Written By: Amy Reinhardt
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” — Romans 12:11-12
After my kidney transplant in August, I felt a period of spiritual dryness. While I was extremely grateful for the miraculous gift, my prayer life still took a hit. I found I didn’t have the same desire to pray as before. I didn’t understand why. I’d suffered and sacrificed on dialysis for over two years, and now I had the answer to my prayers… a working kidney! Why wasn’t I on my knees, 24/7, praising and thanking God with my whole heart?
This phenomena isn’t uncommon after enduring such a life-changing ordeal. Getting a transplant was far more physically challenging than I anticipated. Between the anesthesia and medicinal side effects, I was not in my right mind. Along with physical suffering, I endured spiritual warfare and emotional turmoil.
Transitioning from being a sick dialysis patient to a healthy transplant patient was overwhelming and hard to process. I found that my whole life changed in the blink of an eye. Taking it to prayer seemed equally formidable.
What really helped was a visit to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I confessed to Father Gary about my prayer life and, as always, he gave me sound advice. He told me my health is now in a more stable place than it’s been for the past two years.
I have a new chance to live fully, and, in turn, serve God fully. He told me to take this to prayer. To ask God how He wants me to serve Him in this new chapter. How am I meant to labor in His vineyard?
Like in Matthew’s gospel (chapter 20, verses 1-16), we are all called to be laborers in God’s great vineyard. While on dialysis, my energy and time were restricted because of my 12-hour treatments. Now, the world has opened back up. God is blessing me with infinite opportunities. He used this cross to transform my heart, spirit, and mind. I became braver, stronger, and wiser because of it.
I have an extraordinary witness to share, but that is only part one of my work in the vineyard. God is calling me to continue to be open to what He wants me to do to become a devoted disciple and to help others. We are very blessed to belong to an enormous church with a thriving parish life. There are countless ways to use our time, talent, and treasure.
All God needs is our YES, and He will give us sufficient joy, patience, and faithfulness in whatever work we do for Him.
Amy Reinhardt is 29 years old and has been an Ascension parishioner for over 20 years. After two years on dialysis, she received her kidney transplant on August 7, 2023. She is recovering beautifully and continues to thank God for this precious gift.