Doing God’s Will

I love Mary Neal. She describes herself as pragmatic—and she is—but I’m often impressed by a particular facet of her pragmatism, her empowering self-assurance.

Mary’s the former head of spine surgery at a major academic medical center. She had to be pragmatic and self-assured to function in that pressure cooker, but her unwavering self-worth and confidence didn’t come merely from academia. It came from a more rigorous spiritual curriculum.

Several years ago, Mary drowned on a kayaking trip in southern Chile. Her near-death experience and her physical healing were both miraculous. Initially, she struggled to reconcile the profoundly spiritual experience she had while dead with the science she’d learned and trusted.

I met Mary when we both spoke at a conference of the International Association for Near-Death Studies. In addition to her keynote, Mary offered a workshop. I snuck in the back to hear what she taught.

Seemingly concerned about how Mary balanced being a mother, wife, practicing orthopedic surgeon, and a highly demanded international public speaker, one woman raised her hand and asked, “Do you ever feel guilty about not being able to do more?”

That’s when I saw the core and essence of Mary’s soul and her relationship with the Divine. Without hesitation, and with a pleasant compassionate smile, Mary calmly said, “I never feel guilty. I trust I’m doing what God wants me to do.”

Mary knows exactly who she is, and she fully trusts her connection with Heaven. She inspires others to do the same.

As powerful as Mary’s experience was, it’s important to remember, you don’t need a near-death experience like Mary’s to walk with God. Just find your errand and honor it.