On one unremarkable morning, I suddenly found myself treating seven Afghan soldiers from an IED blast in the space of two minutes. Fortunately, I had the help of numerous soldiers trained in basic lifesaving care and was able to help direct the organized chaos to see that all the casualties were stabilized and connected to higher medical care. Being part of an event so massive and unexpected was incredibly draining, for all of us, but also a lesson in teamwork and preparation.

Rarely do I have the luxury before an emergency situation of saying a prayer, centering myself, and driving on with the work I need to do with a renewed sense of purpose. More often, I am caught by surprise and having to act on my training, working quickly to focus on the task at hand. However, I would not have gotten through many moments in my life, if it wasn’t for the prayers of strength to overcome them. Often I have looked back and felt that the Holy Spirit, however you may perceive Spirit to be, was with me in those events. At the quiet points of my life, I didn’t realize it, but the gathering of that inner peace and willpower was what saw through the days when it mattered most.