How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Psalm 13:1-2, NSRV
In my ministry as a hospital chaplain, I have grappled with a theology that would be applicable and practical for those who are in a state of disorientation struggling to find meaning in the face of grief when they enter those hospital doors. Disorientation is another way to describe what it is like to be in the wilderness. This experience of the wilderness evoke those occasions in life when the bottom falls out. It could come from illnesses, deaths, other forms of personal distress, financial
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I too was shaped by God through my own wilderness experiences and as much as I want to praise God for where I am today, I want to be able to hang on to the anger that I felt as I suffered in the wilderness a big chunk of my life. My anger is what keeps me grounded in ministering to my patients, families, and staff.
Every day I meet people who are living in the wilderness…a mom whose son will go brain dead by the morning after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head; a spouse of twenty years who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor; a father who has had a massive stroke; a man who has been shot by his fiancé while their two-year old son watched and then took her own life; the loved ones of a wife and mother who they have attempted to revive for the tenth time and the list goes on. Being hospitalized is a scary thing for the majority of patients and their families and this metaphor of wilderness is not just a place; it is by far something more. It is in this place of wilderness, people are alienated from family, friends, and familiar surroundings. It is in this place their power is taken away; someone else is in charge of their life and they are feeling vulnerable, scared, lonely, and discouraged. Yes when one is thrown into the wilderness, it can conjure up the picture of being in a
Sixty days of carrying 80-pound backpacks, sleeping under a tarp for shelter in the Utah winter – welcome to “wilderness therapy.”
It is only human and natural to feel hopelessness and despair as one gets closer to the grave. Religion is an important part of coping with this desperateness. Incorporating a deeper understanding and practicing religion helps with understanding life and death. Spirituality may be one of the most important components mental, spiritual and social health as one crawls towards end of life (Dose, (2007). A study by Dose, (2007) looked at experiences of spirituality in older adults at the end of their life, especially those receiving hospice care. Participants were asked about their “spiritual journey”. The study concluded that spirituality is important to most of the participants of the study and shaped their views in terms of correctness and moving on. A view of life in terms of religion and spirituality was important to them as they neared the end (Dose, 2007). They also found that spirituality helped with coping with their pain and reduced the stress of being
The book is neither meant to be a theological treatise nor an academic exposition but a toolkit to unleash human potentials; a resource for intervention in dealing with human life hurts and as a channel of Gods healing and liberation through Jesus Christ.
Spiritual care can significantly improve the physical and mental health of nursing home residents. Elderly people are going through a period of life that is set apart by the loss of ability, wellbeing, freedom, and companions. Religious and spiritual individuals regularly utilize their faith and beliefs to adapt to these losses, thus it is critical to keep on providing religious services for seniors who need them. Unfortunately after admitting to the nursing homes, the spiritual and religious needs of residents are often overlooked. (BRIA Health Services, 2016). The Joint Commission- a non-profit organization evaluating the healthcare organizations for quality states, "Patients have a fundamental right to considerate care that safeguards their personal dignity and respects their cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual values" (JCAHO, 2009). Tending to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients, is considered to be a priority quality improvement in healthcare. A nursing home chaplain can meet the religious and spiritual needs of residents, residents’ families, administration, and employees. The purpose of this paper is to provide an executive summary of a project that is creating a position of nursing chaplain, to the Board for approval of funding of the project.
Being faced with adversity is enough to begin to question everything known, be it morals, faith, or self worth. However, certain individuals’ faith flourishes amidst life’s trials. Those who choose to focus on love and all that is dear in life are able to continue on in spite of hardships; on the other hand, some lose touch of what matters because the hopelessness and devastation overwhelms. Brains begin to numb and their values are left out in the cold. Fighting, pressing, and believing during times of loneliness is crucial for survival.
It is significant that pastoral caregivers find that balance between caring for self and the caring for those they have dedicated their lives to giving care. This was a very enlightening week in reading the narratives of Robert C. Dykstra, “Images of Pastoral Care.” There was one in particular, “the intimate stranger”. He spoke about his own personal stresses and challenges and disillusionment which confronted him as a pastoral caregiver. It is not he did not love his vocation as a hospital chaplain, he sensed it was beginning to take a toll on him. Dykstra, was very open and honest in regards to what occurred in his life. Pastoral caregivers have dedicated their lives to being there in crisis situations for others. It is the assumption pastoral caregivers will always have the answers to everyone else’s hurts and hopes.
How can I as a minister use my own self, not only as channel of information about my own inner knowledge and experience but equally as an empathic receiver of the other’s affective state and the shared meaning that is emerging between me? This chapter has made it clear to me that as a minster when I know who I am, I will be able to empathize more and take good care of the person who is under my care. John Patton affirms this by saying “one of the most important elements in ministry to the sick is an invitation for the carer to talk about her own illness but an invitation to the pastor to be aware of her own vulunability and her own need for care” (John Patton 62). To me this awareness will help me to place my whole attention on the patient and I will be able also to focus on what I am sharing or if it is just being there in silence with the patient I will still be fully present with the sick person. This reminds me also of mother Theresa of Calcutta who worked with love and cheerfulness, bringing hope to the abandoned and dignity to the dying.
Most often, students ask me how I cope with such variety of situations especially with dying patients, or telling a family member that there is nothing more to do. I immediately tell them that I fully rely on God for my strength and compassion. I cannot image a day without constant access to God for strength and comfort by simply praying silently throughout the day. Sharing situations that I have witnessed opens the door to plant a simple seed of faith and that there is always hope even in times of pain, suffering and sorrow. “Hope is essential to life.” (Townes 2007) With repeated exposure to tragic events often resulting in death, it is easy to question God’s
I received the news, that my mother had no chance to live and one doctor, placed his hand on my shoulder and sighed loudly with discomfort. He said,” she is not a candidate for any treatment.” I stormed into the ICU room, and held my mother’s hand; she glared at me, unconsciously. I couldn't help but hold back my emotions, so I could be strong for our family. As my eyes were helplessly filling up with tears, I couldn't help but to look around at the doctors and nurses working diligently, and doing the best they could for my mother. At the moment, I remembered the sacrifices that were made to help my mother and how saving lives was my calling from God. Thankfully, my mother survives but only at a twenty percent ejection
Former president Theodore Roosevelt had much to say about wilderness, and what it can reveal. “There is a delight in the hardy life of the open. There is no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm.” They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For some they have a dislike for the wilderness and prefer an urban setting, while other love, live, and breath it in various degrees.
The death of mother, Rev. Brenda Rogers Edge, shaped my spiritual formation. Mother’s death was transformative because I had to have the support of my community while I grieved. The general manager of my workplace suggested that I enroll in Clinical Pastoral Education in order to work through my grief as the workplace look past the fact that I was not working.
We’re all broken vessels. We’ve all experienced pain with crusted over wounds that continue to break open and bleed. We need healing. Those who have already discovered Dr Bridgett Fifer through her books and/or workshops know that she has been taking her readers and followers on an emotional journey to begin that healing process. However, with her heart turned towards God she found that He has more to say and this workbook was born to take us even deeper. This is more than just 40 days of lessons. This workbook is filled with powerful activities and engaging exercises. We, the readers will learn how to identify and navigate the pain in our own lifes. It is not by accident that you hold this book in your hands - it is God-ordained. This is our
Isolation is portrayed in way of horror and dread for the protagonist of a story. This is the case for the protagonists in The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye, The Others, and “Survivor Type”. In these stories a sense of horror and dread are created because in the protagonist's’ isolation, they are forced to process their current situation, then their decisions can be irrational or harmful to themselves. By the end they realize how trapped they are and become desperate to find hope or become accepting of their horrid fate.
What spiritual issues surrounding a disaster can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers? Explain your answer in the context of a natural or manmade disaster. How can a community health nurse assist in the spiritual care of the individual, community, self, and colleagues?
Nurses that listen to their patients, not only notice that they are physically hurt, but they can also notice their emotional wounds. The empathy of knowing that the patient is emotionally hurt is part of the spirituality connection. Therefore, they might need comfort. O’Brien (2001) states that, “ No other profession provides the opportunity to touch and be touched by the human spirit as does the practice of nursing. It is this intimacy that calls us to reverence: reverence for God as our creator and Lord…” (pg.110). Nurses have the privilege to connect with people in ways that no other profession may be able to provide. Since nurses are patients advocate, our duty is to connect them with their spiritual beliefs and