By Melanie Kauffman

On the morning of Monday, October 24th, I was sitting in the dentist chair trying to cope with the news that I would need a root canal. I don’t do well with dental work, so I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and trying not to break into tears. As many of you know, October 24th was the day that Tim and Kate Gorbey welcomed their son into the world two months early. As I was on my way out to the car after the dentist, Tim and Kate were on the way to the hospital, as Kate was having some unexplained pains. I received a text asking for prayer for this, and my heart ached for them.

Praying is something I usually do at night before bed, not in broad daylight, but as Todd Hill always says, we have to be willing to be uncomfortable. So as I drove home I began a long, heartfelt prayer, a plea to spare my loved ones from suffering. Before long, I got word from Tim that Kate and the baby were both OK, and several hours later Timothy Gorbey III was born happy and healthy. Our God is so good.

Then just one week later, I found myself not praying in the car, but crying. One of my doctors had told me to “manage the pain” and referred me to another specialist – an endless cycle for so many of us who are chronically ill. But the Lord knows just what I need, and the very next day at Crossroads, Andrew Colpitts announced that we would be spending the night in prayer. We prayed together for nearly an hour.

While reflecting on this, a song from the band Point of Grace comes to mind. “How many tears will you cry, until you cry out to the Father? So many tears…” How foolish it is that I can be reminded of how it feels to be in communication with our Father, and then just days later lose heart and fail to reach out to him. But how incredible it is that we have a God we can pray to, day or night, through laughter or through tears. When it comes down to it, I know that my Father wants me to cry out to him. And most importantly, I know that He will hear me.