God is working, God is present in the waiting, we must wait in hope!
Some times we don’t know why or when or what to do while waiting. Darren and I have had MANY waiting moments this year.
Just recently we had been waiting, praying and contending with friends, family and our biblical community that his religious exemption would be approved.
This week we learned the hospital system he works for received over 900 exemptions and announced they would be approving less than 100. The situation is felt dire, and hopeless. We came again to our friends, family and biblical community and we all continued to pray. We knew we had strong convictions of conscience and would not be rescinding on our stance. The support we received was above what we expected! Thank you all!!
As more and more of our friends in the same hospital system started getting their denial of exemptions we prepared our hearts, mind and family for what was to be expected for us. I won’t lie that I felt hope draining from me. I felt that this was the path God had planned for us, and felt in comparison to Shadrach, Meshach and Adednego from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. They were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace for standing for truth and they said words I repeat to myself often, “I know my God can save, but even if he doesn’t he is still God.” And while we are not way near facing death the sentiments are the same! I know God can but if not He is still a good God!
Those three men were saved from the flames INSIDE the fire! And they are not the only ones that God has delivered in the waiting:
- He saved Lazarus after he had died
- He saved Daniel from the lion den
- He saved Moses (over and over!)
He saves when it seem impossible. He does it when only He alone can save. For the Glory of God alone!!!
Darren just received an email sharing that his exemption was APPROVED. Glory to God alone!! We stand and will continue to fight and support ALL the medical workers that filed an exemption, for they should have ALL been approved!
For Darren’s hospital system the results of this decision to terminate over 800 workers is closing down clinics during a time when the media is sharing “hospitals are over ran” they are choosing to fire hard working “essential” workers. These medial workers have worked through ALL of Covid, they didn’t get sent home, they were on the front line!!! I am proud of all of the medical workers!! I will continue to fight for you!!
Our hearts want to help and support as many as possible in their pursuit of a Religious Exemption. For us the reason we choose not to get the vaccine is multi-leveled, yet the primary reason is founded in the tenet of Christian Liberty of Conscience. Since, it is proven that there aborted babies used in the testing and developing of the vaccine our conscience will not allow is to participate.
(FOR EXTREMELY CLARITY: we know there is no aborted babies inside of the vaccine BUT they were used to test and develop the vaccine. EQUALLY IMPORTANT: we are not telling anyone that they shouldn’t get the vaccine because if their conscience is clear then they are within their own Christian Liberty to receive the ,vaccine.)
Our story included Darren turning in the following with his exemption form:
- A Letter from our Church’s eldership board supporting the Christian Liberty of Conscience. They included verses and an detailed explanation biblically on it.
- A Personal written explanation of how the receiving of the vaccine goes against Darren’s religious views, highlighting the aborted babies, then thus in his Christian Liberty of Conscience he can not participle in turning that within his body (temple of God). He had verses to support his position. (provided below)
- An Affidavit which was notarized before we turned them in.
Yes, these are extra steps that were not asked for but we felt it was important to include in the process. Below you can see the examples of what we turned in, so that it can support you, your church, and or your friends in applying for a religious exemption. PLEASE note we were advised and would advise the same for you to not copy and paste but instead add your own words, and create a PERSONAL (including church) statement that you would stake your beliefs on because many places of businesses are “interviewing” those who have submitted their exemptions to see what they “believe.” And I pray this goes without saying BUT PLEASE make sure you have a clear conscience on the issue, pray about it fervently, and seek WISE biblical counsel! We will be praying for you and we STAND WITH YOU!
Here is Darren’s personal statement of faith:
To whom it may concern,
It is my sincerely held belief that as a Christian I must, in all things, consider the teachings, truth and knowledge that is found in the word of God and remember that all things I do must proceed from faith and be done for the glory of God.
I believe that when a Christian is born again as a result in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them. And the wisdom and knowledge that comes from the fear of the Lord, along with our conscience and the Holy Spirit guide us as we walk in this life.
As a Christian I believe that God’s will and word is fully revealed in the Bible and that I must take the following truths from scripture into consideration in how I make every decision as a Christian. From the Holy Scriptures I read and know to be true that:
1. God, the Creator of all life, created humans in His own image, and human life is sacred to Him. Genesis 1:26-27.
2. In His inspired and inerrant Word, the Bible, God makes it absolutely clear that, in His eyes, human life begins at the moment of conception. Psalm 139:13-14; Psalm 139:16; Isaiah 44:2; Isaiah 44:24; Jeremiah 1:5.
3. God has prohibited murder (the killing of an innocent human being), and murder is a heinous sin. Exodus 20:13; Genesis 9:6; Deuteronomy 27:25.
4. God gives each believer the Holy Spirit to personally guide him or her in all aspects of Life. The Holy Spirit teaches the believer all things, guides the believer into all truth, and reproves the believer of sin and righteousness. A believer who disobeys the teaching and leading of the Holy Spirit in his or her own life commits sin against God. John 16:7; John 14:26; John 16:8 and 13.
5. The human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the believer must not defile it. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20.
As a believer who prays earnestly to God, and seeks the instruction of the Holy Spirit, and who has received into my conscience the instruction that I must not defile my body with any product that has any connection to the grievous sin of abortion, I have a sincere religious objection to medical treatments that are known to have been tested on, or have used in any way cells or DNA lines from murdered image bearers of God. For myself, as a believer, accepting such a vaccine would be disobedient to the Holy Spirit, and a sin against God.
My religious beliefs are sincere and deep and my objection applies to all products or vaccines connected to abortion, not just covid vaccines These facts are indisputable: Each of the three covid vaccines available were either developed from, or tested on, fetal cell lines from aborted babies. I would not take any product into my body – the temple of the Holy Spirit – if I knew that it was developed or tested using aborted fetal cells. To act against this sincere belief and my conscience is to sin against God. (Romans 14:23)
Thank you for your consideration and respect of these deeply and sincerely held beliefs of mine. I pray that even if we personally disagree that we can work together in a way that is in alignment with the values of Legacy by having a work environment that is responsive, safe, and affirming to the culture and beliefs of every person.
Sincerely in Christ,
Darren Rice, RN
Thank you. Very well presented and respectfully stated!
Thank you Beth! I know it can be a “touchy” topic, I want to make sure others can see our heart and convictions of conscience 🙂