Firstborn
Page 21
Wait, for God alone was the restorer. He made new things out of old. He would make something new out of her marriage. She believed it this morning with every fiber of her being.
Father, don’t let me ever again make an idol of my marriage or of my husband. Don’t let Steven put me back on a pedestal.
Erika’s prayers continued as she and Ethan drove to church, as they made their way to their usual pew, as they greeted friends around them. As difficult as it was, she didn’t allow herself to turn every ten seconds toward the sanctuary door. She waited at least thirty seconds between turns.
She felt a rush of pleasure when she saw Dallas’s and Kirsten’s arrival. She hadn’t known Kirsten would be with him.
Father and daughter sat in the pew directly behind Erika and Ethan. Erika smiled at Kirsten, then met Dallas’s gaze, their exchange silent but understood: Yes, they would both pray for Kirsten to know the Lord.
She glanced toward the entrance again, and this time, there was Steven, walking with purpose down the center aisle. His stride shortened when he noticed who sat behind Erika. He stopped to greet Dallas, then took hold of Kirsten’s hand and leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear. Erika had no clue what he whispered, but she saw first the surprise on Kirsten’s face and then her relief.
Another new beginning.
It won’t be easy, Jesus. We’re all still finding our way. Me, Steven, Ethan, Dallas, Kirsten. Maybe even Paula. Steven and I have hurt each other, and old hurts have a way of rising up unexpectedly. But we’ve made a good start, he and I, and I’ll never let go of Your promises again. I’ll trust You, no matter what.
Steven looked at Erika. She saw the hope in his eyes, as well as the uncertainty, the guilt, the pain. She saw the eyes of the father of her son, the eyes of her husband. They were the eyes that had looked tenderly into hers on their wedding night, the eyes that had watched her when she gave birth to Ethan, the eyes that had sparkled with laughter and glittered with tears through all the ups and downs of their lives.
We’ll make it because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
Steven stepped into the aisle, then toward Erika’s pew. He held her gaze a long while before looking at their son. Steven held out his hand toward Ethan. The boy stood.
Softly, Steven said, “You were right, Son. I had to get right with God.”
Ethan took the proffered hand.
Two men—one in midlife, one with a lifetime before him—both with good hearts. Cut from the same cloth, these two, father and son.
At long last, Steven sat beside Erika. But not too close. He kept his distance from her as he looked toward the front of the sanctuary, where the worship team was now assembling, his expression thoughtful.
For a moment, Erika’s joy dimmed. Her hope faded. For a moment more, she doubted, the distance between them feeling too vast to be crossed.
Had she heard wrong? Had what she thought was a promise been only what she wanted and not what God had spoken?
Then her husband did something both simple and miraculous.
He reached out and took hold of her hand, his grasp gentle but sure. A grasp that said, I won’t let go again.
He looked at her. She looked at him.
And once more, for today and for all of her tomorrows, Erika chose to love.
Acknowledgments
The birth of this book seemed to take forever, and it had more than one midwife to help it arrive safely.
First, I want to acknowledge Rebekah Nesbitt, who held my hand a lot. What a pleasure it is to work with you.
Thanks for an abundance of patience.
Second, I say thanks to some very special women who met in my home for Saturday morning Bible study during the months I worked on this book. Lawanda, Josie, Barb, Evy, Sara, Ruth, Karen, and Muriel—your prayers were answered!
About the Author
Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. She discovered her vocation after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. Winner of the Christy, the RITA, the Carol, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and many other awards, Robin is also a recipient of the prestigious RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the author of 70 novels and novellas with over five million copies in print.
Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. Her main hobby (when time allows) is knitting, and she has a special love for making prayer shawls. A mother and grandmother, Robin and her husband make their home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet, the high-maintenance Papillon, and Princess Pinky, the DC (demon cat).
Visit Robin’s web page and read her blog: www.robinleehatcher.com
Other Books By Author
The Forgiving Hour
Catching Katie
Ribbon of Years
Beyond the Shadows
The Victory Club
A Carol for Christmas
Return to Me
The Perfect Life