Grace

By the grace of God we're blessed with the food and shelter that sustains us, our livelihood, successful marriages and families, health, simple pleasures that make life worth living, and our salvation.

I’ve learned that God's grace gives hope in the most hopeless situations. In 1997, I was a very long-shot candidate for a heart transplant as the only alternative to save my life. Because I was in my late 60's, no hospital in the U.S would consider me. A surgeon in London finally agreed to take on my challenging and unique case after meeting with me and getting my assurance that I was up to the test.

He said I was fortunate to have a rare AB blood type. The hospital occasionally had hearts with my blood type that went unused. Without my rare blood type, I would not have had a chance of being a transplant candidate. Still, because I was a U.S. citizen, the donor heart would have to be one no United Kingdom candidate could use. As a further complication, test revealed that a donor heart would need an enlarged right ventricle to be suitable for my needs.

After waiting for five months – growing weaker by the day -- a donor was found. A woman needed a lung transplant, and surgeons typically prefer to transplant the lungs and heart as a unit. The hospital had located a heart and lungs for the woman from a victim of an auto accident. Her healthy heart would be surplus. Precious surplus. Even more miraculous, her lung problem had contributed to the development of a larger than normal right ventricle. God certainly is in the details.

If you're interested, there is more information about:
The most important event of all time and
The most important Book of all time.

email this message to a friend   |   DW Home

Rich DeVos is vice-chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.