Dr. Susan Messerly

faithca
Updated on April 15, 2021

Student Services Team Advisor

The granddaughter of Irish immigrants, I was born in New York City and grew up on the south shore of Long Island, always looking forward to the next beach day.  Though I enjoyed working in and exploring Manhattan after college, when medical school took me to the mid west, I felt like I had come home.  Certainly, part of that was finding my life’s partner Jim, a medical school classmate, and native Iowan. We have been married for 40 years, have 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren.

A military scholarship funded my medical training and I was a member of the US Army Medical Corps for 11 years, including 2 tours in Germany. Though I did not excel at marksmanship or driving a personnel transport tank, those and other army adventures supply good stories for the grandkids.
I have recently crossed the finish line on a 33 year career as a Pediatrician with special focus in child development and behavior.  The passion of my adult life has been to help children and their families discover the unique giftedness in each child, by advocating for their physical, emotional, cognitive needs. Each child deserves the opportunity to understand and to reach their highest, and best God- given potential.
I am so very thankful that God has provided a  “second chapter” in which I can continue that pursuit, with like minded teachers and leaders, at Faith Christian Academy.  Being part of the Student Services Team and teaching High School Health has made me realize that “retirement” is not an option.  There are so many more amazing children to know and help and lift up to their highest and best, to the glory of their Creator.   Our nation and world desperately needs the citizens and leaders these kids will become, so let’s get on with it!

Education

Testimony

My childhood faith was rooted and nurtured in Roman Catholicism. Since my early childhood, I had a clear understanding of the holiness of God, the reality of the life and sacrifice of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit in people who believe.  I made a personal profession of faith at age 13, in the Catholic church. At age nineteen, I was introduced to new concepts of personal relationship with Jesus, at a Lutheran Young Adults group– which led to a deeper and more significant commitment of my life to God.  The rigors of college, med school and fulltime medical practice eliminated any waking moments for in depth Bible study-so that spiritual maturity was lacking. God brought that opportunity to me after I left military service and I have sought Him in and through His word since then.  I am still learning and more importantly, seeing how I need to incorporate head knowledge into a consistent faith walk, step by step, day by day. I rejoice that He is so patient, merciful and gracious– and that He is not done molding me yet.

Church

Attends Highland Community Church.

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