“My dream and goal as a young man was to become a famous rock star,” said Dave Moline, environmental services director at Marvella, a Presbyterian Housing & Services community in Saint Paul, Minn. “That was all I was infatuated with growing up.”
Dave pursued his passion, playing guitar in many rock bands in his youth, during college and early adult years. He then married and “did the responsible thing,” prioritizing his family’s needs before his music. Still, his love for music never lessened.
Then, in 2007, Dave’s life changed. Dramatically.
A life-threatening event
At the age of 47, Dave suffered a “small stroke.” He simultaneously contracted pneumonia, resulting in an extended stay in ICU on life support. For the next month,
Dave was on a ventilator.
Twice, during that period, doctors attempted to remove Dave from the mechanical bellows – without success. He could not breathe on his own. “I guess the third time was the charm,” observes Dave. “I kept breathing.”
Dave’s road to recovery was long and arduous.
“After months of physical therapy, I relearned how to walk and navigate stairs,” Dave asserts. “Through speech therapy, I relearned how to swallow and speak again.
“I had a little bit of resentment between me and the Lord on that,” Dave recalls. “It wasn’t the Lord’s fault. He doesn’t sit around and think of bad things to do to us.”
The therapy of service
In addition to his therapy, Dave decided to attempt playing guitar and singing once again. He volunteered to play and sing at several senior living communities, including EagleCrest, a PHS community in Roseville, Minn. “The Holy Spirit drove me to start,” he acknowledges.
“I firmly believe in the power of prayer, because through prayer — and a lot of it — I rebounded pretty well,” Dave affirms.
Watch Dave playing and singing at a recent PHS leadership retreat:
A new job and a new calling
Little did Dave realize that this volunteer gig would ultimately lead him to a job with PHS. In 2013 Dave received a job offer from PHS in environmental services. He says the decision to work for PHS was one of the best things that’s ever happened to him.
“Words can’t explain the gratitude and appreciation I have for my PHS family,” Dave observes. “I can’t imagine working any place else.”
Dave still loves music, but now views it through a different lens. He cites a recent interaction with a PHS resident and family member to illustrate the point. The daughter of a care center patient being cared for by hospice asked Dave if he would play for her mother.
“I played and sang for the resident over a couple of days before she passed,” reports Dave. “It was a beautifully sad time, but you could literally feel God’s presence in the room.
“The experience reminded me that God isn’t interested in how much money I have or how popular I am,” Dave asserts. “God is interested in how many people I’ve comforted with kindness and love during their time of need.
“Do I feel beloved? You bet,” Dave explains. “Every morning that I wake up, I thank God that I woke up. Every day I put food in my mouth, I thank God I can swallow it. God is great and to him be the glory.”
Do you know someone looking for more purpose in their work? Share about the many opportunities to join our team at preshomes.org/careers.
