The Miele's Journey to Know Christ More Fully

Today marks the first day in which I am no longer a resident. For the past 8 years I have been a trainee at Ohio State University (medical school and residency); but no longer. I am officially finished with my Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency program. I now transition to work for an Ohio based primary care network called COPC (Central Ohio Primary Care) for the next 6 months. I will work with adults and children in an urgent care setting. This new job will allow me to have flexible hours so  I can spend time with Emma at home and study for my upcoming board certification exams. As I reflect on the past 8 years I am reminded time and time again how God has been so faithful to me. Initially, I wasn't sure what He had in store for me by coming to Columbus for med school, but now I can look back in awe and thanksgiving for all He has provided. I have received excellent medical training, found a gospel-centered church family, and have many godly friends. Psalm 13:6 says,  ...

As you might know, we have recently had one of the biggest changes in our home. That change is teaching us a lot about who we are as the frequent cries ring out in our home. We named that change 'Emma Joy' when she arrived April 19th. The word joy is often defined as happiness or 'a good feeling.' As Christians, we know that true joy is produced by the Holy Spirit, as he reminds us of our eternal salvation in the Lord (Galatians 5:22). Christian joy is not simply a feeling or emotion, but a lasting truth for our soul to be assured of. In the Bible, we are even commanded to rejoice. As I went through the ups and downs of pregnancy (and there were more downs than ups as I experienced it), I was frequently reminded of Nehemiah 8:10. Nehemiah tell us, " Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the  Lord  is your strength!” I was never strong enough, but my God is! How fitting was it, then, when Anthony suggested we 'choose joy' as a middle name for our daughte...

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) Many years ago, I heard a pastor ask 'why is this called good Friday?' He had just explained the gruesome death of Jesus in much detail. He read scripture where people called for Christ to be crucified, flogged Him, hammered nails into His hands and feet, and mocked Him as He died on a cross. By the end of the sermon, the pastor answered his own question by saying, "Jesus died for you. And that is why it is called Good Friday." Many Americans have heard at some point that 'Jesus died for them.' They have the options of walking into a church, reading a Bible, asking a Christian friend about their faith, or listening to a Youtube sermon. However, most people don't. God knew this, so He c...

Today, we lost an icon of American history, a great evangelist in the Christian faith, and a humble servant of Jesus Christ. As Billy Graham once said- "We are all just passing through this world." Nothing is more certain in life than 'passing through this world.' For those following Jesus, there is no real fear in death, as we are assured of where we are going and know that death is not final. Our Savior rose from the grave, defeating death for all who believe in Him. Revelation, the last book of the Bible, tells us- " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.Yes, says the Spirit, 'they will rest from their labor, for t heir deeds will follow them.' " This verse doesn't mean that good deeds get us to heaven, as the Christian faith is the only faith on Earth which tells us we will actually never be good enough or holy enough to enter the kingdom of God. Rather, it is through faith in Christ alone, believing and trusting in His perf...

I just returned to the US after visiting Honduras for the 5th time. I made the annual trip to Tegucigalpa (the capital) with my home church from Chicago. This trip was extra special because my mom was able to attend for the first time and see what a short term medical mission trip is like. After a week spent in Tegucigalpa, I traveled to the other side of Honduras, to visit Loma De Luz hospital. This is the clinic Kristen and I will serve in for our two-year commitment. As always, God was faithful and set His blessing upon the entire trip. My travels plans were delayed due to bad weather in Columbus, but I arrived safely to Tegucigalpa only a day later than expected. Our team spent a terrific week together serving the Honduran people by giving them much needed medical care. Most importantly, we shared the love of Christ and His gospel with every patient. Many Hondurans came to faith for the first time and were added to Jesus's family. Praise be to God alone. On Friday, I fl...

As I type, Anthony is on a plane headed to Honduras for a two week missions trip. First, he will go to Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, to serve with his childhood church through  World Gospel Outreach . After working in the medical clinics which often serve the urban poor of the city, he will head to Loma de Luz, our future home. As you might have read in our earlier post, we have committed two years of service with  World Medical Mission . I'm very jealous that Anthony is about to see Loma de Luz and meet all of the other families who live there. Originally, I had planned to go with Anthony on this trip. However, the CDC advises against pregnant women going to countries that have the Zika virus. I look forward to hearing of his many experiences when he arrives home. As Anthony was traveling today, I also read something in Time Magazine concerning Honduras. The article was focused on recent immigration laws and policies. The State Department warned against U.S. cit...

2017 was a year full of blessings, and 2018 is sure to bring more excitement. For many years,  the both of us have desired to serve in overseas mission work. Kristen often likes to recount how she made this an important point of conversation on our first dating conversation! She had personally felt the call to go abroad in public health, and made sure Anthony knew this before they began dating. Anthony agreed that he too had felt the call to serve abroad in a medical capacity. God was already at work in our relationship before it officially began! For several years in our marriage, we have prayerfully considered where God might lead us and with whom we would partner with. Our prayers gradually were answered as we were pointed (again and again) to Samaritan's Purse by faithful missionary men and women whom we networked with. We interviewed with Samaritan's Purse for the post-residency program in August with other young doctors and spouses in Charlotte, NC. God answered our pra...