It was a dreary day with rainfall steadily pouring from the gray clouds.  Packing up all the belongings, I carried the cardboard box out to my van.

“Lord, where do I go from here?” I thought to myself, “What is the next step to this journey to which You have called me?”

I had just completed my year-long residency in hospital chaplaincy and had no career possibilities.  I was completely lost with no specific direction in which to proceed.  Overwhelmed.  Fear.  Uncertainty.  These are real feelings that one experiences when journeying through a confusing period.

This is especially true for families of ICU patients.  Many family members come to the unit with “deer in the headlights” expressions, especially at the sight of their loved one lying motionless in bed attached to various machines.  Some individuals may silently enter the patient’s room as if they are walking on eggshells.  Others may begin to cry and hover at the bedside.  Still, some people may shoot a stream of questions at the nurses as they attempt to grasp their loved one’s situation.

The honorary factor, though, is that as participants on the medical team, we have the privilege of standing at the crossroads with these lost, confused souls, guiding and supporting them through this journey.  Consequently, no matter how we plan the way, ultimately it is the Lord Who will direct the steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Lord, as we stand with families at the crossroads, lead us in the way we should go.  Amen.