I honestly thought that there was no power in Jesus since nothing happened when I called him. I now know that those times when I called on him to help me, I was not prepared to repent from my old way of life, and to trust and follow him. Eventually I found myself questioning Christianity more seriously and started attending a local evangelical Christian church. I began to realise that God loved me and showed his love by sending Jesus Christ his Son into the world to die for me (and for the whole world), so that I could be forgiven and saved from all my sins, and have everlasting life now as well as in heaven. This revelation of God to me was something quite wonderful - that I could know this holy personal God, and that I could have peace with God was something I had never envisaged. [Nicholas Herodotou. Bournemouth GP (My Search for Truth. Nucleus 1992; 15-17, October)]

I am very conscious that I have been a grateful receiver rather than an achiever, and prominently displayed on my study wall are the words of the apostle Paul: ‘What do you possess that was not given to you? If then you really received it all as a gift, why take the credit to yourself?’ (1 Cor 4:7) [Denis Burkitt, retired surgeon and epidemiologist, who discovered the viral cause of ‘Burkitt’s Lymphoma’ when working in East Africa. (Direction Determines Destination. Nucleus 1993; 6-10, April)]

One day after only eight years missionary service, tragedy struck. My wife Peggy had a severe coronary thrombosis and had to return home to the UK at 35. Was this the end of a missionary career? We had to learn that disappointments are often His appointments. [James Burton, retired medical missionary and founder of ECHO. (Challenged to Conquer. Nucleus 1997; 14-18, January)]

Converted to Christ during my first term at Cambridge, his presence and Lordship had revolutionised my life, but still, two years later, I was resisting full surrender to him. I knew that this was the only logical direction in which to go (either he is Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all!), but found myself unable, in my own will, to make that step. All I could do was to cry to God, ‘Lord, bring me to the place of full surrender’. [Peter Pattisson, Kent GP and former medical missionary in Korea. (Surrender or suffocate. Nucleus 1995; 15-18, October)]

I had to ‘give’ my desire to be a good doctor to the Lord, and ask his help to enable me to give myself to my African friends in the way he chose, that was best suited to their needs. Only then could they see Jesus in me in a way they could easily understand and appreciate. [Helen Roseveare, former medical missionary in the then Belgian Congo. (Maintaining Spirituality. Nucleus 1999; 22-28, October)]