Last week Royce and I found ourselves once again walking the long hallways of the University of Colorado Hospital, going from the lab to the echocardiogram room to the cardiac cath lab to the transplant center to the vascular lab, and finally to our car in the much-coveted parking spot that we were happy to find at 6:30 in the morning. After two days we finally headed home, thanking God over and over for the five bonus years (that’s 1,825 days!) that He has given us.

Five years ago today, on December 20th, 2018, they wheeled Royce to surgery at about 10 pm, and when they took him to recovery in the early morning hours of December 21st, he had a new heart.  We want to acknowledge today, and every day, that Royce could not have received that heart without the willingness of a grieving family to allow donation.  We are so thankful for that generous family, who chose to give even in their darkest hour.  Royce has tried his best to treasure and care for the precious gift he received 5 years ago today, and I am grateful to report that his heart is still beating strong, reminding us with each “lub-dub” of the immensity of the gift the family and God gave us that night.

This year we had an extra special surprise at Royce’s appointment- the doctor who saw us in the transplant clinic was Dr. Khazanie, the very doctor who was on call during that week in December, 2018.  She was the one who found just the right heart for Royce.  She was also the one who hugged me when he was unconscious and on the ventilator, waiting for a miracle, and promised that things were going to be okay.  And, thanks be to God, they were. Later that week he received his miracle heart, and life has been a walk of gratitude since then.

Don’t get me wrong, we have plenty of days where we complain rather than praise, but God is good at reminding us regularly of the blessing we received five years ago.  Tonight, I just want to thank God for a few of His many blessings:

• For our donor family- God, please give them the peace of your presence in their grief.
• For the promise of salvation and eternal life through Jesus- life on Earth is not the end!
• For our family members and friends who carried us on their shoulders when we were unable to walk on our own because of fear, brokenness, and exhaustion.
• For jobs working with children- we both love what we do.
• For 38 years of marriage and 42+ years of knowing each other. Thank you God!
• For God’s word and the wisdom and comfort it gives us daily.
• For God’s faithfulness.  He never gives up on us, and He never fails.

We pray for each one who reads this, asking God to reveal His faithfulness to you too.  Twice today I heard this verse: Psalm 145:18: “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.”  Toward ALL He has made.  We don’t always feel loved when challenges come, but we are loved, very much, and God is for us.  Please let us know if you have specific prayer requests. And please pray for our donor family.  God Bless, Beth and Royce