Now I'm a Doctor (hood and all)

I was hooded today in recognition of my doctoral degree by Dean Stewart of the College of Nursing and Dr. Teresa Kelechi, my research mentor.

I do not like being the subject of attention - especially the hundreds who attended the convocation ceremony! Stress ran pretty high, and I broke down emotionally once I saw my family afterward - it was a moment of feeling the weight of all the trials we passed through together on the way to this degree. Cancer immediately came to mind, and I was crying with joy that God allowed me to survive to see this moment.

After I got the tears out, I was able to have a little fun with my family, and my dear friend, Dr. Lisa Sternke, part of my original 2007 matriculating class at MUSC. We were trying to look studious - she did a pretty good job, but I just look mischievous. I guess I'll have to work on that expression if I'm going to be taken seriously as a professor! HA! I'd much rather have students who can laugh with me!

Thanks to everyone who took time to lend support in the form of comments, encouragement, and prayers over the 4 years it took to obtain my PhD.

A new doctor in the house!

The moment of truth...listening to my chair deliver the news I passed my final dissertation defense. Sweet words..."Congratulations, Doctor Thul!"

Everything went very well, and thank you so much for your prayers!

Hugs from Dr. Kelechi, my research mentor

With my dear Mama, the original teacher!

2012 is shaping up to be true to my word for the year!

On the home front, Amelia's been getting progressively more ill while I've been gone...she has neck pain, severe headache, light sensitivity, even her teeth hurt. So far she hasn't needed to go to the hospital, but we are heading home on an earlier flight. Please pray her condition stays stable while I am flying today - Grandma Nel is manning the home front on her own with all 4 children, so an ER run would be quite difficult for her.

When you can't take any of the credit

I was awake for 44 hours. My eyes burned, my body ached, and my spirit wilted. I had submitted my dissertation, and it failed. I had one last chance to edit the 100+ pages to suitable quality. I didn't have the strength for it. I was horribly exhausted, haunted by stress-related chest pain, my fingers tremulous from the long hours typing. 

And then God gave me the strength to stay awake for 44 hours and finish my work.

He took me to the absolute end of my physical, intellectual, and emotional limits.

He took me there so that I would know, beyond a doubt, that the result was totally in His hands. That it wasn't my smarts or my tenacity. That it was a gift.

And so I can say, with utter humility,

I PASSED.


And God gets all the credit.

The promise of grace 

And You lead us into freedom 

We're bound in Your love 

And all sin has been forgotten 

At the foot of the cross 

Where our ransom has been given 

If God is for us who can be against us 

Who can be against our God 

You give life to us all 

And you breathe on us Your spirit 

You go before us, 

Father, you protect us 

Father, you provide for us all 

Your Word is a shelter strong within 

My portion and my deliverance

(You Are the Lord, Jeremy Camp & Matt Maher)

*the portion of the dissertation I just successfully completed was the written portion. There is an oral exam portion as well, next Tuesday at 11 a.m. (CST). If you would pray for my continued strength as I prepare for this, and for God's will and power to be on display next Tuesday?

Too busy

...to post! Or e-mail. Or hardly even shower!!! We've been surrounded by beauty and I finished the data collection for my dissertation project, a huge accomplishment that propels me toward graduation. I'm leavin' on a jet plane for home tomorrow.