I began my college career believing that I was going to be a doctor. I entered my first semester as a declared pre-med student, and I was excited about my future career as an MD. It wasn’t until my Microbiology class that I changed my mind. It turned out that my calling as a doctor was cut short by cellular respiration and the kreb cycle.
After that rude-awakening, I decided to pursue a career in education. Three years later, I walked across the stage as a certified PE and Health teacher with a job lined up in rural Washington. Yet, I still couldn’t shake my passion for healthcare and my belief that I would someday work in that field.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth and I moved out to Washington for me to begin my new job. I spent the next two years teaching kindergarteners how to throw and seniors how to ballroom dance (not that I felt overly confident in my own dancing skills). I loved my students and was part of a great community of teachers at the school. Yet, even those factors couldn’t make me forget my first true love: medical care. What was God calling me to do?
After months of conversations, prayer, and research, I decided to leave my job as teacher and pursue nursing. This meant a huge leap of faith as I forfeited a good, stable job for a very uncertain future. After a few quarters of prerequisites at a local college, I was ready to begin the nursing school application process.
The process was incredibly daunting, and I knew admission to any school in the area was highly competitive. I had ranked my top four schools, with my first choice being quite a long shot. It was one of the top nursing programs in the nation, and along with its reputation came a highly competitive application process. I wrote essay after essay for applications and even had to sit for an in-person interview. Then the waiting for answers began, which was perhaps the most trying part of the whole process.
When the first letter arrived, Elizabeth I said a prayer before I opened it. And, to my happy surprise, I had received acceptance to my third place school. With that acceptance came an enormous amount of relief and affirmation. The next letter that came was from my top choice school, and this opening was accompanied by much more prayer and bated breath. The Lord provided an incredible answer to prayer in the form of an acceptance from my top choice school. Elizabeth and I stood in shock for a few minutes before it really sunk in.
Six months later, I am finishing my second quarter of nursing school and feeling even more confident that this is the career path the Lord has set out for me. While it may have taken me a few extra years to get to this point, I know that I am right where I need to be. Whenever I feel any doubt come over me, I just think about that acceptance letter and remember that God provides in the most incredible ways (none of which I deserve).
In the Grip of Grace,
Chris Gunnink