About Me
I always wanted to be a doctor. I’ve been treating patients and training gastroenterologists for over 30 years. I've taught as a professor at Yale, Mayo Clinic, and in multiple sub-Saharan African contexts.
My Christian faith has sustained me in difficult clinical situations, shaped how I think about healthcare, and brought me fulfillment in patient care.
In 2019, my wife Janet and I joined SIM USA and moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I teach at the nation’s leading referral hospitals. We have three adult daughters who are each in their own way making our world a better place.
Why I wrote Healing Purpose
Throughout my career I've found that, to a surprising extent, satisfaction comes from the spiritual dimension of healthcare practice.
During our training we learn the scientific story of health, sickness and healing. It's a powerful story that is the basis for our work. Scripture also tells a powerful story about health, sickness and healing. It turns out that the scientific and biblical accounts of health, sickness and healing are actually one unified story of God's creative and redemptive work in human lives. Healing Purpose is about living in that story, and experiencing the benefits it brings.
Faith renews our purpose, gives us resources to cope with the burden of our work, mitigates compassion fatigue, and gives us the refreshing experience of God's presence at the point of care. It supports us like water floats a boat, even when we're fully engaged with our day-to-day tasks.
Healing Purpose Small Group Leader's Study Guide
Click here to access a leader's guide for weekly small group study and discussion of the topics found in Healing Purpose.
Some take-aways from Healing Purpose
God is present at the point of care
He is present and active, in your life and your patient's life. When his presence enters our awareness we benefit in real time, even while we're focused on the medical tasks at hand.
Spiritual resources can help with compassion fatigue
When we're motivated by compassion we gain satisfaction from our work. But we are conduits of compassion, not generators of compassion. Our compassion recharges when we experience God's comfort while we're at work.
Relax into your faith
We can choose to relax into our faith while we're at work, on good days, bad days and routine days. Simple, silent practices - daily habits - can unburden and refresh us while we're working.
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I'd love to hear from you! For inquiries, collaborations, or just to share your experience, feel free to reach out. I look forward to connecting with you.