And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) This beautiful nativity scene is replayed in movies and church celebrations throughout the Christmas season. It is a reminder of the humble circumstances that the holy family experienced. It is hard for us to imagine the poverty in which a child is born amidst straw and manure. Yet, unfortunately, even today, the vulnerability of the family is too common throughout the world. As nurses, we encounter fathers who are unable to provide ad ..read more

Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. Joshua 13:1, ESV Over the past few months, we have learned many great leadership tips from Joshua’s life. We have learned how courageous leaders focus on God’s word and His plan for organizations. As the Lord prepared us to lead, we looked at changing our perspective, confronting sin, and cleansing our hearts to be ready to witness the mighty deeds the Lord would perform. No matter how much we dislike conflict, our workplace is fraught with op ..read more

So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war. Now these are the kings of the land whom the people of Israel defeated and took possession of their land (Joshua 11:23; 12:1 ESV) When we first emerge from a difficult time, it is challenging to have time to reflect on the good that was accomplished. Have you stopped and thought about what your organization gained during the COVID 19 pandemic? Or what you gained for your own nursing practice, di ..read more

So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you. Joshua 10:7-8 ESV The Gibeonites were under attack by five kings when they reached out to their new allies, Joshua and the Israelites. Joshua inquired of the Lord about what to do. Good idea! Satan deceived Joshua through the Gibeonites when he didn’t inquire about the Lord. To wage war with five kings is an insurmountable battle. Yet, if they won, the Israelites wo ..read more

“When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they also acted craftily… So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord.” Joshua 9:3-4, 14 (NASB) According to Bible scholars, the deceit of the Gibeonites can represent the devil as a master strategist of assault on Christians. With a closer look at the ruse of the Gibeonites, we see many of our own vulnerabilities. Satan sometimes attacks us openly, sometimes craftily, but always with an unerring sense of where our weaknesses lie. (1) The Gibeonites played on th ..read more

But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel. (Joshua 7:1 ESV) We are all too familiar with our personal struggles with our flesh or sin. Many times we can relate to Paul’s internal pleading found in Romans: “But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from t ..read more

So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 (NASB) Who does not love the classic historical account of the Wall of Jericho? It is taught to children in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. I must confess my favorite rendition of the story is with the kids’ movie Veggie Tales. The movie captures how absurd the Lord’s plan sounded to the Isra ..read more

I am the resurrection and life. Whoever believes in me though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26, ESV Recently the priest spoke on the resurrection of Lazarus found in John 11. He mentioned the wonderful gift we have been given to die. Yes, that is what he said. We have been given the wonderful gift of death, for when we die we will no longer be bound to this world. Instead, we will be ushered into the presence of Christ, God the Father, and the angels. Thus, we should not be afraid of death, instead, we sh ..read more

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 Joshua led the Israelites in many battles to possess their Promised Land.  Joshua’s battle was a physical battle where they did hand-to-hand combat against Israel’s enemies, whereas Christians are engaged in a spiritual battle: skirmishes where we are easily deceived, devoured, and destroyed (1 Peter 5:8). There were three distinct areas of conflict which Joshua fac ..read more

Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. Psalm 26:2 The pandemic has been brutal on nurses. We may have found ourselves in places we never expected—like struggling with depression, anger, frustration, hopelessness, and others. Do you relate to any of these emotions? Or maybe, you have distanced yourself from God. This can be a normal reaction to difficult experiences. Or perhaps, you sense that something is amiss in your walk with God and are unsure what it is.As nurses coming out of the wildernes ..read more