All God's Promises (A Prairie Heritage Book 7)

by Vikki Kestell

  Julie nodded. “She is a bit intimidating, isn’t she? However, don’t let her face fool you—she has a heart of pure gold.”

  Julie hugged Kari. As she turned away, she threw over her shoulder, “By the way, I don’t know who Margaret Hamilton is, but Miss Em has always reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West.”

  Kari stared after Julie and then hooted in laughter.

  Julie stopped. “What? What did I say?”

  Kari, laughing so hard that she had trouble breathing, waved her on her way. “Go,” she managed, and Julie, clearly confused, sped off to the church kitchen.

  Kari calmed, took a deep breath, and walked over to the elderly woman to introduce herself. “Miss Em? Good morning. My name is Kari Michaels. Julie said you might, that is, I was hoping I could ask you a Bible question before Bible study started this morning.”

  Up close, Kari could see how paper-thin Miss Em’s dark aged skin was, how fragile her bones; that the old woman’s erect posture was an illusion, a leftover from younger years.

  She was surprised but relieved when Miss Em’s crinkled eyes lit up.

  “A’course, a’course. Sit down, young lady, and we’ll talk.”

  Frail physically, perhaps, but sharp as a tack, Kari thought.

  She moved a chair so that she could face Miss Em. “Thank you. I’ve only been a Christian a few months and I’m reading the New Testament through for the first time.”

  “Good for you.” Miss Em smiled in approval, and Kari liked how her “scary” expression relaxed into well-used laugh lines.

  So not the Wicked Witch at all, Kari admitted.

  “What is your question, dear?”

  “Oh!” Kari came to herself. She opened her Bible and pointed to the passage. “This passage really spoke to my heart, but I don’t understand what it is saying about God’s promises.”

  Miss Em read the passage and then found the same chapter and verse in her well-worn Bible. “Let me read it to you in the King James, child. I find that reading Scripture in various translations helps to clarify the meaning. Let’s see, in the King James, the first part reads,

  For all the promises of God

  in Christ are yea, and in him Amen,

  unto the glory of God by us.

  “So the first thing we see is that the Apostle Paul says, ‘Look, God has made certain promises to us.’ That is a wonderful thought, isn’t it? The second point Paul makes is that all God’s promises, ‘in Christ are yea and amen.’ D’ you know what ‘yea and amen’ mean?”

  “Um, not really.”

  “Well, ‘yea’ means ‘yes,’ and ‘amen’ means ‘so be it,’ or ‘I agree with God.’”

  Kari’s brow furrowed. “So all God’s promises are yes?”

  “All God’s promises are ‘yes’ in Christ. Christ is the one who fulfills God’s promises. And the Bible tell us in many, many place that we who belong to God, are ‘in Christ.’ Whatever promises Christ has fulfilled or made available, are available to us because we are in him. Our part is to say ‘amen’ or ‘so be it’ to those promises.”

  “What about . . . what if you think God has promised you something but it is impossible?”

  Em studied Kari and became thoughtful. “As you are a new Christian, I would first say that God is not a wishing well. He is not our fairy godmother or one of those fancy cash machines. On the other hand, I would also say that God is not troubled by the impossible. Scripture tells us that nothing, not one thing, is impossible with God.”

  She leaned toward Kari. “Why don’t you tell me what is troubling you and, perhaps, with the Lord’s help, we can sort it out?”

  Kari’s mouth opened a little and she thought about what to say next. “All right, but it’s sort of long and messy. Um, I should tell you that my parents died in a car crash when I was six.”

  She gulped a little. “Right afterwards, my little sister and brother were taken. Illegally. We think they were adopted out. That happened a long time ago, but recently I have been looking for them. What is troubling me is that I have been told that they cannot be found. That it is impossible.”

  Miss Em gazed into Kari’s eyes with compassion. “I am very sorry, young miss. You must feel that part of your heart has been cut away.”

  Kari blinked back the tears. “Yes, that’s true. And I-I guess that ever since the investigators hit a wall and could go no further, I have been engulfed by this sense of-of hopelessness. I believe the Lord spoke to me to surrender the situation to him, but even though I have prayed and given the search for Elaine and Sammie to him, I’m still a bit depressed about it all.

  “You see, I had forgotten about my siblings for years. I knew I had forgotten something, something important, but I could never remember. Then, when I became a Christian, it was like God ripped the blindness from my mind and I remembered everything—everything about the accident and the people who took my sister and baby brother.”

  Kari looked at Miss Em through misty eyes. “This passage talks about God’s promises. The thing is . . . I believed that the Lord caused me to remember Elaine and Samuel for a reason—so I could find them. And a few days later, I was sure—no, I was certain—that the Lord spoke to me to go after them. And I heard him speak the same thing through godly individuals whose walk with God I trust.

  “It felt like a promise from God, so when my investigators told me it couldn’t be done, that Elaine and Samuel could not be found, it was like God’s promise had failed or that I had failed? I don’t know which. I only know that now I feel very let down. Defeated.

  “This morning I read this verse for the first time, and it touched me. It was like these words were written for me, like God was, again, speaking directly to me.”

  Kari searched Miss Em’s lined face. “But am I imagining it? Am I being weird?”

  “No, you are not being weird, my dear girl. I think what you felt was a ‘quickening’ of the Scripture to your heart. ‘To quicken’ means ‘to make alive.’ They’s many times the Lord will make his word alive to us—it is his way of planting himself deep down in our souls and making himself known to us in a personal way. Yes, the Holy Spirit uses God’s word to speak his promises to us, and no, missy, you are not bein’ weird.”

  “But what if . . .” Kari didn’t know how to frame another worrisome question. “I mean, I’m a new Christian and all. What if God didn’t promise me that he would find Elaine and Samuel? What if I misunderstood or presumed?”

  The older woman nodded, again thoughtful before she answered. “Well, what if you did? Let us say you utterly misheard him. Does that change God or his character? No, he is good and faithful. He never changes. And so it should not change our faith in him. He is well able to redirect us if we get a little off course. They’s no shame in that.

  “Frankly, Kari, it takes time and ’sperience to learn to hear God’s voice, to become confident when he speaks to us. But we only learn by taking to prayer what we believe he has spoken to us and, after prayer, followin’ his guidance—as you are doing.”

  Miss Em smiled and her rheumy black eyes glowed. “Again, let us suppose we misunderstand his direction and continue to do what we believe he has spoken to us. The Lord values our obedience to him very much—even if we miss his intentions. He desires for us to have a heart that responds to him. He is looking for a perfect heart toward him, rather than perfect accomplishment. And if we miss him? He will find us and redirect our steps.

  “But let us address what is at the core of your question. You want to know if God is able find your sister and brother—you want to know if he can do what you have been told is impossible.”

  Kari nodded. “Yes. That’s it.”

  “Because you have already done all you can to find them.”

  “Yes. We have, literally, exhausted every possibility money can buy.”

  “Just so! Scripture tells us that when we have done all, we are to stand. A’course he does not intend for us to stand passively or casually or in defea
t; we are to stand firm in faith.

  “What is faith’s attitude? Faith expects. Faith waits in hope. Faith is patient. Faith watches and prays. And so the Lord wants us to stand in hopeful, patient, watchful, prayerful expectation.

  “The Bible tells us that Abraham is the father of faith. He is our example of how to remain in faith when things not only look impossible but also truly are impossible. After all, God promised Abraham a son, but Abraham and his wife were old—far too old to have children.

  “That fact, however—the fact that both Abraham and his wife were beyond bearing children—did not weaken Abraham’s faith. Romans 4 reads:

  Without weakening in his faith,

  he faced the fact that his body

  was as good as dead . . .

  Yet he did not waver through unbelief

  regarding the promise of God,

  but was strengthened in his faith

  and gave glory to God,

  being fully persuaded that God

  had power to do what he had promised.

  Miss Em leaned toward Kari. “Our God has the power to do what he promises. They’s times we think of him with human limitations, think he has to work in a logical way, a way we can understand or a way we can help make happen.”

  “But let me tell you a little secret: God doesn’t need our help. If we have done all he asks us to do, what remains is for us to stand. He is perfectly able to keep his promises without our help.”

  Miss Em lifted a bent, gnarled finger. “What that means is that God can answer your prayers in a completely unanticipated, unprecedented, illogical manner. So don’t close off an avenue for him to work simply because you cannot see how he could do it.

  “He is the God who made the universe. He can do whatever he wants to—and nothing is too difficult for him. When he does the impossible, it is he who receives the glory.”

  She stared at Kari for a long moment. “I don’t know your story, dear, but I can tell it is a difficult one—and yet look what Father God has done already. Would you say that the manner by which he brought you to Christ was less than miraculous?”

  “No,” Kari mumbled.

  “Hey?”

  Kari lifted her chin and repeated herself in a stronger voice. “No! It was miraculous. It truly was.”

  “And how long did that miracle take?”

  Kari snorted. “How long? Um, if I were to be honest, it took eighty-two years—but when the Lord began to move, he moved quickly. In a matter of months.”

  Miss Em leveled an appraising look upon Kari. “All right, then. You need to leave room and time in your heart and mind for God to work a miracle. He already brought you a mighty long way. He brought you to Jesus by way of a miracle. He caused you to remember your lost memories by way of a miracle. So while you wait with ’spectation for him to work another miracle, you keep doing good.”

  Kari perked up. “Good?”

  “Oh, yes. While we wait, we do the good God has given us to do.

  “Let us not become weary in doing good,

  for at the proper time we will

  reap a harvest if we do not give up.

  Therefore, as we have opportunity,

  let us do good to all people,

  especially to those who belong

  to the family of believers.

  “It don’t matter if God answers today, tomorrow, or eighty-two years from now, you set your heart to follow him, say ‘amen’ to his promises, and keep doing the good God leads you to do.”

  Kari blinked. “Say ‘amen’ to God’s promises and keep doing good. All right. I think I can do that.”

  “And don’t forget to give God the glory when the miraculous occurs.”

  “I won’t. Thank you, Miss Em.”

  The woman’s face creased into another smile and she patted Kari’s arm. “There now. You’re welcome, Kari. The Lord bless you.”

  She slanted her eyes toward Kari. “Now don’t go tellin’ people I resemble that mean ol’ Miss Gulch, hear?”

  Kari’s brow shot up. “Um, yes, ma’am! I mean, no, ma’am. I won’t.”

  —

  THAT NIGHT KARI WAS RESTLESS. She turned Miss Em’s words over and over, testing them for validity.

  Coming to a settled conclusion, she prayed, Lord, you are certainly more powerful than I ever gave you credit for. Nothing is too difficult for you—finding Elaine and Samuel is not too difficult for you. Just as you knew where Daddy was all the years he was missing, you know where Elaine and Samuel are right now.

  Father, my job is not to figure out how you’re going to bring them back to me or spend my time and effort to make it happen. My job is to stand firm and trust you, say amen to your promises, and do the good work you’ve placed before me.

  Kari slept deeply that night and awoke the following morning lighter of heart. As she sipped her morning coffee, she realized her heart was, finally, at rest.

  Thank you, Lord, for showing me how to live in peace.

  ~~**~~

  Chapter 11

  KARI FINISHED HER DINNER, cleared the little dining nook in the kitchen, and washed up the few dishes she had dirtied. She usually ate dinner around seven and tidied up afterwards so that Azalea would find the kitchen clean when she came in the morning.

  As Kari hung the damp dishtowel, the phone rang.

  Right on time, she smiled to herself. She went into her office and settled into her chair before she picked up the phone.

  “Hey there!”

  “Max says hay is for horses, ma’am.”

  “Søren, how I love that boy. I miss him, too.”

  She and Søren spoke most evenings. He would call before 7:30 and they would talk for ten minutes or so, sharing the news of the day. Afterwards, Max would come to the phone and Søren would allow him exactly five minutes to bend Kari’s ear.

  Then, after he told Max to scoot off to bed, Søren would pick up the phone, read a short Scripture passage, and they would pray together and say goodnight. The calls were never long because his day began earlier than hers did, and he retired for the night soon after.

  It wasn’t much when taken one call at a time, but over weeks, it added up to something significant. Søren and Kari grew to know each other better. They began to know real fellowship.

  If this is courtship, it is the strangest form I’ve witnessed or experienced, Kari reflected, but I have to admit that it is effective. Søren and I are growing in the Lord together, and we are getting to know each other—the “real” us—rather than the superficial us.

  As the days passed, Kari’s respect for Søren increased. She appreciated how he used every minute of his day and what he accomplished with his time. She admired his discipline and purpose.

  Søren’s example forced Kari to reevaluate how she employed her time. After some thought and prayer, she modified her daily routine.

  A mere fifteen minutes with God each morning is not enough. I need more. More time, more discipline, more Jesus.

  She made herself rise earlier than she’d been accustomed to so that she could run while the outside air was still cool. First thing each morning, she ran two miles. She followed her run with an hour of personal time with God.

  She spent much of that hour reading Scripture and thinking on it, trying to understand it and apply it. Then she prayed for direction for her day and prayed over needs that came her way.

  After a few days, she was amazed to find that the hour she’d set aside for the Lord went by so quickly. In one respect, an hour felt as though it was not enough; on the other hand, she found herself filled with new strength and assurance.

  These morning activities became daily constants, but after that, her weekly schedule varied: On Tuesday mornings she attended a women’s Bible study at their church. It was in this group of twelve to fifteen women that she really began to “fit in” and feel like part of her church.

  On Thursday mornings, she volunteered with her Bible study group at a local shelter for women fleeing—
and often hiding—from situations of domestic abuse. “Domestic abuse” was a new term for Kari, but when she met the women at the shelter, she recognized herself in them.

  Her group held a short Bible study with the women in the shelter and brought lunch for them. While they ate, the women from Kari’s church would listen and, if the opportunity arose naturally, share Jesus. On one occasion, Kari and a woman from the shelter entered into what Kari felt was meaningful conversation. Kari was able to let the other woman know that she, too, had experienced violence at the hands of her husband.

  “Even after I got out of the marriage, the hurt was still there,” she explained. “I was lucky—no, not lucky, but blessed, I believe—to have a counselor who knows Jesus. She told me that Jesus came to heal even these kinds of hurts. I am certain he can heal your heart, too.”

  The questions the woman put to Kari were difficult ones, beyond what Kari felt prepared to answer. The encounter only fueled Kari’s desire to know her Bible better.

  The other three mornings each week, she met with Oskar to read reports, analyze accounts, and make minor business decisions under his tutelage. He introduced her to the team of accountants, tax specialists, and financial planners who assisted him. He showed her the reams of fanfold printouts that had to be studied daily.

  And at least two afternoons a week, she and Oskar set out on what Oskar called “field trips,” visits to businesses and properties Kari owned. They toured manufacturing plants, oil and gas wells, and her real estate holdings—commercial properties, rentals, and hotels scattered throughout New Orleans. She met with managers, employees, tenants, and boards of directors—all to put places and faces to the wealth she owned.

  They traveled in Oskar’s black town car, driven by his chauffeur, and often accompanied by his assistant, Bettina Fletcher. Oskar’s car was equipped with a writing tray for his use and a mobile phone on which Oskar and Miss Fletcher took and made calls during the drive. In between, Oskar reviewed correspondence and prepped Kari for the meetings or visits ahead.