{Matthew 25: 40}
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"
Days like today remind me that I have a purpose for living.
This is why I was created, to serve others.
This week wasn't my best week; Wednesday was spent mentally trudging through the day, battling exhaustion and delirious emotions provoked by the exhaustion. Defined by denial and low numbers, by the end of Wednesday, I felt like a failure. But the day ended, and I woke up {early}, and Thursday began.
Thursday was spent surrounded by older adults in my second to last clinical setting of the summer semester. It always seemed to me as a meager job, something that I would have never though I would enjoy; but working with the older adults and the interdisciplinary team members was the best experience of the summer. The joy I received from truly serving others was unexplainable; it lifted me from my Wednesday-state-of-mind and gave me a taste of bliss. I gained a new appreciation for the work of the interdisciplinary team members and my gratitude and thankfulness for the elderly grew. Through this clinical experience, I was able to turn my "Just-Survive-This-Life" attitude into a more positive one, "Live-with-a-Purpose."
What is a week without stopping by The Fresh Market with your sister? We stopped by and spotted Molten Chocolate Coffee. After making a small bag to try, Alexandra peer pressured me into getting some sparkling water, something I have been wanting to try for a few weeks.
The coffee didn't ring up since we had put a small amount in the bag; so we left The Fresh Market with Sparkling Berry Mineral Water and a free bag of coffee in our hands.
Later Saturday night, we met up with friends for dinner at Cracker Barrel. Since finals are next week, I couldn't leave home without my binder, so I brought it with me. I figured I wasn't going to end up reading out of it during dinner, but I brought it with me anyways to ease my subconscious worries. It was nice to catch up with volleyball-family; dinners with these people are always a blessing and put a nice, bright end to my week.
P.S. Don't buy the Sparkling Berry Mineral Water; it's bitter and, well, just don't try it! But the coffee is good, but, I mean, coffee is always good.
Days like today remind me that I have a purpose for living.
This is why I was created, to serve others.
This week wasn't my best week; Wednesday was spent mentally trudging through the day, battling exhaustion and delirious emotions provoked by the exhaustion. Defined by denial and low numbers, by the end of Wednesday, I felt like a failure. But the day ended, and I woke up {early}, and Thursday began.
Thursday was spent surrounded by older adults in my second to last clinical setting of the summer semester. It always seemed to me as a meager job, something that I would have never though I would enjoy; but working with the older adults and the interdisciplinary team members was the best experience of the summer. The joy I received from truly serving others was unexplainable; it lifted me from my Wednesday-state-of-mind and gave me a taste of bliss. I gained a new appreciation for the work of the interdisciplinary team members and my gratitude and thankfulness for the elderly grew. Through this clinical experience, I was able to turn my "Just-Survive-This-Life" attitude into a more positive one, "Live-with-a-Purpose."
What is a week without stopping by The Fresh Market with your sister? We stopped by and spotted Molten Chocolate Coffee. After making a small bag to try, Alexandra peer pressured me into getting some sparkling water, something I have been wanting to try for a few weeks.
The coffee didn't ring up since we had put a small amount in the bag; so we left The Fresh Market with Sparkling Berry Mineral Water and a free bag of coffee in our hands.
Later Saturday night, we met up with friends for dinner at Cracker Barrel. Since finals are next week, I couldn't leave home without my binder, so I brought it with me. I figured I wasn't going to end up reading out of it during dinner, but I brought it with me anyways to ease my subconscious worries. It was nice to catch up with volleyball-family; dinners with these people are always a blessing and put a nice, bright end to my week.
P.S. Don't buy the Sparkling Berry Mineral Water; it's bitter and, well, just don't try it! But the coffee is good, but, I mean, coffee is always good.
I am headed into my last week; where has the time gone? It felt like I just began this journey yesterday! It has been a whirlwind, but I have enjoyed every moment of it.
Up next, 5 lessons I have learned from this five week experience. These lessons can also serve as reasons why to pursue nursing school if that is something you are looking into or are 'on-the-edge' about.
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Serve to Be Served
{Galatians 5:13-14} You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
When Christians are told, "You are free," we are not free to do whatever we choose; more so, we are free from the hold of sin. We are free to exercise the power of the Holy Spirit. We are free from hatred, hostility, and bitterness.
"Use your liberty as may best manifest your love to your neighbour, seeking his edification, or at least doing nothing contrary thereto. And hereby show that Christ has made you free indeed."
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{Romans 12:1} Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
Mercy and grace are not the same, but complement each other. Mercy was the death of Christ; him allowing human's a way 'out' from eternal death; mercy is one not getting what one deserves. Grace is the blessings of the Lord, one receiving something one does not deserve.
"Let us render ourselves; all we are, all we have, all we can do. It is acceptable to God: a reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give a reason for, and which we understand. Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world. The work of the Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will, affections, and conversation, till there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Thus, to be godly, is to give up ourselves to God."
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{1 Samuel 12:22-24} For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart;consider what great things he has done for you.
Knowing we serve a God who will never reject, will never abandon, and is proud of us, despite our sinful nature which is in direct contrast with His character, is peace-inducing. The least we can do is offer ourselves up to Him as a 'living sacrifice' and be a vessel for His Kingdom. Even though we may reject Him, he never will abandon us; that is true love, and it starts a fire deep in my soul that I hope I cannot contain and I won't be able to control.
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“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
― Ralph Waldo Emerson