On a Sunday morning in Detroit, Sharon Titus, PhD, MSN, RN, snuck out of her bedroom window as a child, eager to attend the church across the alley behind her house. The pastor walked her back to the front door, telling Titus’ parents he was happy to have her attend, just not in her pajamas. “The Lord captured my heart, and when He does that He doesn’t let go,” she said. Titus continued going to church on her own throughout her childhood and teenage years. Every decision she’s made since then has been with God’s call to service in mind. As a professor in Azusa Pacific University’s MSN in Nursing Education program, Titus sets an example of what it means to live a Christ-centered life.
Titus knew she wanted to become a nurse when she was five-years-old. She was hospitalized for many months, and her family was not always able to see her during visiting hours. “I was in the pediatric unit for so long by myself that it became my home for that period of time,” she said. “New kids would come and I used to show them where the ice cream and coloring books were, and the desire to pursue nursing was written on my heart.”
During her senior year of high school, Titus was one of the few recipients of the Betty Crocker “Homemakers of Tomorrow” award. She was nominated by her home economics teacher, who noticed Titus’ love and talent for making clothes. Her parents were thrilled, as the award provided a four year scholarship to any state school in the U.S. “I told my parents I couldn’t accept the award, because the Lord has always given me a desire to be a nurse.” Months later, Titus’ father dropped her off at George Mason University. Titus’ future was hers to make now.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing, Titus got married, had children, and entered the missionary field. For 17 years, she and her family lived in Indonesia, then Thailand, then Germany, serving the Lord in different capacities. Titus and her husband were dorm parents in Indonesia at a Christian international school. They started a medical clinic, providing healthcare to the community. When Titus became fluent in Indonesian, she taught a women’s Bible study.
In Thailand and Germany, Titus did similar ministry as a nurse. She also wanted to pursue becoming a nurse educator, driven by a passion for guiding others to incorporate faith in healing, so she took online classes to earn her doctorate. “I got up at 2 a.m. some days in Germany to drive in search of a place with wifi so I could attend class.”
Titus felt called back to the U.S., wanting to work in Christian higher education. “Faith is everything to me—it’s who and what I am,” she said. Titus started working at APU in 2011, and has loved teaching graduate nursing students ever since. “I love seeing students have lightbulb moments, asking questions and truly engaging in what they’re learning.”
Demonstrating how much she sees each student, even when teaching online, is vital
to Titus’ approach as a professor. She often sends emails thanking students individually
for the ways they go above and beyond. Titus ultimately hopes students lean into their
faith as they embark on careers as nurse educators.
When Titus is not teaching and interacting with students, she often spends time outdoors, especially with her 11 grandchildren. “It is such a joy to serve the Lord as a mother and grandmother. He gives us opportunities to serve Him in ways that bring honor and glory to Him,” she said. Another way Titus serves the Lord is through a partnership she and her husband have with a hospital in Rwanda. They visit the clinic every year, teaching nurses about nutrition, health assessment, and more.
Remaining intentionally focused on God's calling for her is at the core of Titus’ life. The tug she felt on her heart as a child never went away, and she continues to step into the doors God opens for her to make a difference.
“In life there is a plethora of competition, and of people telling you who you are and what you should become, but we should never compete with any of those forces. Seek God, and He will direct your path.”