Prayers and Thanksgiving

I have wanted to share some of my news with you for awhile now, but life has been so busy!

School has been overwhelming this quarter. I am taking Intro To Microcomputers and Intro to Healthcare. My computer class has been interesting, but it has been extremely labor intensive - I have 8-11 assignments due each week JUST for this class! I have barely been able to keep my head above water - but I have been able to get a 95 in this class even though it has been difficult. God is so good!

These are the last prerequisites that I need to finish - and last week I went to an information meeting for the LPN program and was able to FINALLY submit my application. This Friday I will be taking my Nurse Entrance Exam and if I get a good grade on it, coupled with my GPA, I should have a good chance at getting into the program that will be starting in April. I should hear whether I am accepted by the end of February or early March. I have been slowly taking classes these past 4 years to become a nurse. I have a long way to go yet, but I am on my way! By myself - I KNOW I would never have had the confidence to do what I have done - it is only with God's help - that I have made it this far! HE ALONE is the One who has carried me! I have been working so hard - but HE is the One who deserves all of the Glory!

My schedule has been intense - I work fulltime and go to classes two days a week. I also try to maintain my home the same way I did before taking all of this on. I get up in the morning at 4:00am and the FIRST thing I do - is sit down and read my Bible. I promised the Lord to ALWAYS start my day with His Word FIRST - and He has been so faithful - I have been able to finish ALL that has been required of me - even though some days I am EXHAUSTED!

I have been working a PRN (as needed) position at my work now for awhile - I like it because I am not beholden to a regular schedule. I have been able to make it work around my school schedule and homework. The only drawback has been that I struggle to get full time hours - which my husband needs me to have in order to help maintain our lifestyle. I have been praying that the Lord would provide these hours so that I could help my husband, he wasn't sleeping well - because he was so stressed about our finances. I received an offer from our Staff Coordinator for an ongoing shift - working a weekend option position as a Restorative Aide. God is so good - because this is the very position that I USED to have in Washington, and I LOVED it! The biggest drawback working as an Aide, is that you really dont have any extra time to spend with your patients. You barely have enough time to get the necessary things done during your shift. When you work with the elderly, you really NEED to be able to spend extra time with them! Some of them are so hungry for love and attention!

When this position became available, I questioned the Lord - was this something that He wanted me to do? It would mean giving up my Sunday worship time at my church - how COULD that be something that HE would want me to do!

I talked to our Staff Coordinator about my concerns and she put it into beautiful perspective for me - she told me "you know Kymber, God isn't only found in a church!"

She is SO right! I felt led to take the position - which has opened up SO many new doors of opportunity for me. I work 12 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday now - I carry out the exercise programs with patients that the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapists have on their schedule. Working 12 hour shifts provides me with the time that I have needed to spend with these precious people. I have been able to sit and listen to them, pray for, and spend time building relationships with my patients! Yesterday I was able to just sit and hold the hand of a woman who was in such distress. Her daughter had brought her a miniature Christmas tree to decorate for her room. She was so upset because it brought memories to her mind of Christmasses past - times spend in her beloved home with her husband who had passed away a few short years before. She had lost her home to a flood - and her family thought it best that she live where she would have continued care 24 hours a day - this dear woman longed to just go and visit her old home and her daughter (for whatever reason) wouldn't take her there to see it. She was SO depressed and nobody had the time to just sit and listen and hold her hand that day - but I DID!

Thanks be to God! This has been truly HIS doing! Even though I haven't been able to attend church now for the past two months, I feel closer to Him than I ever have - I KNOW that I am doing the job that He has called me to - and I feel so blessed to be given this opportunity!

Please pray for me and the people I care for! Pray that the Lord will bring me ever closer to Him - even though I am not able to have the fellowship/worship time with my Christian brothers and sisters right now. Please pray for me this Friday at 8:30 am as I will be taking the preentrance exam for the nursing program. Pray for the Lord's Will to be done in this area. Please pray that the Lord will continue to give me the strength to do all that needs to be done for my husband and son - to be able to meet all of their needs during this busy time in my life. And pray that the Lord will continue to preserve my health and keep me strong - that He will use the 5 hours of sleep I DO have - to rejuvenate my body to do His work!

Thank you dear ones - for ALWAYS being there to lift me up! I cherish my friendships with you! Please know that even though I may not always have the time to respond to you personally - you are ALL thought of often and I keep you in my prayers as well!

Blessings and hugs to you,