Support

I have been given so much encouragement and support in the last several weeks- it is incredible!  A pep talk from Life Group, prayers from family and friends, unexpected checks in the mail, sweet comments from my co-workers, an inbox full of encouraging emails, inspirational conversations with people I respect, so many listening ears, thoughtful Christmas gifts and notes... all ways that I've been shown God's love.  It's hard to have doubts when He is blessing my dream to live and work on the Africa Mercy, and I haven't even left yet!  I feel like I'm on the receiving end of this command:

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

Thank you everyone, you're amazing.

(Countdown: less than 3 weeks to go!)

Crazy

Here is a list of things that are crazy (in no particular order):

 

• A floating hospital
• Resigning from a job I love
• Living and working in West Africa
• Working some night shifts again
• The incredible support of the people that love me
• Shut the front door... there's a Starbucks on the ship?!
• Saying goodbye to co-workers
• Committing to an extra 5+ weeks on board (yep, you read right!)
• Leaving in about a month
• God providing for me every step of the way
• Having a use for my twin sheets for a bunk bed again (anyone remember the dinosaur themed dorm room?)
• Working alongside over 400 crew members from across the world

 

In other news, Mercy Ships remodeled its website, isn't it looking fabulous...?

 

 

 

 

The website shares that in 2011, during their visit to Sierra Leone they performed:

• 3,300 life-changing general surgeries
•  More than 2,600 eye surgeries
•  More than 34,700 dental treatments
•  About 10,000 medical consultations

In addition, the crew trained more than 450 local health-care professionals in anesthesiology, orthopedic and reconstructive surgery, midwifery and eye surgery.

(Check it out for yourselves: http://www.mercyships.org/)




I cannot wait to be part of this amazing organization! 
 
 
“But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through.”  -Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Knock, knock...

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  Matthew 7:7 

Is it possible that sometimes I become obsessed with knocking on the wrong door? 

I'm awfully persistent (aka stubborn), so at times I knock until my metaphorical knuckles hurt and I don't stop to notice all the other open doors.  How can I see other opportunities in front of me if I'm stuck pounding on a door that may never open?  Sometimes I fear that I'm standing in front of a beautiful blessing, but I'm afraid of it, because it's not what I asked for.  God answers our prayers.  However, "Ask and it will be given to you..." doesn't mention that it will come in whichever specifications I choose, on my time frame and in every way that I see perfect.  God has infinitely more wisdom than I do, so I have to continually learn to trust when my prayers are answered in ways that I don't expect or even want.  It's in the asking that I learn most about myself and in the receiving that I learn most about God. 

So, while it sounds like I'm speaking figuratively, in the next few months I might learn what it feels like to literally knock on doors to find a new job.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a leave of absence from work.  Bummer, I know.  I really spent some time praying and knocking and asking... on a door that didn't open.  It's sad to leave my home on the Neuro floor, my amazing co-workers and the patients, but I wouldn't give up this chance to be a nurse on Mercy Ships for anything.  God is faithful, He gives answers and I know that another door will open.  It's hard for us planners in life to not know what the future brings, but here is what I do know: I simply need to continue asking, seeking and knocking.  God will bless it. 

  

Plans

This weekend I spent time with Danielle, Martha and Kelly, three of my friends from high school.  It was so much fun to cheer on the Badgers, laugh and catch up.  There is something so comforting in spending time with people who knew me when I wore braces!  And it turns out, the ridiculous jokes from our band nerd days are still hilarious! 



D, Merta, and me!

Throughout the weekend my friends and I discussed all the ways we've changed since we were seniors in high school. This afternoon I've been thinking of all the twists and turns my life has taken in the six short years since graduation.  I am so thankful for all of the surprise endings, winding paths and lessons learned.  I've learned to appreciate life and not take everything so gosh darn seriously.  When I was 18, I could not have predicted what my life would look like at 25...

 

                   So why am I so concerned about what life will look like after Mercy Ships? 

 

As I make plans A, B, C, D and E regarding my job at UW and consider the impact that my time on Mercy Ships will have on my career, I am realizing that I cannot know what the future brings.  No matter how many plans I make or how precisely I've mapped out my future, life is going to change.  Plans change.  Maybe this time of uncertainty is good for me.  Over the years, I've learned the most about myself and God when my plans have been stripped from me. 

 

Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."  I am reminded that God has created me to do specific work in the world.  Regardless of the amount of back-up plans I have, God's plan will be far more beautiful than mine.  I can't picture it, but I'm not supposed to.   

November To Do List

Today I'm writing from an unseasonably cold Las Vegas.  I'm not here for the weather, but to visit the Fenskes!  My roommate from college and her hubby live here and while Andrea is drying her hair, I'm thinking of what I want to accomplish this month.

1. Travel Clinic: I have to get some pretty intense vaccines before I cross continents.  I read up a little bit about Yellow Fever and I'm very thankful to have access to the vaccine before I go.  The virus is spread by mosquitos and Wisconsin mosquitos love me, so I should probably assume West African mosquitos will equally enjoy pestering me.  (Side note: I'm a health care professional, so I know that there is scientific evidence that my incredibly sweet personality "sweetens my blood" and I'm basically insect candy.)

2. Buy Plane Tickets: That will definitely make it real.  I can't wait to call the travel agent and say "One ticket to Africa please!"  My wonderful mom has offered the airline miles that she earns through her company credit card.  What an incredible gesture, that will save quite a bit of money!  Now to figure out the logistics...

3. Start a Packing List: There will be times when I'm not wearing scrubs and will be interacting with staff and the people of Guinea.  Thankfully Mercy Ships provides a culturally sensitive dress code and I'm already thinking of what to pack.  This is also giving me an excuse to buy a maxi skirt or two.  In fact, I'm hoping to do this while I'm in Las Vegas!  Hello Target!

4. Learn Some French: I realize that I probably won't be fluent by January, but learning a few key phrases certainly couldn't hurt!

5. Pray- I am still working on the job situation... and praying about it.  There are a lot of details that will all work themselves out, so I'm praying that God gives me a sense of peace about the nitty-gritties.  Feel free to pray with me!

My First Ever FAQ Section

(Disclaimer: I have never written an FAQ section about my own life, but I thought this was finally the appropriate time to do it, so excuse me if you find this obnoxious.)

What is Mercy Ships? It's an organization with a simple mission: Bringing hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor.

How do they do this? Check out the website!
http://www.mercyships.org/index.php/pages/mission-health

What will you do? As a nurse, I will care for patients post operatively within the hospital ship. I'll be doing the cool stuff like assessing patients, giving meds, changing surgical dressings, preparing patients to go home and praying for them! My home will be on the ship, which will be in Conakry, Guinea for the duration of my time there. I will serve for three months from mid January to mid April!

How did this happen? I heard about Mercy Ships when I was in nursing school and it's been on my mind ever since. I talked about this desire with friends, family, some co-workers, dates, church members and anyone who seemed relatively interested. I took comfort in Psalm 37:4- "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." God knows my heart better than I do, so I prayed about it and asked people to pray for me. And what do you know? Last Tuesday God followed through on His promises! I know that this is what the Lord wants me to do because He has given me this gift- a true desire I've had for a long time.

What could be better? Nothing.

Who's going to take care of your stuff? Sarah, my roommate, has promised to water my plants but has not yet promised there won't be any shenanigans when I get back. My darling mother will have access to my accounts and bills. Otherwise I'm just packing up and leaving the continent. No biggie.

Any thing I can pray for?  I am still figuring out what will happen to my job here at home.  If you could pray about the job situation, that would be grand!  I have a pretty awesome plan, but shockingly it might not be Gods plan (sorry for the sarcasm, but my plan is so rarely His plan!)  Thanks to everyone for all of the support, love and prayers!

Introductions

Hi, my name is Kylie. This is my first blog, and although I've had some experience with a diary in the third grade, I have never published my thoughts on the Internet for all to read. I promise not to tell you about what was for hot lunch (that is so elementary school), so please, be nice.

A little about me: I am 25 and a nurse on a neuro floor in Madison, WI. I have amazing family and friends and I love frozen yogurt. I am a Green Bay Packer fan. I adore puppies and children, mainly because I'm a woman and we can't help it. I like to think that I am funny, and generally at least one person laughs at my jokes (me). I know I'm a caring person and I've been told I'm a pretty good friend.

Now that you have a picture of my life, I have an announcement to make.  None of these details matter because I am trying to live a life that reads more like this:

Hi, my name is Kylie, I love Jesus, and I am loved by Jesus.

I want to share His story through my journey, to my family and friends.  I truly believe that my life is a small portion of the big picture that God has for all of us.  So now that you know the most important part of my life, I have some more news...

God showed me His love in a HUGE way last week Tuesday when Mercy Ships sent me an email that officially accepted me to serve as a nurse on their ship! This is terribly exciting news and I can't wait to learn more about myself, the world, nursing, and the Lord through this experience.  I hope this blog will provide an opportunity to share what I am learning on this new adventure!