The Lady with the Lamp

Recently, I mentioned a "new" friend. Andrea and I met by divine appointment at the corner of Preschool Pick-Up & God's Way! You know "that" place...oh, I know you have been there...where you are just doing the normal every day things of your life and then BAM! God reveals Himself to you! Well, it was JUST like that!

Reading about Florence Nightingale was not the easiest thing I have ever done. Excerpts from her 19th-century journals was #2 out of 11 biographies I want to read in 2011. Strange New Year's Resolution, I know. But I read a quote from A. W. Tozer that said,

“Next to the Holy Scriptures, the greatest aid to the life of faith may be Christian biographies.”

and I thought "Hmmmmm...."

Nightingale felt called to serve Christ, and then, led into nursing. Her aristocratic lifestyle, lack of family support, and yearning for God's Will was all news to me. I just thought that she was a "nurse."

The entire time I was reading this book, I kept thinking about a mom of one of Jeremiah's preschool friends. Her name is Andrea. Andrea and I had a ball in the back of the bus on what was suppose to be a "Preschool" Pumpkin Patch Field Trip. I considered it a "Sanity Saver Day!"

Later, near Christmas, she shocked me as she shared that she was going to school to complete a nursing degree. She is a mother of 2, wife to 1, and student to many demands. I shared that day, "Wow! I admire you. I can barely keep the laundry done!" And, you know I meant it.

This mom that was on my mind! I HAD to tell her about Flo! Seemed our "paths" never crossed until last week.

"Andrea, you have been on my mind! I just read this book...not the easiest to read...but I could not stop thinking about you! Did you know that Florence Nightingale felt "called" by God to go into nursing? AND did you know that she had to wait like 20+ years to actually carry out God's plan for her life? I know! How hard is that! AND did you know that she was rich and her family wanted her to do something else? AND did you know that she revolutionized England's entire medical field?" AND...I think you get the point. I didn't even take a breath.

Yes, I was bombarding this woman, that I barely knew, with every Jeopardy-type fact, that I knew, about Florence Nightingale as we held onto preschool papers. When I walked away, I thought, "OH MY WORD! She is going to think I have lost my mind. Why did I do that?!"

Days later, with her arms full of "T" treats for "T" day at preschool, Andrea walks up to me as I am getting in my car. Despite the bitter cold wind that makes you wonder why you even attempt to do your hair morning, she warmed my heart with God's love.

"April, I had been praying for two days and asking God to give me a sign and let me know if I needed to go in a different direction or stick with it. Then, there you were. You were my sign."

Whoa! I only read a book, but praise the Lord! Nothing makes me fall on my face faster than knowing my Father spoke to someone else through this earthen vessel.

Later that afternoon when we got to talk on the phone, I was so blessed and humbled that Andrea would grace me with her boldness and confidence in Jesus. With full assurance in her faith she told me of what HE had done in her life on that corner.

Andrea shared this in a recent note,

"...I can totally identify with her. That is why I thought God was directing me somewhere else because I see all the hurt and suffering and I want to help, but I want to help them more than physically. I see now that I can do more than just "treat" them, I can care for them the way HE wants me to. He will lead people in my life who I am suppose to meet and help."

Do you feel that way, too?!

Ever wonder why Nightingale was called "The Lady with the Lamp?" Was it because she would make endless rounds through the dark of night and wear out her knees kneeling at the bedside tending to ill, injured, and dying soldiers of the Crimean War?


Or was it because she knew this verse from the Book of Romans? "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

Romans 13:13

I thought about how the Armor of God from the Book of Ephesians is a set of things given to Us by GOD...helmet, shield, sword, etc.

However, I think the Armor of Light is something that we can offer to others and in turn, give back to GOD.

What could be a better way to spend your days (and nights) than shining the light of Jesus into a dark world? Were we not all "called" to do that one thing? Be Light!?!

I don't think you have to be called to be a "nurse" to be a Lady with the Lamp.

Yes, God has called all of us to shine the light of Christ. But friends, how does He want YOU to SHINE for HIM?

Thanks Andrea for letting me share our friendship story! And please join us as we pray for two sophomore girls that I know of who are "ladies with lamps" in a high school cafeteria in the coming days as they witness to a classmate! I wrote this with you two in mind! SHINE ON!