American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) faculty and staff, and candidates for AUHS’ School of Nursing (SON) program gathered at the 2nd Floor Conference room for weekly Morning Dew biblical reflection every Monday at 9 am. The weekly Morning Dew was lead by Pastor Gregory Johnson, the Co-founder of AUHS.
At the weekly Morning Dew these past Mondays, AUHS reflected on the rigorous preparation for TRACS site visit scheduled for June 12-15, 2017. Everyone shared reflective thoughts on the following biblical verses:
Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Isaiah 42:8, the Lord says, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give my glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”
Acts 12:21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man. Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Daniel 4:29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
To realize ones dream is a marvelous thing. To realize, not you, but God’s Hand which did bring, is most wondrous of all.
NO ONE
No one person can achieve great success.
No one person can bring about what God deems best
There are many hands, which take hold of oar
That work to bring any ship to shore
And, none more sure than Gods.
BE CAREFUL
Be careful in your eagerness to accept praise
Or in exalting yourself when victory plays
Better to look about and give much due
To God and those who most labored true
GLORY
When the day is spent and you see the Son
When the hours have passed and you realize you’ve won
Take time. Make time to thank those few
Who in discomfort gave all effort to.
Making sure, each little thing, was done well
Thereby, preventing our heads to swell
For indeed in all scripture and in every story
The wise, give God the Glory
SUDDENLY
Suddenly the moment came.
By His Spirit, not one could refrain.
To praise, His Holy name.
AUHS was in the process of obtaining regional accreditation from WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and was scheduled to have a site visit that week from April 25-27, 2017. Pastor Johnson prayed for and offered many words of encouragement to AUHS faculty, staff, students, and prospective students at this crucial point in time.
The members of the room each took turns reading the following passages out loud and discussed what each excerpt meant to them on a personal, professional and spiritual level.
As everything is beautiful in its time. So is God’s hand divine.
He brings to pass what promises to you made. So be confident and having labored, be stayed.
There a time and season for everything. Dr. David Hawkins, the AUHS Dean of Pharmacy, explained to the SON candidates that AUHS was in the process of regional accreditation from WASC and were scheduled to have a site visit the following day.
“Accreditations can be a really rigorous process. There’s nobody in his or her right mind who would not be a little nervous about going through this,” Dr. Hawkins said, “But God intervenes on our behalf and therefore we can be confident. We should not be overconfident, we should be humble, but we can be confident that He will get us through this and He will help us be granted initial accreditation from WASC.”
Pastor Johnson reminded everyone in the room to never lose faith in themselves, their institution, and their God.
“We don’t always see what’s happening behind the scenes. We don’t always know how God orchestrate things,” Pastor Johnson said, “But God does everything for a reason. There is a time and season for everything and God brought us together so that He can use us as vessels complete His good work.”
Pastor Johnson fondly looked at each person across the room and recalled some of the blessed memories he shared with his colleagues in the institution. He shared how he met Dr. Hawkins about eight years ago and how they had talked about standardizations and the challenges of standardizing education. Pastor Johnson remembered how he met Dr. Marilyn Uvero, the AUHS President of Operations and Development, and how he tried “fifty-thousand times” to convince her to come work for the institution. Pastor Johnson also remembered talking to Dr. Mok Chong, the Dean of General Education, about Hawaii and geckos.
Pastor Johnson was not only thankful for the people in his past who helped the university grow and thrive throughout the years, he also looked forward to the future of AUHS. One of the things that concerned Pastor Johnson the most about the future of the university is that the people who succeed him will not continue God’s legacy.
“My greatest worry is we might get the wrong people to lead the university. People who do not fear God and all of the blessings that He had given us will away,” Pastor Johnson said, “But now I can be rest assured that if I am no longer here on this Earth, AUHS is surrounded by people that will keep the legacy of God in this university. I am convinced that God has orchestrated some powerful people who love the Lord, smart people who love the Lord, committed people who love the Lord, humble people who love the Lord to watch over this institution and all will be well. Amen.”
Pastor Johnson believed that Dr. Caroll Ryan, the President of AUHS, was the right person to lead AUHS into a new season.
“Everything that God does is so perfect in His time. Dr. Ryan sits here not just as the President but as someone who loves and fears God,” Pastor Johnson said, “She is someone who understands excellence. She is someone who understands the timing and the season.”
Everyone in the university played an essential role in God’s plan, even prospective students, according to Pastor Johnson.
“All of us are important to God’s work. The nursing candidates here today, are also important to God’s work. We are all connected to the great destiny that God has given to all of us,” Pastor Johnson said, “This is our time, this is our season. This is your time and this is your season. Do not truncate God because what God has in store for you is bigger than what you could ever imagine.”
Know
Know that this then is the season for you
For in it, God makes blossom His promise true
Dr. Hawkins offered some insight of how he felt about WASC and how he believed AUHS would be successful.
“This week is going to blossom for us. We should look forward to meeting with the WASC team and answering their questions truthfully. Let us show them all that we do that is good and let us show them all that we do that we are proud of,” Dr. Hawkins said, “We should listen to the WASC team. If they have an idea that they want to share with us, get out your pen and start writing it down because unlike any of the other regional accrediting bodies that I have dealt with, WASC is set up to help you.”
WASC wants AUHS to be successful, according to Dr. Hawkins.
“There are other accrediting bodies that don’t really care that much about you and they would like to have you suffer,” Dr. Hawkins said, “We may suffer some but I think we’re going to succeed. God is going to make this week blossom for us.”
Hair Luong, an AUHS Admissions Coordinator, referred to 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” and
Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie.”
“Whatever God promises to us, He will do it. His promise can come in a form of a burning desire within us. Whatever God puts inside our heart, He will carry it to completion so that we can glorify His name,” Luong said, “Never in my life, I thought I would work in a Christian university, a university that honors God and glorifies God. And I am very grateful and blessed to be a part of what God’s plan.”
What makes AUHS unique is that Jesus Christ is the university’s CEO, according to Luong.
“I work hard not only when the people around me but even when nobody’s is there because Jesus is our CEO and He is watching over me all the time,” Luong said, “God is wonderful. He knows what you want and He knows how to make your dreams come true. For the (SON candidates) who are here, I know that you have a dream. We at AUHS are glad and we are blessed to be a part of helping you pursue your dream and helping you fulfill it.”
His Name
He has given you
What you need
Prepared ingredients
Fine indeed
He has made a place
For it to show
That all the World
Might come to know
His name
Dr. Myrna Dial, the AUHS Dean of School of Nursing, reminded her colleagues and SON candidates that God always comes first.
“I usually come here early in the morning when the hallway is dark. There are no lights so I flip the switches on. Then I think about how much little time I have in my hands,” Dr. Dial said, “But there’s one important thing that we all need to understand. No matter what we do in life, God is always behind the scenes. Take comfort in that, especially at a time like this when we are all so busy. Do not forget that it all begins with God.”
God is the beginning and the end of all things. God will bless you and God will test you but He will never abandon you.
“We all have so many things that need to get done but a wise man stops long enough to call out to God and remember that all things are made possible through Christ,” said Pastor Johnson, “Whenever you get to the point that you become so busy that you don’t take time to honor God, then you have already started to become lost. God completes those promises, God makes these promises come true and it’s only right to honor Him.”
About American University of Health Sciences
AUHS is a Christian based, minority-serving university, which educates students for careers in the healthcare professions. AUHS emphasizes the values of faith in God, love of humankind, and belief that all people have a right to healthcare and deserve a good quality of life based on wellness of body, mind and spirit. The university celebrates diversity, and reaches out to groups currently underrepresented in healthcare and research. AUHS provides the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, hands-on practical training and supportive environment required to create competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.
American University of Health Sciences is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.
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