Salt and Light
One Core Question
When Jesus met the blind beggar, he asked him one key question, "What do you want me to do for you?" The beggar didn't hesitant with an answer. He simply wanted to see (Luke 18:35-41).
Jesus asks us the same question, but it gets drowned out in the crowd noise of life, and we answer with requests for the urgent, temporary needs of the moment. "Jesus, I want you to get me through this crisis...or, heal my body... or, solve that relational conflict...or..."
...or what? Jesus says again to each of us, "What do you want me to do for you?"
Getting at the heart of this question is the purpose for the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook from InterVarsity Press. This handy workbook is an easy-to-use, essential tool for your spiritual development. Get directions for your journey toward intimacy with Christ by matching desires with discipline. You'll find this helpful Handbook, along with other transformational books from IVP at http://www.ivpress.com.
Member Benefits
Did you know ...?
* Nurses Christian Fellowship is both a professional organization and a ministry for nurses, nursing students, and educators. Join a network that explores and integrates Christian faith and nursing practice to bring God's love and healing to nursing and healthcare.
* Become a member and you'll receive the Journal of Christian Nursing (print, online, mobile view, iPad) and significant CE discounts. Tap into quality NCF resources, Bible studies, and other materials. Members receive NCF's Charting the Way and Connections, compact monthly e-newsletters with information relevant to Christian nursing professionals.
* Find out more about NCF membership and join our mission to students and nurses at http://ncf-jcn.org/membership.
* Need Help? NCF Members who need help with their JCN subscription (print or online access) should contact Lippincott Member Services at 866-489-0443 or [email protected]. Information on member CE discounts at Lippincott's http://NursingCenter.com can be found in the Members-only section at http://ncf-jcn.org. Log in with your name, email, and member ID number (found at bottom of every Charting the Way) at http://ncf-jcn.org/membership/members-only-login.
On Campus
Examining What's Vital
Nursing students are asking, "What does it look like to follow Jesus in nursing?" As Jesus transforms their lives, they want to be a part of God's transformational work in the lives of others. Across the country, students are integrating faith and nursing in nearly 100 chapters of Nurses Christian Fellowship.
"Studying the Bible with each other is vital to spiritual growth," says Bonnie Hann, NCF Campus Liaison. "That's why we created 12 Bible studies specifically for nursing students." The online series, What's Vital? Following Jesus in Nursing, is free at http://ncf-jcn.org/resources/bible-study-materials/whats-vital-following-jesus-n.
Here are some of the topics:
* Stress in the Life of a Nursing Student: A look at how Jesus handled stress and what we can learn from his example in Mark 1.
* Need a Break? A glimpse of how God met the needs of a burned-out prophet helps us trust God for our needs and the needs of our patients.
* Compassion Fatigue: The book of Philippians offers ideas for how caregivers can keep a healthy balance and prevent burnout.
* Thirsty No More: Insights from John 4 help us in assessing the spiritual needs of patients.
NCF faculty advisor Cynthia Bain was looking for resources for the new NCF group at Texas Woman's University. "To my delight, I found the What's Vital? Bible studies!" Cynthia said. "I read several and couldn't believe how well-written they were. They touched my heart."
"These Bible studies always open up a forum for lively discussion," Cynthia said. "I am thankful for a wonderful resource to reflect God's love to patients in the students' nursing clinical rotations-and beyond!"
Students, educators, and nurses can download all 12 Bible studies for individual reflection or for a discussion group on campus or in the workplace. Invite friends, classmates, or coworkers to explore the Bible with you and discover together the riches of God's grace and truth.
It's vital!
Intersections
Connecting Faith and Nursing
Innovations in Faith-Based Nursing Conference: Learn how to make a personal impact on nursing at the 2014 Innovations Conference. Gather with nursing educators, clinicians, students, and researchers June 16-19, 2014 at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Find unique opportunities to:
* explore Christian foundations and worldviews in professional nursing.
* identify innovative teaching strategies for nursing education and practice.
* embrace cultural attributes in the profession of nursing in local and global settings.
* experience networking in a Christian community.
Learn more at http://www.indwes.edu/Nursing-Innovations/.
If you work in community health, you'll want to attend Rooted, the annual Christian Community Health Fellowship conference in Atlanta, Georgia May 8-10, 2014. CCHF is a community of Christian healthcare professionals who are committed to living out the gospel through healthcare among the poor. No matter where you work, you'll want to gather with others who consider their careers and training in healthcare as a missional calling to serve Christ. See more at http://www.cchf.org/annual-conference.
Spotlight On...
Miriam Robinson: NEW STAFF with Nurses Christian Fellowship
Miriam Robinson is a nurse with a deep passion for the spiritual development of nursing students. This is why she joined the staff team of Nurses Christian Fellowship and InterVarsity. Miriam works part-time as a staff nurse and part-time as a campus minister with nursing students at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
"I'm excited about coming on NCF staff because I can be a campus minister who understands healthcare and what it's like to be a nurse," Miriam said.
Miriam prays that nursing students will have a passion to see others on their campus come to know God. A barrier that gets in the way is that nursing students often believe they don't have enough time to devote to anything aside from nursing school, such as ministry to others. "I learned to bring that stress to God and not let it control me," Miriam recalls. "In addition to my studies, my priority was to see my classmates come to know how much God loves them."
Miriam is excited that NCF teaches nursing students how to care for their patients' spiritual needs. "When they graduate, they'll be trained and equipped to point their patients to God as the ultimate healer," Miriam claims. And that's worth investing in.
Looking for a new ministry challenge? Consider mentoring nursing students on a campus near you with Nurses Christian Fellowship. Opportunities are available for volunteers as well as part-time or full-time positions. Discover more athttp://ncf-jcn.org/about-ncf/join-ncf-staff.
Be Equipped.
Nurses Christian Fellowship offers ministry resources for nurses, students, and educators. Visit http://www.ncf-jcn.org