I don’t know if any of us expected it, really. We’ve had too many tragedies. Too many missing children. Too many heartaches. When news broke tonight that Jayme Closs had been found alive it just brought tears. After all the searches through fields and all the leads which went nowhere, here she was. Not buried in a field or covered with leaves in a forest, but alive.  One of my colleagues has been posting on Facebook every day, “Prayers for Jayme Cross,” lest we forget to pray for the thirteen year old girl who disappeared from her parents home the night they were murdered.

Her disappearance just ninety miles northeast of the Minneapolis area where I live meant we heard frequent updates on the case. But there seemed to be no leads that were strong enough to follow.  Meanwhile, thousands of people searched fields, looking for clues to her disappearance. Anything at all was the word . . . A hope that some item tossed from a car would lead to Jayme. Hunters were asked to be on the lookout for the unusual.

The small community she was from rallied around her. It’s Christmas tree was dedicated to her.  There were prayer services and remembrances. Eventually there were funerals for her parents. All the while Jayme was missing. Perhaps, I was too cynical to let hope intrude. The good news caught me unaware. It leaves a lump in my throat and gratitude in my heart. There will be challenges ahead for Jayme. She will be reliving this time in her life many times over. Good counselors and faithful friends will be a necessity.  Prayers for healing will continue to be needed.

But for tonight, a missing child has been found.   Soon she will be in the loving arms of her grandpa, aunts and uncles. That is good news. It doesn’t get much better than this.