Audra Krell

On Purpose

Archive for the category “Health”

20 May 2014
3 Comments

We’re Talking To You

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We’re back and gearing up for another medical mission trip to Valladolid, Mexico. We leave July 26, and it’s not too late for you to join us.

This year, in addition to running a diabetes clinic, we’ll be building a playground and having a festival to celebrate the opening of the playground. We want the Yucatan to know how much we love them so we’re going to play together. They’ll be food, music and tons of fun.

The playground is being shipped from Arizona. As you might imagine, this isn’t a job for the Pony Express; financially or otherwise. It takes quite a bit of money to get the set over there. We had a benefit concert to raise money and are now having a car wash on the morning of May 31. Please bring every car you’ve got to the Scottsdale Bible Chapel at 7901 E Shea Boulevard. We need to raise the rest of the money soon, so that the playground will be there when we arrive to build it, at the end of July.

Two other big announcements, the dream team will be back together! Everyone pictured below is going again, along with many other returners. We would love to have you. Please message me if you need more information about joining us.

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And finally, Mason is going with us this year! One Krell at time……soon it will be the whole family.

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Keegan, Mason and I have been working hard to raise funds to go on the trip. But we need your help. Our biggest need is your prayers for safety, health and strength to serve as God sees fit.

We also need financial support. Giving online is very easy. The simple steps are outlined below.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity, we love partnering with you to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves. We couldn’t do it without you.

Go to www.scottsdalebible.com
Click Online Giving
On the right side of that screen click on Mission Trip Giving
In the drop down for Trip/Project select the team (Mexico Yucatan #756)
In the individual drop down select Participant-Put name in memo
The donor should type in the team member’s name in the memo box (Audra Krell or Mason Krell)
Hit next and complete steps for donation

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Posted in Health, Mission Trip, Purpose and tagged , ,
08 Jan 2014
7 Comments

Not Earmarked for Erosion

I’ve seen lots of posts on “Five Things to Do If 2013 Wasn’t Your Year”.  Truth be told, I don’t even click through. Because every year could be considered “not my year” if I chose to think that way.

Some are better than others, I will concede. 2013 was filled with joy for me. Sure we had our share of heartache, loss and disappointment, but overall there were so many beautiful things that God did in our lives. I am able to continue my education, we have our health, we have each other and most of all a God who loves us beyond measure.

So it’s led me to wonder, what things should I do since 2013 was my year? How can I repeat another good year?

I can’t.

One thing I  know that I shouldn’t do, is make drastic changes. I don’t need to till up my life, pummeling and shoveling dirt, displacing the nutrient soil my roots are made to absorb.

Digging up dirt is just earmarking my life for erosion. Definitely not what we’re created for.

My plan for 2014 is to continue fostering my root system. Water, feed and care for my Spiritual life. Look to God and  do what He is asking me to do.

Love like He is asking me to love.

He has the opposite of erosion planned for my life. He has plans to save and preserve my life, eternally.

“For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (New American Standard Bible)

Posted in Christianity, Health, Purpose and tagged , ,
16 Jul 2013
4 Comments

Learning and Serving with Thanks

Learning and Serving with Love

Valladolid. Hundreds heard of our great God. Many chose to live for Him. All chose to love.

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. We could not have done it without you.

3 John 1:4  reads ” I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” NIV

It is with the greatest of joy that I profess that we did just that.

We came alongside the underserved, took them by the hand and walked with them in truth.

Amen.

Posted in Christianity, Health, Mission Trip, Purpose, Respect and tagged , , , ,
07 May 2013
4 Comments

5 Ways to Support Our Medical Mission

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Keegan and I are deeply blessed to be going back to Valladolid, Mexico in June. We’ll be serving with International Medical Assistance and working in the same hospital, Centro Medico San Lucas. This is IMA’s biggest trip of the year. Our team will perform hundreds of surgeries over 5 days, as well as 300 dental procedures, build an eye clinic, and see hundreds of children in the villages. We will play with them and run medical clinics. And best of all, every patient will hear the gospel. We will love and care and support and come alongside the sick and the poor. We plan to once again, give our brothers and sisters everything we’ve got.
A few significant changes are happening this year though. Keegan is coming back, but in a medical capacity. The trip touched him so deeply last year, that he changed his major at U of A and is pursuing a Family Studies Major with a pre-health minor. His ultimate goal is to become a pediatric oncologist. I came back to the US and went back to school. I’m now a Licensed, Certified Nursing Assistant and plan to pursue a nursing degree. Can’t wait for pictures this year as Keegan will be in scrubs too!
We must thank all of the donors from last year, who made the trip possible for us. As you can see it has changed our lives. Our only desire is to continue to serve those who need our help while continuing with life-long learning. Keegan and I are committed to assisting people at the highest level.
We have raised a good portion of funds this year, but as you’ll see below, we have a little gap to fill. We appreciate in advance, any and all support. We love you all and look forward to partnering with each of you to get our boots on the ground in Valladolid.
5 Ways you can help:
1.) Pray for provision in every way, for the safety of our team, and for those supporting us from home.
2.)Donate readers. You know those cute reading glasses from Dollar Tree? There is a desperate need for those and we’d be more than happy to take them to Mexico.
3.) Donate Advil, Tylenol or other pain killers. Please note, we cannot take expired medication into Mexico.
4.) Donate airline funds. Keegan and I are using points to purchase our airfare and are one round trip ticket short. Airline tickets are about $850.
5.) Donate to our individual trip fund. If you give to Scottsdale Bible Church it is tax deductible. Keegan and I are $350 short (total) on our trip fees.
Instructions for online giving are as follows:
Click Online Giving
On the right side of that screen click on Mission Trip Giving
In the drop down for Trip/Project select the team (Mexico, Yucatan #756)
In the individual drop down select Participant-Put name in memo (Audra Krell or Keegan Krell)
The donor should type in the team member’s name in the memo box
Hit next and complete steps for donation
We are truly grateful for your precious friendship. Thank you for your prayers, we couldn’t do this without you.
Posted in Charity, Christianity, Health, Mission Trip, Purpose, Respect, Travel and tagged , , , ,
13 Dec 2012
3 Comments

Banana Love

I spent my last day in clinicals climbing in and out of isolation gowns. MRSA, C. diFF and HIV patients required that I wear a clean, full gown, gloves and a mask in each patient room. If we forgot an item, we had to take everything off, go get the item and then start the process all over again.

The MRSA and C. diff patients cannot have visitors. MRSA is a very serious antibiotic resistant staph germ and C. diff is a bacteria that causes severe intestinal problems, both of which are highly contagious.

So we were it for them today. It’s easy to get depressed when your only contact is with a masked woman who looks like a walking banana. I tried to be ever- so- kind with my eyes.

Then I came home and read Rev. Billy Graham’s daughter’s timely prayer request for her husband. He has MRSA and is in the fight of his life. He cannot have visitors and his only contact is with the medical staff.

It gave me pause and made me realize we’d all do well to remember that every patient is someone’s son-in-law, someone’s mother, daughter, someone’s little boy, baby girl, mother-in-law, father, aunt, uncle, cousin or grandparent.

We just might be the only love they see.

Here is Anne Graham Lotz prayer request:

Please Pray for Danny LotzBilly Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, has been a good friend to the Christian Writers Guild, having spoken twice at our annual conference and being a real encouragement to me personally.

Her husband has suffered from Type 1 diabetes for years. Today she says:

We’re in the fight of our lives.

Dan has a MRSA staph–the very worst and most contagious kind. They just did an ultrasound of his arm, and his stent is leaking. They will have to repeat surgery they did last Thursday. None of this is good. And our entire family–especially me–is now at risk.

He is on isolation, so no visitors to perk him up. The head of nutrition for the hospital just came in, put on her gown and gloves, then held his hand and prayed a very powerful prayer for his healing! The little nursing assistant who bathed him and pricked his finger for his blood sugar came in, put on her gown and gloves, then held his hand while I read this morning’s Daily Light–which, as usual, is exactly God’s Word to us. So God is here. But we need urgent prayer.

Please pray:
that he can overcome the infection. And if not, that God will take him quickly and painlessly.
that God will comfort his heart and give him peace. He is afraid.
that God’s presence will fill this room for all who enter.
that no one, including me, will get this infection.
This poem was one Mother (Ruth Bell Graham) wrote in the flyleaf of my Bible when I was a girl. Amazing how the words have come back to my mind:

Trusting Him when dark doubts assail us
Trusting Him when our strength is small
Trusting Him when to simply trust Him
is the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him then through tears or sunshine
All our cares upon Him cast.
Till the storms of life are over
And the trusting days are past.

Posted in Current Affairs, Health, Respect, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , ,
26 Nov 2012
14 Comments

Giving Your Pinky Toe

Photo Courtesy @iStockphoto

Time for a much needed update. I’m 50% done with my accelerated nursing assistant program. It’s going very well, I even have an A, but the written final is in less than 48 hours. I’m thinking my mom is pretty proud, we didn’t see too many A’s in the formative college years.

It’s been a huge adjustment for our family; going to school eight hours a day and then doing ten chapters of homework and studying for quizzes most evenings. But each one of my men have largely contributed to making my dreams come true; my grateful heart is full.

We covered a huge textbook in 36 hours of class time. But it’s actually clicking for me. This is the way I think, medical terms make sense due to my love of words and writing, I read so much faster than I did 22 years ago and life experience has taught me much more than I would have realized, had I not gone back to school.

So naturally I reflected on all I’m thankful for this past Thursday. First I’m eternally grateful for each friend and family member God has blessed me with. I learn to love from each one and am a better person because of the people He chose to put in my life. Second, I’m grateful for opportunity. I cannot believe that I get to go to school. I sit in wonder every day at the golden chance to be educated in caring for all of God’s people.

The culture would have me believe I should sacrifice something to “pay back” all I’ve been given. But would I give my first born for this opportunity? Never.

What about my pinky toe? See some women are giving their pinky toes for the opportunity for their shoes to fit better. Seriously. Don’t they need them for balance? Do they have phantom limb pain (there’s my new medical training in action)?  Can she afford shoes after the medical bills hobble in? Is she offered a discount on pedicures for only having 8 toes?

Look at the picture above. Does she have pinky toes? We’ll never know.

Anyway, I don’t think God is calling me to give up something because I’m grateful. He isn’t looking to be repaid.

I do believe He wants me to express my thankful heart, but He’s just fine with this little piggy staying home.

Posted in Health, Purpose, Women and tagged , , , ,
05 Nov 2012
12 Comments

An Adult Child of Education

Photo courtesy @Istockphoto

So we got big day tomorrow folks. I’m beginning an accelerated nursing assistant program. Come Christmas and God willing, I will be a CNA. This is a continuation of a dream and a calling God has placed in my heart, after working in the hospital on our medical mission trip this past July.

Here are 5 bonuses for returning to school:

I get to pack my lunch. Got ahold of these little babies today: LUNCHBLOX.  Only thing better would be if they came in pink.

Speaking of pink, I have to bring my stethoscope and it is of course, the most beautiful pink you’ve ever seen in your whole life.

I’ll probably be the oldest person in the class. Everyone will look to me as the fascinating non-pierced,least hip, non-tatted dinosaur that I am.

I got new school supplies. A suh weet lime green notebook and some cool pens.

The number one best thing about it, is that I have the honor of learning how to care for God’s people in a new way.

I can’t wait to be a student again.

Posted in Health, Mission Trip, Science and tagged , , , ,
15 Oct 2012
18 Comments

Italy or Surgery

Photo courtesy @iStockphoto

Back in May, I had a dream come true when I won a scholarship to a writer’s retreat. In Italy. They gave one prize and I was to leave this Wednesday. For 12 days I would see Paris, consume decadent food and wine, and live, laugh, write and love in Liguria, Italy. I had reserved a gorgeous room on the edge of a cliff in an Italian Villa. Heaven.

But, and there’s always a huge but isn’t there? If you remember back to this post,I had some interesting medical problems the day before I left for Mexico. While I was on the mission trip, I received an email from my doctor explaining my benign condition and told to make an appointment to talk about the options. I filed that email and put it in the “someday I’ll call them maybe” category.

Suffice it to say that although the condition is benign, it’s had it’s way with me. I’ve had a couple weeks where I felt kind of okay and the rest have been a battle to function. I wondered how I would trip around Europe; eating, praying and loving, when I couldn’t get out of bed. So I made the dreaded call and subsequently even showed up for the appointment.

Italy is now a thing of the past and incredibly, a chance trip in the future. And now I have surgery in December, one week before Christmas, which really, is what every woman wants. Am I right ladies? Sorry guys, I can’t prepare a turkey or even a honey baked ham. Decorations? Don’t think so. But opening presents? Sure, I wouldn’t want to get rusty on my love language.

What astounds me though is that God equips me for all things. This includes and is not limited to the ability to find joy in serving in difficult circumstances and in times where I’m not doing what I had planned. I always thought being joyful was up to me, and it’s a choice to be sure, but it is God who fuels me to experience joy.

Instead of the Italian coast, we venture as a family to a nearby pacific beach. The same beach house where we took our son Mason to the hospital when his appendix was going awry. We know the way to the two nearest hospitals and more importantly we know the only way to joy.

I’m trusting and choosing to find joy in all things. Italy will be there when I’m healthy again, so I’ll do my part to make sure I am!

What about you? How do you find joy when your dreams are put on hold?

Posted in Food and Drink, Gifts, Health, Travel, Women, Writing and tagged , , , , ,
28 Aug 2012
7 Comments

Feelings Don’t Define You

Photo Courtesy @iStockphoto

Whatever you feel today doesn’t mean you are.

If you feel sad, it doesn’t mean you are a sad person.
If you feel mad, you aren’t an angry person.
If you feel frazzled and out of control, you aren’t crazy.
If you feel discouraged, you aren’t a negative person.
If you feel empty, you aren’t alone.
If you feel unloved, you aren’t unloveable.
But…
If you feel loved (or even when you don’t), you are.

Everyday. Feelings and all.

Creator God loves you no matter what. Forever.

Posted in Creatives, Health, Purpose, Respect, Women and tagged , , ,
31 Jul 2012
6 Comments

ICU

Our last day in the Centro Medico San Lucas hospital was the most difficult. We had few patients in post- op for hours and then the unit exploded. Suddenly there were several discharges, four new patients and an emergency trauma sitting in the waiting room. I’d heard about him all day. His injuries were extensive and he only spoke Mayan. Not a bit of Spanish.

The boy was 18, one year younger than our oldest son. He’d been in a horrible fight; someone hit him in the face repeatedly with a broken beer bottle. A local alley war changed the young man’s life forever. A split second decision left him with vision in only one eye and deep cuts which will certainly scar. He’s the victim of a drama with eternal consequences for all involved.

When he came to the PACU, his face bore the tracks of a hundred stitches. Some curved in the shape of a bottle, some random and jagged, the way angry glass carelessly claims it’s real estate. Surgical bandages covered his eye, his expression passive.

I expected terror and even rage, but the boy was somewhere deep inside himself, far away. My momma heart broke, for him and for everything that would be different now.

But it was his father who took my breath away. His father’s eyes that made me want to cry out in pain. His father spoke a little Spanish, but there aren’t enough words in the world, in any language, that I could speak to comfort him. As a parent, I grieved with him, worried over his internal heart injuries and wished I could literally infuse him with hope.

All I could do was use my eyes. We took gentle care of the boy and heaped grace and mercy on him in the form of blankets, water and pain meds. I smiled at his father at every turn, praying he could “hear” me.

I still pray he can hear me.

I see you brother. I’m standing with you. There is something much bigger than us here. God is with us and has plans for your son, plans to prosper and never fail him. Amen.

Posted in Boys, Health, Men, Mission Trip, Parenting, Purpose, Respect, Uncategorized and tagged ,

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