I very much know that when we or our loved ones are going through some tough experiences, like a prolonged sickness, what we want to hear and what we want to know is that God still cares-to feel His closeness and to know He knows what we are going through. We want to know that God hears our prayers even in the middle of the night when no one else is there.

What I strongly believe is that not a single prayer slips by God, because there's no time of day He isn't listening. God heard you ten years ago, and He heard you last week, and He hears you right now, and He's already listening for your tomorrow. In fact, He's listening so well, He already knows what you're going to say.

I also know very well that God never says, "Oops." God is in control of the trials. God is not on his throne wringing his hands as he waits for the outcome of events.

Take from it me, my friend: no matter how dysfunctional your background, how broke or broken you are, where you are today, or what anyone else says, you matter to our living God.