Winter Wonders

by Delia Latham

  Ethan dear:

  Sorry I’m not home to speak with you in person. I do so enjoy our chats, but unfortunately, duty called elsewhere today. However, I found some verses of scripture that will provide all the hope, strength, and insight you need regarding your current situation…if you read them with an open heart.

  I know you’re aware of this, but may I remind you of something wonderful? Our Father is always home and always ready to speak with you…and to you. He’s an ever-present help in time of trouble, dear friend. He’s the One who sticks closer than a brother. He’s your Strength and your Song, your Fortress and your Strong Tower.

  He is God. Talk to Him.

  In Christ’s Service,

  Angelina Love

  Citations—minus the scripture text—filled the rest of the pages. Some he recognized at first glance and could quote off the top of his head. Hope infused Brady’s spirit, even as shame made him long to fall on his knees.

  Faced with the possible revelation of the secret he’d guarded for so long, what he’d considered a firm assurance in Christ had short-circuited, undermining his faith by letting in fear. Fear of losing credibility with his congregation—and yes, the community. Fear of a possible backlash that might harm Chrysalis in some way. Fear of being a public spectacle…again.

  So many fears, so little faith. Fear had blinded him to the Word hidden in his heart. He’d forgotten to rest in God’s arms and trust Him in this situation as he did in every other circumstance.

  At the top of Miss Angie’s list was a longtime favorite verse.

  Brady whispered the words from Isaiah 41:10 from memory, absorbing its reassuring promises. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

  He scanned the next few citations and fixed on Jeremiah 29:11 as the beautiful words of the scripture came to mind in an instant. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

  Peace began to replace the stranglehold of fear in his soul.

  With a slight smile, he looked once again at the list of scripture texts. Miss Angie had most likely written them without once referencing her Bible for accuracy. She knew enough scripture from memory to make Brady—and most Christians his age—feel ashamed and inadequate.

  A pleasant lavender aroma wafted upward when he folded the three sheets of stationery and tucked them back into the envelope. Time to go home, have a chat with God, and then bury himself in the Word. If he’d spoken face to face with Miss Angie, that’s what she’d have told him to do, just as he would have advised any parishioner in a similar situation.

  As he rounded the circle drive and pulled onto the long, private road leading out of Paradise Pines, he tugged his lips into a smile for the first time since Alan’s phone call. How had Miss Angie known he’d come to her door? Brady knew the answer, of course, but the wonder of her existence here in Cambria was still difficult to take in.

  Over the short time since Kai and Winter crashed into his world, the memory of Miss Angie’s glowing transformation that day had faded somewhat. Sometimes he doubted he’d seen anything at all. Perhaps his imagination had gone a little wild, there in the glade filled with equal parts sunshine and shadow, a beautiful stranger bleeding at his feet, and her brother lying pale and broken a few feet away. Maybe he’d dreamed the entire fantastic episode.

  But “maybe” and “perhaps” couldn’t quite trump the fire of conviction in his heart. He’d seen what he’d seen. Miss Angie was more than a sweet woman with a gift for calming spirits and soothing troubled hearts. More than the overseer of Paradise Pines Lodge. And far more than just another member of his congregation.

  His human nature still balked at stating the obvious, even to himself. If he said the words out loud, would she disappear forever? But even without verbalizing what he knew to be true, he didn’t doubt that she was special to God and knew Him on a deeply personal level. So if Miss Angie said he needed to have a heart-to-heart talk with the Master of every circumstance, then he’d go home and talk to God. If she sent him scriptures, he’d look them up—every last one, even though not one of them would prove new or unfamiliar.

  Long hours spent in God’s Word had convinced Brady that it never grew old. Every time he opened the pages of his Bible, he found something with new meaning, even when reading old, familiar verses. So, despite the ache in his heart and the niggling concern that worked at the edges of his mind regarding Winter’s purpose in Cambria, he’d go home and see what God had to say about Ethan Miracle and Kalani Winter Wonder.

  The short drive back to his little cabin, tucked into the wooded area behind Cambria House of Praise, seemed endless. Like a child whose exuberance made a road trip take forever, Brady’s growing need to lock the world outside and closet himself with the Lord lengthened the two-mile trip to an interminable distance. Upon arriving, he rushed into the house, eager for the familiar comfort of his Father’s Presence.

  As always, Miss Angie’s advice was right on track. She’d come through yet again.

  17

  Twilight had fallen outside Brady’s windows when at last he laid his Bible aside.

  After a long time on his knees, he’d gone through all the scripture citations in Miss Angie’s scrolling handwriting, one by one. He took time to think about the application of each verse to his situation. Each offered its own comfort and wisdom, and he drank them all in, savoring them as a wine lover enjoys every aspect of a fine wine—the body, the bouquet, the flavor, and even the aftertaste.

  The final verse still had a strong hold on Brady’s spirit. At the end of a lengthy list of beautiful nuggets of faith, trust, strength, steadfastness, God’s plan,—all the expected topics during times of spiritual weakness—Miss Angie included two more verses beneath a heading, “A little something extra.”

  Brady read the familiar words from John 8:32 through the blur of damp eyes. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. He then flipped the pages of his worn Bible to Ephesians 4:25 and read more. Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

  He turned the final page over and discovered a final note.

  “Ethan dear, I know you, and I know that your lips do not speak lies. If I thought otherwise, I would not occupy a seat at Cambria House of Praise. But please read Revelation 22:15 and look into your heart. Do you know what it means to make a lie?”

  She’d drawn a dainty flower with a long stem and signed her name beneath the question.

  Brady read the scripture, and then grabbed his laptop and looked it up in various versions. His heart quailed when he figured it out.

  Making a lie. Practicing a lie. Living a lie.

  Wasn’t that what he was doing, living under a name that wasn’t his? His parents named him Ethan Brady, and he was using one of those, so perhaps he was only living a half-lie, because his family’s surname was Miracle. Calling himself Brady Merckle was making a lie, and it was high time he allowed the truth to set him free.

  At tomorrow’s service, he would come clean with his congregation. They would either forgive his deception, understand his reasons for “making a lie” and forgive him…or he would lose their confidence and they’d find another pastor. That was all in God’s hands, and Brady could do nothing to change whatever would come of his confession. After the service, he would drive straight to Paradise Pines and save Winter from searching further for Rory Cope’s protégé. He’d take Ethan Miracle to her. He climbed into bed determined, but with an aching heart.

  

  

  Winter answered the door to find Miss Angie on the deck. An automatic smile tugged at her lips. “Miss Angie! Please, come in.”

  “Thank you, dear, but I hate to miss such a gorgeous evening. Let’s visit on the deck, if you don’t mind.” She peeked
over Winter’s shoulder. “Bring Kai with you.”

  Kai headed for the door without hesitation. “Great idea! I should’ve been outside already. I’ve become a couch potato since we arrived in Cambria.”

  Winter followed, glad to see her brother in such good spirits. They’d both long since been given clean bills of health from Dr. Rafferty, but Winter couldn’t leave Cambria until she rooted out the elusive boy preacher—although, this long after the ugly end of Rory Cope’s ministry, she should probably think of him as the Miracle man.

  Every path she’d followed in talking with local clergy and townspeople had proven fruitless. A few locals remembered Rory Cope, and even the kid preacher he’d recruited, but no one could recall having seen Ethan Miracle in Cambria.

  Refusing to give up, Winter had interviewed every minister in town—except Brady, to whom she had the easiest access—hoping one of them might remember Miracle having resided in the area, even if for a short time. She’d told herself it would be a waste of time to bring up the subject with Brady, because he and Ethan Miracle couldn’t possibly be the same person. The man she knew, while very much a Christian, was not a charismatic dynamo. Soft-spoken and gentle, yes indeed. Funny, kind, and sweetly romantic, absolutely. An angel-man—not anyone’s celebrity protégé. She couldn’t even begin to imagine him as part of a huge, internationally known ministry.

  “Winter? Hey, you all right?” Kai’s worried glance made her smile. He hadn’t stopped watching her every move the entire time they’d been at the lodge. Apparently it had become a habit, as her pass from Dr. Rafferty hadn’t changed a thing.

  “I’m fine, just thinking about my story.” She joined the lodge hostess on the swing.

  Kai claimed the lounge chair.

  “I’m glad you came up, Miss Angie. We haven’t had a lot of time to visit, have we?” Winter smiled at their hostess.

  “Not nearly enough. I know you both passed Julia’s rigid release criteria some time ago, but…how are you doing? Any residual effects from the crash?”

  “We have permission to pass the city limit sign, so I guess we’ll live,” Winter assured her. “I can’t say I’ve noticed any hangovers from the crash. On the other hand, I’m a little worried about Kai. He’s gone completely moon-eyed and, despite having been approved for departure, my brother still requires daily consultations with the good doctor.”

  “Ha ha, Sis. You’re a real comedienne.” Kai shot her a narrow-eyed glare, but the grin he couldn’t pack away told its own tale.

  Winter gave him the “I love you” sign with one hand, and then turned to the lady sharing her swing. “You know Dr. Rafferty, Miss Angie? I notice you called her by her first name.”

  “Oh, yes. Her father lives nearby, and Julia visits quite often. Actually, she accompanies Frank to church at least every other Sunday. I always look forward to seeing her.”

  “That’s nice that she’s close to her father.”

  “Yes, indeed it is.” Miss Angie’s sky-blue gaze fixed on hers. “You mentioned your story, Winter. How’s that coming along?”

  She huffed out a sigh. “So far, I feel like I’m butting my head against a brick wall, to be honest. I’m no closer to finding the man I need to speak with than I was when I first started looking. It’s as if he simply walked off the face of the earth.”

  The other woman laughed softly, and Winter’s head jerked upward to scan the darkening sky. Had she heard music…from somewhere up there?

  “Oh, I’m sure he didn’t do that.” Miss Angie’s gaze widened, and she shook her head. “Perhaps you haven’t found him because it isn’t time yet.”

  “Isn’t time?”

  A quick glance at Kai almost made her laugh. He looked as confused as she felt.

  Miss Angie nodded and gave Kai a serene smile. “There is a time for everything, dear. When and if God wills that you find this man, you will.” She turned that same smile on Winter. “God could even bring him to you, who knows? But only in His timing. Until then, no amount of probing and digging will make it happen.”

  Winter blinked when her fingers received another squeeze. She hadn’t even realized Miss Angie held her hand.

  Kai stood and then leaned against the deck rail. “Is that something from the Bible, Miss Angie?”

  “It is. God’s timing is mentioned many times in the scriptures, but Ecclesiastes 3:1 specifically tells us there is a time and a season for everything. The verse I particularly love is in that same chapter, verse 11, where it says ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.’”

  The smile that lit Miss Angie’s face must have been in God’s time, because it was nothing short of beautiful. The woman’s genuine love for God and for the Bible radiated from her in near-palpable waves.

  Kai spoke in an almost reverent tone. “You’re beautiful, Miss Angie.”

  Winter managed to hide her shock. Normally shy and somewhat reticent, her brother wasn’t one to volunteer such lavish compliments. Apparently, Miss Angie had made quite the conquest.

  “Oh, Kai…thank you, dear. You make an old woman’s heart smile. But I didn’t come up here for compliments, no matter how sweetly offered. I wanted to ask the two of you to attend church with me tomorrow.”

  After her experience in the glade with Raine and Miss Angie, Winter was eager to find out what a church service was all about. But the moment she opened her mouth to accept, Kai neatly intercepted. Winter hid a grin. Her twin knew her well. He was certain she would respond with an unequivocal, and probably less than polite, “no, thank you.”

  “We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Winter?”

  She couldn’t even shoot him a fake-dirty look, because she couldn’t stop grinning. Despite their deep connection, Kai hadn’t zoned in on her new take on religion. He knew something was different, because she’d caught him studying her a few times, a crease between his eyebrows, and confusion clouding his gaze.

  “I—I don’t know.” How long could she keep him from figuring out the change in her? “I really need to be working on this story.”

  “On Sunday?” Kai raised both eyebrows. “I don’t think so. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt either of us to take in a church service now and then.”

  “Well…” She’d probably protested enough to be convincing. “I guess we’ll go, then. Sure, Miss Angie. Will you ride with us?”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like that.”

  Soon after, Miss Angie bid them good night, and Kai walked her back to her door.

  Winter stayed where she was, one foot keeping the swing moving just enough. The occasional sweet trill of birdsong from surrounding treetops, the roar of the ocean, and the briny tang of the air spoke peace into her spirit.

  Kai was right…she needed to break away from the story and not even think about it tomorrow. Besides, she wanted to see Brady in his official capacity as pastor of Cambria House of Praise.

  A sudden, impish thought had her watching the steps for her brother’s return. She didn’t need him watching her grin like an idiot, sitting on the porch swing all by herself. But the broad smile wouldn’t go away. She’d have a great view from wherever she sat. Her conscience pinged at the irreverent observation, but she ignored it.

  If God didn’t want lady parishioners ogling the preacher, He shouldn’t put serious eye candy behind the pulpit.

  

  

  Brady stood alone outside the church. Bright sunshine turned the world into a thing of unsurpassed beauty and lent a luminous glow to everything it touched. Fluffy white clouds seemed almost to dance against the perfect blue sky. The trees in the woods surrounding the church glowed from the inside out.

  Had God washed the world? Brady couldn’t tear his gaze from the landscape…until a chorus of harmonic birdsong filled the air. Surely every winged creature in the forest had lifted its voice in simultaneous praise. Despite the vast variety of species and types of song, what should have been cacophonous became harmonic, breathtaking perfection. He closed
his eyes, enjoying—no—absorbing the music.

  Then, as suddenly as if someone had turned off a radio, every sound came to an abrupt stop.

  A shiver of something holy traced its way down Brady’s spine, and his eyes popped open. What happened to his birdsong serenade?

  As if in answer, a single song filled the morning. One bird. One song.

  A Spirit-nudge so strong Brady took a halting step forward accompanied the stirring solo. He scanned the tree line, hoping to see which of God’s little songsters sang so sweetly it hushed all the others.

  From out of the woods, a flash of red soared into view. A cardinal, wings spread in stunning, graceful beauty, drew closer. Brady refused to even blink. If he closed his eyes for even an instant, it might vanish.

  Instead, it made a slow circle around Brady’s body at a distance of no more than a foot or two away. The flutter of air movement set off a vague tingle at the base of his spine, and his breath came in short, sharp bursts.

  The small creature hovered in front of him, holding his gaze through one round, black eye.

  Again, silence overtook the world. Even the cardinal’s show-stopping aria faded away.

  Brady wondered if he’d been pulled into a vacuum, and if he’d ever be released. Perhaps he wouldn’t want to be.

  The bird broke eye contact to make another loop around Brady’s body. And then another…and another, flying faster on each round, until its shape dissipated into a crimson blur. But somehow that blur sharpened all that had happened since Brady first noticed the impossibly bright sunshine, crystallizing it into vivid, mind-jolting, heart-changing clarity in his soul.

  The light of the Son, so bright it illuminated everything it touched from the inside out. The cardinal’s bright coloring, crimson like the blood of Christ. A song so lovely the other birds couldn’t sing along…like the song of the Redeemed. Circles, with no beginning and no end…like eternity.

  Brady’s heartbeat raced.

  Then the bird’s zooming flight slowed, and the blur of red coalesced to form a perfect rose.