Article Summaries

Editorial-Getting the Word Out by Judith Allen Shelly
It's not about having the gift of evangelism; it's about sharing the good news with others in whatever way God has gifted us. Communication can be one-to-one with those we meet during our regular schedule or an intentional mentoring relationship; from a podium; with the pen; or on e-mail or the Internet.

She Saw Jesus: Discovering the Living Word by Katharine S. West
Angela understandably was having a hard time accepting that her daughter, nine-year-old Maria, was terminally ill and would soon die. In Angela's search for comfort, she began to read the Bible. Her hospice nurse and God himself led her to just the passages that answered her questions and gave her hope of seeing Maria again in heaven. Angela was able to share her new-found relationship with Jesus with Maria before she died, and then with the rest of her large extended family.

Joel's Gift to His Mom by Amy L. Jenkins
As Joel's life drew to a close, his home health nurse felt increasingly anxious about his lack of closure, of dealing with reality, as he and his mom continued to avoid talk of his death. But in the end, Jenkins not only understood Joel's motives, but learned from them as well.

If You Can Chart, You Can Write by Becky Brodin
Nurses have great stories to tell! Applying the nursing process to the challenge of writing an article, Brodin outlines the steps to take: assessing ideas; diagnosing the idea for its appeal; planning the content; implementing by writing; evaluating the piece.

O Where, O Where Does My Manuscript Go? by JCN Staff
How is JCN a virtual organization? We thought you'd like to know. With photos of the people involved in producing the magazine each quarter, plus simple explanations of how it's put together, you will have a better appreciation for who does what to put JCN into your hands. Who knows? You might want to get more involved by submitting an article!

Surfing the e Wave by Harriet V. Coeling
If you're intimidated by the Internet before you start reading this article, or wondering why it could be important for you as a Christian and as a nurse, read on! You should feel very differently about the Internet by the time you're finished with Coeling's article and Shelly's sidebars.

Serving God Through CNE: Planning a Christian Event by Ruth Snapp
You don't have to feel like you're a lone ranger if you choose to organize a Nurses Christian Fellowship® continuing nursing education event in your area. Here's the help you need! It's broken down into a number of easy, logical steps: finding colleagues; praying; exploring the territory; deciding on a strategy; picking a topic; proclaiming the message; calling and caring for your speaker; being hospitable; offering CNE credit; announcing the event; evaluating the success.

Public Speaking: A Tool God Can Use by Karen M. Schmidt
This Q&A interview of two seasoned nurses, Victoria Schlintz from Hayward, California, and Margaret Corin, from Auckland, New Zealand, with much public speaking under their belts in a variety of settings, hopefully will challenge you to get involved in this ministry to some degree. The nurses share blessings and benefits they've experienced. Sidebars are on "How to Begin a Ministry in Public Speaking" and "Resources to Develop and Enhance Public Speaking Skills."

A Mentoring Relationship: Two Nurses Grow in Faith & Knowledge by Esther Grace Morris & Virginia Burggraf
Two nurses in different stages of their nursing careers and faith journeys, find that meeting regularly in a mentoring relationship draws them into a growth-building, caring friendship that continues to be of great value to each of them. In exploring the mentoring role, Morris and Burggraf delve into a biblical model in the Old Testament book of Ruth, with Ruth and Naomi. They conclude with this story's implications for nursing.

A Christian Model of Health Promotion by Linda Flynn
Showing the value of this model particularly to parish nurses practicing within a Christian faith community, Flynn focuses on their important role in promotion of positive health practices. She shows strong evidence for the agreement of biblical principles and the existing scientific theory and research regarding health practices. The four behaviorally-oriented instructive themes include: 1) Recognize that you are valued by God; 2) Provide care and support to others; 3) Reduce worry and anxiety by trusting God; and 4) Maintain balance and moderation in your life. Flynn's diagram accompanies the article.

Communicating Care
1) Josh's Time by Cynthia L. Pace
As a young teen struggled with leukemia, God prompted this nurse to change the way she was praying for Josh and his family. At first, her prayer was for release, for him to give in to death, but then she was burdened for them all to have time to meet the Savior before Josh died. Her conversations with the family later showed how God answered her prayers in a special way, in his own time.

2) Wide Shoulders of Care by Audrey Carli
The author pays tribute to the special nurses she and her husband got to know and be blessed by during his final illness. Do you see yourself in these descriptions?

3) The Touch of a Nurse Friend by Karen Hahn
Fresh and enthusiastic after attending a parish nurse conference, Hahn struggled with how to reach and to minister to her dear friend, Lynn, who was in the latter stages of cancer. Limited by the brevity of the visit and Lynn's exhaustion with the least exertion, an opportunity opened up to give skin care. Both derive great satisfaction from the treatment, and Hahn leaves content with the little she felt she could do to make Lynn more comfortable. A sidebar by a dermatologist, David Shields, sheds some--but not complete--light on why the treatment worked. No doubt, God's touch was on it.

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