by Delia Latham
Miss Angie tucked gloved fingers through her arm, and Shay took her hand on the other side while slipping her free arm through Tara’s. Her friend seeing to Tara was a blessing, since Raine seemed barely able to handle herself. Their quiet support gave her courage to step across the threshold…and into a spiritual hug so real she could almost feel herself supported by loving arms—or wings. Something holy and divine.
This quaint little building held no resemblance whatsoever to the huge church she attended with her parents in Pasadena. Cambria House of Praise laid claim to nothing ostentatious—just a simple place for people to gather together and worship. Four walls, a few pews, and a piano on a low platform at the front of the room. Someone—or perhaps a group of someones, maybe a couple of women with a heart for God—kept the place sparkly clean. Had those same people donated items of their own to create the simple décor? Small silk bouquets on each side of the podium and a few wall sconces pretty much summed it up. No professional decorator had touched this humble sanctuary, and yet it oozed warmth and welcome.
Raine loved it from the moment she stepped inside.
“‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Miss Angie’s smile had a calming effect on her nerves.
Raine’s lips curved upward in response. Most of the critters in her stomach seemed to have taken flight or fallen asleep. “Thank you for inviting me. I needed this.”
“I know. I wanted to invite you sooner, but you weren’t ready. Now you are.”
Raine’s eyes widened. Once again, her sweet hostess seemed to know her from the inside out. Even as recently as last weekend, she wouldn’t have been ready for this.
“There’s nothing like being with God’s people, in His house, for the sole purpose of worshipping Him.” Shay’s eyes reflected an inner joy so real, so huge that Raine thought she could almost see an aura of light around her friend.
The girls followed the older woman to a pew about halfway up the center aisle. As they were being seated, she quoted yet another verse from her beloved Bible.
“‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.’”
“Miss Angie, do you know the entire Bible by heart?” Raine asked. She had wondered. The woman seemed to have a verse for every situation.
“Oh no, not by far. But I guess I have committed more to heart than I realize. God’s Word applies to so many situations in life, and as they arise, just the right Scripture will fill my soul with praise and gladness.”
“Well, I love that you know so much about the Bible. It’s part of what makes you you.” Raine smiled as she looked around the simple room. “And I love the atmosphere here. I was nervous until we walked inside, and then I felt safe, as if I was cuddled into a spiritual cocoon of love and warmth.”
Miss Angie patted her hand. “Of course, dear. This is God’s house, and in His presence is fullness of joy. There’s no place more joyful or peaceful than where our heavenly Father is, and no arms more loving or tender than His.”
“True. And I love what you said, Raine, about a cocoon. I hadn’t thought of the church as a chrysalis, but it is, don’t you think?” Shay grinned.
Tears burned at the back of Raine’s vision, and she grabbed a tissue from a rack on the back of the pew in front of them. What in the world was wrong with her lately? She’d shed more tears since arriving in Cambria than she had in the previous decade. Everything seemed to set her off, whether good or bad.
“Good morning, Miss Angie.” The deep voice startled Raine and she looked up. A vaguely familiar man with dark hair and blue eyes stood at the end of the pew. “I see you and Shay have brought guests this morning.” He stepped into the row ahead of them and reached back to shake hands with each of the women.
Miss Angie introduced the pastor, Brady Merckle.
Raine’s mind raced. Where had she heard that name? He was younger and better looking than she had expected. Wasn’t there some rule about preachers not being too attractive or something? Seemed like there ought to be.
Not that the minister’s appearance affected her in the least. Annoyingly enough, considering Dec’s rude behavior at their last encounter, it was his face that kept a persistent presence in her mind. His face, those steel-gray eyes, and a lopsided smile that never failed to set her heart racing.
To his credit, the minister seemed unaware that he probably had every unattached woman in the congregation yearning to be a pastor’s wife. He was soft-spoken and sincere, and Raine liked him immediately.
“Welcome, Raine,” he said after introductions. “I’m so glad you made time to visit us.”
She smiled. “I live above Miss Angie, Pastor. I’m not sure I had a choice.”
“That’s true.” He chuckled, and then snapped his fingers. “You’re the lady who was with my young friend Cole a few weeks back, aren’t you?”
Cole! That’s where she’d seen Brady Merckle.
He’d come looking for the young man she’d swooped off the side of the road.
“Oh my goodness! Yes, that was me. How is Cole?”
“Doing great, thanks in great part to you.” The minister glanced around the room, and then pointed toward the back. “He’s right back there. You should say hello before you leave today.” He studied her. “You’re also the one Shay’s been telling me about, who’s interested in helping us start a teen outreach, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Pastor, she’s the one.” Shay spoke up before Raine could reply. “Raine will have everyone in the church involved before long. Her excitement is highly contagious.”
Raine’s cheeks warmed. She wasn’t fond of being the center of attention.
“We need that—someone on fire with enthusiasm for this venture. I’ve applied for licensing, and they tell me the process should finalize sometime tomorrow. Raine, do you think you could stop by in the morning? I’d like to show you what Cole’s been up to.”
She agreed, and his gaze drifted to Tara.
The teen’s wide-eyed gaze bounced from one side of the church to the other, from one group of chattering people to the next.
The minister nodded, obviously having put together the story he’d heard from Shay. He welcomed both Raine and Tara once again, and then moved away to greet other members of the congregation.
Raine sat in deep thought for a moment, her mind playing back over the conversation. She’d told the pastor that she wasn’t sure she had a choice about being here. Thinking about that statement, she vividly recalled Dec’s comment to Miss Angie on the day they’d met. Hadn’t he also mentioned not having much of a choice about something?
Her hostess sat quietly, eyes closed, seeming to drink in the atmosphere in the little church.
Raine had never met anyone with a personality as sweetly compelling as the woman sitting beside her. A flash of Miss Angie kneeling in the forest clearing made her gasp. The lady now wore an expression very similar, although not as powerful, and Raine stifled a giggle, wondering how the nice folks milling about the sanctuary would react to their church becoming a glowing beacon.
Shay nudged her with an elbow. “What’s funny?”
Raine shook her head and smiled. “Nothing, really. Never mind me. Look at Miss Angie. She’s beautiful when she worships.”
Shay nodded. “She’s always lovely, but when she worships, she shines.” Her friend’s voice lacked its usual blast of vivacity. Instead, she spoke with quiet assurance, and her gaze seemed to caress Miss Angie’s face.
Raine’s heart beat a little faster. She’d been right all along. Miss Angie was special, and Shay…Shay knew why.
The handsome pastor chose that moment to begin the service, preventing her from demanding an explanation, which she somehow knew Shay wouldn’t provide anyway.
After a couple of songs and a few spontaneous, sincerely spoken testimonies, Raine was convinced Cambria House of Praise, with its small congregation and nondescript wood-framed structure, possessed something her Pasadena megachurc
h probably knew nothing about.
Power, plain and simple. God walked among the scratched and worn pews, and these people knew Him and welcomed Him in their midst. He was the reason they were here—not because attending church was a duty, and certainly not for social status.
What they possessed was real. Not religion, but relationship with God.
Raine wiped at tears from the first note of the first song until the final amen, and she didn’t mind because she wasn’t alone. Tears flowed in sweet rivers down faces young and old while a light of peace shone from those same watery eyes. These were not tears of sorrow, but of infinite, divine joy.
Pastor Brady’s sermon touched her heart, even as her soul cringed beneath the conviction wrought by his words. He spoke of truth…the act of being truthful, with oneself, with God, and with others.
“God is truth, my friends. He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He hates lies and abhors liars.” A teasing smile revealed a deep dimple in one cheek. “Not that I believe a single person under the sound of my voice today would ever knowingly speak an untruth.”
A titter of amusement broke over the congregation.
“So why is it then that we think nothing of being less than honest with ourselves?” The pastor stepped down off the pulpit to walk a few steps down the aisle. “And why is it that we often don’t recognize Satan’s lies when he plants them in our hearts and minds? Psalm 51:6 states: ‘Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.’ That means right down there in our hearts and souls, my friends—so how can we allow anything less than truth to dwell there?”
He paused, but Raine knew he wasn’t waiting for an answer. He just wanted them to think about his words. Powerful words spoken in a quiet voice that commanded attention and respect—and received it.
“My brothers and sisters, I submit to you that we don’t recognize the lies of the devil because we have not allowed God’s truth to utterly fill our hearts. Where He is, there is no room for lies, nor for sin of any kind. When we allow Him control—full control—of our body, mind, and soul…when we submit completely to His light, withholding nothing from Him, but relinquishing every tiny piece of ourselves, every part of our lives, we cannot be fooled by Satan’s deception. The light of God will shine into the deepest darkness and reveal anything that isn’t truth.”
Raine’s heart pinched as she listened. Why? She wasn’t a liar.
But I am. She stifled a gasp, hearing once again Dec’s puzzled question the day they’d seen the elephant seals. The day she’d mentioned her parents’ goal for her life.
“Their goal? That’s an odd way of putting it. What about you, Raine?”
Could it be that she wasn’t being truthful with herself about what she wanted to do with her life? Her impetuous words to Shay the day she brought Tara home suddenly filled her memory. This is what I was born to do. The words had burst from her lips without any real thought on her part, but they rang with truth and filled her with such deep joy and an excitement unlike any she’d experienced, despite numerous awards and ribbons of recognition hung in a prominent display on her parents’ office wall.
She closed her eyes, and a fuzzy picture filled her mind. Teenagers. Young men and women—like Tara and Cole. And yes, like Skye. Rebellion in their hearts and a troubled sadness in their eyes—eyes that pinned Raine beneath accusatory stares. Almost, she could hear their thoughts. Where are you? When will you help us? We need you.
Gasping, she opened her eyes. Miss Angie patted her hand without even looking her way.
Pastor Merckle had returned to his place behind the podium and was winding down his message. “As we go our separate ways and enter a new week in time, let us each and every one think about truth. Are we allowing our Father to have His way in us? Are we walking in His truth, taking full advantage of the abundant life He offers? We must, my friends. Because it is only when we allow His light to expose every dark corner of our soul that we become fit for His presence, filled with His Spirit and truly one with Him.”
Raine sniffled and reached for another tissue.
12
Dec sat two rows behind and to Raine’s right. She probably had no idea he was there, but he was fully aware of her. When he’d entered the church and made his way to his usual place, he had immediately spotted Miss Angie sitting with Shay, a young girl he didn’t recognize, and Raine. He settled onto the pew, his eyes glued to the vision a few rows up.
Sunlight pierced a window and shone on hair so black it held a slight blue cast. It also revealed subtle reddish highlights that he’d noticed before, but never mentioned to her. Was she even aware of them? While she always looked lovely, Raine wasn’t focused on her appearance like so many young women he knew. That unaffected lack of self-focus was one of the things he found so refreshing about her.
As the service progressed, he noticed the effect Pastor Merckle’s sermon was having on Raine. He felt a stirring in his own soul, and it created a restless discomfort in him. He’d always known Raine was being less than truthful with herself. He didn’t know exactly what the deal was with her career and her parents. Something wasn’t right, but Raine had made it abundantly clear the subject wasn’t open for discussion. Every time he’d tried to broach the subject, she politely but firmly cut him off.
But Miss Angie’s lovely guest wasn’t the only one who needed to allow God’s light to reveal secret angst. Given his current squirming unrest, Dec couldn’t deny he had a little problem looking into the mirror of his own soul, and Pastor Merckle’s earnest exhortations caused a decidedly painful pinch in the vicinity of his heart.
He slanted a look toward the other end of his pew, where his father sat, soaking in the message as he always did, taking in every word like a thirsty sponge. Dec swallowed a lump in his throat when he noticed the slight stoop of the older man’s shoulders and the thinning hair that seemed whiter even than he remembered from the last time he’d seen him. When had that been…a week ago? Two? And why so long? His father lived a mere four miles away from his own place.
With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Yeah, he definitely had a bit of soul-searching to attend to. Maybe he ought to wrangle his own demons into submission before pressing his pretty charge to face hers.
When the service dismissed, he took a step toward the group of women, planning invite Raine to lunch—if she’d even speak to him after his behavior on their last encounter. He regretted having reacted as he had, and yet, even now, the memory of her across the table from the suave stranger sent a jealous green dart through his entire being.
A hand on his elbow brought him to a halt, and he turned to find his father smiling up at him. Dec had gained half a foot on his dad somewhere around age sixteen. The older man pulled him into a brief hug and administered a sound pounding to his back.
“Good to see you, son.”
“You too, Dad. I, um…I’m sorry I haven’t been by. Things have gotten a little crazy.”
“You’re busy, Dec. You’d find a way to come around if I needed you. Don’t you worry about me.”
“I don’t.” Dec grinned. “You’re pretty self-sufficient for an old guy.”
His dad laughed. “Thank God for that. Hey, I was hoping to talk you into joining your sister and me for barbecue in about”—He tugged on a chain that looped out of his pocket and glanced at an old-fashioned pocket watch—“forty, forty-five minutes.”
“Brie’s in town?” His younger sibling had married a successful plastic surgeon and moved to Santa Barbara a few years back. She didn’t make it to Cambria often.
“Just for the day. I thought you’d like to see her while she’s here.”
“Yeah, I would. Is Tanner with her?” He shot a quick glance down the aisle just as Raine turned his way. She caught his eye and sent him a smile that kick-started his heart. Maybe she wasn’t too angry, despite his abominable behavior.
“No, not this time.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. I’m glad she’s here though.” He hesitated, and then laid a hand on his dad’s shoulder. “Mind if I bring a guest?”
His father followed his gaze and grinned. “Of course not. You planning on introducing yourself to our lovely visitor?”
“No. I already know her.”
“That so? Well, I’ll be doggone.”
Dec almost laughed aloud.
Dad was constantly pushing him to get out and find himself “a good Christian woman.”
Dec chuckled. “That pretty lady is Raine Presley, Dad…the Pasadena princess you and Mayor Quinn have me ghost guarding.”
“Well, whaddaya know? She’s not a teenager.”
“No. Raine’s, uh…” He cleared his throat. “She’s definitely past the kiddie stage. Keeping an eye on her might have been easier if she were a teenager.”
“Oh, I don’t know, son.” His father grinned and wiggled one eyebrow. “I can’t see where keeping an eye on that pretty face would be a problem at any age.”
Dec laughed. “Yeah, well…back off and behave. I’ll go see if she’ll have lunch with us, but only if you promise not to steal her away.”
“Well, if it’ll make you feel better, I suppose I could dial down the charm for the day.”
“You do that. And, Dad…just so you know. I’m not liking this whole silent-guard situation. It feels wrong. Deceptive. And now that I know Raine, it’s bothering me.”
His father nodded, his gaze on Raine. “We’ll talk about that too, whenever you want to. Of course, it’ll have to be discussed with Mike Quinn before you make a decision to say anything to Raine. We did make a promise.”
“Right, but—”
“Look, I get it, son.” The older man’s eyes twinkled. “I heard Pastor’s message too. And whatever you decide, I’ll support you. But let’s worry about all that later, Dec. Go on and schedule that date before someone beats you to it.”
He promised to show up at Barbecue Haven in half an hour and headed off to see if he could get a lunch date with the pretty little lady from Pasadena.
