Denise Woodson

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

– Psalm 27:14

In my youth I began to depend on God’s presence to support me through challenges only He could understand. Looking back, I think of the children of Israel waiting for the Messiah. Scripture had the guidance I needed. “Wait for the Lord”, Psalm 27:14. It would have been good had I thought of that verse on my own and initially put it into practice. In retrospect, I see God’s presence brought me back to His guidance. Wait.

In 1985 at the ripe old age of 33, I met God’s perfect choice for me on a blind date in Columbia, SC. 37 years later, here we are. God added His awesome joy to my life. John and I grew together in our loving marriage and in our shared relationship with God. Life had its regular ups and downs with God providing His presence with us many times over.

Then came the ultimate event. After a car accident and spinal surgery to repair a ruptured vertebra, I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. The nephrologist said this would lead to end stage renal disease and dialysis. I was devastated.

I felt led to read the book of Job. At the end of Job’s suffering, God provided him restoration. Job waited. In the end, like Job, God provided restoration for me. A kidney.

God had provided a husband that would never leave me alone in this struggle. John supported me, loved me, cared for me, protected me, and gave me strength through the years of waiting for a kidney.

Did experiencing God’s presence change me? I walk through life with the never-ending love of the man God chose for me and a healthy kidney.

During this Advent season, wait for the Lord.

- Denise Woodson