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.

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

Introducing Dr Mari's Health & Hope Corner

 

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.

I have worked as a family physician for over fifteen years while always nurturing my love of writing. I have written for the American Family Physician Journal, contributed to several devotionals, and gained editing experience through various projects over the years. Then, about eighteen months ago, I became involved in one of my favorite writing ventures. I joined the Little Pink Book™ team as their translator and copy editor.

Having lost my mother to breast cancer in my early twenties, I found Maryann Makekau’s When Your Mom Has Cancer and When Your Mom’s Cancer Doesn’t Go Away to be works of love. With compassion and endearing simplicity, these books conveyed what I wish someone had told me years ago. While translating them into my native Spanish, I was surprised by the showers of healing and hope that I received in the process. I experienced the words of Proverbs 11:25b, “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

As a doctor, I strive to care for the soul and minister to the spirit while treating the body. While not impossible, nurturing wholeness can be difficult to achieve in the traditional medical office, and writing provides another way to share my message. Mother Teresa urged us to do “small things with great love.” Dr Mari’s Health & Hope Corner is one such “small thing” offered to encourage, inspire, and help others to find greater purpose, healing, and hope.

Be whole!

Dr Mari

Lessons I Learned Watching Mom: A Mother's Day Tribute

                  

Mami lives on... through the power of love

I was blessed to have a loving encourager and peacemaker as a mother. On this Mother's Day, I'd like to share some lessons I learned by watching her over the twenty years I had her. Though breast cancer took her from us way too soon, she lived so abundantly that her life continues to bear good fruit that endures. Mami's life goes on in those she loved and blessed. Here's some of what she taught me: 

 

I Have Dignity and Worth.
How I Choose to Live Matters.

Mami waltzed through life, her quiet confidence and inner beauty permeating everything she did. She knew who she was and did not live to fulfill others’ expectations of her. I watched her face hardship with dignity, never losing her sense of purpose, her joy or her radiance. Her strength inspires me to face adversity deliberately and with grace, showing through my choices that I know my worth and value what God has entrusted to me through the gift of life.

Laughter and Joy are the Best Medicine.

I grew up watching Mami laugh. She loved to laugh with her family, her friends, our neighbors (especially Yiya), and her coworkers. On cleaning day, she'd often drop the mop, take my hand and lead me to our living room, where we'd dance to our hearts' delight. In the car, Mami would always sing along with her favorite ballads on the radio. When I think of Mami, I picture her laughing with her whole being. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” I think laughter was Mami's favorite drink!

Encouragement is Powerful.

To en-courage is to infuse others with courage, and who doesn't need that? Mami was my greatest cheerleader; her belief in me helped me to become a doctor. Proverbs 11:25 teaches that “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” As we offer encouragement to those who need it, we, too, are invigorated, finding fortitude for our own trials. So I, too, strive to be an infuser of courage, a giver of hope.

Share Your Life and Your Heart With Those You Love.

One of my best memories is going for long drives with Mami. During the two hours we spent driving through the countryside to visit Grandma, Mami shared stories with me. Stories about work. About her childhood. About her parents and siblings. I learned what she valued by hearing each story and noticing the threads that tied them together: her passion for integrity, honesty and truth. Her love of family. Her desire to make a difference in people's lives through her work, by staying involved in the political process, and through acts of kindness.

Mami shared her heart through stories and actions that still teach and feed me twenty years later. As I recognize the impact of all this, I feel compelled to live with the same intentionality, for I know that my kids are listening to me, too.

Sometimes Life Deals you a Tough Hand. Play it Well.

So sometimes life deals you a tough hand. And if it does, you must play your hand, and play it well. Others are learning from you, even as you figure out your own way. So whether you waltz through your troubles or sink into pot holes, the way you navigate your challenges impacts more than just your life. So play your hand well, getting help if you need it.

I still have Mami's copy of Desiderata, the anonymously written reflections found in Old Saint Paul's Church in Baltimore in 1692. “Go placidly amid the noise and haste,” it says, “and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons... in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.”

In times of trial, stay close to those who love you well. Depart from all that steals your hope. And call on God as your lifeline. Then, you will never be alone.

Think About the Next Generation.

Mami was Assistant Secretary of Labor for Puerto Rico. One of my best memories is when she addressed the media during a special event at her office. I was the only person younger than twenty in a room full of news reporters, bright lights and cameras. I don't recall the subject of the meeting, but I remember her words. She spoke about young people, whom she called “the hope of the land” and “the future of the world.” She emphasized her belief in the young and spoke about us in a positive way. Thirty years later, her words still touch me deeply.

I learned many more things from Mami. She taught me to work hard, to believe in myself and to help those in need. She taught me to be relentless in protecting those I love. And she taught me to love deeply and to show it. As I remember beautiful Maribel this Mother's Day, I rejoice in her: her beauty, her joy, her life. And I smile as I recognize threads of her stories weaved into my children's lives - even though they never met her.

Still, they meet her every time I take their hand, play some merengue and teach them a new dance move. Or when we're driving around and I share about my day and enjoy every detail they share about theirs. They meet her in every endearing word I use to show my love, as she lovingly did with my brother and me. And they meet her in my commitment to teach every second, aware that my children are learning from everything I say and do.

So laugh and rejoice no matter what, and find people and things that strengthen, inspire and help you rise each day. Life is for living. Hope is for giving. And love heals all things. Today, embrace those you love. Rejoice in your family and friends, and laugh. Or dance. It's a great way to say thanks – for life!

Be thankful!

Dr Mari 

* This tribute was featured in Hope Matters.

Hope Flies Despite Broken Wings! (Part III - Transformation Series)

It is 3 o'clock on Good Friday as I remember Jesus' ultimate act of trust of his Father and his unimaginable love for us. After suffering anguish on the cross for hours, Jesus gave up his spirit with the words, It is finished (John 19:30). The work he came to do was done; he gave his life that we might live. 

To celebrate the freedom Jesus died to bring us, today we released the butterflies we've befriended over the last three weeks. The kids unzipped the roof of the habitat and, after about twenty seconds, the first butterfly flew straight toward us. Another landed on our plumbago bush, a third one headed for the roof of our house and the fourth chose to visit our neighbor's yard. 

And then there was the fifth butterfly — the one that captured our hearts. We named her Hope.

Having fallen during the critical chrysalis phase, Hope's transformation wasn't quite normal. As this butterfly emerged from its pupal stage, part of the chrysalis adhered to its left wing. Though it seemed to fly normally in the habitat where we studied them, we wondered whether she'd fly well enough to survive out in the real world. She looked like a pilot ejected from her plane, backpack in place, ready to let out the chute. 

I was able to remove some of the chrysalis off the wing with a pair of tweezers last week, and just two days ago I noticed the rest of it had fallen off. Still, having a chrysalis stuck to it affected her wing development. Hope has no back wing on the left side at all.

Notice Hope's missing back left wing.

So we released our five winged friends, but Hope stayed behind, as if she, too, was unsure how things would go outside the safety of her home. But after about three minutes, her wings began to flutter, resembling a hummingbird flapping rapidly in place. And, then, without warning, Hope soared toward a nearby live oak and sat on a leaf. As we approached her in awe of her first long flight, she flew down and rested on the ground, right in front of us, long enough for me to snap this shot.

We were thrilled to see that she can fly, and well. She flew high, like the others, and seemed able to do so without any trouble. Hope can fly despite her broken wing.

I once read that bumblebees defy the laws of aerodynamics and that, based on their shape and the size and weight of their wings, they should not be able to fly. Yet, they do, much like Hope with her broken wing. Some things just don't make sense, but our inability to understand the "how" doesn't change the fact of the "what." Hope can fly, and so can the bumblebee, and that's that.
 
On this Good Friday, we remember the greatest act in history. Jesus came as an innocent child and lived a sinless life. He healed the sick, taught about God's kingdom, and showed us what love really means. After a lifetime spent serving others and caring for the needy, the hurt, and the broken, he was repaid on a lonely cross. He chose this path willingly, and he did it out of love.

His love is the source of our hope, and this is why. Jesus ... was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, emphasis added) 

Our broken wings are no surprise to God. He knew we needed mending; that's why He sent Jesus. And it is by his wounds that we are healed, that we may live in freedom and help others heal from their brokenness. We may not understand this, but that doesn't change the fact that he did this out of love for each of us. 

As we contemplate Jesus' unending love, we can rejoice in our brokenness and release it unto him, the One who is able to help us fly despite our broken wings.

Be free!
Dr Mari

* For more of this series on transformation, read Be Still and Know for Part I, Baggage-free Flying for Part II, and A Favorite Christmas Gift ... Insects! for Part IV. * 

Baggage-free Flying (Part II - Transformation Series)

It is day twelve of our butterfly watch. For several days we've observed these creatures in their pupal stage, where they hang upside down in perfect stillness as they wait to become butterflies. Sadly, only two of them ended up hanging. During the transfer to their habitat, three of the chrysalids fell. Yes, I dropped them, and felt pretty bad about it for days.

Two chrysalids house hopeful butterflies.

So we wondered, will they all make it?
Will the fallen ones survive?

It turns out they all have. They're alive and well, sipping sugar water and fluttering by as we contemplate their transformed bodies. Only one of them seems to have a problem. As the butterfly emerged from its chrysalid, part of its interim home adhered to one of its wings, which curled up on itself. The doctor in me wanted to intervene right away, but I decided to wait and see whether its own wing pumping motion would make it detach. It didn't.

So I thought, How sad. Butterflies aren't meant to hop like bunnies. They are meant to soar, to fly! They are symbols of freedom, after all. Imagine flying with a curled up wing and a permanent knapsack on your back.

As I searched for my tweezers, I thought of how some people are walking through life with all kinds of baggage on their backs. Must be tough to make progress when you're the one holding yourself back.

I found my forceps and grabbed on to my unsuspecting patient's chrysalid. As the butterfly took off, most of its old home broke off, and I noticed she did fly. She flew! I was ecstatic to see that her wings work, though I still wonder how she'll do when we let her go.

The whole experience lends itself to some great reflections. How many of us, though equipped with wings, are hopping around like bunnies or, worse, still crawling the ground like caterpillars? Do we want to fly but refuse to remove the heavy loads weighing down our wings? Are there some who have tried to help us but we've refused to receive their help, perhaps out of pride or even fearing the very freedom we long for? What could we become if we let them help us drop our load?

And have we sat long enough - gaining wisdom through trials - allowing our wings to dry before we take off again? Or do we move from one thing to the next without any time devoted to reflection and learning from past mistakes?

One of my favorite Bible verses comes from Galatians 5:1, where Paul exclaims, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Later on, Paul explains the purpose of our freedom, You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

We have not been given wings to sit around, to crawl the ground, to wait for someone else to do what we've been called to do. We have been given wings that we may soar to new heights, trusting that the One who put us here and cares for us through each transformation of life will remain with us at every new place to which we're called. And when we travel there, we have one purpose. 

We've been set free to love.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Our freedom comes with boundaries, and with a purpose. So let us be free.

Free to live abundantly. Free to serve. To give and to receive. To love.

Be free!
Dr Mari

* See Be Still and Know for Part I of this series, Hope Flies Despite Broken Wings! for Part III, and A Favorite Christmas Gift ... Insects! for Part IV. *

Be Still and Know (Part I - Transformation Series)

This week about thirty larvae arrived in the mail. Weird as it sounds, I actually ordered some insects to be delivered to our home. It's the best science experiment, and an inspiring visual life lesson. Over the next three weeks, my kids will care for these vulnerable creatures until they grow and become butterflies and ladybugs. Though they arrived as earth-bound crawlers, they will soon have wings and take flight, leaving the safety of their tiny home for a world unexplored.

Imagine that! From crawling the ground to flying ... what a transformation!

...to winged butterfly!

From earth-bound crawler...

I love to recognize that it is even possible for a creature to change in such fundamental ways. For now, these critters are mostly about one thing: eating! They eat, they rest, and in almost perfect stillness, they grow. These first three days they've been so still that we've often wondered if they're alive, but they are. They apparently need to be still, and they seem adept at listening to their body's needs. As they grow, they rest. They have no problem being still.

Humans are a different story. Inner stillness can be such a challenge for us in the 21st century. We are so complex, so sophisticated. We are technologically advanced, and we wants things now! We are very good at the moving part and the eating part, but we're awful at any kind of waiting and inner stillness. And it's a shame, because God often speaks to us precisely as we become still. 

The prophet Elijah experienced this. When he tried to escape the world and hid in a cave, he did not hear God's voice in the wind, in an earthquake or in the power of fire. God's voice came to Elijah as a "gentle whisper." And as soon as he recognized God's voice, things began to turn around for the prophet, who gained a fresh understanding of his purpose and God's sovereignty. (1 Kings 19)

Psalm 46:10 says, Be still and know that I AM God. Elijah's experience teaches us that we must be attentive to God's voice and careful to seek silence and stillness, that we may hear God's gentle whispers. 

So here's the question for us. Do we have the humility to learn — even from crawling critters — to be still, to rest, to wait? If we do, perhaps we, too, will go through our own transformation. Perhaps we, too, will be given our own set of wings.

Rest in Him,

Dr Mari 

* Go to Baggage-free Flying for Part II of this series, Hope Flies Despite Broken Wings! for Part III, and A Favorite Christmas Gift ... Insects! for Part IV. *