Nurses are known for working hard and playing hard.And as a Christian nurse?I work hard and play hard too!
You see, when I turn up to work, I am there to serve
You will get my best, and I will go above and beyond
Because I'm there to serve God too
I will work like a dog and run around like a blue-arsed fly
But I will rest.
I prioritise breaks for me and my team
We eat lunch.
And at the end of the day
With an aching back and sore feet
I pray, and I let go
My best is enough
And I walk away.
As a Christian nurse, I know when to say 'no'
No to the extra workload
No to the overtime shift
My identity isn't in how busy I am
How needed I am
I am not invincible, I am not God
I need sleep; I need food; I need drink; I need rest.
And as a Christian nurse, I play hard too! I know how to feast and enjoy life
How to enjoy good food and good drink and good company
To belly laugh, to dance and sing and celebrate
I know how to be thankful.
I don't overindulge
And I'm not trying to numb pain or grief
To find peace or release
But I do know how to delight in GodAnd him restore my soul.
Bex Lawton is a paediatric nurse in Oxford and CMF's 'Poet in Residence'