Singing Heart
"I finally have your papers graded and ready to give back to you," our teacher announced at the beginning of class, "the ones that you wrote about the stress and pain case study."
"Oh..." one student sighed and moaned as she recieved her paper, "Stress and pain!" Our whole class laughed at the irony because she was not only referring to the topic of the paper, but to our reactions when we recieved our grades as well as the general emotion of nursing students around this time of year. It was the beginning of the week before finals, also known as "dead week." I think this is because nursing students are dead by the end of the week...just in time for finals. Yes, "stress" and "pain" are two words that every nursing student understands well from personal experience, especially these last two weeks of testing, clinical simulation, and finals.
With four finals down and one to go, I sit down to write this blog in amazement of how the Lord has sustained me these past two weeks. Even with every reason to be overwhelmed, my heart has been filled with great peace despite the amount of homework, studying, testing, and extras that needed to be squeezed into my already hectic schedule.
Here is the secret that I have found to be my joy, energy, and peace throughout "stress and pain". It's worship.
When I locked myself in my room to study for hours, I also plugged in my ipod and listened to songs about our beautiful Jesus. It may not have been the most productive studying due to the amount of singing-along that I also did, but it kept me focused, positive, and motivated. I would also often take five minute breaks to play a worship song or two on my keyboard. Monday night, I took a big study break to go to a singing devotional at my church, where I learned a few new songs that I want to share here.
Maybe in the midst of whatever stress and pain you may be facing, these songs can be a source of strength and peace to sustain you.
You Alone Can Rescue by Matt Redman
Psalm 13 by Nate Hale
Center by Charlie Hall
A singing heart filled with the praises of our Lord can make all the difference in the world. May we all find a joy and peace in worship - a joy and peace that surpass all understanding. In the middle of stress and pain, it may not make sense to have joy and peace. It may not make sense to worship. But that's the beauty. That's the miracle. Our God is so wonderful all the time that we can worship anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance. In worship and adoration, there is release from stress and pain. In worship, only sustaining grace and satisfaction remain.
"Oh..." one student sighed and moaned as she recieved her paper, "Stress and pain!" Our whole class laughed at the irony because she was not only referring to the topic of the paper, but to our reactions when we recieved our grades as well as the general emotion of nursing students around this time of year. It was the beginning of the week before finals, also known as "dead week." I think this is because nursing students are dead by the end of the week...just in time for finals. Yes, "stress" and "pain" are two words that every nursing student understands well from personal experience, especially these last two weeks of testing, clinical simulation, and finals.
With four finals down and one to go, I sit down to write this blog in amazement of how the Lord has sustained me these past two weeks. Even with every reason to be overwhelmed, my heart has been filled with great peace despite the amount of homework, studying, testing, and extras that needed to be squeezed into my already hectic schedule.
Here is the secret that I have found to be my joy, energy, and peace throughout "stress and pain". It's worship.
When I locked myself in my room to study for hours, I also plugged in my ipod and listened to songs about our beautiful Jesus. It may not have been the most productive studying due to the amount of singing-along that I also did, but it kept me focused, positive, and motivated. I would also often take five minute breaks to play a worship song or two on my keyboard. Monday night, I took a big study break to go to a singing devotional at my church, where I learned a few new songs that I want to share here.
Maybe in the midst of whatever stress and pain you may be facing, these songs can be a source of strength and peace to sustain you.
You Alone Can Rescue by Matt Redman
Psalm 13 by Nate Hale
Center by Charlie Hall
A singing heart filled with the praises of our Lord can make all the difference in the world. May we all find a joy and peace in worship - a joy and peace that surpass all understanding. In the middle of stress and pain, it may not make sense to have joy and peace. It may not make sense to worship. But that's the beauty. That's the miracle. Our God is so wonderful all the time that we can worship anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance. In worship and adoration, there is release from stress and pain. In worship, only sustaining grace and satisfaction remain.
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