NCFI

NCFI Cares: Part II NCFI Heroes: Spiritual Support through Provisions–People

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In the previous NCFI Cares we began a series exploring how you, an NCFI Hero, can provide prayer support to the leadership team and global work of NCFI. For Part II, we will focus on how NCFI Heroes can support spiritual leaders through 2 types of provisions. The first provision the NCFI leadership team needs is people.

The most pressing people deficit is our continued need for both a Manager and a Director for the IICN (International Institute of Christian Nursing). The IICN was created to “advance a Christian worldview in nursing practice, education, leadership, and research.” Thus, it is essential that IICN have leaders with a passion and purpose in strategizing how NCFI can be the voice of Christian nursing across the globe. More information about these position can be found at http://iicn.ncfi.org/about-iicn/institute-leadership/

A new round of International Board nominations is currently occurring for the 2020-2024 term. As regional committees are nominating board members from the national fellowships, each region and national fellowship needs volunteers to fill key leadership positions.

NCFI also has two ministry outreach projects needing people:  NG or Next Generation Nurses which targets students and early career nurses to globally connect and support them in their emerging careers; and an Alumni Ministry which aims to connect retired nurses, especially those previously involved with NCFI.  To learn more about these ministries, connect with your national fellowship or your regional chair. https://ncfi.org/ncfi-regions/

It is difficult to move a ministry forward and reach more nurses for Christ, when we lack people. So, pray and ponder how you may be a NCFI Hero who volunteers their time for the global work of NCFI (Matthew 9:37-38)

NCFI Cares: How to be an NCFI Hero

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How to be an NCFI Hero

Recently, in my Sunday School/Community Group our mission pastor taught how church members can provide support for the spiritual leaders of our church. The teaching was based on the believers’ support of Saul found in Acts 9:19-31. In this passage, there were many unnamed believers or Biblical Heroes who provided various types of support for Saul, an up-and-coming church leader. As I listened to the teaching, I knew this was something relevant and applicable to NCFI. So, I have taken the outline of the teaching and adapted it for NCFI ministry. For just as these unnamed believers are Heroes, so is everyone who supports NCFI.  In the next series of devotions, I will share specific ways you can be a NCFI Hero and provide much needed support for the leadership team

The first spiritual support NCFI Heroes can provide is prayer. As the chair of the Prayer and Care Committee, I want to emphasize the importance of prayer for NCFI and the leadership team.  A specific type of prayer, not normally thought of, is protection from the evil one. Jesus emphasized the importance of this type of prayer in John 17:15: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” As NCFI leaders strive to encourage and support Christian nurses around the world we are confronted by the schemes of the devil who seeks to thwart our work regionally and globally. The leadership team is also at risk of personal onslaught from Satan who attempts to destroy our personal faith and professional lives.

Of course, it goes without saying we also need general prayer. Our prayer letter The NCFI Prayer Guidehttps://ncfi.org/resources/prayer-guides/ is published every quarter on the NCFI website.  The guide is a day-to-day list of prayer needs and praise reports from our member countries and global contacts, in addition to organizational requests. It also lists out the International Board Members, leaders and NG contacts who seek your prayer support. 

As you pray for the work of NCFI, the leadership team, and the upcoming International Congress in Colorado, USA in July, 2020, https://ncfi.org/congress-2020-at-a-glance/ I encourage you to also include protection from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 provides a wonderful prayer.

The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing—and will do—what we are commanding. Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.

NCFI Cares: S for Skill

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Using the PRAYERWORKS acrostic we have explored simple ways to enrich our practice and our profession through prayer, as well as a reminders to pray for and with our colleagues. For this devotion we use the final S to remind us to approach praying with our patients with Skill. Originally when I created the acrostic, I used the word Sensitivity, which is important. At the same time, the more I teach, share and discuss spiritual care, I believe Skill is a better term and encompasses sensitivity.

Myself and other nurses on the teaching team for The Art and Science of Spiritual Care through NCFI include the many steps of implementing prayer as part of our nursing care: a complete assessment that includes whether or not our patient’s use prayer as part of their spiritual life; a discussion/teaching on intercessory prayer; exploring the nurse’s comfort with praying various Christian prayers; and then practice praying with a peer using our simple model. As you can see these many steps require skill and sensitivity to explore prior to praying with a patient.

We can rest assured that Jesus, our High Priest intercedes for our patients and that the great Advocate assists our patients in praying (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:26). There are times when prayer is the best nursing action. When it is isn’t, we can reach out with kindness, caring, humility and grace to be the hands and heart of our Lord (Colossians 3:12).

Explore all the devotions in PRAYERWORKS

 

CARES: Reflections for Nurses

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Coming Soon

If you have enjoyed stopping by and reading NCFI Cares, then you are in for a pleasant surprise–a compilation is in the works entitled CARES: Reflections for Nurses!

I began sending out the bi-monthly NCFI Cares devotions for Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) in January, 2013. I am amazed it has been 3 years! In 2014, NCFI leadership asked me about providing a printed compilation. I was excited for the opportunity and set out on a new writing journey with a few goals in mind.

First, I wanted the compilation to be a combination of old and new content.Thus, out of the 52 reflections contained in CARES, 26 will be brand new, Christian nursing topics.

Second, I wanted something more than just devotions and not as comprehensive as a Bible study, so I penned reflections. Each reflective topic contains a devotion, selected reading(s), poignant question(s), and a prayer. Turning a simple, daily exercise into a meaningful process for faith and professional development.

Finally, I wanted each devotion to be translated into Spanish. Since the beginning of NCFI Cares, my sister in Christ and nursing, Martha from Argentina, has translated each devotion prior to sending it to Latin America nurses! Thus, CARES is bilingual.

I am excited to bring CARES: Reflections for Nurses!

Check back, as I continue to share updates!

Carrie

NCFI Cares: Hope in Thankfulness

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Like love and faith our hope grows and blossoms (1 Corinthians 13:13). One of the ways we can nurture hope in our lives is through thankfulness.  Identifying the simplest things in our lives and thanking our Father God for them fosters hope, even when we are buried beneath the trials of life. This is also true for our patients struggling with illnesses and diseases.  When we struggle to find something to be thankful for, we can pause and thank the Creator for our existence and the necessities of air and water for life. No matter what our situation or our patient’s circumstances there is always something to be thankful for.

An excellent passage for thankfulness is Psalm 136. Famous for its repetitive refrain “his steadfast love endures forever” or “his loving kindness endures forever,” the psalm states “Give thanks to the Lord for…he is good…God of gods…does great wonders, etc. The psalm continues with a history lesson of the Israelite s relationship with God. This is our Lord, who has and continues to write a historical narrative in our lives.  We discover the sustained hope when we remember how the Lord has worked in our past (Lam 3:21).

 

Take time this week and read Psalm 136 and “Give thanks to the Lord for __________________ filling in the blank with how the Lord has demonstrated his “steadfast love” in recently in your life.

p.s. Want to discover how to encourage hope for your patients?  Check out three articles from the Journal of Christian Nursing. Importance of Hope; When Hope is Lost Part 1 & Part 2.  

USA JCN subscriptions

International JCN online Order–click here! only $37 USD

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Journal of Christian Nursing

 

NCFI Cares: Job Well Done!

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“Before God the Father, we remember your work of faith, labor of love and your steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). These are the words of Apostle Paul to the believers in Thessalonica. Paul commended his brothers and sisters for their faithfulness to the gospel message. Paul says, “Job well done!”  Not only did Paul say, “Good job.” He also made the proclamation before God, “God as my witness, the Thessalonians are great Christians!” In his letter, Paul recognized the believers’ commitment to living out the teachings of Christ Jesus. The believers faithfully served one another and Christ through acts of grace and charity (James 2:14-19; Matt 25:35-59).

As Christian nurses committed to serving Jesus Christ, NCFI leaders, staff, and fellow nurses commend you. We know of your work of faith in staying strong in Christ. Your labor of love to patients and families, as well as to your fellow colleagues. We also recognize the steadfastness of your hope. A hope that developed from yesterday, provides strength for today, and guides you in confidence for tomorrow.  We remember you in our hearts and prayers, and confess you to our God that you are great Christian Nurses! Job well done!

Take a moment and tell a colleague–Good Job