The joker card was nailed to an oak tree by the barn on Melissa and Shawn’s property. It was Melissa’s turn and the last two knives hit the card with a whack. Melissa raised her hands in triumph and yelled, “Beat you!”

Shawn, hands on hips and head turned in frustration, took the good-natured ribbing from his wife. He walked to the tree and removed the knives.

“You owe me a back rub,” she said. “That’s two out of three.”

“I can count.” Shawn returned to her and took aim. He hit the joker, but the knife didn’t stick like Melissa’s. It twisted in the card and fell to the ground and Melissa laughed.

“All right, what’s the deal?” Shawn said.

She drew close. “You’re throwing it like a baseball.”

“Best three out of five,” Shawn said.

“I knew you were going to say that! You can’t change the rules. I won.”

Shawn laughed as Melissa straightened the card and retrieved the knife.

“So how’s David?” Shawn said.

A deep sigh. “I don’t know. I mean, he’s cordial. But I say a lot and he says a little.”

“Oh, that can’t be surprising to you.”

“I know, I talk too much,” she said, pulling the knife back to throw. It stuck in the card with a whack. Shawn shook his head. The next throw was dead center and Shawn stared with mouth open. “But I just . . . It would be nice to actually see him.”

Melissa hit her third throw and as Shawn walked to the tree, he turned. “Why don’t you ask God for it?”

“Oh, I have. Like a lot.”

Shawn studied the knives in his hands as if he might figure out the secret to her success. “And He hasn’t responded?”

“You mean David?”

“No, God. You don’t think He wants this to happen?”

“I guess He does. You know the whole thing about the three answers God can give. Yes, no, and not yet.”

“Maybe we ask our study group to pray with us?” Shawn said.

“If I did that, I’d have to tell them the story.”

“You don’t think they could handle it? Those people care about you, Melissa.”

“I know. But it’s been a secret so long.”

Shawn wound up and threw again. This time he not only missed the card, he missed the tree.

“Don’t say it,” he said.

“I didn’t say anything,” Melissa said, trying not to laugh.

“You know what I’ve heard about prayer? Sometimes we don’t ask too much. We ask too little. We don’t think God is powerful enough to grant our requests, so we hold back. Why don’t you pray something big?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Ask God to work it out that David wants to meet soon. Like in the next couple of weeks.”