Fourth, I am a PA Student.

I often spend life as if I am frantically running with my head down. I load a lot of things on my plate and let each day pass without taking the time to look up and enjoy the moments. I am a creature of habit and routine, always looking to feel settled and comfortable.

 

Tragedy interrupts that.

 

It could be tragedy very close to your heart and home. It could be tragedy in a country overseas or something you read in the news. No matter the source, tragedy puts a brick wall in our path and forces us to stop. It reminds us that this life is just a vapor and that we can never know when it will come to an end. It forces us to consider the deeper questions of how we are investing our life and what is truly important and worthwhile. The last 24 hours have made me look at my priorities, my commitments, my responsibilities, and my relationships and wonder…are they working in tandem as part of a life that is purposeful and fruitful?

I just started PA school at IU at the beginning of May and I have less than a month until I have one full semester under my belt. Becoming a full time graduate student changed a lot of things for Louis and I. It put new demands on our schedules, finances, and our energy. It made us say “no” to some things and opened us to say “yes” to others. I feel so confident this is where the Lord wants me and I desire to be faithful in that by being a good steward of my time and resources to do my absolute best. However, I have had to wrestle with what it looks like for school to fit within the hierarchy of what is important (based on how the Lord defines important).

First, I am a Daughter of the King.

Second, I am a wife.

Third, I am a daughter, sister, and friend.

Fourth, I am a PA student.

Yesterday I was reminded that I will never be disappointed when I choose the Lord or important relationships over school. How well I perform in PA school is not going to matter in light of eternity, and it is not what I would want to prioritize if tomorrow were my last day. It is worth it to forgo an extra 2 hours of studying for an extra 2 points on my test in order to spend quality time with my husband when he comes home from work. It is worth it to put off homework for an hour so I can call a dear friend and we can catch up and encourage each other in the Lord. It is worth it to miss class and arrange to make up the work in order to attend the weddings of people that I love. It is worth it to put away my books on Sunday so that I can enjoy fellowship at my church and dinner with my family.

PA school is not first, it is not second, and it is not even third. It is fourth. I want my life to be spent for the sake of the gospel and for other people. At the end of time (or even just at the end of my time) everything else will fade and pass away, including PA school.