Posts by Women Physicians and Dentists in Christ

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?’” (Mark 8:34-36, ESV).

Fall is here…evidenced by the falling leaves, the cool crisp air and the kids settled back into the routine of school. But October has a different meaning for me. You see, those pink ribbons have special significance for me as a breast cancer survivor. Just like I grieve the end of the hot summer days I love, I lament over the changes I can’t stop and seem to just endure the trials.

“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17a, NIV 1984). “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all’” (Proverbs 31:28-29, NIV 1984). My heart is full after the conference in Philadelphia. How amazing to meet and talk to other Christian female physicians who are living through similar experiences. But we are much more than that, many are wives and mothers. And we are daughters.

“Is Jesus a part of your DNA?” This challenging question came to our group at the close of a recent Bible Study Episode I’m attending with my husband. “Whoa,” I thought, “That’s a pretty deep question.”

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32, NKJV). This has become a really important verse in my life over the last 10 or 15 years. I don’t know if any of you can relate, but I’ve had a bit of struggle with performance and with basing my identity on how much I was able to do. I’m not totally sure, but I think this started as a young child – maybe even at birth.

Has anything like this ever happened to you: respond to an email that contained some personally sensitive information and find out weeks later that your email response was never received? Or you send an email with some personally important information and it never is read by the intended recipient? All of this because of a lost email.

As a family physician, I see patients almost daily who are struggling with anxiety. If God is important to them, I usually challenge them to memorize Philippians 4:6-8: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV 2011).

Grace is Not a Blue-Eyed Blonde is the title of an old book. It talks about Christian grace in our daily living. Grace is not paramount in our society these days…nor is it often talked about in the church. What is grace? My dictionary has 21 different definitions or descriptions of grace. The grace I wish to have daily is theological grace: “a pleasing or attractive quality of the spirit of God manifested in my daily actions with people.”

However, as we gathered for a family party, I felt more sadness than joy. Eric has struggled with several health issues since infancy. Like his dad, my son, he suffers from atopic dermatitis, an extremely itchy skin disease. Especially in infants, it is almost impossible to prevent scratching, making it prone to infection and scarring. It disturbs sleep and causes irritability.

he whole process of symptoms, differential and diagnosis is one with which are all familiar, but this past week I made a new personal diagnosis. I have research-induced asthma. Not so much wheezing, but distinct chest tightness and impending sense of doom. The context for this discovery was my first ever research elective – an entire month designated to making staggering progress on one’s neglected half-baked research project.