Dear Christian Nurse Colleagues
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I trust that you are experiencing joy, peace and many
spiritual blessings in Christ as we begin another exciting year with NCFI. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10:
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
This is an exciting time in the life of NCFI. At the International Conference in Santiago Chile last November, 2012, the International Board made important decisions including the establishment of the International Institute of Christian Nursing, the scholarly arm of the organization; the formation of the next generation of NCFI young leaders with an active account on Facebook at NCFI_NG; and the relocation of the central office to the United States as a non-profit corporation, after a 50 years history as a British charity. Our rich and powerful history is now documented by one of our Trustees, Pat Ashworth in her book A History of Nurses Christian Fellowship International: The first 50 Years.
As we look expectantly to the future, I challenge you to think and reflect on the following question: What makes Christian nurses different from non-Christian nurses in the way they work? Os Hillman (In Touch, January, 2013) identifies four attributes for an effective witness at work.
Excellence: Working for God rather than people (Col 3:23). Doing quality work will not necessarily win others to the Lord, but doing poor- quality work can disqualify us very quickly from ever having the opportunity to share Christ in a positive light.
Ethics and Integrity: Being and acting the same in pubic and in private (Psalm 15). Walk straight, act right and tell the truth. Walking your talk allows others to believe you are who you say you are and to see your Christ-like character.
Extravagant Love and Service: Go beyond the standard and stand out (Eph 6:7). You have often heard it said "People don't care what you know until they know you care." When you genuinely take an interest in another person at work, your witness develops authentic credibility. You will stand out from the crowd.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is a catalyst for supernatural change (John 14: 12). As Christ's ambassadors, we are to intercede for patients, co-workers, bosses and for solutions to problems in our workplaces. The result is open doors for God's presence and power to bring change.
May God wrap you in His mighty arms and draw you close in the year ahead. My prayer is that you may grow in your relationship with Him, that you will seek His face and you will trust in His faithfulness. I thank God for our work together among nurses around the world. May the joy and peace of the Lord be yours today, tomorrow and forever.
Dr. Barbara J White Ed.D. RN. CNS
President, NCFI