He shook my heart
The past six months have been quite the journey. I can’t explain the life changing experience that consumed my life. When my mom began to get sick again I couldn’t understand why. I mean, I knew she had recurring kidney problems but the idea that God was allowing her to go through pain and sickness was confusing. Little did I know God had an unimaginable plan ready to shake the heart and mind of a teenage girl.
He has plans for me
A few days before Christmas my dad got a phone call from our pastor saying he wanted to come over and share something with my mom and dad. That evening my pastor shared with my family that his kidney was a match for my mom. When I heard the news a wave of emotions overwhelmed me. Through my moms illness God drew me closer to Him. I realized that I had made God earth-bound, I let myself forget that nothing in the universe holds Him down. He proved Himself once again invincible, all-powerful, and uncontainable. He holds my life in the palm of His hand and He knows the paths I will take and the bridges I will cross. “For I know the plans I have for you,’declares the Lord,’ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11.
My senior project
As my mom went through her transplant process, I came to know of a boy named Dylan. Dylan is in the 7th grade at my high school. I had heard through the grape-vine that he was struggling with renal failure like my mom and has recently had a kidney transplant too. Around the same time my dad and I had been brain storming about a project for my senior class. Little did I know once again God was going to blow my mind. This past fall I was elected as my class president, not knowing this would give me and advantage in making an impact in the lives of someone I didn’t even know. Back to the senior project so my dad and I got in touch with people from the Alabama Organ Center who linked us with Camp Bridges. Camp Bridges is a camp for kids and teens that have been sick most of their whole life and have received an organ transplant. The camp provides a place for kids to experience things they may have missed out on and to teach them how to take care of themselves. Camp Bridges was the answer! Through a series of meetings and a ton of planning my senior class will be putting on a week of fundraising from April 30th to May 4th to send a child and family to camp bridges this summer. Now how do we raise awareness of kidney disease…Dylan. The fundraiser of the class of 2012 from Jacksonville High School is going to be in the honor of Dylan.
Sitting back and thinking how God has used my moms kidney failure to change my life and give me a chance to impact those around me is mind-boggling. God can change a heart in the blink of an eye. My faith and relationship with my Lord was strengthened, refreshed, and renewed thanks to His mighty plan involving a beautiful and loving mother. “Jesus Christ is the first and last, author and finisher, beginning and end, alpha and omega, and by Him all other things hold together. He must be the first or nothing. God never comes next!” – Vance Havner
Anna
What is your fundraiser, Anna?
Awesome post Anna!! What a great idea to help Dylan. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and you, as you continue your journey.
Beautiful post.