ç'est la vie RN

Category: leadership

  • Across the Finish Line…

    Across the Finish Line…

    Happy belated new year! Pardon my absence for the past few months. It’s true what they say, the older you get, the quicker time passes by. This past fall, I finally completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree!

    The idea of a doctorate lived in my prayers before it ever hit my résumé. The quiet nudge that demanded discipline, resilience, and more faith than I realized I had. There were seasons when progress felt slow, when I questioned whether I still had capacity, and when life didn’t pause just because of the added weight. Yet somehow, every chapter, every assignment, every late night carried purpose. The journey stretched me intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. Scripture reminds us, “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me” (Psalm 138:8, ESV). Looking back, I see that God wasn’t just helping me earn a doctorate; He was shaping my leadership, refining my dependence, and aligning my work with His will.

    Listening Closely to the Spirit

    One of the most meaningful parts of this process was learning how to listen, not just to mentors, evidence, or systems, but to the Spirit. Purpose isn’t found in hustle; purpose is found in stillness. It’s discovered when we quiet the noise long enough to hear what God is already saying. Many times, we pursue the certainty of an outcome before obedience. I wanted the whole roadmap before taking the next step. Faith doesn’t work that way. Instead, God kept inviting me to move one decision at a time, trusting Him with what I could not see yet.

    Proverbs says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6, NIV). The journey wasn’t just academic advancement; it was spiritual formation. I learned to pause before reacting, pray before planning, and ask God not for what I wanted, but instead for what He desired to grow through me. Listening to the Spirit changed how I approached leadership, scholarship, and even my own limits.

    The Struggle of Full Surrender

    If I’m being honest, surrender is a hard lesson. We like partial surrender. It’s the kind where God can guide, but we still need to control the outcome. Full surrender asks us to release timelines, expectations, comparison, and fear. Even now, there are moments when I have to lay down the fallacy of perfectionism, self-doubt, and the pressure to prove myself even if only to myself. I am learning that obedience is more powerful than striving. Rest is sometimes more productive than pushing.

    Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23, NIV). Following Christ isn’t always big and dramatic, sometimes it looks like staying committed when motivation fades, trusting when outcomes are unclear, and choosing faith when comfort would be easier. Surrender meant letting God define success…not just finishing strong but finishing faithful. Not just earning credentials, but becoming the kind of leader who reflects humility, courage, and compassion. Isaiah reminds us, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you” (Isaiah 26:3, NLT). Peace comes not from knowing every answer, but from knowing who holds them.

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    …to Beyond

    Now that this chapter is complete, what’s next? Only God knows! My certainty lies in knowing He purposed me to serve, to mentor, to influence, and to lead with integrity and grace. This degree represents both a milestone and a mission. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NASB). God will always finish what He starts…in our careers, our families, our education, our businesses, our communities, our leadership, and our hearts. Cheers to moving forward with gratitude, humility, and expectancy. Listening more closely. Trusting more deeply. Surrendering more fully. Because the greatest reward isn’t the thing I achieved, it’s becoming the woman God was shaping all along the way.

    c’est la vie RN

  • The Weight We Carry

    The Weight We Carry

    Leadership, love, and the invisible load

    For the past two months, life has felt… weighty. There’s a kind of weight we carry that isn’t measured in pounds or seen in the mirror—it’s emotional, mental, and often spiritual. It’s the kind of heaviness that wakes you up at 3 a.m., lingers through quiet moments, and hides behind busy schedules. For those in leadership—especially servant leaders grounded in faith—this weight often extends beyond personal trials. It includes the burdens we carry for others and the impact of our own decisions.

    As a nurse leader and someone deeply invested in people’s wellbeing, I’ve learned that the heaviness I feel isn’t always about what’s happening to me. Sometimes it’s what I’ve done—or failed to do—that weighs most. The ripple effects of decisions, the expectations of those who look to me, and the unspoken pain I witness in others—all of it accumulates like invisible bricks in a backpack no one sees.

    This burden isn’t unfamiliar to Scripture. In Galatians 6:2, Paul urges us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Leadership is inherently a burden-bearing role. We are called to stand in the gap, to intercede, to advocate, and often to feel deeply. But it’s easy to confuse this noble call with the belief that we must carry everything alone.

    In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus speaks to this precise tension:
    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

    He did not say life or leadership will be weightless—but He offers to share the yoke. There’s divine partnership available when we choose not to carry the invisible load alone.

    Some days the heaviness comes from watching others struggle—team members facing burnout, friends losing loved ones, patients caught in systems beyond our control. Romans 12:15 reminds us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Empathy is holy work, but it has a cost. It adds to the weight.

    So what do we do with this kind of heaviness?

    We bring it to the One who understands leadership, grief, and love more than we ever will. We ask God for wisdom to know what is ours to carry and what we must release. And we learn to embrace both compassion and boundaries—grace for ourselves, grace for others.

    Reflection:
    If your soul feels heavy today, pause. Ask: Is this weight mine? Is it someone else’s? Have I offered it to God? Leadership may require us to hold much, but it never requires us to hold it alone.

    Scripture References (NIV):

    • Galatians 6:2
    • Matthew 11:28-30
    • Romans 12:15

    Call to Action:
    Take five minutes today to journal or pray: “Lord, what am I carrying that I need to surrender to You?” And then—release it. Even just a little. One prayer at a time.

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: A Reflection

    Martin Luther King Jr. Day: A Reflection

    Although I was born post-Civil Rights Movement, I grew up with an awareness of Dr. King’s sacrifices and am inspired by his enduring legacy. Today we pause and reflect on the transformative vision of Dr. King—a man whose faith, courage, and love for humanity changed the course of history.

    Dr. King’s work and message remain deeply relevant today. His fight for justice, equality, and unity calls us to examine our own hearts and actions. As Christians, we are reminded of Micah 6:8, which says: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Dr. King embodied this mandate through his unwavering commitment to justice, his deep compassion, and his humble leadership.

    Here are three things we should remember about Dr. King and his fight for humanity:

    1. The Power of Love and Nonviolence
      Dr. King taught us that love is the most powerful force for change. Drawing from Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5:44—“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”—he showed that nonviolent resistance could dismantle systems of hatred and oppression. His example challenges us to respond to injustice not with anger or bitterness but with love that transforms.
    2. The Call to Unity
      Dr. King envisioned a world where the barriers of race, class, and prejudice would crumble, allowing people to live as equals. This vision reflects Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” As we honor his legacy, we must ask ourselves: Are we building bridges or walls in our relationships, communities, and nation?
    3. Faith in Action
      Dr. King’s faith was not passive; it was bold and active, moving him to take risks for the sake of justice. James 2:26 reminds us: “Faith without works is dead.” Dr. King’s example encourages us to live out our faith in tangible ways, whether through speaking out against injustice, mentoring the next generation, or serving those in need.

    As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us not merely remember his achievements but commit to carrying his torch forward. His fight for humanity calls us to examine our own roles in God’s plan for justice and reconciliation. We are called, as Dr. King once said, to be “a thermostat that transforms the mores of society,” not just a thermometer that passively reflects its conditions.

    May his legacy inspire us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

  • He’s in the room

    He’s in the room

    I’ve been running around like crazy the past two days, but I had to come share a quick story about yesterday. The day started with me getting up super early to have an expectations conversation with a pair of feuding nurses. I wasn’t ridiculously concerned about having the conversation, but the energy required to counteract negativity can be mentally draining. After I completed that task, I proceeded to my office. About two hours later, one of the pharmacy techs was passing by. We exchanged morning greetings, and a few seconds later she reappeared at my door. She said, “Jesus told me to tell you He loves you.” She said initially she was going to keep walking, but it hit her spirit so heavy she knew she couldn’t. Not even two hours later, one of the nurses asked if we could chat. I invited her into my office, and we went through her checklist of items. She begins to tell me how there is a change in the atmosphere with my presence and says, “You must have brought Jesus in here with you.”

    Later that afternoon, another nurse came to visit me. We discussed a number of things for about fifteen minutes and before she leaves, she closes the door and says, “I wanna tell you something.” She continues to tell me how I am doing a great job, and she feels I was sent there specifically for that staff…I got chills. It’s confirmation that…1) I am clear about my purpose. 2) I was anointed before I was appointed. 3) The Lord is with me! It gives me confidence and certainty of victory that is to come. How gracious of God to send blessed assurance in such an unexpected way! I may have not overtly felt the Lord’s presence for myself yesterday, but He made sure I KNEW He was there. And knowing so, gives me such joy!

    Psalm 16:11 speaks of the deep joy and fulfillment found in God’s presence. The passage highlights that true life and satisfaction come from walking with God. It points to the eternal joy and pleasure that can only be experienced in communion with Him, both in this life and for eternity. It reminds believers that God’s guidance leads to lasting peace and joy that surpasses anything the world offers. Do you have joy or do you need a closer with Thee?