Here is a brief segment from part of my story I want to share to set up my background so you know who I am and whose I am. My faith journey is like a map of mountain trails with many choices, forks in the road, and options to choose which path to take. Some trails are easy, some are harder, some are dead ends, and some seem beyond my ability. But one little decision I made long ago is the primary reason the journey of kidney donation came to fruition on October 23, 2025.
A series of events occurred within about 3 weeks after a new year’s eve party I was at with some good friends back in January 2001. My friend Monica, the only living person I know that may actually qualify as a saint, recommended that a group of us sit down at midnight and say a quick prayer for the new year. This was out of my comfort zone, but with a legal limit of liquid courage I decided to pray for what had been on my heart during my high school years. I believed there was a God, but I felt disconnected and carried fear in my heart that somehow something bad had to happen to me in order for me to finally “find” God. In other words, I was searching for answers and hoping there was something more yet to discover; something was just missing. It turned out there was more missing than I ever could have imagined, but those life stories are great to share over a cup of coffee.
There is a verse that described my exact situation. I simply prayed that I was hoping to find God and to meet him in some relational way. This was a simple and honest request on my part and was the open invite, an open door.
In Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Here is a breakdown to unpack this verse:
“I stand at the door and knock” — Christ doesn’t force His way in; He invites.
“If anyone hears my voice and opens the door” — Salvation and fellowship are personal and voluntary.
“I will come in and eat with that person” — In the ancient world, sharing a meal meant deep friendship and communion.
A week or so later, I received a phone call from an old high school classmate that was working in the internet marketing world. Shortly after that phone call, I attended the business conference, where on Sunday morning, I both heard and understood the Gospel message from start to finish. He referred to many Old Testament stories I learned as a kid and how so many of them were foreshadows of the true savior to come many centuries later. The depth and intricate weaving between the Old and New Testament completely rocked my world. And then to learn that Jesus died and sacrificed Himself to pay for the penalty of my own sin! It was at that conference; I prayed a simple prayer to ask Jesus into my heart and my life was significantly changed and the sanctification process continues to this day and beyond.
Romans 3:23–24: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
[Read Part I of my response: Why did I choose to donate? Reasoned Response – Part I]