3/18 – A restorative experience

5:77 – A restorative experience

#faithbites #faithjourney #matchday restorative

Intro

Today was national medical school match day and the first for our college. This is the day when graduating med studentsfrom around the country find out where they matched for residency. I was honored to be able attend. Yes, it was great to see 100% match for our class and yes it was great to see most get the residency of their dreams. As the Dean said, “Promises made, promises kept,”. For me, while that was the point and so filling of a day, it isn’t what touched me the most. I had several students give me hugs, several thank me for everything I’ve done for them, and how integral I was to them getting to this point. I wasn’t expecting that at all. My soul was happy. A colleague said it was a restorative experience. I couldn’t agree more. It is what I needed today.

Questions
  • When was the last time you had a restorative experience?
  • When was the last time an event for others. Made your soul happy?
  • How can we use these events to find more restorative times to full up our Buckets?
Scripture
  • 1 Peter 5:10 – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
  • Psalm 71:20 – You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
  • Joel 2:25 – I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
Reflection

Building a med school from scratch isn’t easy. There have been crazy days, tears, frustration, excitement, and joy. No matter how we’ve lived we all experience the ups and downs. If we look at both our Joel verse and 1Petwr, we see a similar message: Times will be hard and God will restore us. He won’t abandon us or forsake us.

Today, God told me to be there. He put me in that place to celebrate but to also be filled back up. He restored me and showed me what I have done over the past five years has value and impact. All of our work does. We may never know it, but it is.

As we close, lean on God for those restorative experiences. Seek out places where you can serve and you will be shocked in how the love comes back. I feel blessed beyond measure from God, our students, and just the understanding that we all matter.

Prayer

Father hwr God, thank you for today. We pray for our future doctors who received their matches today. Help them in their transition and to know that you are love and you will restore them and protect them. Lord, we also pray for all of your children. Help them find restorative experiences. Let their bucket be filled so they can feel restored, fulfilled, and ready for whatever is next in your plan. We pray this in your name, Amen..

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