Trials, Tribulation, and Hope

Sadly, because so many people on ATS are easily offended, and immediately assume that every post that talks about Jesus is trying to convert them, or trying to prove to them that there is a God, I feel it necessary to start off with some crowd control.

I am not trying to convert anyone with this message. I am not trying to “force my beliefs on you”. I simply want to share a message of hope with my fellow faithful. “Ephesians 4:7-13” tells us that everybody in the Body of the Church has been given different “Gifts”. I really don’t think my purpose has anything to do with preaching or ministry, (at least I hope not because I’m a horrible public speaker) and even I will admit that when some far out fanatics start preaching unceasingly it makes me a little uncomfortable. So I can somewhat understand some people’s reactions. If you do not believe in God, or at least are not openly interested then this is not the thread for you.

With that little disclaimer said. I will begin my story.

I would like to draw your attention to “The Book of Romans 8:28” (this is directly related to my experience.)

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” –Holman Christian Standard Bible-

My mother was a laboratory technician so I grew up around the medical field. On several occasions my mother could not find a baby sitter so she took me to work with her. That, combined with several accidents and diseases which put me in the hospital in my early child hood through adolescence gave me a firm respect for the medical field, and a desire to help people.
I also grew up with a love of science. All fields interested me, astronomy, physics, geology, etc. But my main focus was always biology and anatomy. I loved learning how things worked, and why things were the way they were. In high school I took almost every science course offered, and in my one year of college (prior to when this story takes place) after high school I focused on science classes.

I dropped out of school because I was having trouble. I have ADHD which causes me to lose focus, which in turn makes it difficult for me to learn. The courses I was attempting were light years ahead of what I was used to in high school. So eventually I became frustrated and dropped out.

After about three more years of dead end jobs I began to lose hope. I fell into a deep depression that lasted six months. At time I wondered why I should even go on trying.

It was during this time that I found God. I was raised a Christian but never really “knew God”. Now, at the end of my rope I turned back. I fell in love with the scriptures and devoted myself to God, and confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and then things began to change.

I met up with one of my brother’s old friends and we began to see each other a lot. He was a mechanic and I needed money. So he began to teach me about engines, I helped him fix-up old Junkers and sell them. It was good to be doing something that I could see a result of. (Unlike working as a cashier or stock clerk were all my efforts went to padding someone else’s wallet.) I was finally seeing the fruits of my labors and it gave me a confidence in myself I had never known.

All the while I was thinking about my old love affair with science. I found myself relating car systems to body systems, and car parts to organs. Then I met who would become my fiancé. I met her through my brother’s friend’s family, and we hit it off quickly. She was a believer, and we would discuss our views about God, and it made me happy to be able to share my faith with her.

After a few months of dating her she told me about a school for medical assisting that she wanted to check out. She even inquired if I wanted to enroll (as she knew my history, and love of anatomy). I declined at first, but as we were touring the campus together something rang true in me when we got to the laboratory. I remembered going to my mothers work as a child, and the way I felt being, when cared for in my childhood hospital visits. I knew God had a plan for everyone and thought that this could very well be it. I figured that even if it didn’t pan out, a CMA diploma on a resume might be impressive.

After just the first week I knew that the medical field was for me. Almost everything came naturally, and the things that I struggled with my fiancé helped me study. Nine months later I graduated with a 4.0, I knew that meant something special, because of my past learning problems due to ADHD. I felt great about myself, and now I had a future in the medical field things could only get better I thought, my journey is over I thought. Little did I know it then, But God had bigger plans for me.

After months of looking for a medical assisting position I became frustrated. I kept getting interviews but never got a job. I knew from my past employers that I interviewed well, and just couldn’t understand why my fiancé got a job right out of school but I was having so much trouble.

The months went on; I began to feel hopeless again. I thought I knew what God had planned for me, and I began to doubt. I knew beyond a doubt somewhere in my being that God had led me this far, but why had he left me in poverty, struggling to pay my bills, with the jackals at my door again. I felt bad for doubting, (and knowing what I know now I feel worse) I made myself solder on though, I kept telling myself that God has a plan. I tried to will away all my doubts and remember how I felt Gods love so many times throughout my journey. I kept telling myself that God would come through for me. I just needed to be patient.

Then a year and a half later, things got worse. I had been working in retail again to pay bills waiting for my big break, but all of a sudden me and my fiancé lost our jobs at nearly the same time. The meager earnings we had were taken away, and now hope was slipping further and further away.

After about a month my fiancé (God bless her) suggested I go back to college. I wasn’t earning money anyway, the extra in student loans could be used on bills, and my current collage loans would be differed. I remembered how I fell in love with the Idea of helping people through a medical career when I was attending the medical assisting school and came up with a plan.

My ultimate goal was (and is) to get a masters in science and become a nurse practitioner (it’s the nursing degree equivalent of a physician’s assistant, you basically have the same responsibilities of a doctor, but you need an M.D. to sign off on your work.) But first I would get a associates RN (registered nurse) degree, and then a bachelors RN degree. After the first two years I could work as an RN up until I get my masters.

I began to set my plans in motion. I worried heavily about my ADHD, and how it would affect my further studies. So I continually asked God for help, I asked for guidance, to help me understand the material, and to help me focus. Sure enough God has been coming through (of course). With nearly straight A’s, and being on the dean’s list every semester, I know beyond a doubt that God is helping me.

Now, some time later, while in another nursing class, today it all hit me like a brick wall. I suddenly could see the last several years of my life laid out in front of me, and it all made sense. The intricate workings of my life coming together perfectly.

As I listened to the teacher give an outline of the class I realized something. About half the things we would be discussing I already knew from my past medical training. I realized that with my ADHD this class would have been nearly impossible if I had not already studied medical procedures, documentation, and medical terms in my past classes.

Also, with my biology, microbiology, and anatomy classes getting more advanced I would be lost without my lifelong foundation and love of science, spanning all the way back to my early childhood.

Lastly, God in His infinite wisdom knew that if I had received a medical assisting job, all those years ago I almost certainly would have settled, and not have gone any further.

My life has improved significantly. My bills are paid, there is food on the table, we even have a little extra spending money sometimes, my future once again looks bright, and I am doing better than I had ever expected to in school.

I would like to thank God for knowing what is best, and guiding me to where I am today.

I hope my story lifts a few hearts. No matter how bad things look remember “Romans 8:28” and be filled with hope. Remember that we all go through trials and tribulations sometimes. But remember that God is faithful to those who love Him, and are faithful to him, and He will never leave you.

I would like to leave you with one last Bible quote that I have tried my best to live by.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on right paths.
“The Book of Proverbs 3:5-6”
HCSB

May God’s Blessings Be Upon You All.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.


Edited to add P.S.

P.S. Remember that God is not as small as many make Him out to be. He is intimately involved in the life of every person. No matter how mundane you see your life, in the eye’s of God, Your life is an Epic Journey.


[edit on 26-8-2009 by NRA4ever333]

That's awesome and very encouraging...
Thank you!
Vicky