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“And He did.”
“He did,” she replies. “But how do I know where to go from here? How do I block out the fear and hear Him?” She reaches up and wipes a hand over her cheek.
“Pray, Sadie,” Pastor Reeves says softly. “Read His word and pray. Trust that He will show you the path in His timing.”
“I don’t have a Bible anymore.”
He reaches into the back of the pew and hands her one. “Now you do.”
She clutches it to her chest like it’s beyond precious. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
But she doesn’t get up right away. Instead, she looks over at him. “Will you pray for me?” To my surprise, she sticks out her hand toward him. He takes it into his then covers it with his other one and bows his head.
Sadie closes her eyes.
“Lord, I want to thank You for Sadie. Thank You for rescuing her and bringing her here to Stormwatch Landing. It is by Your grace that she is here with us today. Thank You for guiding her to Maverick so that he could step into the role of protector in this world, though we know that You are the ultimate protector. You are the author of our lives, God, and we trust in You even when things don’t make sense. Please be with Sadie. Please guide her along the path You have laid out for her. Please let her see You in all things, even when the world is at its darkest. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“Amen,” Sadie says and sniffles. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, dear girl.”
She stands, so I do, too, already desperate to get out of this place so that the heaviness in my chest, this emptiness, will dissipate.
“I will bring this back to you.”
“Keep it,” he tells her, then turns to me and offers his hand.
I reach out and take it. “Thanks.”
“Thank you for bringing her here, Maverick.”
“Yeah.” I pull my hand back quickly, then head for the door so I can open it for Sadie.
“Goodbye, Pastor Reeves.”
“Goodbye, Sadie. I hope to see you again.”
“You will.” She steps out onto the church steps and pauses, tilting her face up to the sky as she clutches the Bible in her hand. There’s a light to her now that wasn’t there before, a weight that has been lifted.
How is that possible? We were only in there for ten minutes.
“How can you believe in a loving God after everything you’ve been through?” The question is out of my mouth before I can filter it.
Those gorgeous eyes open, and she looks straight at me. “How can I not?”
SADIE
The bar feels like a completely different place when drinks aren’t being poured, and music isn’t pumping through the speakers. Maverick is standing behind the stove, making something that has my stomach growling, while I’m seated at the stainless-steel island, the Bible open in front of me.
He’d dug through his supplies and given me a notebook and a pen when I asked, which I’ve been using to take notes as I read through Hebrews. Even though I was on chapter eleven before, I started back at the beginning.
Faith.
That’s what I have, and that’s what I need to cling to in the days to come. Because, no matter what this life throws at me, I serve a loving God who will never abandon me.
“What are you writing in there?”
