Why Your Tears Matter to God
DawnCheré Wilkerson on planting seeds of healing and joy
The Family Life Radio morning team recently welcomed DawnCheré Wilkerson to the show. She’s a pastor, worship leader, mom of four, and now, the author of Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait. Her message? That seasons of waiting can hold deep purpose—and that even our tears can become seeds for joy.
DawnCheré and her husband Rich lead VOUS Church in Miami, and for eight long years, they waited and prayed through infertility. She shares her story with honesty, humor, and a powerful spiritual depth that will meet you right in your own waiting places.
Tears Are Not the End
“Tears are so significant in scripture,” she told us. “One of the scriptures I held on to when I walked through infertility is, ‘She who sows in tears will reap with shouts of joy’ (Psalm 126:5 paraphrased). The contrast of those two things is startling… But it painted a picture for me that my tears are actually seeds when entrusted to God.”
Then DawnCheré points to Psalm 56:8, “The psalmist said that he holds our tears in his bottle. In that time culturally, they would have small jars that while grieving, they would catch their tears in. What [the psalmist] was saying is, ‘God, no part of my broken heart is lost on you.’ And that image comes alive in my heart because whether you cry at the drop of a hat, or your heart is numb, God meets us wherever we are.”
God meets us in the soft, aching places.
Let the Pain Speak—and Plant Something
DawnCheré continues, “When I realize that those tears are saying something I can’t even articulate, it frees me to have deeper intimacy with God… Even my tears, when given to Him in this waiting season, can be seeds for a future harvest of joy.”
Maybe you’re grieving what hasn’t come. Maybe you’re just holding on, unsure if the pain will ever pass. God sees you. He’s with you. And in His hands, your tears are doing more than you think—they’re planting something good, something strong, something new.
So What Do You Do While You Wait?
DawnCheré encourages us with this: “Start to celebrate. It might just be going, ‘God, thank you for this cup of coffee. Thank you for the friend I can call. Thank you for my church community. Thank you for my health.’ Gratitude changes us from the inside out and strengthens us for the journey ahead.”
That kind of celebration doesn’t dismiss the pain you’re feeling, but it signals that you’ve chosen to trust that God is still working, even when nothing around you has changed yet.
This Isn’t the End of Your Story
If your pillow is soaked with tears or your heart feels stuck in the “not yet:”
- Your tears are not the final harvest of grief.
- They are seeds.
- And God never wastes seeds.
“We need to get comfortable having conversations about what God is doing in our life… That’s how we overcome,” DawnCheré said. “When we share from the deepest part of our pain, there’s always a response.”
So don’t stop talking. Don’t stop trusting. Don’t stop hoping.
God’s writing something beautiful.
Even in this.
Especially in this.
Want to Learn More?
We’re grateful for DawnCheré’s powerful words and gentle challenge. If you’d like to explore her story further, check out her book, Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait, available from major retailers.
Follow DawnCheré on social:
→ Instagram: @dawnchere
→ X/Twitter: @DawnChere
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