Where a Cup of Coffee Led

Sometimes the most life-changing moments begin in the most ordinary places. 

For me, it started with a cup of coffee. 

In 2022, I thought I knew exactly where God was leading me. I had stepped away to hike the Appalachian Trail and had even declined an invitation to serve as Head Spiritual Director for a Walk to Emmaus because I expected to be on the trail. But life shifted. A storm, responsibilities at home, and the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit led me back. Soon, I found myself serving on that Walk instead. 

Early one morning at the retreat, I walked into the kitchen for coffee. On the other side of a swinging door, I overheard three women praying for someone willing to donate a kidney to a family member in desperate need. As I listened, I realized I had the blood type they were praying for. 

I stepped around the wall and simply said, "I'm O positive." 

I had no idea what that simple response would lead to. 

Months of testing followed. Doctors repeatedly told us that a direct match was incredibly unlikely. Yet against overwhelming odds, I turned out to be a perfect match for Russell, the husband they had been praying for. The transplant was successful, and Russell was given a new chance at life. 

Looking back, I can see that Emmaus had been preparing me long before that morning in the kitchen. 

The Walk doesn't end on Sunday afternoon. Our Fourth Day is where we live out what we've experienced—responding to God's invitations with trust, serving others without expecting anything in return, and saying "yes" even when we don't know where that yes will lead. Emmaus taught me to recognize God's quiet nudges and to trust the peace that comes with faithful obedience. 

What began with one conversation has since grown into the End the Wait Foundation, helping connect living kidney donors with people waiting for life-saving transplants. But for me, the story has never really been about starting a nonprofit. It's about what God can do when ordinary people are willing to take one faithful step after another. 

As members of the Emmaus community, we each have opportunities to live our Fourth Day in countless ways. Sometimes that means making a life-changing sacrifice. More often, it looks like offering a prayer, showing up for a neighbor, listening well, or simply being willing to say "yes" when God places someone in our path. 

You never know what God might begin through one ordinary moment of faithfulness. 

We want to hear from you.

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