Today I write with a broken heart an open-letter to my nursing colleague, friend and I hope, brother in Christ William Davis, RN. Will has been accused of murder and was arrested on April 11, 2018. I write this as an open-letter because this has become an open-matter.
Dear Will,
I miss your smiles and your jovial laughter on our nursing unit. I first meet you about 5 years ago in the spring of 2013. My wife met you before I did; I remember her telling me, “I met a guy in orientation who is going to work on your unit, he is so excited to work on your unit and is real fun.” From that time on you were usually laughing and all smiles. Often times you brought a bag of candy to work, because of this, and your jovial laughter I nicknamed you the Candyman and would even sing in your presences,
We graduated from our perspective Bachelorette programs about the same time, I graduated in December 2015. After graduation, we each started graduate school, you in a Master of Nursing Practitioner program and I in a Master of Theological Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You have completed your master’s degree, but I still have one year of studies.
I write and post this letter too my blog, “The Nurse Theologian.” So, named because it combines our chosen profession of nursing with my passion to know the Lord our God. I do not know if you have ever read my blog but I do know that you have had access to it given that we are friends on Facebook and I have had one of my blog post, “Nursing and the Law of Christ” posted up on the board in our break room since January of this year. If you haven’t read that post I suggest that you do, because it is what I believe nursing to be all about.
Will, my heart breaks for you whether you be innocent or guilty, you were created in the image of God, but in addition to that, I have come to call you my friend. I met with my pastor about all of this a month ago when hospital administration turned you over to the Texas Nursing Board. I knew then that an arrest would likely occur and I needed wisdom from someone with a level head and not close to the situation.
I had three concerns that I voiced to him:
Will, I know you as a jovial light-hearted person and I know that some unexpected events occurred on our unit, what lies between I do not know; therefore, I am embracing what I do not know and praying for you during this time. I know that the Lord our God is a righteous judge; therefore, I am praying for the will of God to be done. I do not know fully why He allows bad things to happen, but indications from Scripture are that it is both for His glory and our good. I am also praying for the truth to come forward. Our Lord is a God of truth. I am also praying that the Lord keep us all from temptation brought on by the world, our flesh and Satan. I pray that we are all guided by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of truth in any decision that we make.
Will, whether you be innocent or guilty in this matter, I love you as my friend. Look to Christ and live. I am praying for you, your family, our nursing staff and everyone effected by this tragedy. May the Lord’s will be done.
In Christ alone,
Mike Peek
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| Will Davis and Family Copied from Facebook |
I miss your smiles and your jovial laughter on our nursing unit. I first meet you about 5 years ago in the spring of 2013. My wife met you before I did; I remember her telling me, “I met a guy in orientation who is going to work on your unit, he is so excited to work on your unit and is real fun.” From that time on you were usually laughing and all smiles. Often times you brought a bag of candy to work, because of this, and your jovial laughter I nicknamed you the Candyman and would even sing in your presences,
“Who can make the sun rise and cover it with cheer…the Candyman can, the Candyman can because he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good.”We both decided to return to school about the same time and get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing because we had both become nurses through an Associate Degree Nursing program. You went to Texas Women’s University and I went to the University of Texas at Arlington. I would tease you about going to a women’s college even though both of us had chosen a profession dominated by women.
We graduated from our perspective Bachelorette programs about the same time, I graduated in December 2015. After graduation, we each started graduate school, you in a Master of Nursing Practitioner program and I in a Master of Theological Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You have completed your master’s degree, but I still have one year of studies.
I write and post this letter too my blog, “The Nurse Theologian.” So, named because it combines our chosen profession of nursing with my passion to know the Lord our God. I do not know if you have ever read my blog but I do know that you have had access to it given that we are friends on Facebook and I have had one of my blog post, “Nursing and the Law of Christ” posted up on the board in our break room since January of this year. If you haven’t read that post I suggest that you do, because it is what I believe nursing to be all about.
Will, my heart breaks for you whether you be innocent or guilty, you were created in the image of God, but in addition to that, I have come to call you my friend. I met with my pastor about all of this a month ago when hospital administration turned you over to the Texas Nursing Board. I knew then that an arrest would likely occur and I needed wisdom from someone with a level head and not close to the situation.
I had three concerns that I voiced to him:
- “What do I do when this goes public and people in the media and on social media are saying all kinds of evil without true knowledge?” When the news story broke members of my own family called me or text me these very things. The advice my pastor gave comes from the book of James, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (Jam. 1:19-20)
- “How do I best support the staff on my unit, many of whom believe that there is a conspiracy against the nursing staff and believe that the hospital has been looking for a scapegoat?” My pastor said, “Embrace the agnostic.” This simply means do not speculate or read into things. He told me: You know your friend and you know what has occurred in-between these two are things you do not know. Embrace what you do not know because by doing so you can both support your friend and continue seeking the good of your neighbor as a nurse.
- As for the third question I will keep it to myself for now.
Will, I know you as a jovial light-hearted person and I know that some unexpected events occurred on our unit, what lies between I do not know; therefore, I am embracing what I do not know and praying for you during this time. I know that the Lord our God is a righteous judge; therefore, I am praying for the will of God to be done. I do not know fully why He allows bad things to happen, but indications from Scripture are that it is both for His glory and our good. I am also praying for the truth to come forward. Our Lord is a God of truth. I am also praying that the Lord keep us all from temptation brought on by the world, our flesh and Satan. I pray that we are all guided by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of truth in any decision that we make.
Will, whether you be innocent or guilty in this matter, I love you as my friend. Look to Christ and live. I am praying for you, your family, our nursing staff and everyone effected by this tragedy. May the Lord’s will be done.
In Christ alone,
Mike Peek
