Story of a Kidney - Epilogue

- Link to Story - Part I - My Story

- Link to Story - Part II - Aunt's Story

- Link to Story - Part III - Uncle's Story

- Link to Story - Epilogue

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Today our family gathered for labor day weekend and had a barbecue outside at my parents house. My uncle’s family came, except Grandma K was resting at home. And my younger uncle’s family came as well, and everyone in one place was able to hear every part of the story.

My dad spoke frankly about what he had learned, even from the first story, my story.

How God Works

My family looked at me and commented on how I was the appropriate type of person for God to use to work. I didn’t understand what they were saying at the time. But a servant of God is someone who just keeps going. There is a time to stop and take control, but in general, it’s someone who just keeps going with the flow.

Any of the other people sitting at the table would’ve cut the nonsense that morning short. My dad said that he probably would’ve just wrapped her in a blanket and carried her out the door. My aunt said that nothing like that could ever happen on her watch. My uncle would have to be just about dead in order to still be at home at 9:51am on a Sunday morning.

But I was in no position to dictate terms. Or to make things happen. Or to force the issue. I just had to keep playing the hand I was dealt.

But the funny thing is, everything was going wrong. At each and every point leading up to the transplant surgery, everything was going wrong. Even after we received the initial call for a possible match, because the testing took longer than expected, Grandma K ate food, which delayed her surgery. But without that delay, we couldn’t have gotten in touch with Aunt M to secure the confidence of the surgeon.

But that’s how God works. In our mind, most of us were thinking why couldn’t they just have called earlier in the day? Or any other time while my uncle’s family was still around?

Each and every one of us have plenty of days where it seems everything is just going wrong and falling to pieces, so we get angry and quit and try to fix it ourselves. But that’s how he works.

The goal that morning was to go to church. Arguably the most important activity in a week for any believer. But even then, God’s plans were higher than the minds of man. And his ways greater.

Sometimes that is the only way he can work, so we know, without a doubt, that each and every step, every provision, every second, was ordained by God to the completion of his will and mercy.

I did nothing on my own volition that was noteworthy or amazing. I’m sure many of you got that as you read the story; I was just reacting and moving. I thought I was going to be an abject failure at the one thing my uncle had asked me to do: take Grandma K to church. Instead I was given the privilege and the blessing to be part of a miracle.

To my brothers and sisters

The reason I share all this with you is not only to share the good news and blessings that have been showered upon my family, but also just to give you a glimpse of what God is doing today. Not old stories of glory, or ancient texts of delivery, but what has happened just one month ago, and what is still happening now.

This entire story is absolutely ridiculous. And it’s true.

This whole thing was not an accident. But the result of men and women of God, taking up the call, taking up the challenge, to go all the way for, and more importantly with, God. To be obedient and to have the courage to trust him and be bold to stick to his promises, when there is no reason to believe anymore.

To have a tenderness of hearing to discern God’s voice, and the willingness to actually listen instead of going our own way. To have the audacity to choose faith. To have the humility to go wherever it takes you. And to have the discipline to keep walking and not lose hope.

And to walk in the fullness and abundance of life that was promised to us.

God bless, my brothers and sisters.