My story of donating a kidney is one of faith. If you would’ve told me at the beginning of 2010, that I would be having major surgery and giving a kidney to someone I barely knew in January of this year, I would probably have looked at you like you’re crazy. I’m so thankful that God is in control and allowed me to be a part of this experience, because it has done nothing but bless my life.

My recipient Meredith and I grew up at the same church, but because of the almost 5 year age gap our paths didn’t cross and therefore, never had a conversation with one another. I knew Meredith was in need of both a kidney and a pancreas because having diabetes for over 20 years had taken a toll on her body. Unfamiliar with the whole donation process, I figured it wouldn’t be a difficult or long process for her to find a kidney donor (the pancreas was going to have to come from a deceased donor), but because both of her pregnancies resulted in more antibodies in her blood, finding a match proved to be something much more difficult.

I was at the point in my life where I was in a state of transition and feeling like I needed to do something in my life. At the time, I was reading a book that talked about leading a life of significance rather than what the world would call “successful”. So I prayed to God, please use me to do something significant that would make a lasting impact. I didn’t specify a particular area, but left it completely up to Him to decide.

I then learned at church of the difficult time Meredith was having in finding a match and that her kidneys were failing and she was very close to having to go on dialysis. I told myself that there was nothing more special about me than anyone else, and with the increased difficulty to find a match, that I for sure would not be, but rather than live with the regret of not knowing I could have done something and didn’t, I decided to go for that blood test and find out, so I could know for sure. When I received that first call notifying me that I was a match, I was in such shock. I knew then that this was the something significant I had asked God to use me to do, and when I found out that around 40 people had been tested and I was the only one to make it through the entire process, that further confirmed this is what God had planned for me.

Our surgery was this past January, and after a 3 month recovery, I feel completely recovered. My kidney was able to drastically improve and lengthen Meredith’s quality of life, and allow her to be the wife and mother of 2 small boys that she so desperately wanted to be.