Hang on Because Sunday's Coming!
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Dear Friends,
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She didn't set out to become a doctor. It happened as a result of a difficult period in her life. She was working as a custodian at the Yale-New Haven Hospital when her mother got sick. Shay Taylor-Allen's mom was in and out of the hospital. It was a crazy time. They couldn't figure out what was going on with her. They dismissed her problems as being psychological.
The truth is that it is often through the painful periods of our lives that we have our "life changing," pivotal moments. These hard times force us to reflect on who we are and what we are doing. Day after day, Shay was in the patient rooms as a member of the custodial team. It was the dedication of medical staff that moved her to consider going back to school.
She wanted to make a difference in people's lives. As she waded through that horrible period, she reached out to the hospital administrator. She asked for her help in getting a second look at her mother's case. Immediately things began to change. Before long they had a diagnosis for her mother and she got the treatment she needed and was on a path to renewed health.
It was that turn of events that reinforced Shay's belief in the dedication of the medical community. It led her to make the decision to enter Howard University's medical school. Her story is making headlines now because she is returning to Yale-New Haven hospital, in her new role as a resident physician in the anesthesiology department.
It is strange how things work out. Shay says, "If that didn't happen to my mom, I don't think it would have ever crossed my mind to become a doctor." Now she is the one who will be taking care of patients and seeing that they get the compassionate care that her mother received years ago. Out of tragedy comes triumph. God is the master at making it happen.
That's what the story of Easter is all about. One of the most powerful sermons I've ever heard was given by Dr. Tony Campolo, Campolo was a pastor and professor at Eastern University in Philadelphia. His message was titled, "It's Friday... But Sunday's Coming." It served as a powerful reminder that God could turn any painful moment into something beautiful.
That's what happened on the day that Christ hung on the cross. It was Friday. Jesus was crucified. It was a horrific event for those who loved him. They believed that their hopes had died with him. Even as he shared the words from the cross, "It is Finished," they believed that the flicker of hope they saw in him, had been squelched. The future looked dark.
It was Friday. In his homily Dr. Campolo reminded us that Sunday was coming. We know what happened that weekend. Christ arose and with him a bridge was built between God and humanity. Hope was reborn. From the depths of despair, a new day had dawned. Salvation was ours to embrace and new life, a possibility. All because Christ arose a victor from the dark domain.
Shay's story resonates with so many of us who have suffered painful experiences only to find new opportunities arise. God wants to turn all of our losses, our misfortunes, our painful experiences into something new and notable. Like he does with the caterpillar that emerges from the cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly, our God is a God of miracles.
If you are struggling with the events happening in your life right now, hold on. Trust God. Let the story of the resurrection bring you hope that tragedy is never final. With God all things are possible. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead wants to do the same for your hopes and dreams. Hang on. Sunday's coming!
God Bless! Have a great Holy Week!
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See you in church.
Pastor Cal