Pastor’s generous kidney donation saves two lives after Christmas miracle discovery

“We all need more light today. We need more positivity. family and faithhope and strength; That’s what these stories are all about.”

These are co-founders SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt “Godwinks” brands based in Massachusetts, who shared the following story with Fox News Digital.

The couple believes God works in mysterious ways.

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“Godwink is the new word in the language,” Rushnell told Fox News Digital. “This is an event that seems like a coincidence, but you know it has a divine origin.”

Read on to see what he means.

A melody brought them together

Their favorite song became the center of attention for the two men and their wives; As a result, lives were saved and it is a true blessing to be celebrated this time of year and always.

Just a few years ago, Pastor Tim Jones began leading his new church in Kanappolis, North Carolina. On a cool Saturday morning a few weeks before the holidays, he held a meet-and-greet event open to everyone.

He set up a “Meet the Pastor” table near the front door as speakers played his favorite song, “Sow Mercy,” by the Indiana-based Gaither Vocal Band.

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The catchy tune caught the ear of a stranger waiting for his wife in his car. “Sow Mercy” was also Don Herbert’s favorite song. Moved by the familiar melody, he got out of his car and headed towards the priest’s table.

The guys struck up a conversation and instantly bonded over a common love for gopel music. Their conversations were short, simple and sweet.

As they said their goodbyes, they did not realize that this divinely aligned connection was only the beginning of a series of Godwinks to emerge.

Jones and Herbert met at a church event in North Carolina, where they bonded over a gospel song. (Tim Jones/Don Herbert)

Two weeks later, Herbert received devastating news from his doctors at Duke University Hospital.

Without a kidney transplant, he would have died very soon. Family members and close friends were quickly tested, but none qualified.

Herbert’s wife, Belinda, poured her heart out on Facebook, pleading for a donor to save her husband’s life.

Pastor Jones was at his computer when the post mysteriously appeared.

The possibility of being a donor was extremely low.

Even though he didn’t immediately recognize the name, he still felt motivated to move forward in faith and kindness. She made a call and was scheduled for a test right away, but the nurse on the phone told her the chances of being a donor were extremely low.

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The first Godwink happened instantly: His blood was in perfect harmony. At that time, the two men began to make a plan and discussed it with their wives.

The men underwent weeks of intense medical evaluations, unsure what their results would be.

Finally, the transplant team broke the news.

The “Godwinks” team of SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt are pictured here. The duo has been bringing stories of God’s divine works to millions of Americans for years, including this kidney transplant story. (Photography by Gail Daman)

Jones was a “one in 20,000” perfect match for Herbert.

The priest was going to donate his kidney to a man who came into his life thanks to a song Reba Rambo and Dony McGuire wrote for Gaithers.

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By the day of the surgery, the two men and their wives, Sherry and Belinda, had become close friends. Doctors told them Jones’ procedure would likely take two hours; This would be followed by Herbert’s transplant surgery.

It seemed simple enough.

God’s plan was different

The spouses waited with excitement for the first surgery to begin.

Two hours turned into five, then seven. They prayed while their wives walked and worried.

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When doctors were finally ready to put Herbert through transplant surgery, they paused long enough to explain to the spouses what was happening. During the priest’s surgery, doctors discovered something hidden behind his kidney.

The dangerous aneurysm in the renal artery was ready to explode at any moment, like a ticking time bomb. If it had ruptured during or after surgery, the outcome would likely have been fatal.

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But because Jones responded to Herbert’s wife’s heartfelt appeal on social media and felt an inexplicable desire to do a favor for a man he didn’t know, God led surgeons to the aneurysm that was about to threaten the priest’s own life.

Jones and Herbert are shown above. During the priest’s donor surgery, doctors discovered a dangerous aneurysm that was close to bursting. (Tim Jones/Don Herbert)

The doctor summed up the magnitude of the moment with quiet admiration: “Tim, you saved Don’s life, but you also saved your own in the process.”

That year, when Christmas came, the men were both healed and amazed by the extraordinary God Winks in their lives, starting with their favorite song.

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They discovered, though, that there was one final Godwink hidden in the lyrics of Rambo-McGuire’s “Sow Mercy”: “If you’ve ever reached out to help a friend, the hand you help can lift you up again. Sow Mercy.”

When people do good to someone else in need, God’s generous grace will bless them with winks from God they never expected.

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This story was published in SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt’s bestselling book “The Godwink Effect” and is used with permission. The duo’s last book “Godwinks for Moms – True Stories.”