How do you live out God’s calling for your life in your profession? Does God really put us in certain careers for a reason? Dr. Shane Roy, an elder at Central Church since 1976, is an example of how God uses our talents and skills to proclaim His greatness.
But it is best to begin at the beginning. Shane and Mary Kay both grew up in Brownsville, TN during World War II days. Mary Kay’s dad developed polio when she was just 10 years old and she had to do a lot of extra work around the house to help her mother who was taking care of her father. She credits this now as helping her develop responsibility. Shane’s dad had a pharmacy in town, which undoubtedly helped spur an interest in the medical field.
They knew each other from the third grade and, in fact, Shane developed a little crush on Mary Kay by age twelve or thirteen. He would ride by her house on a motorbike and wave. But things didn’t develop much further until after high school. Shane was dating Mary Kay’s best friend and when they broke up Mary Kay allowed him to date her thinking that she would keep him out of anybody’s clutches until he got back with her best friend. Instead she fell in love with him and he with her and in June 1956 they married.
Each was pursuing a degree in the medical field. Mary Kay studied to become a med tech and Shane went to medical school and developed an interest in pediatrics. Exactly three years after they were married they had a daughter, Michele. Things were very busy. A stint in the armed forces added to the busyness from ’61-’63. But afterwards Shane began to find his interest drawn to pediatric nephrology. Very few doctors specialized in childhood kidney diseases. Soon he was on the staff at UT Department of Pediatrics seeing children with kidney disease, teaching pediatric residents, and teaching medical students.
Things were happening spiritually, as well. Though Shane knew the Lord he had allowed his busy schedule to get him out of touch spiritually. Mary Kay, on the other hand, though she had grown up in the church, memorized the verses, and learned the Bible stories, had experienced a crisis of faith in school. The science courses she took seemed to contradict her faith. Added to that, she knew from her high school Sunday school teacher that to be a Christian meant letting God have all of her life and she was not willing to do that. When her mother died Mary Kay’s faith became even shakier. She experienced depression and bitterness that kept her from the Lord. After many invitations from her sister-in-law to visit a Bible study with her, she finally decided to go to get her off her back. But to her surprise she began to see God in a whole new light and eventually gave her life to Him.
With his wife’s newfound faith, Shane began to pay more attention to spiritual things again and to grow spiritually. In 1973 they joined Central Church where Mary Kay became active in Precept Bible Study and eventually a leader in that ministry at Central. Shane became an elder at Central but was experiencing some discouragement at work. Mary Kay began to pray that God would restore his joy and enthusiasm in his work.
Just months later Shane began to notice that some of his young patients were showing signs of what looked like kidney disease but that they responded and grew healthy when certain ingredients were added to their infant formula. Each was taking the same formula and it became evident to Shane through research that the problem was in the formula itself. His study led to Congressional hearings and the passing of the Infant Formula Act in September 1980.
God had answered Mary Kay’s prayer by showing Shane how important his work was and that God wanted to use him to accomplish His purpose. "This humble man, my husband," Mary Kay says, "who loves and honors God, was honored by God, because he persevered at a time when he saw no reason nor had any desire to 'keep on keeping on.'"
We thank God for this couple and how they have contributed to the life of Central Church and to the lives of so many around them. They have shown us how the calling of God on our lives can be answered in so many different ways. As we are faithful to trust Him and follow Him, He will show each of us the way for us to answer His call.
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