Ch, Capt Ashley Bell

I currently serve as a Hospice/Palliative Care Chaplain for the VA in Murfreesboro, TN and we're "revamping" our hospice unit. Much grace is needed our way to have the wisdom, funding, and resources to implement the awesome ideas people have to make our unit a "homey" place for our Veterans who are terminal. Being the hospice chaplain, I'm working on developing our "Bereavement Program", to which I'm thrilled to be a part of since I have a deep rooted love for this area of ministry. I've only worked at the VA for 9 months, so learning the staff and their gifts, as well as, tapping into available resources is a challenge, and yet a growth experience to continue to become the woman of God that I'm daily being called to be.

The embedded prayer request is that Alvin C. York Hospice/Palliative Care unit is best suited with an aesthetically pleasing environment that promotes a dignified and honorable death of the hospice patients and of a healing growth in mind, body, and spirit in their families lives, as well as, in the staff that serves them. The second part to the request, is that I'll be resourceful, creative, energized, and integrate the most promising tools to those bereaved to promote a spiritual and emotional well-being.

However, a great praise report, after only being at the VA for nine months, I've been able to make 4 proposals to implement The C.A.R.E. Channel as part of patient/family viewing on most of our TVs. The ($11, 600) funding came through two-weeks ago and what a huge blessing!!! I feel so blessed to be a part of such a receptive group of people who want the best for our Veterans, being one myself, I can appreciate it to the utmost.

As an Air National Guard Chaplain at the 118th in Nashville, TN, I have a wonderful chapel team that loves to serve others, even if it's in the food service line in the dining facility, as they did this past weekend. Or if it's taking a golf-cart through the rain to security force posts, to give out Bibles, devotion books and candy, to get them through the shift! Our Chapel Staff were sad to see Ch, Lt Col Ronald Lowery, move up in the world but proud to announce his promotion to Colonel soon and his new position as the Assistant to the Air National Guard USAFE Command. Our 'Acting" Wing Chaplain, Ch, Lt Col Stan Campbell is serving in Ramstein, Germany for the next 4 months and this is his second tour within the past year and a half. I'm proud to say that I've been blessed to be surrounded by loving, compassionate and eager people who are energized to serve our great God in serving others. That's my praise to share with you in order that
you're blessed the same.

On my knees now so I can stand later,

Ch, Capt Ashley Bell