A Mississippi weatherman who went viral this week after praying for residents in the pathway of a deadly tornado is speaking out about his invocation, his faith, and why he believes the moment so deeply resonated around the globe.
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WTVA-TV Chief Meteorologist Matt Laubhan told CBN’s Faithwire he doesn’t believe in “coincidences,” and recognizes how God used his prayer in powerful ways.
“I do not believe that there are coincidences,” Laubhan said. “I believe every possible moment has happened to lead you to this moment.”
He described coming across an article from the Storm Prediction Center leading up to last Friday’s devastating Mississippi tornados — a paper that gave him benchmarks to better understand the potential severity of Friday’s storm.
“I’ve tracked hundreds of tornadoes,” he said, noting he “almost never” faces the level of stress he did Friday night, when he saw the warning signs from that paper playing out in real-time and felt prompted to pray on air.
“[I’ve] always taught [my] kids that prayer does not need to be like a pharisee, this long, elaborate [invocation],” Laubhan said. “If you have something in your heart, say it. God understands it.”
Watch him explain:
While on the air, he worried people might not understand how serious the tornado threat truly was, likening the situation to a husband and wife arguing and a spouse fruitlessly trying to make their point.
“And you can see that look on their face, that they’re just not getting what you’re saying,” he said, noting he was worried this was the same dynamic unfolding among the public watching his dire weather report.
But Laubhan’s invocation seemed to break through, with added emotion driving home the dire nature of the debacle. Prayer is such a massive part of his life, he said the words just came.
“Like anything that you practice without thinking, it just kind of happened,” Laubhan said.
Some believe the weatherman’s prayer — and the clear authenticity with which he worriedly delivered it — helped save lives by convincing people the tornado, which killed more than two dozen people, truly was dire.
“I believe that God helps people interpret and hear things the way they need to hear it,” Laubhan said. “I do ask from time to time for people … if you feel compelled, pray … but I don’t lead the prayer. It’s public airwaves and you want to make sure that you don’t alienate anybody.”
He continued, “The hardest thing about … planting the seed is making sure that the soil is prepped for it. … It is a gentle process.”
As for why Laubhan believes the prayer went viral, the meteorologist said the deadly danger from a storm is one of those unique moments that commands universal attention.
“There are a few moments in life where you’re going to feel, no matter who you are, a connection to something greater,” he said, referencing the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, or moments when humans are at the mercy of something monumental such as weather. “To have something that could kill you, that you cannot control, coming towards you, it’s a universal feeling.”
READ ‘In Jesus Name’: Disaster Relief Teams Offer Immediate Support Amid Tornado Devastation
Considering people identify with such events, he believes these elements helped make it more relatable and spark a viral response.
“It was authentic,” Laubhan said. “It did not come from me. I did not intend to pray. I’m not gonna say I thought in my head, ‘Don’t ever pray,’ but I also never intended to do it. So, I do think that it just kind of came bursting out and that it came in a situation where so many people were hurt and killed.”
The weatherman knows atheists and nonbelievers were also moved by the prayer, and their reactions humble him.
“Isn’t that why we’re here? I mean, until the whole world hears?” he said. “That is why we are here.”
Laubhan also shared his faith more generally, detailing his journey growing up in a small church, later drifting away, and eventually returning to faith.
“I’d never been baptized until my 30th birthday,” he said, calling it “one of the most emotional experiences in my life.”
Now a father, Laubhan raises his two children to love the Lord. Hear the rest of his story.
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