Get Your Head in the Word

“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

I find encouragement from this verse that the Bible and the Old Testament are enough to know God. Of course there is much more available – nature, art, literature, humanity, good, evil. You do not have just one source, but if you want to hear God directly, there is no better place. And so when I have doubts or less trust, I find the solution in the parable of Jesus, and I try to get my eyes on the pages and my head into the word.

 

Board Certification

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Today is the day for my family medicine board certification exam. I was actually certified in 2000, re-certified in 2007, and now I am taking my third certification test. I probably have two more in front of me over the next twenty years. I have a full day of testing in front of me. I feel ready, but nobody really likes taking important tests. They were a lot easier when I was a kid who didn’t really care about the results. I don’t remember having any concerns about taking my SAT or ACT. The MCAT I pondered a bit more, but I was to undisciplined to really study for it. I am looking forward to putting the test behind me and refocusing my attention toward the future in Africa.

Way to go Greg

The director of our mission agency Greg Seager was recently honored by the Institute for International Medicine as the Cross Cultural Leadership Award recipient. Here is their brief summary.

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Greg Seager, RN MSN, and his wife, Candi, first became involved in cross-cultural healthcare when invited by their home church. Moving up quickly in leadership, they were soon overseeing six to eight medical teams to Haiti each year. Later they became full-time staff with Mercy Ships, where part of Greg’s role involved Implementing Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) protocols, and program evaluation. Greg’s critique of international healthcare is best embodied in his book, When Healthcare Hurts: An Evidence Based Guide for Best Practices in Global Health Initiatives. In 2010, Greg and Candi launched a new healthcare sending organization to embody these innovations. Christian Health Service Corps today empowers fifty full-time personnel serving in fifteen developing nations.