No greater love...

Today's blog is brought to you by Donnell Field. He is the son-in-law of Pastor Paul, and married to his daughter, Erin. Donnell also works with Pastor Paul on this site and in his ministry.

I have had some time to think about a recent visit to one of my doctors. Even now, about five days later, I am still flabbergasted by what my doctor shared with me.

Now, I haven't seen this particular doctor very often since we haven't lived in this area for very long (less than a year). But as we spoke about my kidney transplant and who my donor was, it became clear he had thoroughly read my history.

We talked about my years of marriage to Erin and how long we have known each other. Prior to us meeting in Cape Coral, we had no connections whatsoever. Yet, when Erin found out I needed a kidney, she didn't hesitate to tell the transplant doctors that she wanted to be tested to see if she was a viable candidate.

I am approaching two years now with the new kidney Erin gave me, and the words of my transplant nurses still ring in my head: "So, you're the one!" It wasn't as much a question as a statement. These nurses had seen plenty of transplants during their time with HCA Largo in Florida, but they had never seen such devotion and sacrifice as what Erin had shown.

It is rare to find a match on a donor list; that's why so many people are still waiting for a transplant. Distance and timing are also key factors. As I stated, Erin and I hadn't known each other for decades, and we didn't grow up together. Yet, she was willing to donate one of her organs to help save my life.

However, it wasn't until I spoke with my endocrinologist that it was all put into perspective in a truly mind-blowing way—showing me that the hand of God was behind it all. Let me explain.

When a person needs a transplant, doctors run all kinds of tests on the recipient. They then take that information to match potential donors through a national database. When Erin stepped forward, they ran all sorts of tests on her as well. After a couple of weeks, they informed us that she was a suitable match.

It would be almost two years later that I would learn just how perfect a match she actually was. Her blood type already made her a great candidate as a donor, but as the doctor explained to me, her compatibility was exceptional. When they looked at her results and compared them to what they had seen throughout their vast years of experience, a more suitable donor couldn't have been found.

As it was explained to me, the best donors usually have what doctors describe as a 1.2 to 2 ratio match—typically a sibling, child, or parent whose DNA is closely related to the recipient. But when they looked at Erin's numbers, the doctor said that not even a twin could have matched me so well. In fact, he mentioned the possibility of such a match was 1 in 10,000. Her number was 1.1, which meant the chance of organ rejection was exceptionally low—almost as if my body couldn't distinguish the original organ from the new one.

I share all of this so that as you read this, you will hopefully see the wonder and splendor of God's creation. Just think about what you've read, and then think about this woman who has been led by God her entire life. She chose to give up an organ for a man she had known for less than ten years. She took those marriage vows to a whole new level, and now she is truly a part of me—as the wedding vow says, "The two shall become one."

As Jesus states, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (John 15:13). Erin practiced what is spoken of in 1 John 3:16: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."

Love is more than an emotion, and it isn't just a feeling—true love must be put into action. I am so thankful that my wife willingly and without hesitation stepped up and said she would do whatever she could to help me. She saved my life, and I am forever grateful to God for bringing her into it. God knew what He was doing when He brought the two of us together... but that is a story for another day.