Guest Post: Abby

Name: Abby Sulc
Hometown: Bradford, England
Vocation: Student at Bradford Uni, Medicine / Neonatal Unit






How do you think medicine and ministry compliment one another? 


Having now worked in the health care industry, albeit very briefly, it is my opinion that medicine and ministry go hand in hand. I see my future career as a nurse as my life's ministry. I have seen the difference that spending time with patients and taking the time to talk to their families can make. I may not be able to help medically with my limited knowledge but I can let them know that they are important, that they are not alone. I can make being in a hospital a little less scary for a sick child. I can tell a family they are in my prayers and I can hope that they see a little of Jesus in me. Ministry does not have to be standing on a pulpit delivering a sermon to a congregation, it can be little thing that lets people know they matter. 

What is the biggest mistake new parents make? 
That is a little tricky for me to answer since I cannot speak from experience. However, I would say that the biggest mistake is perhaps worrying too much about the future and not enjoying the here and now to the full. Yes it can be scary not knowing how bills are going to get paid, not knowing what your kids are going to go through and not knowing how best to raise and protect them but while you worry about that you are missing the sights, sounds and smells of the most wonderful gift you will ever be given. I realise I will probably feel different when I have children of my own though...

Name one experience working in neonatal care that changed how you view God?

Working on the Neonatal or Special Care Baby Unit changed my view of God forever. I saw babies in there that were born 14 weeks premature and weighed 620 grams. Babies whose lungs are underdeveloped and have to spend weeks in humidified incubators. Babies who I could hold in one hand. Babies who, regardless of their medical conditions, birth defects or minute chance of survival, were absolutely perfect. Each one of them is a miracle. God created these tiny little lives, He made every single cell and knows them intimately. For me my revelation came when one of these little miracles sadly passed away. I was a mess, I went through the full range of emotions in a very short space of time. And after going over it in my mind again and again I came to the realisation that we will never ever understand why these things happen. It is not our place to know why they happen. God created each life from a single cell and that life is His to take whenever He wants. That might sound callous or flippant but the truth is He is God and part of believing in Him is having faith that His plans for us are good. He can see the end from the beginning whereas we have very limited sight and emotions to contend with. I guess my view of God now is that I just have to trust Him and trust that His plans are good no matter how difficult they are to understand. I knew that before but I know that it is something I will have to put into practice a lot more and really get a grip of given my chosen career.