Author: Carrie Dameron

A Different Response to Gay Marriage

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As I continue to watch the media regarding Christian businesses boycotting selling cakes and flowers to gay couples getting married, I wanted to provide a different perspective. Besides, when the Lord continues to tap on my heart and spirit, I know I need to say something.

To properly discuss this, I need to share some personal stories. For this issue is more than just about an institution, or sin it is about people.

As a nursing instructor I take nursing students into hospitals and teach them how to care for patients. Many years ago I met a wonderful nurse manager who was supportive and caring to my students. She was warm, friendly and that wonderful person you want to collaborate with for the best learning opportunity. She was also a lesbian. The year is 2008, and as a California resident, I was grappling with the issue of gay marriage head on. As a Christian who participates in our nation’s democratic process, I was not only praying for the election I was truly seeking God for his wisdom of how to respond to both Christians and non-Christians. The incident brought back a time when I first came into academics and met a professor who shared with me the “gay-bashing” him and his partner had faced. It was so horrible. They had uprooted their lives and moved to the Bay Area. All of this was stirring in my spirit and I was at a loss of how to respond, how to vote, and even at times how to pray. What could I do? What would Jesus do? How can I be a nurse and teach students about non-judgmental nursing care in the hospital, yet be hateful and rude in the community. I was dazed and confused and continued to pray, seeking the Lord’s wisdom. Since that time two things have spoken into my life and faith, that I use today as a barometer for these ethical and moral dilemmas:

–What if I am the only Jesus they see? In other words, what if Jesus Christ reflected through me is the only opportunity gays, lesbians, or anyone else have the chance to see him? What will they see? Judgment? Hate?

–The second was humility before God and his Word. When I stand before God and give an account of my life, I would rather say, “Lord, where I erred in following your ways, I erred in love.” When I am confronted with the challenges of living during this time, I have chosen love. From this simple, yet complex mysterious word comes kindness, gentleness, and other loving attributes of the Holy Spirit. Many times I fall short of being a caring, loving person and depend on the Holy Spirit to teach me how to walk and reflect his holiness.

Which leads me to my next perspective–I think the Christian Church, body of Christ is missing the boat. We are to be holy, not the world. I am not a theologian, nor do I have an M. Div (Pastor degree), but I have extensively studied the scripture. The Epistles, the New Testament letters, were written to the the Church. Here we see the apostles/disciples exhorting, encouraging, and guiding Christians in living out our faith. We are called to be holy, blameless, and loving; not the world. If there is a bandwagon to jump on, it is cleaning up the church. I will use my husband’s wise statement, “How can we expect the ungodly (those who don’t know God) to behave godly?” Even those who know God, don’t do a good job.

Final notes:

1. Don’t leave me a hateful message–I will delete it, for obviously you have missed the point.

2. As brothers and sisters in Christ embodied by the Holy Spirit, let’s commit to pray about the issue. I am not writing, because I am right. I am humbling seeking the Lord through prayer and scripture.

 

Verses: 1 John 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Timothy 6:11; James 3:13-18; Galatians 3:26-27

 

NCFI Cares: In The Trenches

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In both Peter and Jesus’s teaching on Satan (1 Peter 5:8; Luke 22:31-34) we are reminded of an important aspect of standing firm against Satan, the comradery of our Christian brothers and sisters.  Whenever we are feeling discouraged by the attacks of Satan, or our faith is being tested we know our brothers and sisters around the world are also “in the trenches.”

I am unsure how many people are familiar with the expression or metaphor “in the trenches.” It is a reference from World War I when front-line soldiers lived and fought in deep ditches or trenches. These were the men who fought the daily battles. They were dirty and bloody, malnourished, wounded and sick, yet their bravery and determination would help them overcome the enemy.

This same reference can be applied to Christians around the world who are fighting against Satan in God’s holy war. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12).

All of us are in the trenches resisting Satan and staying faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ. Next time, you feel like you are spiritually bruised and tattered; hold fast for you are not alone. For across the border, beyond the continent, and around the globe millions of our brothers and sisters are fighting the same war. We are in the trenches together standing firm in victory.

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NCFI Cares: Peter’s Wisdom

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During the Last Supper, Jesus warned Peter that he would be sifted by Satan and deny him three times (Luke 22:31-34). As the evening continues, Peter repeatedly denies Christ. His denial is not quietly, but vocally and wholeheartedly. After the third denial, we hear the rooster crow and our hearts break with Peter’s. For his personal sin becomes part of our redemption story.

After reading Peter’s experience, we are not surprised when he uses the metaphor “devour” to describe Satan’s tactic for Christians. For I am sure Peter felt sifted, distraught and close to being devoured. Thankfully, in the same passage Peter reaches out to all of us with wisdom:

Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Peter encourages us to stay “sober and alert” meaning we can’t get complacent about Satan and assume he’s on vacation. We need to “resist him” by being strong in our faith. Not a faith filled with words and strength, but a faith dependent upon Christ (1 John 5:5). The true victor in the war with Satan is Jesus, thus our prayers are to him. For just as Peter depended upon the prayers of Jesus, “I have prayed for you, Simon (Peter) that your faith may not fail.” He tells us “I have prayed for you _____________(insert name) that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32).

NCFI Cares: Spiritual Nutrition

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When I reflect on the building blocks of nutrition for physical health, I am reminded of the importance of the building blocks for spiritual health. For example, protein found in fish, chicken and beans build muscle for physical strength, I thought of Jesus. Just like malnutrition is seen when patients lack healthy protein sources, without the living Messiah we can lack basic nutrients of life (2 Timothy 2:1).

Starches found in bread and rice give us daily energy, whereas scripture is our spiritual bread. We need to nourish our faith daily through the reading and studying of God’s word (Matthew 4:4).

Vegetables supply the nutrients for each cell in our body, yet many of our diets lack an adequate intake. Thus, I couldn’t help but think of prayer in comparison to vegetables. All though prayer is a vital for our faith, we seem to fall short on the amount of time we spend in prayer. (Luke 5:16)

The building block of our faith is also found in praise and worship. I think of this as fruit. When we lift our voices in song exalting the goodness and excellence of our gracious Heavenly Father we experience the sweetness of his presence. It is rich in nutrients. Yet, leaves us hungry for more and more! (Hebrews 13:15)Spiritual Plate (2)

Eat from the bounty of the Lord’s Table feasting on all the sustenance he provides both physically and spiritually (Psalm 23:5; Matthew 22:1).

“ ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Deut 8:3/Matt 4:4)

Christian Nursing 101: Stand Firm with Prayer

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In the previous article “Chaos at Work” I touched on the importance of Christians including the role of Satan and evil spirit when our workplace is filled with incivility, bullying, and other disruptive or disrespectful behaviors.  Once we begin to see the whirling havoc through our Christian eyes, we can plan our prayerful response. My discussion is two-fold:

–Check out the  article Stand Firm with Prayer where we look at the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) with a new focus–prayer. “Prayer is the stitching that connects each piece of the armor. Prayer solidifies our righteousness found in truth, secures our salvation that rests in faith and equips us with peace and strength through the Holy Spirit.”

–A supplement to the article is a simple, fun acrostic entitled PRAYER WORKS! Each letter guides us in living out an “unceasing” plan of prayer for nursing.

I would love to hear from you…How have you responded to chaotic work environments? Also, how do implement prayer with nursing?

 

p.s. This rolled through my social media…and felt like it needed to be added to our topic! A link is provided to preserve the copyright!

God vs Satan

NCFI Cares: BUT I…

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How long will my enemy be exalted over me? (vs 2). This was David’s plea to God in Psalm 13. David felt abandoned by God and experienced immense sorrow to the “point of death” (vs 3).  He also feared that his enemies would be victorious. We are not sure whether David is worried about physical enemies or spiritual enemies. Either way, he felt vulnerable and strived to remain a faithful servant. We see a similar experience with Jesus in Gethsemane:

Jesus said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death…he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Matthew 26:37-40)

Both men felt alone and abandoned by God and knew their enemies were lurking and waiting for an opportune time to pounce (1 Peter 5:8). We know this is just the beginning of Jesus’ suffering, but we are not sure where Psalm 13 ties into David’s life. And that is okay. For, both men demonstrated for us a perfect response—not to depend on how “faithful” we are feeling, or what will be the end result, or even what the enemy is doing.

Instead we can respond with a BUT I (vs 6). The word BUT is an emphatic response in writing and for our spiritual life. We can interrupt our internal dialogue and change how we respond. For example:

  • To a spiritual drought—“I will trust in God’s faithfulness.”
  • To human feelings of loneliness and abandonment…“I will rejoicBUT Ie in salvation.”
  • To the enemy’s prodding… “I will sing praises to Jehovah!” (vs 5-6)

Interrupt your desert faith walk with a BUT I…

Christian Nursing 101: Chaos at Work?

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The topic of spiritual warfare had been stirring around in my mind and spirit for quite awhile, for I was unsure how to approach such an important Christian teaching.  Then when nursing and healthcare headlines filled with bullying, violence, and incivility, the perfect backdrop to discuss Spiritual Warfare in Christian nursing presented itself (thank you Lord).

The article “Chaos at Work?” in January/March 2015 issue of JCN gives a brief snapshot of Satan’s plan in our work eStrategy of Satan pixenvironment. My hope was to bring the topic to the forefront of our mind and spirit, so that as Christian nurses we can explore this additional perspective of the health care environment.

Resources/Citations used for the article

The Strategy of Satan: How to Detect and Defeat Him by Warren W. Wiersbe–classic book with biblical approach to Satan.

 

Satanology/Demonology–an in-depth discussion with relevant doctrine into Satan/Demons.

Stay tune for April, 2015….Standing Firm with Prayer! Where I discuss how to respond to the swirling work chaos!

As always I would love to hear from you. Either share your story in the comments or send me an email carrie@carriedameron.com.

NCFI Cares: A Personal Drought

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Personal Drought

In the last devotion, we discussed sprinkling our drought ridden communities with the love of Christ. Even though we naturally think of non-Christians needing a sprinkle, Christians can experience times of drought as well. These are seasons in our faith-walk when we may lack the zeal or passion for ministry. We may feel or sense a depletion of the Holy Spirit’s strength in our life. Maybe we are plagued with doubts or fear; feel alone or abandoned by the Lord; or just apathetic about our ministry or relationship with Jesus.

“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I have anguish in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day?”

These are the words of David from Psalm 13. We don’t know what was happening in David’s life when he poured out the barrenness of his soul. But, we are encouraged knowing that many mighty men and women of God experience personal droughts.

Does your faith feel dry and cracked? Is your relationship with the Lord empty and barren? If you are currently experiencing a personal drought, much like a dry season of the soul—then take comfort in knowing you are not alone. Many Christians have and are currently needing their own sprinkle.

Grace & Peace

p.s. In the next devotion we will look at how David responded to his spiritual drought.

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PRAYER WORKS! Acrostic for integrating prayer into nursing

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In the Christian Nursing 101 article Stand Firm with Prayer, we explore how authentic open communication with the Lord guides our response to our chaotic workplace.  Look for the article in Journal of Christian Nursing in April/June 2015.

In the meantime, check out creative ways to implement prayer into our daily nursing using the fun acrostic PRAYER WORKS.

P is for Presence—bring the presence of God to your daily work by offering spontaneous requests and thanks throughout the day. This is a form of living prayer.

1 Thess 5:17: pray always 1 Cor. 14:15: What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. Gal 5:25: If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.

R is for Request—ask specifically for God’s insight. Whether it is a complicated patient, coworker, or a difficult situation—ask God for his eyes, heart and wisdom; then pray and act with His wisdom.

Romans 8:26-27: The same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

A is for Alert—be alert for opportunities to pray; colleague is worried about her marriage, friend shares their stress about their children—stop and pray with them.

Ephesians 6:18: With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints

Y is for Yield—yield to how God will use you through prayer. God will soften your heart for His will as he brings people and incidences to your mind. Be open to those who need prayer or a caring touch/word. Pray for them and then pray for them again, when you think of them.

1 John 2:5-6: But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.

E is for Earnest—be earnest in your prayers. Commit to praying weekly for your institution and unit; or daily for pressing matters.

Luke 11:9-10: So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Romans 12:12: Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

R is for Record—keep a prayer/praise list is a great way to remember and reflect on how the Lord is working your life.

Psalms 143:5: I recall the old days; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on your accomplishment

W is for Word—use scripture in your prayers. The Psalms and the New Testament contain wonderful insight into how the word applies to our lives.

Psalm 119;18: Open  my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law! Verse 24: Yes, I find delight in your rules; they give me guidance. Verse 27: Help me to understand what your precepts mean! Then I can meditate on your marvelous teachings.

O is for Others—include your colleagues, managers, students, and prayer. Create a list and commit to pray for them daily.

Luke 6:28: pray for those who mistreat you.  Colossians 1:9; For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you… Ephesians 3:14: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named. I pray that…

R is for Rejoice—gratitude and praise can be interwoven into our prayers and life. Be spontaneous with your praise and thanksgiving being reminded of Who continues to remain faithful and provide for us.

Phi 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Psalm 69:30: I will sing praises to God’s name! I will magnify him as I give him thanks!

K is for Kingdom—we are part of the larger body of Christ and the work of God, so prayer for Christian nurses and health care providers locally, nationally and internationally.

Ephesians 6:18: pray for all saints. John 17:20: Jesus says, “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me…”

S is for Sensitivity—when seeking to pray for patients be sensitive and complete a spiritual assessment, which includes finding out if Christian prayer is part of their spiritual life.

1 John 4: God is love and his love is in us thus, love our neighbors and love other Christians (paraphrased) 

NCFI Cares: Just A Sprinkle

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I New sproutslive in a part of the United States where there is a distinct difference between the “dry” and “wet” seasons. This is especially true since the past few years have been exceptionally dry and has left my neighboring hills and fields with the barren tundra of cracked dirt and parched grasses.  Thus, when those first drops of rain sprinkled across our thirsty landscape bringing just enough moisture to wet the pavement, the hard dirt gave way to small shoots of grass straining to find the sun. This small amount of moisture awoke the grasses in anticipation of nutrients and growth.

I couldn’t help but make the parallel to the human soul or spirit. Like the drought ridden dirt blown away and grasses with withering roots, a soul and heart can be barren without the nutrients of Christ. Whether it is a blade of grass or a dry soul, a drop is all that is needed to awaken the soul to spring forth in anticipation of the nutrients of a renewed soul.

Many times in the evangelical world we think that a non-Christian heart needs a bucket or river of water to bring growth, not necessarily. All life sprouts anew in response to a sprinkle of water. Imagine the greater miracle when the moisture is the living water of Christ (John 4:14; Rev. 7:17; 22:1).  Don’t worry about bringing the bucket or river of salvation. Just sprinkle God’s love to our drought-ridden communities and watch the fruit of the Spirit bloom!

1 Cor. 3:6 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow.”

Blessings for 2015

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