since I am the NCFI prayer chair, I would make the following suggestions focused on Christian Nurses:

Choose to pray for one of the following :

Your national fellowship and nurses in your country
Nurses at your work, church, and community
International nurses and regional nurses
A global health issue that’s concerning
NCFI people

At first, adding more prayer to our already busy and over-committed lives sounds overwhelming, yet it doesn’t take more time to send quick prayers to the Lord. Especially if you have given up something for Lent. For example, whenever you think of chocolate, immediately pray, “Lord, I lift up all the nurses at my workplace and trust you with their care.” Or something along those lines.

Another list of suggestions focused on Christian nurses are:

Choose to do one of the following:

Send an encouraging text or email to a nurse or healthcare professional. It can be kind words, scripture, etc (Let the Holy Spirit guide you)
Post on a social media platform an encouraging comment for nurses to read
Bring goodies or something to share to work
Invite a colleague to a Christian nursing event (prayer, journal club, etc)

Spend the next few days seeking the Holy Spirit in ways he would have you grow closer to our Lord through this period of Lent.

NCFI Cares: Pray for Us!

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Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-25, ESV)

Happy New Year! As we welcome the year 2025, the NCFI Prayer and Care Committee wants to send a request—pray for NCFI! Below are some ideas on how to integrate the needs of NCFI into your prayer time. 

One way is to download and possibly print the Quarterly Prayer Guide. Here is the link

The prayer guide is a large table with the rows as weeks for each quarter. The 5 columns are areas and include the six regions, national fellowships, next-generation, and non-member country contacts. There are also requests specific for the NCFI organization: Directors, International Board, Leadership, Partner Organizations, and Institute of Christian Nursing. It may be overwhelming to see so many requests on a 4 page document. Here are a few suggestions on various ways to use the guide to pray for NCFI.

–Choose one day of the week dedicated to NCFI. Then, during your morning or evening prayer time take a few minutes to pray across the row.

–Add NCFI to a specific prayer time on a daily basis. For example, right before bedtime, pray for one square for that week.

–During a monthly national or group fellowship meeting, divide up the group prayer requests and spend a few minutes praying for nurses around the globe. You would take note of the months on the far left column.

–If your national/local fellowship has a texting/messaging group, assign someone to place the requests in the group messaging. This can be done daily, weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly.

These are just a few suggestions to include NCFI prayer requests into your regular prayer time.

NCFI appreciate your prayers to fulfill our mission in encouraging Christian nurses live out their faith in nurses.