Nurses are known for working hard and playing hard.And as a Christian nurse?I work hard and play hard too!

You see, when I turn up to work, I am there to serve

You will get my best, and I will go above and beyond

Because I'm there to serve God too

I will work like a dog and run around like a blue-arsed fly

But I will rest.

I prioritise breaks for me and my team

We eat lunch.

And at the end of the day

With an aching back and sore feet

I pray, and I let go

My best is enough

And I walk away.

As a Christian nurse, I know when to say 'no'

No to the extra workload

No to the overtime shift

My identity isn't in how busy I am

How needed I am

I am not invincible, I am not God

I need sleep; I need food; I need drink; I need rest.
And as a Christian nurse, I play hard too! I know how to feast and enjoy life

How to enjoy good food and good drink and good company

To belly laugh, to dance and sing and celebrate

I know how to be thankful.
I don't overindulge
And I'm not trying to numb pain or grief
To find peace or release
But I do know how to delight in GodAnd him restore my soul.

Bex Lawton is a paediatric nurse in Oxford and CMF's 'Poet in Residence'