Girls Write Out
Thursday, May 19, 2011
I haven't mentioned much about Mel's struggle with burnout, but when you're an ER doc and your hours are switched around against your will and you have to battle drug seekers--who go out on the street and sell those drugs for a living--you burn out fast. Mel has been talking to God about that lately, and his bitterness is getting to him.

I commiserate. I worry about him, and pray that God will give him a break, but lately I'm not as gentle with God as I used to be. We're tired, overwhelmed, disgusted quite often.

Have you ever said something to God and then braced yourself for the lightning to blast you dead? Yeah, well, we've both been there a lot lately. So that's why we were doubly touched by God's gentleness and tender dealings with us.

Two days ago, Mel called me as he always does when he got off work and told me about some of his day. Of course, he never betrays patient confidentiality, but he told me about one young woman who recognized his name when he walked into the exam room. "You're Dr. Hodde?" she asked. "You don't remember me, do you? You saved my life when I was nine. You diagnosed my colon cancer." She hugged him and thanked him again for saving her life.

When he told me about it, I cried. I was so touched. "Honey," I said, "you know God sent her to do that, don't you?" He admitted I was right.

I've found God does that often. When we're at our worst, upset, hurting, burning out, and crying out to Him about it--even when we don't speak with the respect He so abundantly deserves--He answers us with gentleness, with encouragement, with a little taste of the impact our suffering is making on the world.

How about you? Have there been any times when you felt God was going to deal with you harshly, and yet His gentleness touched you in a life-changing way? Share if you care to. I so enjoy hearing about how God touches lives.

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Hannah Alexander  
posted at 11:45 PM  
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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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