For the past seven months, I have been privileged to serve as the inaugural Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Health at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM). I was recruited to that position to assist the university in establishing a Christian psychiatry residency program that meets board-certification requirements. Unfortunately, due to forces beyond the university’s control, infrastructure problems (not having access to an inpatient psychiatric unit) prevented the immediate build out of that program. Therefore, it was mutually decided that my position was not needed at this time.
While I am saddened that we could not immediately move forward with this joint vision, I am thankful for my time and experience and for the new friends I have made while at LUCOM. So I want to publicly thank LUCOM and pray for God’s blessing on the team there as they continue to “Train Champions for Christ” and seek to one day establish a Christian psychiatry residency program.
To:
- Joseph Johnson, Dean of LUCOM: Thank you for your Christlike leadership, faith, and commitment to advancing God’s kingdom through medical education. I admire and respect all you are doing. I pray for God’s blessing on your health and the fulfillment of God’s purposes for your life.
- Shawn Crawford, CEO of Collaborative Health Partners (CHP): Thank you for your patient, kind, and gentle leadership, your vision, and your passion for establishing Christ-centered healthcare. May God bless you and CHP as you advance His kingdom.
- Don Raleigh, Senior Associate Dean of LUCOM: Thank you for your faithfulness, diligence, hard work, and personal testimony of God’s leading in your life. You are a great witness to His kingdom. May God bless you with ever-increasing wisdom, strength, and faith as you lead in the education of new doctors.
- Erica Spencer, Practice Manager at Liberty Mountain Medical Group (LMMG): Thank you for your kindness, Christlike attitude, openness, and willingness to consider new ideas. May God bless you and the clinic as you grow and develop more services to bring God’s healing principles to the community.
- Teresa Ramerth MD, LMMG Clinic Lead: Thank you for your kindness, faithfulness to Christ, and leadership in bringing spiritual principles to bear in the clinic. May God bless you with greater wisdom, insight, health, and compassion as you seek to heal hearts and minds.
- David Jones, PhD: It was wonderful getting to know you. Thank you for your positive attitude, friendly conversation, and refreshing laugh. May God bless you as you continue to counsel and seek to heal broken hearts and minds.
- To the many other faculty and staff, thank you for your kindness, gentleness, and love for Christ. It was evident in every interaction, the many smiles, and the positive attitudes. May God bless you all as you continue “Training Champions for Christ.”
Finally, to our Come And Reason family, I ask that you uplift LUCOM and these people in prayer, that God’s kingdom may be advanced through them.