My new book is out: The 3 Y's of Faith!

It is with great joy that I announce my latest book, The 3 Y's of Faith, just released. It is available HERE. In this book, I share the story of how God transformed my life years ago after a heartfelt prayer ... and thus began the greatest adventure of my life! 

Living out what I call the three Y’s of faith produces the heart of devotion God seeks, which sets us free to love. 

In Jeremiah 30:21, the Lord asks, “Who is he who will devote himself to be close to Me?” The 3 Y's of Faith will inspire you to respond to God’s challenge. Read it on your own or discuss it in a small group. The stories, questions, and scriptures will deepen your faith, refresh your soul with living waters, and draw you closer to the heart of God.

 

I now lead retreats based on the concepts covered in the book. The next retreat will be January 15-16, 2016 at Canterbury Retreat Center. You may register here. Here's what Fr. Jon Davis, Executive Director of the retreat center, has to say about this project,

“The Three Y’s are a fresh look at what is needed in the spiritual journey to grow deeper in devotion, stronger in faith, fueled to serve, and primed to love as The Lord calls us. It is a needed piety, a Rule of Life for this earthly sojourn. In reading the 3 Y’s you will discover a sacred space, a landscape of Holy Encounter!” 

This new book is part of my answer to Mother Teresa's appeal to do “small things with great love.” 

I thank God for the tremendous privilege of writing for Him. May The 3 Y's of Faith bless you and every reader with a closer walk with God!

Joyfully,
Dr. Mari  

I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.

2 Timothy 1:6

TO ORDER

Living on Mission: Compassion Trumps Fear (Part III)

This week, a human story of compassion and faith winning over fear captured my heart. In the midst of a terrifying outbreak of Ebola virus, Dr. Kent Brantly felt called to Liberia to treat patients with this infection with a mortality rate as high as 60 - 90%. While caring for people with the disease, Dr. Brantly became infected and quarantined himself. After initially insisting that the only available experimental serum be given to an infected colleague (they ended up both receiving the medication), Dr. Brantly arrived on US soil for treatment at a special unit at Emory Hospital in Atlanta.

Transported under meticulous infection control procedures all the way from West Africa, he surprised the world by walking out of the ambulance in a body suit before entering the hospital. Though still critically ill, he seems to be improving while thousands continue to pray for him all over the globe.

This 33 year-old physician, husband, and father of two children (ages 3 and 5) works for Samaritan's Purse, an organization that provides food, water, shelter, medicine, and other assistance throughout the world in the name of Christ. Dr. Brantly was drawn to mission work since youth and wanted to be a missionary even before becoming a doctor. He is a member of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations.

Please join me in praying for this selfless young doctor.

Lord, I thank You for drawing people to know and follow You. I thank You for giving Dr. Kent Brantly a heart of service and compassion. I pray that his health will be completely restored and that, through his illness, a cure may be found for the hundreds of people infected with this virus. I pray, Lord Jesus, that Your Name will be exalted through this doctor's suffering and that many people will come to know You through him. I also pray for his wife and children, for all people infected with this virus, and for every healthcare professional caring for him and others with this infection.

Kent Bradley is a beautiful example of courageously walking with Jesus in healthcare. What a witness! Please keep him in your prayers.

In Hope,
Dr Mari

For Parts I and II of this series on mission, see Living on Mission: What's That All About? and Living on Mission: A Look Back.

UPDATE, August 15, 2014: Follow this link to an update of Dr. Brantly's progress. As he recovers, he continues to thank God for His mercy and is grateful for the excellent care he's received.

Healing Hearts: The Power of Prayer

This month, my 25-day study of the book of Hebrews is included in The Journey, a quarterly publication of Bible Reading Fellowship. Here is an excerpt from one of the reflections I wrote this summer for the latest edition of The Journey.

As I headed for work earlier this week, I was sad, missing our sweet dog that just died. But more than my pain, I was suffering over the sense of loss in my children's young hearts. My soul needed to find its green pastures even as I helped them heal.

In the family medicine clinic where I worked that morning, I start each day by praying with our staff. We spend a few minutes sharing our hearts and our needs. We then pray together, acknowledging God as our provider and healer. We ask to be Christ's hands and feet, to have His compassion, and to stay close to Him while caring for people.

That day I showed up with such a heavy heart that I didn't even feel like praying. But as I saw my coworkers' faces, my heart softened, for I know their struggles and hurts, too. Some of my pain began to melt as I considered their needs.

Somewhat reluctantly, still, I asked if they wanted to pray. They did, so we prayed, and lightness returned to my soul. As I share in my book, Walking with Jesus in Healthcare, God does draw near to us when we draw near to Him (James 4:8).

The first couple I treated that morning spontaneously shared what God was doing in their lives. They were excited to tell me about a mission trip that was coming up and all the ways God had provided for them. After addressing their medical needs, I asked — with renewed joy — whether they wanted to thank God together. As we offered a prayer to our faithful God, I felt like I'd been healed. My heart was no longer heavy at all. It was light and full of joy! I had experienced once more the fruit of faith: living in God's presence, where healing, restoration, and joy are never far.

Are you living in a valley where even praying is hard? Tell someone you trust, and ask him or her to pray for you. Offer your pain and your losses to God. He can do anything.

Joyfully,
Dr Mari

For more inspiration, read My New Promotion: A Life of Grace.

Learn more about Bible Reading Fellowship here and visit my author website for information about my devotional for healthcare professionals and caregivers.

Encouragement For Healthcare Servants

I am so thankful for every opportunity I get to support, encourage, and empower healthcare professionals and caregivers in their critical roles. If you are a physician colleague navigating the many changes in healthcare that continue to impact your life and work, stay encouraged! People need your medical and technical skills and, especially, your gifts of attentive listening, compassion, and love.

These are challenging times, so remember to keep your cup full so you can give out of the overflow of your heart. Learn to identify the signs of burnout and compassion fatigue in yourself and your coworkers so you can be proactive, stay healthy, and continue to serve others.

As you know, music can be not only therapeutic but also a way the Spirit of God ministers to our deepest needs. So I'm posting a link to two songs to encourage and strengthen you right now: Mandisa's Overcomer and All Sons & Daughters' Oh How I Need You.

If you find this helpful, consider sharing this post with someone else.  

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

(1 Thessalonians 5:11)

In Christ's Hope,

Dr Mari

Whatever challenges we face today, whether in our personal lives or while caring for others, God says to you and me, Pray. Stay with Me. Do not give up. I will answer. Pray. (Walking with Jesus in Healthcare, p.186) 

"Ask and it will be given to you; 

seek and you will find; 

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives; 

the one who seeks finds; 

and to the one who knocks, 

the door will be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8

Let the Voiceless Speak: A story of faith in action

This week I had a heart-warming experience of God's faithfulness and the importance of trusting Him. For the last nine months, I've been invited to speak to various groups to share the story of what God has done in my life. This week I was scheduled to speak to a group of faith community (parish) nurses at a local hospital. The organizer of the event is a lovely woman with whom I connected right away, and I sensed her deep faith instantly. I couldn't wait to be among them to share how God continues to transform my practice of medicine into a ministry.

Two days before the talk, I lost my voice completely. After using all my doctor tricks to heal my vocal cords, I woke up around four in the morning on the day of the talk ... still voiceless. I tested my voice and out came a shriek. So I said to God, "Well, that won't do, will it? How will I share about You with no voice, Lord?"

God replied, "Rest. You will have your voice by then."

So I went back to bed in peace. As the hours passed, my voice slowly strengthened, and I had just enough sound by noon. I gave the talk as planned, and we had a beautiful time together in spite of my husky voice.

Two more things happened that were significant. A flood on the hospital floor where the talk was scheduled forced a sudden location change. So the organizer and others scrambled to find a new location, reorder lunch, and inform the participants by phone of the last-minute change. I was ready for a very small crowd.

It turns out that, as in Genesis 1:2, the Spirit was hovering over those waters, and He was about to do a new thing in me and among us.

I was forced into a two-day silent retreat right before my talk, which deepened the message and moved it in a new direction. For God uses all things for His purposes, and what the enemy means for harm, God uses for good.

So during my two days of silence, feeling like Zechariah (John the baptist's dad), I was led to God's Word. I delved into John 15, where Jesus reminds us of the absolute need for us to abide in Him continually, not just every so often.

As I meditated on this chapter, I remembered something I'd noticed years ago. The word remain appears eleven times in the first eleven verses. Hear the words of Jesus,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

“If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love." 

(John 15:1-10)

Let us remain in the Vine, for that is how we can be fruitful, spreading the goodness, love, and hope that will bless a hurting world. As we remain in His love and show it through our obedience, we can expect to see and experience the living waters of His Spirit. And there is nothing better and more needed than that.

Remain!
Dr Mari

Photo by Manuel Díaz Photography. Used with permission. All Rights Reserved.

Faith, Love, and Rest: An Author's Journey

Since the publication of my devotional, Walking with Jesus in Healthcare, I've been busy with speaking engagements, travel, interviews, and many opportunities to share my message of hope. In the midst of a healthcare crisis, it's been a tremendous blessing to help so many colleagues regain a sense of meaning and purpose in medicine. As is so often the case when we give of ourselves, there have been many unexpected blessings, such as working alongside inspiring colleagues from whom I've learned and received much encouragement. I am grateful for every one of them.

Of the different experiences I've had over six months, a few stand out. I was invited to speak at the annual conference for the Christian Community Health Fellowship in Atlanta. Dr. John Perkins and Dr. Jeff Trask reminded us that as we care for the poor, we must examine our hearts and allow the relationships to change us -- including any wrong attitudes and misconceptions we may have. They challenged us to be transformed in our thinking and in our actions, which is precisely what Christ wants to do with each of us.

As I shared my story of walking with Jesus in healthcare, a sense of shared purpose in medicine filled the room. After my talk, nurses and doctors pulled me aside to share their stories of caring for people from the heart as well as their struggles in medicine. I prayed with many of these servants in healthcare, wounded healers like me who continually call on God to help them love the people they serve. I left the conference even more inspired than I was when I arrived (and I was already pretty fired up!).

At the Physician Well-being Conference in Florida, I was given the opportunity to read portions of my book to a room full of doctors, and something quite unexpected happened. As I read about Mother Teresa caring for a dying man she found on the streets of Calcutta, I could not hold back my heartfelt tears, and neither could my colleagues. In four years of medical school, three years of residency, and more than sixteen years in practice, I'd never experienced such a corporate healing. It was a beautiful experience that left many of us speechless.

We need more opportunities to grieve the losses and experience the joys of healthcare together, so that our hearts may be lighter as we care for people. In this field, we can't stop for very long. By necessity, we move from room to room with little time to take in, process, and recover from all we just heard from suffering human beings. It's scary to think how many in healthcare are emotional ticking bombs, weighed down by unexpressed (and often unidentified) grief.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Jesus knows how much we need to stop, rest, and heal.

Since November, I've spoken to nurses, physicians, caregivers, churches, healing ministries, elementary and high school students, and more. I've had precious moments with nurses, therapists, caregivers, and doctors who shared their hearts with me. And I've met authors and colleagues I've admired for years. All amazing experiences, joyful and humbling.

After six months of constant activity, I now have the gift of rest, since my next talk isn't until next month. As I slow down a bit, I continue to ponder the verse that's become so meaningful this year. In Galatians 5:6, the apostle Paul said,

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  

As I rest and get re-energized, I recognize that these words hold the key to our calling. All the good works in the world mean nothing if love is not behind them, whether we're writing books, trying to inspire others with our words, serving the poor, or helping someone die with dignity. 

Self-seeking, selfishness, and pride stand ready to derail us. We must love, and genuine love is selfless, like Jesus. It focuses on others.

Our faith finds its truest expression in love. And to love like Jesus, we must know Him. As I rest, I rest in Him, seeking to know Him more, that I may love like Him.

Warmly,
Dr. Mari 

To learn more about my devotional, visit my author site. And thank you to all my readers for your encouragement, support, and love.

 

Purpose: An Antidote to Burnout

This week, I had another one of those conversations where I can no longer remain silent. A friend began to criticize a doctor, selling me the popular line that all his doctor cares about is money. I never used to feel a need to speak up for my colleagues, but I do now. With all the challenges and obstacles we face in healthcare, somebody needs to speak up for us — so why not me!

I just read a terrific article addressing the epidemic (my term) of physician burnout and our need of resiliency training. As I read, I wondered, How many professions out there talk about needing to train in resiliency? Next time you see a doctor, try not to think about this: "One-third to one-half of physicians meet burnout criteria, leading to very real suffering among physicians and their families." That is a huge number of caregivers helping others while running on empty, discouraged and unfulfilled. To me, this is not only an epidemic — it reflects a crisis in our profession that's affecting society as a whole.

Our task as physicians is extremely difficult; sometimes it seems impossible. We must be caring, compassionate, efficient, thorough, patient, engaging, knowledgeable, up-to-date, skillful, and able to diagnose, encourage, empower, inspire, treat, keep good records, and more ... all in half the time the typical sitcom lasts. It's tiring just thinking about what we're expected to do each day, especially when you consider other factors that affect what we do, such as patient denial, fear, anger, distrust, substance abuse, and personality disorders. In some ways, it's surprising that the rate of burnout isn't even higher!

The authors speak of a resiliency triad that helps strengthen those in the caring fields. This triad involves developing greater insight and a commitment to one's values and to a healthy lifestyle (sleep, nutrition, activity level, among others). I agree that these are all essential and sometimes lacking among my peers but, very often, it's because of the challenges built into our personalities, our profession, and the culture in which we practice. In the culture of medicine, rest is equated with laziness and a commitment to balance is often looked down upon by the overachieving, perfectionist personality that prevails.

The gifts we bring to our profession often become our greatest liability.

Yet, I agree that there is much we can do to help ourselves and care for people with compassion. Although at times what we must do seems impossible, we really can do it, but we must also have the courage to change ourselves and our environment when needed.

The privilege to care for others must be balanced with our need to care for ourselves and our families. I have also found that, as I align my practice of medicine with my values and who I am, I have much more joy, I am much more effective, and those I care for leave encouraged, inspired, and even empowered to live according to their own. This return to congruence has had more impact on my satisfaction and joy as a doctor than anything else I've done. It's helped me grow as an individual, and it's made me more compassionate.

Aligning what we do and how we help others with our values means we have the courage to be ourselves: broken, human, and vulnerable. This inner change impacts not only ourselves but our staff and our patients. This commitment to stop pretending we're perfect, this paradigm shift to be fully ourselves while caring for others begins to transform the culture in which we practice.

I believe questions like, Who am I? and Why am I here? have the power to transform our day-to-day lives. In every profession, we must find that spark that helps us do what we must do with joy. Finding our purpose and living it out — becoming who we were created to be — is a source of contentment that also increases our effectiveness. It's a win-win!

So what can we start doing to achieve that today? And tomorrow. And the next day....

I invite you to have the courage to be yourself. 

Joyfully,
Dr Mari

Learn more about my journey to greater wholeness in my book, Walking with Jesus in Healthcare.

Quote from Physician Resilience and Burnout: Can You Make the Switch? Family Practice Management, Jan-Feb 2013.

An Excerpt from Walking with Jesus in Healthcare

This morning, I shared my testimony, the story of my journey meeting and embracing Jesus, with some high school students. While sharing how praying with patients has transformed the way I care for people as a doctor, I read this devotion from my book, Walking with Jesus in Healthcare. The book is a 120-day devotional written to encourage and empower all who care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of others. It is based on the Gospel according to Luke, the physician. Here's an excerpt from day 90.

The Glories of God’s Kingdom

Read Luke 17:20-37  

The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you. (v. 20-21)

Every time we open the door to greet another human being in need, we bear a tremendously powerful gift. Jesus said plainly that God’s kingdom is within us. Within us! We must have the courage, willingness, and love to share Him with others, for Jesus Himself sent us out to spread His message of hope, healing, and life (Matthew 28:18-20).

During my second mission trip to Guatemala, I experienced God’s kingdom at work in medicine. As a young mother shared the challenges she’d endured that week, I felt helpless. What were we doing there anyway? Treating chronic conditions for one week would be like adding a drop of water into a sea of needs.

While such thoughts conspired to discourage and paralyze me, the Holy Spirit within urged me to pray with her. So I did.

As I began to pray for her, she began to pray for me in our native Spanish, and the gates of heaven opened. Suddenly, we were before God’s throne interceding for one another, two sisters seeking God’s face together.

God’s kingdom broke through my apprehension and her pain, touching each of us deeply. Our heartfelt prayer transcended her overwhelming needs and my inadequacy to meet them. As our prayer ended, we knew we were in God’s presence, having tasted His living waters.

The kingdom of God does not come with our “careful observation” but with our prayerful surrender. I have learned how to overcome that helpless feeling that sometimes still visits me; when I bring it to God, He is more than sufficient.

God's kingdom is an endless river of mercy, healing, and grace. As I call on Him, He is faithful to reveal the glories of His kingdom.

May we surrender our lives more fully each day and continue to call on Him!
Dr Mari

To find out more about Walking with Jesus in Healthcare, please visit my website. And consider sharing this excerpt with your friends in healthcare! They probably need some encouragement today.

 LOOK INSIDE Walking with Jesus in Healthcare Vol I

Physician: Heal Yourself!

I recently saw an ad for one of the medical VIP services that read,

“Healing Others Shouldn't be Killing You.”

A “choking” visual created by a stethoscope looped around itself pulled me in, triggering flashbacks of my career as a physician. I remembered practicing as an Air Force officer with competing authorities - the military rank system and the medical hierarchy – which proved impossible to reconcile at times! During my second year in that challenging job, I fell on my knees one night and prayed, “Lord, I need You. If You are real, please reveal Yourself to me!”

He did, and my life has never been the same again.

When I gave my heart to Christ, He began to transform it, changing me as a mother, as a wife, and as a doctor. God is faithful to answer our prayers to know Him. And when we give Him our brokenness, He gives us life; what an exchange!

As I picture the loops around the choking stethoscope, I recognize that many physicians and caregivers feel like this right now. Squeezed in from every direction. Stretched to the max. Spent. And they feel this way right as they head for the door to see their next patient.

In a recent study of 1,195 physicians from various specialties, “nearly one-third of physicians responding to the survey indicated that they will want to leave medical practice after health reform is implemented.” One out of every three! I know of an office that recently lost three doctors in less than nine months. They all left for the same reasons. They had no joy in their work, little control over their days, and felt that they couldn't provide excellent care with the time constraints and other obstacles they face daily. In medicine, less is rarely more.

We need well-trained, compassionate team members as well as adequate resources and time to care for people with significant problems. The right fit is hard to find, and many never find it. For me, finding the right fit meant that I had to change, too, and learn to think outside the box. I chose to start working as an independent contractor, which has afforded me the flexibility to pursue God's call on my life as a pastor's wife, mother, author, speaker, and doctor. Joy has returned to my work, and I see myself as a servant in healthcare. 

Although the changes in my professional life have been life-giving, they came at a price. I've had to embrace a non-traditional model that others may not choose for themselves. Yet, in Galatians 1:10, Paul challenges our perspective and reminds us to consider our motives. “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?... If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

These days, my joy and peace come from knowing that my choices are pleasing to God, and that is all I need.

No, helping others shouldn't be killing us. That is not God's will for His servants. Healing others is, in fact, life-giving when we do it with Jesus and to please God. I think many of us do it for Jesus but not necessarily with Him. This gap can be bridged through daily, intentional choices involving prayer, meditating on God's Word, adoring Him in worship, and through meaningful conversations with colleagues about the Lord and what He's doing in our personal and professional lives. The closer we walk with Him, the more He works through us, and He is a God of healing.

Are you working for Jesus on your own? There is a better way! Organizations like the Christian Community Health Fellowship can come alongside you as you work for the Lord in healthcare. If in doubt, ask yourself, is this God's will for my life, for my family, and for my patients? Ask Him to help you discern and prioritize your days around His agenda for your life, and resolve to make every necessary change – with His help – to remain aligned with His perfect will.

Joyfully,

Dr Mari 

Strength for the Journey: Inspiration from Psalm 121

My ten year-old son just recited Psalm 121 to me in preparation for his Bible memory quiz tomorrow. Hear the uplifting words of the psalmist,

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—
   where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
   the Maker of heaven and earth. 

He will not let your foot slip—
   He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord watches over you—
   the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night. 

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
   He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore." 

As a doctor and pastor's wife, I continually hear stories of real human suffering. This week, I met a young mother whose son was killed two years ago. A beautiful woman died unexpectedly. An old friend continues to grieve the accidental death of her spouse, and a new friend started chemo. These are just a few of the people weighing heavily on my heart as I lift up my eyes to the Lord. 

So what can I say to each of them? I have only one answer - for them and for everyone else. Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

The One who watches over us never sleeps or slumbers. His love is tireless, His grace unending. His wisdom is beyond comprehension, His mercy a river of life.

More and more, my prayer for myself and for those I love is simply this: Jesus.

When I call on His name, it is as if I've had a drink of life that revives me and makes me long to share Him with others. His power in a surrendered, trusting life is nothing short of miraculous. The tougher life gets, the more I trust Him.

So if you're reading this seeking answers, I have one: Jesus. The Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is more real than our greatest suffering and stronger than our biggest burden. Trust Him with your life. He will never fail you.

In Him,
Dr Mari 

* Photograph by Manuel Díaz (www.manueldiazphotography.com). All Rights Reserved.

For more inspiration, read Adversity's Gift: Perseverance.

Jesus' Birth... Our Life!

I have been intrigued by the theme of my recent blog posts. From the joy of the Lord to a dying newborn to the martyrs of the faith, the topics have been varied and not necessarily Christmas-like. I think I understand why. There is no Christmas without Christ, and there is no Christ without the Cross. If we come to Christmas thinking it's just about a cute baby in swaddling clothes, we've missed the point of His coming.

Jesus is totally other; there is not one like Him. But the story has become too familiar. It helps if we reflect on it anew as if hearing it for the first time.

A heavenly king took on flesh and became human. Jesus left His throne to descend upon a dark and dangerous world as an innocent child. The One who laid the foundations of the world, Wisdom Incarnate, the Alpha and the Omega, chose to dwell in a human body with limits - suddenly, vulnerable. Surrounded by dirty animals, He was born in a dark cave and laid in a feeding trough for cattle. Lowly shepherds and kings alike came to honor and worship Him, for He came for all, regardless of creed or social status. Though perceived by only a chosen few, His glorious light dispelled the darkness for all.

This Savior of the world who chose an infant's body as His home came for one reason: to die for us. His shadow is the Cross.

Beyond the highly unusual circumstances of His birth, this Advent I've reflected much more on Jesus' purpose for coming. On that very first Christmas day, He was already destined to give His life for sinners that we may partake of His glorious life. Apart from Him, we are dead in our sin; period. As author CS Lewis noted, "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."

As we prepare to celebrate Christ's birth, I invite you to join me in this prayer. Lord Jesus, I thank You for coming into this broken world to show us the way of life. I am sorry for all the ways that I deny and reject You, and I come to You asking for the free gift of life that comes as I open my heart to You. Thank You that You will reveal Yourself to me as I surrender my life to You, for that is why You came.

Have a blessed Christmas full of the life, love, and grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! In Him, there is life - abundant life!

His!
Dr Mari

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

Overloaded Lives are Powerless Lives: It's Time for a Change! (Part I)

This month I've been reading a book titled Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives. Written by Dr Richard Swenson, it addresses the many ways that modern progress has robbed us of our reserves and has contributed to a culture that drives us to hurried, frazzled living. Whereas much good has come out of the technological age, we are living  chronically overloaded lives as individuals and as a society. The author shares various manifestations of this overload syndrome; see if they sound familiar.

• Activity overload, which "takes away the pleasure of anticipation and the delight of reminiscence." 
• Change overload, with frequent moves, new jobs, new schools, new... everything, constantly!
• Choice overload: Just go to the supermarket or, better yet, visit one of the Superstores.
• Commitment overload: Have we learned to discern our commitments and feel good about saying "No" when we must?
• Debt overload. 
• Decision overload.
• Expectation overload. 
• Fatigue overload: In my practice of family medicine, at least half of the patients that come in with a chronic problem complain of fatigue. Most of them sleep less than 6 hours per night, drink too much coffee and consume alcohol in excess, all of which contribute to fatigue.
• Hurry overload.
• Information overload: "We are buried by data on a daily basis." 
• Media overload: In North America, the average TV set is turned on 55 hours a week!
• Noise overload: "True quiet is extremely rare."
• Possession overload: "Having first imprisoned us with debt, possessions then take over our houses and occupy our time... Everything I own owns me. Why would I want more?"
• Technology overload: "The average person must learn to operate 20,000 pieces of equipment."
• Traffic overload: "We now have more cars per family than drivers per family."
• Work overload: "Work is God-ordained. Work overload, however, was not part of the original plan. Yet every morning millions of Americans head drudgingly to an exhausting work schedule that leaves them stressed and worn out. The earlier predictions of shorter work-weeks and higher incomes have backfired. Instead we often find total family work schedules exceeding eighty hours a week - yet another family 'over-working and under-relating.'"

Such is life in our modern, advanced, developed world. The author relates meeting a man in Mali, West Africa, who said, "You Americans have all the watches; we have all the time."

Does any of this resonate with you today? If so, consider ways to help yourself on a daily basis beginning right now. You can redirect your life by making new choices and moving in the direction of greater sanity and true living. Overload syndrome is pervasive, but there's so much that we can do about it! The book speaks of the concept of "margin" as the opposite of overload. Margin builds our reserves, increasing the space between us and our limits. Margin = power - load. We can increase our power for abundant living by doing more of those things that increase our well-being, and we can decrease the load we carry through careful choices, too. This will bring back a margin of sanity, energy, peace, and contentment to our daily lives that will make all the difference.

One last thought. Are we measuring our progress by the world's definition of success, ours or God's? "What if... we were to begin measuring our progress not by our wealth but by our virtue; not by our education but by our humility; and not by our power but by our meekness?" What if?

Be free!
Dr Mari

For part II of this series, read Unloaded Lives are Powerful: Restoring a Margin of Sanity. For more on why the choices we make matter, read I Am Not My Own.

 Above excerpts are from Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Richard Swenson, MD.

*Photo by Manuel Díaz Photography. All Rights Reserved. *

A Solid Foundation

As I sit to write this morning, my mind is full and my heart, stirred. I have a loved one in prison and several others who are grieving the loss of parents and spouses. I treated a young woman yesterday who hasn't slept for days since hearing the news of her father's cancer. And I saw a beautiful lady with severe anxiety who's so afraid of doctors that she hyperventilated through the first fifteen minutes of our visit. Thankfully, I was able to reassure her enough to trust me for five minutes, long enough to do the labs we needed to begin treating her. It's a tough world out there, and I thank God that we don't have to face life's challenges alone.

As I began to get to know this woman with severe anxiety, I asked all the typical questions about her upbringing, family, friends, activities, and support system. Then I asked a question that many neglect but that I find critical as I care for hurting people. "Do you have any faith beliefs that help you in life?" The answer to this question helps me know what kind of a spiritual foundation has been laid in people's inner lives, and whether they attempt to walk through life's valleys on their own or hand-in-hand with God. This simple question opens the door to what often becomes the most important conversation I have with people. It marks a turning point.

The woman's reply came with a blank stare. She said nothing at all, searching her boyfriend's eyes as if to say, "What does that even mean?" I asked the same thing in a different way and got the same answer. "I get through life alone." Repeatedly wringing her calloused fingers and shaking her feet without pause, she said, "I can handle things alone."

In the seventh chapter of the book of Isaiah, the Lord says to His prophet, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." (Isaiah 7:9) God Himself said this to Isaiah as he began to walk daily under His guidance. We either stand on the foundation of faith in the living God or we will fall. Period. This is God's word to Isaiah and to each of us.

I wonder - what ground are we standing on? Whether wrongly accused or grieving the losses of life, what helps us stand? Are we standing on a sure foundation or is our life built on quicksand?

Psalm 89:14,15 speaks of the hopeful and solid foundation of God's kingdom,

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; 

love and faithfulness go before You. 

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, 

who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord." 

I, too, have found great joy, peace, and comfort in learning to acclaim my God - our God. As we call on Him, He is here. As we ask for more of Him, He is faithful to reveal Himself more, showing us what we need when we need it most. The foundation of our spiritual life is critical, and the apostle Paul reminds us of the importance of the right foundation. "But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:10b,11)

With Christ as the ground we stand on, we never have to face life's challenges alone. God with us, our Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), stands with us as our Companion, our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Strength. If we build our lives on this Rock, when the storms of life come, we will stand. And as we remain there, firmly planted, we can reach out and help others rise, sharing the One who is our foundation that they, too, may stand firm on solid ground through the trials of life.

Who can we help stand today?
Dr Mari

Local Ministry Opportunity: Sanford, FL

Harvest Time International’s Medical Care Center will open in Sanford, FL this September, 2011. This Christian clinic will provide medical care to uninsured families with an income below 200% of the federal poverty level. The Medical Care Center seeks to bring glory to God by sharing His love with families in need regardless of their faith, race, gender or age. The free medical clinic needs volunteer doctors, nurses, clerical volunteers to qualify patients, medical supplies, and financial sponsors. For more information, visit www.medicalcarecenter.org or call Lena Smolinsky at (407) 328-9900 ext 135.

Dr Mari's Health & Hope Corner

Hope: Beyond a Dream

"Hope is the dream of a man awake," says a French proverb. Dreams come during our rest time; hope is for our life while awake! While caring for thousands of people over the years, I have learned that health and hope usually go together. In fact, hopelessness often precedes and certainly characterizes depression. It is nearly impossible to have joy without hope. Those who lose hope often spiral down, so instilling hope is one of the most important ways we all can help each other.

Hope is a dream acted upon.

I recently attended a conference for physicians where one of the panelists was neurosurgeon Ben Carson, the one who separated the first set of Siamese twins in this country. He grew up with an older brother and they were raised by a single mother after their father left them. Ben was such a poor student that his nickname in elementary school was "dummy." One would have thought he had little hope of success with such a beginning.

Yet, Ben had a mother who believed in his potential, hoped for the best in his life and acted accordingly. Although she couldn't read, she had the brothers turn off the TV and made them read books and write reports on them each week. Before long, the brothers grew to love books, and Ben became the best student in his class. It was a remarkable transformation that began with one person believing in him and motivating him. 

Ben's mother also instilled in her children a strong faith in God. He shared his faith boldly with our gathering of doctors and recounted multiple instances where life got tough and he prayed, received guidance from God, and then resolved to do what God led him to do. It was precisely through such a sequence that he came to know, after months of waiting, exactly how to separate the twins. He then gathered a team of more than twenty people who participated in the surgeries and, together, they succeeded - and lives were changed.

Faith fueled his perseverance, which kept his hope for those lives alive. He prayed, he waited patiently, and then he knew what to do.

One day, Dr Carson realized that all his successes came from God working through him, so he made a life-changing declaration. He said, "Lord, from now on, you are the neurosurgeon. I am simply your assistant." He is now a world-renowned surgeon and operates on hundreds of children each year at Johns Hopkins University.

We all have dreams of what we want to do or become, and dreams are wonderful. But beyond dreaming, we must act in our daily lives in ways that bring us closer to those hopes and dreams. Whether it's eating a healthier diet, incorporating more activity into a sedentary lifestyle or deciding to forgive someone who hurt us, our choices affect how we feel and our health. What we do matters, and our actions impact not only our lives but those around us. And prayer ignites the hope that keeps us going when our world makes no sense or when, like Ben Carson, we face seemingly impossible challenges.

So, today, look around and notice who believes in you and gives you hope. Stay close to them. And look for those who need someone who believes in them. Share your best with them. Hope goes beyond a dream when a person wakes up to the fact that their life has purpose and their choices matter. When we start living with purpose, our outlook changes. Our whole world changes. And that is a hopeful thing! 

Share Hope!

Dr Mari

Changing the World ... One Person at a Time

Last week six doctors gathered at one of their homes to begin planning for the first Orlando chapter of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. These associations "exist to motivate, educate, and equip Christian physicians and dentists to glorify God by living out the character of Christ in their homes, practices, communities, and around the world." Now that's a mission statement I can internalize and resolve to live out!

As I contemplate the things we need in order to live out the character of Christ in our personal and professional lives, my thoughts turn to the patients I've seen this month. You see, for the first time in twelve years I'm working at a secular clinic. I recently met a young man with HIV and depression who feels spiritually and emotionally lost. Two weeks ago I met a man in his fifties who hadn't seen a doctor in over six years because of fear -- so he now has very advanced diabetes and heart disease. I met a woman with panic attacks who has no community to speak of, and a young man in the midst of a disappointing and painful divorce.

How can I possibly help restore wholeness to these broken lives while neglecting the emotional, relational, and spiritual elements that affect their health and well-being? It is not possible -- not if I want to really help them.

Twelve years ago, a simple prayer began a transformation in me whereby I stopped being one more doctor and started to grow into a Christian physician. To me, that means that I started living out my faith in every area of my life, not just my private prayer life. Although faith is intensely private and grows by leaps and bounds in the intimacy of personal prayers between an individual and God, faith that changes the world is often public. And I have chosen to go public in spite of my fears.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." What a shame that a man who stood for non-violence, peace, and unity had such an opinion of Christians. As followers of Jesus, we must not simply walk alongside Him passively or follow at a distance. Our calling is to become like Him, and that happens one day at a time, one action at a time, one thought at a time, and one prayer at a time - as we stay close to Him.

It is so critical to find mature Christian mentors who can challenge, encourage, and help to keep us accountable and on track. It is even more compelling to become one of those mentors. 

In modern, Western healthcare, it is so easy to become discouraged and apathetic by the challenges we face every day. Yet, we have the awesome privilege of being Christ to those in need, often during their most vulnerable and terrifying moments. It is my hope and prayer that, as I treat hurting people, they will leave thinking, "I like your Christ, and I'm starting to like Christians. You look so much like your Christ."

In Hope and with Joy,

Dr Mari

I published a devotional for healthcare professionals and caregivers in 2012. Visit my author website to read more about Walking with Jesus in Healthcare.

Dr Mari's Health & Hope Corner (featured in Hope Matters)

Hope: An Anchor for the Soul

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. 
 Hebrews 6:19

One of my earliest journal entries as a teenager declares, “I don’t want to be a healer; I want to be a giver of hope.” Thirty years later, I am now a family physician. Although I love to help the sick and those in need, I recognize that I am not a healer. God is the healer who bestows upon us the knowledge, skills, and compassion to extend healing to others. I am, however, a giver of hope, and those of us in medicine who aren’t have missed the point of our calling. 

One of my favorite definitions of faith comes from Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Faith is confidence and assurance, not wishful thinking, and hope is a fruit of faith. In uncertainty, hope yells, “Believe!” and whispers, “You’re not alone.” It reminds us of possibilities we’ve not considered and equips the soul with pluck.

We can learn about hope and faith by observing trees. J.W. Von Goethe said it this way, “Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.” I would add, “And then we see it.”  

I have discovered that the most powerful gift I possess is my faith - a storehouse of tangible hope. Over the years I have met countless people who have lost hope and, in the process, have lost their connection to their deepest desires, to God, and to others. What joy it brings to rekindle their faith and hope by sharing mine! Then I notice small buds begin to form on the branches of their hearts as joy returns, followed by the full blooms of Springtime. It’s as if they’ve come back to life. 

Hope restores purpose and vision to the soul. It is an anchor to the life within fueled by the Giver of life. When we share hope, we extend ourselves for the sake of others, helping them find greater purpose and meaning in the midst of their struggles. So plant seeds of hope in someone’s heart today, and watch for the harvest of healing, of joy, of life! 

Faithfully,
Dr Mari 

Dr. Mari's Health & Hope Corner is published monthly at Hope Matters.

Why I Write

"...and he said unto me, write; for these words are true and faithful." - Revelation 21:5

Olympic athlete Eric Liddell said, 

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. 

And when I run I feel His pleasure."

When I write, I feel God's pleasure.

The words from Revelation 21:5 spoke to me years ago about using my gift of writing to bring glory to God. It is now the appointed time to do this in greater measure. I have decided to launch a small business of writing excellence. I accept projects where, through writing, I can help to stir hope, ignite faith, and inspire positive action in others. As Mother Teresa urged, I seek to do "small things with great love." My services include freelance writing, copy editing, and translation.

I bring many different experiences to my writing, including more than fifteen years of service and leadership as a family physician, three of which were spent on Active Duty in the U.S. Air Force. My special interests in medicine include whole-person care, ethics, parenting, education, end-of-life care, medical missions, and psychology. I am committed to caring for the soul and ministering to the spirit while treating the body.

As a pastor's wife, I've gained tremendous insight into people and the church, and a close, personal relationship with God inspires and informs all my writing. My children keep me young through their innocence, joy, and genuine faith. They remain God's greatest gift to me. Watching my husband step fully into his ministry as pastor and hospital chaplain has been a joyful journey of trusting God, who is faithful to equip those He calls.

My writing ministry is for the glory of God. May He always remain at the center of all I do.

Here's to impacting the world for Christ!
Dr Mari