My name is Noah Schumacher. You and I are about to walk through an experience together as strangers and yet be connected in a way few people ever could be. In fact, our paths will cross in just a few hours. And yet, there is a chance we may never meet. Your parents may choose this route because maybe there will be less distractions, so you can heal up and everyone can focus on you and your recovery. I totally understand.
If we ever did meet I promise you this: it would be one of the greatest days of my life. To meet you would be to meet a personal hero. Because you are a fighter. You haven’t given up. You have done the best you could with the hand you have been dealt. I admire you. So, while I pray that day comes, I am at peace if does not.
Now, in case you didn’t know, all of this is for you.You have many years ahead of you. Years to learn. Years to try new things, bump your knees, get in trouble, and do things only kids can do. You have many years to figure out exactly who you are and how you want to change this beautiful world we inhabit together. And I want you to know something: I am so honored to be a part of your story. I have been praying for you every day. I was supposed to be going through this for my mom. But it didn’t work out like we had thought. That was hard, and I am not sure if I will ever get past it. But Gods ways are unique and have many twists and turns. I believe her miracle will come soon. Just like yours.
After I was turned down to help save my mom, the opportunity presented itself to give part of myself to you. Michelle (my wife) and I couldn’t pass up this honor. Even though you will be receiving my left lobe, she is equally part of this and is rooting for you! Even our three children think of you each day. They pray for you at night time before bed and before meals. Their names are Caleb (10), Kennedy (7), and Camden (4). They too would love to meet you one day if it were to ever happen.
We are praying that everything will go OK in your recovery. And that eventually you will feel back to a new normal that is better than anything you have ever felt. You are going to have a tough battle. But look how far you have come already! Whether you are 2, 6, 8, 12, 15, or 17—no matter what—you have been a fighter. But the hardest part for us is what you have been going through. We can’t imagine the trial and heartache you and your family have been going through. We pray for them also.
I do not know your condition or anything about you. At all. But let me tell you what I do know: you deserve to run, jump, play, and get dirty. You deserve to live life without constant testing and fear of the future. Your sole focus ought to be what you feel like playing with the next day and how you can get into trouble. That and nothing else. But unfortunately, we live in a world riddled with pain, brokenness, and difficulty. It is a hard reality to deal with. But joy in life is found in getting to be part of the difference. The solution.
And if I get the chance to take some of that pain go away for you and give you a shot at life? Then it will make us as happy as we could ever be. Like I said before, this is all about you!
One last thing. I want you to know that this is an easy decision for us because of our faith. We are called Christians. Christians represent a group of people who do their best to live like this person named Jesus. He lived so long ago. But the way he lived was full of compassion and love. He did everything he could for everyone he was around. He had the heart of His Father and he wanted to make sure everyone knew they were loved and belonged. That they matter. That they have tremendous value. That’s how we try to live our lives. For all people. Especially for you.
I hope you know that you have so much value. You are loved by your family and so many. And I don’t know your story, but I am sure there are many people rooting for you. I hope you feel excited to get back to being a kid. No matter your age, gender, or situation—we pray and hope that the days of complications and trials are in the past. We trust that all that lies ahead is a bright shining horizon for you to run after and soak in.
Lastly, I want to say thank you. While of course you and I both wish no one ever had liver problems or issues—because of this bad situation, we are doing something pretty cool together. So thank you for giving me the honor and privilege to be connected to you like this.
We are rooting for you. It’s time for you to just be a kid again. I pray that can now happen. I am going to be just fine. In this entire equation you are the one we are all focused on and praying passionately for.
Someday when you are curious who that stranger was way back in your past… maybe you will come across this letter. And if you do, I pray you only remember one line. This one: You are loved; you matter and I encourage you to dream big and do amazing things with your life! I and so many others believe in you.
Here’s to a good recovery for the both of us!
In the love and compassion of Jesus Christ,
Noah, Michelle, Caleb, Kennedy, and Camden Schumacher
Sobbing and unable to speak clearly, I mustered out what I could. “It isn’t going to work hunny. My liver is not a match. I will die if we try. Or I will be put on the transplant list immediately.” She was silent and as shocked as I was. We were both devastated.
Finding the strength to say the ultimate curveball I went for it unsure how she would respond. I explained, “Hunny there is something I want to tell you. They said I could be a match for a pediatric child who needs a liver donation. A child who isn’t going to make it.” Anxiously I prepared for her response.
Would she disagree? Would she be hesitant for a stranger? Would it be emotionally just too much after going through everything we’ve been through in trying to save my mom? What would she say? I knew I couldn’t force a decision like this. We needed to be unified.
Her blunt and quick response to this new twist in our story illustrates why I love this woman more than any other on this planet. It was a response born out of conviction, boldness, and deep compassion. With zero hesitation she said, “Of course we can do this. This is the Gospel of Jesus.” I said, “That’s exactly what I thought! I have zero hesitation. I just wanted to confirm with you.”
And that was it. We took a mutual deep breath and said, “Ok… we are doing this.” The decision took a whole 8 seconds for us. Call it foolish, reckless, or unwise (as some have). We call it compassion and following the path God laid before us. A life is a life and all life is precious.
Some Background…
In this post I want to give some background to Michelle whom I have the esteemed honor of calling my wife. Michelle has always been my best friend and soul mate. However, through our 13 years of marriage I have given an abundance of reasons for Michelle to throw in the towel. Not because of infidelity or abuse. But rather the quirks and challenges of me as a human being. I have not been an easy man to be married to and walk beside. I will gladly admit that.
Before getting married I never dealt with many of the issues which both blinded and stalled my development. Issues I was bringing in as baggage. There were bags stacked upon bags. Because of this I was always stunted in my ability to communicate and articulate my own emotions.
Along with this I have always had a fear that I would be forgotten, abandoned, or that those I love will walk out of my life. Sadly, it has been Michelle who has born the brunt of so many of these unfortunate parts of my insecure identity. Through counseling and lots of prayer as well as mentors by my side I have grown as a man and husband. But the journey hasn’t always been easy.And through it all, she never gave up on me. Not once.
A Radical Table Flipper
This is one of my all time favorite pictures. Her shirt says it all: “REBEL.” Our decor in the backround says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” -Jesus
A little more about my wife and then back to our journey and her role in this story:
Michelle is a fierce and reckless follower of Jesus. But sadly she has often been misunderstood. She is not the cookie cutout, Beth Moore Bible Study loving, etsy shop opening, clean mouth straight laced Betty Crocker type. No offense to any who are. That just isn’t Michelle. To be fair, that isn’t me either. But what she is, to me at least, is as close a representation to the Historical Jesus you can get barring some of the obvious differences (beard, gender, Arabic skin tone, ability to speak Hebrew).
When I think of Jesus this is what I see and read: Jesus was a table flipping, wine making/drinking, “righteous-anger” driven, justice loving, people supporting kind of man. He didn’t give injustice the time of day. He wanted it dealt with yesterday. He longed for Gods Kingdom to come in the dark and dangerous places. Where there was no way, he found a way. Where there was a wrong, he sought to bring the Kingdom of God to make it right. His entire mission and drive in life was “other’s focused.”
I see so much of that when I see my wife and our marriage. She (and we) goes where others will not go. She refuses to give up on anyone who needs hope. She will have the time of her life with the unbeliever who is raw versus the professional Christians who’s noses reach the heavens. She will gladly spend more time with an excluded individual who is struggling to find community because of their LGBTQ+ sexuality and being ostracized because of it. Versus the one who has the squeaky clean life with a perfect “Quiet Time” record who just finished the latest podcast of Steven Furtick, while sipping a latte, and listening to Hillsong Worship. Once more, to be fair, that goes for the both of us.
She’s been told she is a “badass.” Multiple times by multiple people. We aren’t sure if it was meant to be a compliment but we both took it as such. When we see Jesus in the Gospels was he not also “badass?” I too have been called a badass but she takes the cake. Easily.
She will put herself in situations no one else would, to see something happen which no one else could. Whether its personal danger, a risky situation, or something that would be offensive to the safe and comfortable religious folks—if it glorifies Jesus and brings value to a person; she’s doing it. Even if the “scared, comfortable, and/or lukewarm” warn her otherwise.
She’s real, loves likes a good glass of wine and will most definitely curse if it’s the only appropriate word. Lets be real. Sometimes no other word will due. She will give everything she has to embody Jesus in this life. One time we discussed how each of us would want to be remembered. She communicated in her typical way. She said, “I just want to be remembered to loving Jesus and loving people. Actually, making an impact.” Simple. Brief. Non-flashy. Christ-centered. Did I mention she loves Pac and Biggie?
That’s a really simple snapshot of Michelle. She is a passionate Christian and walks the talk. But it has been her actions this past year which have made this recent decision easy.
This is a picture of our 75+ other children. Michelle, our dear friend Kelli Cary, and a dedicated staff lead this ministry. It exists to reach children and youth in extreme poverty as well as broken families to give them a second chance. To emerge from where they are to go places they never dreamed! This is Michelle’s heart and passion. There she is in the middle with the Santa hat on. This is our Christmas party. Not all of our roster is present.
When Life and Ministry Got Rough…
Five months ago we experienced serious turmoil in the church we lead. We both love leading our church. However, we both loathe church drama and politics. Our passion is leading a church to accomplish the things Jesus accomplished. During this time, we had lies being spread about us, our marriage, me personally, and so on. We saw actions from Christians that you wouldn’t expect as followers of Jesus. We had people we loved (and always will) leaving us right and left. They walked out of our lives quickly and swiftly. It hurt deeply.
Thankfully, Gods love and grace carried us through to a place of healing and confidence moving forward. We only see what is ahead and what is ahead excites us more than ever. We couldn’t be more excited to lead our church following this journey of recovery. God has huge things in store for our city.
But it was in this season of loneliness and pain that I broke down. One night in our garage by our wood stove I began sobbing. It was just too much. I was ready to walk away from all of it. Michelle walked over to me. She gently placed her hands on my shoulders and began to pray over me. She will never know how her words brought tremendous healing in my life. This pattern would repeat for some time. Even when I was difficult towards her—her approach never changed. Always loving and full of grace. She was an extension of the love of Jesus when I felt the furthest away from Him.
It was in this same season we received the news regarding my mothers need for a liver transplant. And there through each tear and restless night Michelle was there to give me encouragement and help me/us stay focused on solutions: i.e. live liver donation to save her life.
Another Chance…
And so her response on the phone that day in regards to this child wasn’t a surprise. That’s just who she is.
She wants a part in helping a child get a second shot at life.
A second shot at running and skinning their knees.
Another chance to run and jump high.
A shot at having a year where there are no more hospital visits, painful tests, or fear of death. She, like myself, wants to do whatever we can to walk out the good news of Jesus Christ for this child that we do not know.
And so for all those reasons and more, I am thankful for her. She takes my breath away with her appearance. Her mind and heart are bottomless; full of wisdom and insight. Her convictions move me deeply and help me become a better human being. Her challenges lift me to new standards of excellence I didn’t know were possible. And her passion to make wrong things right in this world deeply inspires me and our three children.
If you read this long, you deserve an award. Seriously. I am straight up bragging on my wife. Kudos to you. And I admit, I think I wrote this one more for me. But to be fair, I believe every spouse ought to communicate just how much of a better human being they are because of their other half. You and I aren’t promised tomorrow. Why wait?
Honor Your Partner
Think about your partner, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc.
Recognize the beauty in what they bring to the table. Honor that.
Appreciate who they are and their quirks. Keep a sense of humor.
Thank them for their contribution to your convictions and beliefs. Grow because of them.Thank them for their abundant grace and mercy that was displayed when you least deserve it. Return the favor.
At each turn through this long journey I have Michelle my wife to thank for a large part of who I am. While she hates the limelight (as well as this blog post I am sure) I knew it was still important for me to communicate to all who are following our story that I owe a lot of who I am to my best friend.
Since I have been asked many times “why are you doing this?” or “How can you do this?” I felt it would only be right to explain the other person in my life who has had equal say in this fun new adventure. She too will be carrying a large burden of this surgery and recovery.
To be clear, she would be the first to tell you she is imperfect and has a long way to go. And Who doesn’t? I know I do. But… in my eyes, as her husband and soul mate, I see a gift given to me that I will cherish forever. Someone who I am still head over heels in love with. It has always been and always will be her and I against the world. Especially these past 8 months. But shouldn’t every true marriage be this way?
Thank You…
Thank you Michelle for helping me become a better man and Jesus follower. For being the wife I could of only dreamed of
Also, thank you in advance for the many days of pain and fussiness which surely lie ahead. I found an APP that rings with each press when I need something. So… that’ll be fun.
This experience of donating my liver to a child that we do not know personally has brought one interesting dynamic: communicating to our own children. For those who do not know our story you can read it in its entirety here .
Our three children look to me as their Dad who is to lead, protect, and be present for them. I will be transparent and say that I was scared at first to share this news with them in fear of how they would respond.
Would they be angry? Would they feel like they did not matter? Would they think a stranger was being placed in front of them? These and many other insecure thoughts swirled around my mind. All of that changed quickly when I sat down with each of them one by one to explain everything and to then hear their own little hearts. And each of them– in their own unique way through the lens of a child—communicated to me their fears, hopes, and raw thoughts concerning this operation for a child none of us know but are all praying for desperately.
I want to share their responses because I believe it highlights something so important for today’s world: the best parenting is and always will be through example. Michelle (who does a far better job than myself) and I both are so proud of their demeanor and outlook on what Mommy and Daddy are about to walk through. We are not the poster-child parents. We struggle and make mistakes. But they are showing us that maybe we are doing a thing or two OK. Here is their story.
Caleb Schumacher. Ten years old.
Caleb has always been our nervous one. He is always anxious and fretting about everything from a new update on Fortnite and its long length of time to getting to basketball practice on time to everything else you could imagine. And so naturally, my biggest fear was crippling anxiety that would make it really hard for him to have peace through all of this.
The day I found out I could not donate to my mom Michelle had explained to the kids. And so, when I got home they all gave me huge hugs. My eyes were swollen and red. They knew. Caleb quickly embraced me and told me it was OK, and he was proud of me anyways. It was later that night at tuck in time that I sat down with Caleb and told him how everything went down. But at the end of the conversation I said, “But Caleb, it turns out that my liver is the ideal size and shape for a child-like yourself who isn’t going to make it. A child who probably can’t run fast, jump high, or live a normal life.” I explained all the details.
And there I was… silently awaiting his response. I watched his young mind grapple with everything I told him. I could not save his Nana. He felt relief I was not going to get surgery. Now he was realizing I was going to go through with surgery. Not for Nana but now for a stranger. An unknown child. Those few seconds felt like months.
He looked at me, straight into my eyes and said, “Is this what Jesus would do?” I said, “Yea buddy. I think thisis what Jesus would do.” He said, “Then we are going to do it. Wow, we get to save a child.” I immediately teared up. Embraced him and told him how proud I was of him. I felt so good as a parent as did Michelle. Following this he did hug me tightly, cry many tears, and share his fears. He is worried I could die due to complication. He is worried about the pain. He is worried about many things that could happen to his Daddy. But none of those things were enough for him to doubt for even a second that it was the right thing to do.
Not only did he integrate his faith in Jesus into this reasoning, but he also used the plural pronoun “We” as in, “We get to save a child.” Make no mistake. That has taken years of parenting my Michelle and me.
Me and Caleb doing our nightly devotional. Studying and praying together.
For Caleb to both bring Jesus into the equation and include himself on this journey is a product of some intentional parenting Michelle and I strive for. We believe that our children are not a distraction from life but rather a gift given to be integrated into the life we are already living. And so, they serve with mommy and daddy. They help make decisions. We show and teach them Jesus each day the best we can. I teach all three something new from Scripture every most nights. We’ve done this for years. And it turns out, this is why. For moments like these.
Before I share the response of Kennedy and Camden let me give one more insight into how Michelle and I seek to raise our children. There are three things that each of our children know that matter the most. Every day I take the kids to school they repeat them back to me. For three years now we have done this. They have been the same three things. They can say them in their sleep. They are: 1) I am a Schumacher 2) I am loved, and 3) I am a follower of Jesus.
This first one means that they belong. They have a home and a family to call their own. They do not need to try to be something they aren’t to belong to another different group. This deals with their identity. The second one is clear. They are loved by us, their family, their church, their friends, and most importantly their God. And lastly, the most important, we are all followers of Jesus. Of course, one day they will need to make that decision on their own at baptism. But as children we seek to instill within them the radical love, grace, and mercy of Jesus. Turns out, it paid off in this season of our lives. Now, on to Kennedy… my princess.
Kennedy. Seven years old.
Date night for me and my girl. Yes, we sat on the same side of the table. 🙂
Kennedy has always been our most sensitive and unpredicatable one. We never know what we are going to get! That is why we love her. Among many other reasons of course. Kennedy and I have a bond that is deep and precious. When her and mommy but heads she always comes to me and I simply cannot stand against her. Her cuteness and sweetness melts me and I am powerless. And wow, the wrath of an angry wife and mom when that happens. It isn’t good. But I have yet to figure out how to overcome Kennedy’s charm. I know she has a weakness. I just haven’t found it yet.
I knew talking to her was going to be the hardest of the three. And I was right. As I sat in her bed one evening at tuck in time and explained everything to her as I shared with Caleb I awaited her response. There were no words. She did not utter any sentences. Nothing. She was looking down. She then lifted her head at me. Her eyes began to well up like a cup being filled with water. Her chin wrinkled. Her cheeks turned red. And she let it out and my heart broke.
She gasped and cried aloud and flung her arms around my neck so tight it knocked me back. I felt like a horrible parent. Here I am making a decision causing pain in my little girls heart. She sobbed and sobbed on my shoulder. And it was what she said next that brought me to tears but also encouraged me that she would be OK. She pulled herself back from my chest. From my shirt which was soaked with tears. And with her beautiful blue eyes she looked at me and said, “Daddy, I am so nervous for you. I am so scared for you. It’s going to hurt. You are going to be in pain. But it’s OK. You can do this. Its OK.” I said, “Kennedy are you sure? Do you know why we are doing this?” She said, “We are doing it because of what we say each day right? We are followers of Jesus?” I smiled. I put my arms around her and brought her in close. And in her ear, I softly said, “Yes hunny. It’s because we are followers of Jesus.” And then she wiped her tears and gave me a smile and said, “Can you just stay and sing me a song?” And so we sang our song an extra couple times that night.
I have taken Kennedy and Caleb to the Monastery at different times together. There we will pray and we always light a candle to represent those we pray for.
Again, she brought her faith into the occasion as well as “We.” Proud moment number 2.
Camden. Four years old.
Date day with me and Cam. One of our favorite things to do: go hiking!
Well if there was ever a curve ball response waiting to come it was going to be Camden. Our 4 year-old is easily our loudest, craziest, funniest, and most precious little guy. He is a ball of light and where ever he rolls he brings joy and laughter. I have never seen a child with energy like our little Camden. If he was deprived of all sugar and sleep for even a day—he would still run circles around the greatest marathoner on the planet. That’s our Camden. He is, as I always call him, our little man of God!
The night I shared this with Kennedy and Caleb was rough. An emotional day for all of us. Well, Camden heard Kennedy’s crying. He knew something was up. He barged in like 8 times while I was talking and singing to Kennedy. He likes to do that often. Even on mommy and daddy. Even at 1, 2, 3, 4 in the morning. It’s kinda “his thing.”
Well when it was his turn I came in and explained everything to him on his level. I wish I had such an in depth and spiritually earth-shattering response to write about. But I don’t. However, it was his response that I think I will remember the most. After sharing everything to him he just laid there. I knew he was thinking about everything. Trying to make sense of it all. I made sure he understood I was going to be just fine. That I wasn’t going to die or but that the surgery was still extremely serious and some risks were involved. We do two things in our house really well: transparency and honesty.
This is in the middle of an actual Christmas play. Camden decided it would be the ideal time to act like a monkey.
And so after a few seconds of quiet reflecting I just asked him, “Are you OK with this buddy? Do you understand?” He turned his head up at me and said one priceless sentence.
He said, “Sure Daddy. You’ll be fine. But Daddy? Will you please play Minecraft with me tomorrow? I want to build something with you.”
“Sure buddy. You and I will play tons of Minecraft and build something awesome.”
“Ok Daddy. Love you. Goodnight!” I’ll take it. 🙂
Christmas 2018
Imperfect Parents Doing the Best We Can
Michelle and I are not perfect parents by any means. We have our struggles. Too many electronics. Not firm on limits. Too messy at the dinner table. Late bed times. “What’s that? Haven’t been to the dentist in a while? Ahhh!”Havent bathed in two nights? The list goes on. We are imperfect parents doing the best we can. But the one thing I will say about Michelle and I is we have never ceased from magnifying what matters most to them. And forever they will know what matters most:
They are loved.
They are Schumachers.
They are Followes of Jesus.
We hate the Michigan Wolverines.
I encourage you parents out there. If you want to aim at being the best at something; make sure its your example of love, compassion, and the teachings of Jesus as imperfectly as you can.
The response of our children has blessed us greatly. The response of my wife Michelle however, is what has moved me in ways she will never know. More on that soon.
About three months ago we found out my mother was ill. We didn’t know what was going on. But as my mom and our entire family continued to get answers from the doctor we found out she was (and is) in need of a transplant. Something I shared on Facebook about a month ago when she was approved.
When we found out she needed a liver transplant my wife Michelle did an enormous amount of research and found out that someone is able to be a Live Liver Donor. This not only saves one life but also two because it frees up a cadaver liver for another person. I can’t tell you enough how important live liver donation is. You can check out all the info you need on it right here.
For the sake of this story I will give some brief info. Your liver is extremely important. We found out it’s the second most important organ in the body according to many medical professionals. It is the miracle organ which does more than we could imagine and is the only organ that can regenerate. The surgery is an extremely serious and obviously invasive. The incision is usually 11 inches down the center of your chest and then heads left. A backwards L. There are possible complications and they are serious. I’m not gonna lie. And the recovery is daunting. No sugar coating here. We are fully aware of everything going into this decision. We are ready.
When we learned about this we knew without a doubt we wanted to do this right away. Michelle was tested but she didn’t match. I was also tested and we found out I am an exact match. O-negative. Zero hesitation, I am doing this. I want to save my mom and do this for her. She gave life to me. She brought me into this world. I am returning the favor the best way I could. I had never felt more excited for this moment.
And so off to Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH we went for three days of testing like you wouldn’t believe. It was intense. Tons of blood given, MRI, CAT scans, organ imaging, psych evaluations, social workers, medical ethicists, and more. It was intense. Everyone seemed to believe everything looked great. We were confident and ready. We left preparing ourselves for the tough journey ahead. Before giving us the green light they needed to get one more imaging result back from a company in Germany.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
A few weeks later, my phone rang. It was my coordinator. I could tell something was wrong right when she answered. I said, “Hey Katey let’s hear the good news!” Her response made time stand still. I froze in a place of paralysis and dread. It was all brought on by the tone in her voice. With somber regret, she graciously and lovingly said three words which hurt to me to my core. She said, “Noah, I’m sorry…”
Right then I knew it was going to be one of the hardest days of my life. I collapsed right then. Put the phone down. And I sobbed. I couldnt move. The reason I was denied was based on the anatomy of my liver. It was not conducive to what my mom needed. I would of either died quickly or needed a transplant right away. The risk was huge. Obviously my mom would never let me go through this let alone the Cleveland clinic. But Michelle and I begged for them to try. Yes, we are a bit radical in our love for others.
But it’s something she said at the end of our convo that threw me for a loop and would change my life forever. She said, “Noah, I am sorry your liver is not a match for your mom. However, your liver is ideal for a pediatric patient who won’t make it unless they get a liver transplant.” Wow. This hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized this was someone’s son or daughter. A grandchild. A classmate maybe. A child.
Right away I knew what I wanted to do. But I had to call Michelle. Her response was short, simple, and tremendously profound. She said, “Of course we will! This is living out the Gospel of Jesus!” As Christians who live a life of love, sacrifice, and compassion–this is the best way we know how to walk it out.
And so after more testing, more blood given, more evaluations, and many more days and weeks of waiting– we got news Friday January 11th. I have been fully approved to donate a portion of my liver to save the life of a child.
The Joy of Giving Life
We have been given a gift. Michelle, myself, and our three wonderful children. As a family we have the opportunity to follow Jesus to a depth we could only ever dream of. We will be able to meet the need of a family who is praying for a miracle for their child. I could never walk away. How could I?
As a father I can’t walk away.
As a descent human being who loves to love all people no questions asked– I can’t.
As a follower of the teachings of a man named Jesus…who instructs us to lay down our lives for our neighbor– I cant.
Myself as a person and us as a family live by two key principles:
– Life is a currency meant to be lived out for the betterment and welfare of others… Not ourselves.
– You have nothing to lose by giving everything you have. You have everything to lose by clinging to what you already have.
Some have said to me, “Why would you do this for a stranger? It’s anonymous! You won’t know this person!” I know. And with all do respect, who the hell cares? A life is a life. Jesus commanded us to be compassionate to our neighbor. To go and do likewise. Where does it say we must know the person? It doesn’t matter who it is. Do we say this to firefighters or soldiers or policemen? How much more so for the Christian who’s identity is wrapped up in sacrificial giving… even unto death?
Some have already said, “But you have kids and a wife!” I am aware. This is a family decision. What was our children’s response? “Wow Daddy. We get to save a life! That’s what Jesus would do right?” We are all in this together. We have made this decision as a family to take a risk, step out of the boat, and put action with our convictions. Something I pray and wish many other “Christians” would do.
This isn’t about us. This isn’t about my decision. We could care less about notoriety. This is about being obedient to the path before us. This gift and honor is before us and we are ready. We have peace. We know it will be difficult. Recovery will be daunting. We are looking at 2-4 months away. Surgery will be extremely invasive. There will be pain. But its worth every single part. Because we believe that life is lived and given freely out for #EverybodyAlways.
Our Excitement For the Future
I want to give a word of encouragment to the church Michelle and I are honored to lead. I have never been more excited about HighMill Church, being your Lead Pastor, and the direction we are headed. The past 8 months have been a season of preparation for something new and fresh God is doing. Michelle and I have never felt more free, excited, and ready to lead into a glorious future! One that is centered around compassion for all and “Going and Doing Likewise.” I am excited to get through this and get back to leading an amazing church community! We got this! Let’s rally together. We need each other in the coming months. We will not miss a beat in this interim period. I am confident in the leader coming in to lead us and keep us focused on the love and truth of Jesus.
Lastly, thank you to my amazing wife Michelle. You are my inspiration and my greatest friend and love. It’s you and me against the world. We got this! This is a team journey. Not just me. You are my everything.
I ask that you please keep my mom in your prayers. She is the toughest woman I have ever met. She is a fighter and I love her with all my heart. It kills me that I can’t be this for her. I wont ever get past that. But i am who I am because of her as well. She is a radical Christ follower as is my dad. I trust God will walk her as well as our entire family through this. Have O- blood? Interested in being part of our miracle story? Nschumac@ashland.edu. Contact me.
Thanks everyone who read this far. It’s gonna be a long journey. But through it all, God is good and God is faithful.
Please share this blog post. The more people praying for us the better. As well as the recipient. Whoever you are… we pray you will receive a second chance at life and be a world changer! Someone who grows to love others with no strings attatched.
Many have asked how they can be part of this journey with us. We have decided that we will take a pay cut to alleviate the financial strain upon our church as well as feeling it is the right thing to do. And so we are going to do our best to raise support. We have also been instructed to raise support to cover any unforseen and unexpected costs that hit our family during the recovery period. And so here the three avenues set up by our support team:
A dear friend decided to begin a GoFundMe page. Visit here for the page.
You can call 1-330-497-3166 and speak with Emily Presley who is our Front Office Manager at HighMill Church. They have established a “Pastor’s Fund” which will be available for my wife and I and our family for any needs throughout recovery.
Lastly, if your local, there will be a fundraising benefit dinner February 6th 6-8:00 PM at HighMill Church in Canton, OH. For directions, click here. Feel free to drop by for some great food, an update on surgery and recovery, as well as literature detailing Live Liver Donation.
Thanks everyone. We will be sharing our story, pictures, and updates through my blog. Be sure and follow along with us!
In the love and peace of Christ Jesus our Lord,
Noah and Michelle Schumacher
Philippians 1:21- To Live is Christ; and To Die is Gain.
Reflections on Following Jesus in Today's World 