I made a stop at the revalidation station this October, so I find myself in a reflective mood about the season ahead. After being in constant survival mode after two years of working in a new area, being redeployed to intensive care, and becoming a student again, I keep coming back to what I call my life verses: Proverbs 3:5-6. These were given to me by my headteacher who wrote them in the back of the Bibles we were given at the end of primary school, much like an inspirational quote in a yearbook. Little did he know that 25 years later, those verses would mean so much to me.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Looking back over my life in light of these verses, I am often struck by how little the paths of my life seem to be straight. I lived in France as a teenager and had a dream at the age of 16 of being a nurse working in French-speaking Africa. Although I did just that between 2013-2019, working on MercyShips, I currently live in Nottingham as a theatre nurse.

I wonder what my purpose is in a city that is a world away from where I saw myself 20 years ago yet feels exactly where I am meant to be in this season.

I think this feeling comes from many years of stopping every so often and being extremely thankful for wherever I am at that moment in time. Thankfulness has been a big part of my journey of faith. So, expressing gratitude to God is the best piece of advice I can give to anyone in any season of their life. As nurses or midwives, you might wonder how you will survive this winter in the NHS, or be pondering the implications of strike action. Prioritise counting the blessings God has given you and the rest will follow. What things can you thank God for in your life?

Lizzie Chitty is a Theatre Nurse working in Nottingham