“I will trust and be unafraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my salvation.” ~ Isaiah 3:13-14
Cynthia and her family finished
dinner, watched TV, and scooted off to their own rooms for the night. They were all in bed by 11. A normal night … until it wasn’t.
Just past 1:00 in the morning, her husband Darin stopped
breathing. His heart stopped. He was in cardiac arrest. Darin was young (42): happily married; 3 children.
Cynthia, a special education
teacher, jumped into classroom mode. She
called 911 and began chest compressions immediately, forcing oxygen into his
lungs to prevent brain damage. Adrenaline
surging, her body’s ‘fight’ response jumped into overdrive. Elevated muscle oxygenation allowed her to perform
at an almost Olympic level.
Within minutes, paramedics arrived and walked calmly through
the front door – focused, unafraid, confident.
Resuscitation is a complex ballet of interventions. A heart monitor shocked Darin into sinus
rhythm, but he still wasn’t breathing.
Off to the ER - lights flashing, sirens screaming, anxiety
racing.
Cynthia came to the hospital bed next to Darin, still a bit
light-headed but otherwise fine. Darin
had been placed in a medically-induced coma; his prognosis: uncertain.
After completing her paperwork,
one of the paramedics drifted by to check on Cynthia. “You gave me a slight curveball,” Shayla joked. “You OK?”
“A little embarrassed,” Cynthia blushed. “But thank you for taking care of us
both! How do you do it? How do you stay so calm walking into such
traumatic scenes every day?”
Shayla paused before answering. “Well,” she began. “It takes training and practice, lots of repetition. We prepare for as many unknowns as possible -
actionable, tangible plans.”
“As first responders, we know that composure ultimately
changes the trajectory of an entire event. It’s our job to slow down the chaos. Decelerating, focusing, and doing what we can
sensibly do, helps in traumatic situations.
But it also helps in normal life.”
“Don’t get me wrong, each of us carries important life
concerns. It’s important to be concerned
about your finances, that your marriage would be all God wants it to be, and to
pay attention to the health and development of your kids. It’d also be foolish not to see your own health
as an important priority.”
“But there’s one thing in my life that’s never at risk,”
Shayla added. “The promise of salvation
by grace through faith is the greatest promise in the Bible. When I enter a chaotic scene, I have to
remind myself to surrender my fear into the capable arms of my Savior.”
Loving God, bring me peace of mind and calm
my anxious heart. My soul is like a
turbulent sea; I stumble and worry constantly. Give me the strength and clarity of mind to
find my purpose and walk the path You've laid out for me. Amen
