Hi, I am Carrie the founder of nurses4him.org, a website dedicated to providing encouragement and resources for Christian nurses. Along with resources and a prayer blog, the website includes SBAR. SBAR’s is short for “spiritual bits and reflections.” These are short devotions to assist nurses in applying scripture to their practice. This introduction series focuses on “passion, purpose, and prayer.”

    When we look at the life of Jesus, we see he was passionate and purposeful in his ministry on earth and constantly in prayer.  The first century believers also exhibited passion, purpose and prayer as found in Acts 2:42. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Just like the first century believers, the Lord has given us a passion and purpose in nursing with prayer as our essential tool.

    I became a Christian while taking my prerequisites for nursing, thus when I graduated and started working as an RN, I was challenged to integrate my new faith into my new career. I knew the Lord had called me to be a nurse and had sustained me through trying personal times during nursing school; and I wanted to honor and glorify God through the work he had for me. 
    I immediately became connected to Nurses Christian Fellowship and grew as a Christian and as a professional nurse. Over time, I discovered the lack of resources for the new Christian who was a nurse or a Christian who was new to nursing. Also, what is truly the difference between a nurse who is a Christian and one who doesn't profess faith in Jesus Christ? 
    This all lead to a desire to get down to the bare bones of Christian Nursing. If I taught a class, or led a workshop on the basic tenants of Christian Nursing, what would it include? Well, I created a bible study to answer the question.
    What is amazing is when God is working in your spirit about something, he is also working in others. This is how we know it is from God, for he is putting the same passion and need in other people that he has placed in you. That is exactly what happened with the editor of JCN and leadership for NCF. When I spoke with them about my bible study, they agreed with the need for something on the basics of Christian Nursing, but thought a regular feature in the JCN would be a better place. I agreed, who am I to disagree with God. 
    So, that is the story of Christian Nursing 101. This regular column seeks to explore the basic tenants of Christian Nursing and be a resource for nurses new to the Christian faith, Christians new to nursing, or Christian nurses seeking ways to integrate their faith with their nursing practice. 
    I hope you will follow along with each issue of JCN and join the discussion. As you can see, I am playing catch-up I welcome your input on what you think are the basic tenants of Christian Nursing. 

    Part of the reason for getting this blog up and running was to share with what has been happening with me and nurses4him.org. Because of my involvement with NCF (Nurses Christian Fellowship and my writings for  "Christian Nursing 101" in JCN (Journal of Christian Nursing), I was asked to work with NCFI (Nurses Christian Fellowship International) to develop Spiritual Care content. The first place this content will be shared will be in Manila, Philippians at the HCFI (Healthcare Christian Fellowship International) 75th Celebration. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement! As a nurse, teacher, and Christian, the opportunity to teach Spiritual Care internationally is amazing--I still need to pinch myself! This was so beyond what I thought God would call me to do, that I had to get a passport!
    Needless to say, the development of the content is well underway and I am so privelaged and honored to work with the NCFI staff. Their passion for nurses and the profession inspires me. They have scholarly insight in the most recent spiritual care research, practice, and education. I have learned so much from their experience in teaching and mentoring international healthcare providers, as well as their love for our Lord Jesus Christ. 
     At this point, we have submitted are 4 days/12 hours of content for the Art and Science of Spiritual Care and are waiting back to here from the reviewers. These are various content leaders who read different manuscripts to ensure the appropriateness for healthcare providers, as well as adherence to the Word of God and Christian teachings. 
    Please join in praying for this opportunity to reach out to our international brothers and sisters in Christ, who like ourselves, have a burden for the sick and hurting. We want to encourage them in their faith, as well as assist them in meeting the spiritual needs of patients. We pray for the love of Christ to be present in our teaching, as well as the discernment and strength for the difficulties Christians face internationally. Please pray for Barbara, Tove, Swee Eng, and myself as we continue to prepare for the presentation, travel arrangements, and God's guidance.

    ONE Country a WEEK was brought about as a passion for the unreached in our world and an exciting way to combine walking/running with prayer (nurses are the queens & kings of multitasking!). The idea morphed into a weekly schedule of countries in Africa. We originally used the 24-7 Operation World website, but now we are switching to the www.operationworld.org which has expanded their website with many upgrades. 
    Beyond each individuals countries' prayer needs, there are Prayer Resources from the Jericho Walls International Prayer Network. These "white papers" are pdf files for helping your prayer life.
http://www.operationworld.org/free-prayer-enhancing-resources  
Some of the resources are:
How to Spend an Hour in Prayer (not as difficult as it sounds with their help) 
Seek My Face
Obstacles to Prayer, and more
    In the last year or so, that I have been praying "ONE Country a WEEK" my desire to pray for the nations has grown.  I find myself praying for countries I hear in the news, like Libya and Egypt and since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, this country has moved to my daily prayer. 
    This week starts the kick-off for praying for Asia, a region of our world with many prayer needs! I hope you will join us and comment on how God is moving in your life as you commit to pray for the nations!

p.s. If you love videos! Each country has a prayer video--enjoy!

    Nurses' Coffee Break Series: Colossians Prayer came out of a desire to pray for the profession of nursing and Christian nurses. As I prayed about the challenges of Christian nursing, this heart-felt prayer of Paul to the believers in Colossae became an answer to my prayer for nursing. I pray the words encourage your faith in Jesus Christ and inspire your nursing practice. For only through our Lord's love and grace, we can walk the path he assigned to each of us in nursing.

"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and
 to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and
 increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might,
for the attaining of steadfastness and patience;
joyously giving thanks to the Father,
who qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints of light."
(Colossians 1:9-12 NAS


Follow the link for more information on Nurses Coffee Break Series: Colossians Prayer: A devotional prayer book for nurses using Colossians 1:9-12