"There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer. " — A. T. Pierson

Just days before he was supposed to move to Kentucky and join our staff, Kyle Idleman was at home in his southern California home. He walked into the bedroom of his two-year-old daughter Morgan to wake her from a nap. He was singing, trying to awaken her as gently as possible, as he opened the door. To his horror, he saw that her five-foot-tall chest of drawers had fallen over and he could see no sign of Morgan. In a panic he lifted the chest of drawers and screamed for his wife. There lay Morgan, unconscious, black and blue, and Kyle could already see several large bumps raised up on her head. "We called 911," Kyle said. "It just rang and rang. It must have rung 20 times before I scooped Morgan up in my arms and sped to the hospital with my wife."

As Kyle's wife Desiree held Morgan, still unconscious, in the back seat, Kyle continued to try desperately to call 911. There was still no answer. "As the phone rang I listened as my wife prayed out loud for our daughter," Kyle said. "I finally hung up the phone and began praying with her."

At the hospital, they were bombarded with doctors and nurses. There was nerve damage, which at first they feared would be permanent. Kyle's dad, Ken Idleman, a long-time friend of mine, called us to tell us of the accident, and scores of people from California to Missouri to Kentucky began praying that Morgan would not be paralyzed. After a myriad of tests they decided the only serious nerve damage was in her left leg, which was still paralyzed. The doctors believed the nerve would heal itself and Morgan would be able to move the leg within six months, but they feared that in the meantime palsy would set in and cause long-term damage. Kyle said,

Every morning for the next several days my wife and I would go in a pray for her and then ask her to move her toes. She would stare at her toes and then smile at us and say, "they don't work!" And then one morning after we prayed we said, "Morgan move your toes." And she did. They moved — just a little. But they moved.

Kyle and his wife Desiree are thrilled that Morgan is doing well and seems to be suffering no permanent damage. Reflecting on the event, Kyle concluded, "The one and only time in my life I called 911 and no one answered. But God was there for us when we needed him the most."

The Psalmist wrote, "When I was in distress, I sought the Lord" (Psalm 77:2). Do you pray in times of trouble? When your teacher says, "There will be a pop quiz today," do you pray, "Oh, Lord, come quickly!"? When you discover a strange lump on your body, do you immediately pray, "Oh God, please don't let it be cancerous, and give me the strength to trust you"? When your employer says, "I'd like to meet with you tomorrow at 11:00," do you pray, "Lord, keep my job secure"? When you slip on an icy road, do you pray, "Lord, help me get this vehicle under control"? When you discover a chest of drawers has fallen on your child, do you pray, "Lord, help her, let her be okay, and keep us strong"?