I was just 12 when I knew for sure I wanted to be a psychologist someday. With God’s blessing and the support of my parents and later my husband, I finished a degree in that field. After some years of additional training, however, my husband and I decided to become parents. After much praying and walking in faith, we made a difficult decision: At least for a few years, I would set my professional dreams aside for the full-time adventure of motherhood. We believed that solid foundations during Thiago and Maia’s early years were essential for their life success down the road.
Those were demanding years, full of challenges and ongoing learning. On the other side, I felt privileged to be there to catch my children’s first words and guide their first steps. When they fell ill, I was there to soothe and care for them to the best of my abilities. I loved hearing one of them calling “Mom!” just to add after I responded, “Nothing! I just wanted to know that you were near!” I’m not sure how much they value my presence now as teens, but I am thankful I was able to be a present figure during their early years. I see it as the first link in a chain of events and experiences I can thank God for.
After six years of full-time motherhood, I thought it would be a challenge to once more find my place in my profession. But I saw God working and opening doors for me to also grow professionally. For some unexplained reason I felt that my call was to be trained to serve as a psycho-oncologist. Both available training options were in a big city several hours away. They also included classes all day Fridays and Saturday mornings.
A great blessing was to find that my husband could make arrangements and stay with the kids most of those hours. Another invaluable blessing was the willingness of the professor to teach her Saturday class on Thursday afternoons just for me. She also told me I was free to leave her class before sunset on Fridays. With God opening all the doors, I felt I had no choice but to move forward.
After graduation I was blessed to become part of a comprehensive team at an Adventist health-care institution, as the first psycho-oncologist in the mental health department. In my job I provide support, comfort, and ultimate hope to people often in despair. I feel it is my God-appointed mission, and I can’t stop praising His name!
