Who We Are

  A nonprofit Christian organization which exists to help families who are troubled
  by the direction of a loved one, heal and thrive.  

Our Vision

To see the lives of troubled families transformed so they can be used by God to
​comfort other families.

Our History

In 2004, the Waiting Room Ministry was founded by Leslie and Jim Gunby as an outreach ministry of Chandler Christian Church, in Chandler, Arizona. It was born out of Leslie's need to connect with families who grieved over the direction of a loved one.  Initially, it was called Out of the Dark and Into the Light, because it described how Leslie felt after disclosing the news of her son's homosexuality, a secret she held for five years.  It came out with more trouble--news her son was battling an addiction. 
 
A few months after that first meeting the name changed because of a dream Leslie had a year prior.  In the dream, she was crouched down holding her son.  They were just beyond a family waiting room of a hospital. The Spirit of the LORD came upon them filling both with incredible joy and peace.  She didn't understand all the implications but knew it had more significance than she could realize.   During a time of prayer and reflection, Leslie felt God asking her to look at the dream again, this time, the physical aspects of the room.   As she described it to God, she noticed the chairs were empty, highly unusual for a hospital waiting room.  God impressed upon Leslie that he was aware and that he would bring families just like hers to fill those chairs.  The name changed to Waiting Room.

Shortly after the ministry started, Leslie and Jim moved to Prescott, Arizona.  In 2006, they began a Waiting Room at the Heights Church, their new church home.

In 2010, the Labor of Love event was born, an annual intercessory day of prayer for lost loved ones. Families throughout the country participate by submitting a prayer request, or by committing to pray for one of the requests for thirty minutes on Labor Day.    

Waiting Room OnLine, created in 2013, connects families who lacked support in their communities via the internet.  These private groups provide an opportunity to share burdens and receive encouragement, knowing they have others who understand their pain and will pray for their lost loved ones.   

Expanding the ministry to add Waiting Rooms for those impacted by a variety of prodigal issues is a dream of Leslie and Jim's.  They realize that whatever families are facing, at the root the grief is the same.  Everyone needs comfort and hope when the journey is long and treacherous.