WE GO: Following His Path

Thursday, May 2

Submitted on behalf of our guest writer, Andrea Breland

WE GO: Following His Path

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

We are each His beautiful vessel, called to pour out the light and love of Christ; therefore, WE GO...

WE GO. That sounds good… but what happens when we feel like we can’t go, like we literally can’t go on? I’ll tell you how it has worked for me. We go to Jesus, and we sit until we have strength to do more. It is one step at a time until we can look back and see how He has carried us, held our hands, and walked by our side. In time, with His help, we will run the race He has set out for us!

“…and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Heb. 12:1

I was a CPA, and as we began to have children, I worked during tax season and stayed home with them the rest of the year. It was a wonderful situation! I loved being home with our kids, and at work I enjoyed the tidiness of balancing things and finishing a job. After our youngest was born, I began thinking about being a nurse. God kept putting little and big signs in my path, but it made no sense - half the pay, long hours, working on holidays. I went to nursing school knowing I was called, but I really did not understand why. I graduated in May, 2012, and it became my service to the Lord! I loved every minute.

On September 10, 2015 our world changed. Our son, Parker, who was 14, died in an accident. It changed every single thing about my life in this world. How would I go on? How could I be a wife and mother? How would I love on our other three children when I could not bear my own grief? Could I still be a nurse in ICU and constantly face death and dying? So many questions, but I knew I had to go back to work.

A miracle happened every time I walked onto the unit. I was able to do more than grieve. I was able to work, concentrate, serve, and clean up messes while carrying the weight of grief. I cried many days in the back room, in the chapel, and before I even got to my car to go home, but for 12 hours, I was able to give something. I needed to cry and grieve, but I also needed (need) to work for people to get better, to hold weak hands, to sit with crying families, and to laugh. I needed to be compassionate. I see that years before I needed it, God was looking out for me, preparing me for a part of my healing, giving me purpose. Now I do not take the ability to work for granted. It is a tremendous gift. There was a day for tidiness and balance, but now I am so grateful for the messy, chaotic, unbalanced way that God allows me to serve Him through nursing!

God has started another way for us to GO that has taken us by surprise. I love surprises! In September, 2015, our school district did not have a program for non-English speakers, and they asked me to help an Arabic speaking girl who had no one who could talk to her. The person at the office happened to know that I had learned Arabic while living in Egypt. I had to go back to Parker’s school every week that year. What strange timing! Couldn’t it have been at another school? I cried every time, but all the while knowing that it was my calling. It was the beginning of something only God could have planned. I have tutored several students since then, and the need has grown. It is so much fun to work with these students! My husband, John, and I now have a non-profit ministry called Parker’s Friends to provide English tutoring to international students who speak little or no English. We have people going into the schools now, and we will have a summer program. God has brought so many people our way who know ‘way more about this kind of work than we do. Through this ministry, God is calling other people to GO. Ladies, we are just overwhelmed!

God has provided these two ways for me to GO and spread His love, but the amazing thing is that my feeble attempts to serve have given way to Him bringing abundant life to me!! In my attempts to help people heal and help others understand, God is healing me and helping me understand more about Him.

Thank you for this chance to testify about the goodness of God! Never doubt His ability to use you! Soul Sisters, you have been a constant stream of encouragement! May we all continue to go hand-in-hand and serve from His abundant grace in our lives!!

More reading: Psalm 16, Isaiah 40:31, Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Luke 10:30-37

Lord, we are amazed by your power to heal! Take our hands and show us the way to glorify you today. Keep us from missteps and help us see people in need along the way. Open our eyes to your plans and remind us of our callings, big or small. Thank you for the hope of heaven where all will be healed and whole. Amen.