by Richard Schaefer on 2015-04-01
School of Nursing Dean Marilyn Christian was almost overwhelmed by an offer to chair a national think tank. In acknowledging that they had offered her a wonderful opportunity and a big challenge Marilyn felt that she needed to bring up a subject that was meaningful to her. “But I hope you realize that I’m a Seventh-day Adventist, and….” She was about to announce that she would be unable to work on Friday nights or Sabbaths.
“Oh!” Dr. Scott, Director of Nursing for the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, interrupted before Marilyn could say more, “There will be no Friday night meetings. There will be no Saturday meetings. We will see to that. The first meetings are already scheduled, and they’re all set up with no Fridays or Saturdays.”
Marilyn was amazed, thinking about what a responsibility they had asked her to accept. She didn’t feel qualified for this role by herself, but she knew that if God were involved, He would help her. Without knowing all the ramifications, Marilyn said yes, accepted the challenge, felt empowered by God to perform. The task both humbled and honored her. In accepting the invitation she became the National Chairman of The National Committee for the Analysis and Planning for Improved Distribution of Nursing Personnel and Services.
She also knew why she had felt compelled to stay late in her office that Friday afternoon. The first meeting was just two weeks away. Dr. Scott asked Marilyn to come unprepared. “Come with what you have. You have what we need.”
After the call ended, Marilyn thought, “Oh my! Now what in the world am I going to do?” She then bowed her head in prayer, thanked God for the telephone call and said, “Lord, you know I could never do this without Your help. Help me to be filled with Your Spirit to go on with the work that I’ve been asked to do.” Although Marilyn reviewed some of the Bible promises on fear, she doesn’t remember feeling overwhelmed or afraid.
The meetings were held alternately in Denver, Colorado and Washington, DC over a period of two years. The 30 participants included government statisticians who provided reams of material to be considered. Marilyn didn’t know exactly what the committee was going to be doing or how they were going to work.
She felt that she was led by God to compare this large working committee to a symphony orchestra. All of the people coming had strong backgrounds in their areas of specialty, just like an orchestra with a first violinist and a first oboist. Performers know how to play all the special instruments, and they know their parts. But nobody knows everything. Only the orchestra conductor, who may not know how to play any of the instruments.
She then felt as if the Lord would help her be the “conductor” of this committee. Marilyn glowed inside because she felt the presence of the Lord helping her to see the committee member’s power, their thoughts, and ideas. The first item on the agenda was self-introductions, where Marilyn felt like preaching a sermon on humility, but didn’t. She acknowledged that the group would figure out how to work together. In thinking about portraying the different responsibilities to committee members, Marilyn made her analogy with a symphony orchestra as an example of how stimulating it would be for them to work together. Even though Marilyn knew that some of the members had been openly hostile toward each other in other settings, she hoped and prayed that that would not occur.
During that first meeting, Marilyn focused on how the group was going to proceed. What was their challenge, their mission, and timeline? At the end of the first session, the group had accomplished much, but Marilyn felt drained. During the night, statisticians delivered a stack of papers seven inches high to each participant’s room. Even though she went through the material and understood basic principles, it was too broad and too deep for her really to understand. But she felt that the Lord revealed to her what to do, and the meetings proceeded well.
After the first major session, several participants approached Marilyn and made positive comments about the proceedings. But when a note was handed to her, she thought it might be critical and went to a private place to open it. The note had been written by Ann Zimmerman, President of the American Nurses Association. It said, “Marilyn, I had not known you, but I am so-o-o delighted that you are here, and you are the chairman that we need. There has not been one angry word that I heard from this group in the whole time we’ve gathered. And that is a real wonder. You are doing a wonderful job and I wanted you to know that you are.”
Marilyn mused: “Thank you, Lord.”
The committee’s report became U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare project #241-75-0802, which was contracted with the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education in Nursing (WICHEN), a subsidiary of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Years later, whenever Marilyn encountered former members of the think tank at national meetings, they reminded her of her “symphony orchestra.” In reminiscing, Marilyn states with conviction, “We must be sure to give the glory to God because these kinds of things happen only as He works through us.”