And that was that.
When the music stopped, Bailey did everything she could not to cry. She walked with the group of girls who were being let go, and she found her bag along the wall. God…why? The prayer came instantly, silently. I asked for Your will, and this is what happens?
But even as her ungrateful words overflowed into the most selfish of prayers, she had a realization. She wasn’t the only one who had prayed for God’s will here at this Broadway audition. Also praying were her parents and brothers, and Cody. Every one of them had asked God for His perfect will, which could only mean one thing.
It wasn’t God’s will that she get a job on Broadway. Not now anyway.
The realization grew into more of a tremendous relief, and very quickly her silent prayer changed to one of gratitude. What had she told Cody at their Lake Monroe retreat? She wasn’t sure if she wanted to live in the city, right? Wasn’t that how she’d been feeling? And now here she was, after being given a fair shot at a legitimate role, and God had closed the door.
Which meant she would return home for the rest of the summer and see Cody as often as she wanted. She would be home for college another year, and there for every fall football game at Clear Creek High. The longer she thought about the gift she’d been given, the more it felt like one.
She could hardly wait to call Cody.
But first she wanted to watch Tim, this last and final stage of his audition. She slid to the floor and sat next to her bag. The other girls were gone, and she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to stay. But she wanted to be there, because what if…what if Tim was chosen? How weird would that be? Him living here and performing without her? Her heart pounded in her chest, Tim’s next year being decided in the next few minutes by strangers in an oversized New York City dance hall. She dragged the towel over her forehead again and opened another water bottle. Your will, God…let Tim receive Your will…
Sebastian paired up the eight remaining girls with the eight remaining guys. This time Bailey had no doubt where the dance came from. It was the ensemble number from “Dancing through Life,” one of the biggest numbers in the musical Wicked. The dance was one any musical theater kid would’ve loved to learn.
Again Sebastian wasted no time. He taught them half the dance, and then counted down as the music began. Tim was paired up with a small Asian girl, a beautiful dancer whose stage presence made up for what she lacked in height. Bailey watched them, and she couldn’t blink, couldn’t look away. When had Tim gotten so strong, so good at commanding the stage?
The decision was made quickly that four pairs would remain. They wouldn’t be cast as pairs unless the directors made that call, but altogether they were only looking for eight dancers. “If I call your number, you may sit down. If not, please get your things and leave. Again, thank you for your time.” He read from a list without fanfare or build-up. A minute later, half the dancers were leaving, and the other half—including Tim—were sitting down on the floor, their eyes on Sebastian.
“Congratulations. We saw more than twelve hundred dancers today, and you eight have won the jobs. You’ll each be given a minimum six-month contract and connected with a housing director. Your minimum pay will be two thousand dollars a week,” he grinned at them, “which should be plenty—especially if some of you share apartments, the way our housing director will suggest.”
Bailey put her hand over her mouth. Two thousand dollars a week? For a minimum of twenty-six weeks? That was over fifty thousand dollars! Bailey had no idea ensemble Broadway actors made that kind of money. Tim didn’t dare turn around until Sebastian released them, but then he dashed across the floor to Bailey and swung her around in two full circles. “I did it! I can’t believe it, Bailey, it’s really happening.”
He seemed to remember that she hadn’t made it, and he brought his excitement down several notches. “They should’ve picked you, Bailey. You were amazing.”
She blinked back tears, her smile firmly in place. “It wasn’t God’s will.” She squeezed his shoulder. “But, hey…congratulations. I’m so proud of you. When will you know what show you’re in?”
“Didn’t you hear him? At the end there he pointed to each of us and told us where we’d be working.” His face was all lit up again. “I’ll be part of Wicked. I can’t even believe this is happening.”
Wicked? The top show on Broadway? She was suddenly nothing but thrilled for Tim. If he could win a role in the ensemble for that show, this first six-month contract would only be the beginning. She was grateful they’d broken up nearly two months ago. Otherwise they might’ve been confused by this good-bye—since the separation here was out of their hands. But Bailey had long since let Tim go—long before their breakup. Now she was truly happy for him and his future here in New York City.
Bailey phoned her mom, and five minutes later the car pulled up. Jenny gave each of them a quick hug. “Okay, I’m dying. What happened?”
Bailey took the lead. She smiled, even as another layer of tears built in her eyes. “Tim got a job with Wicked. He was one of four guys chosen. You should’ve seen him. He was easily the best out there.”
Her mom’s immediate response was to congratulate Tim, but at the same time she reached out and took hold of Bailey’s knee, squeezing it as a way of saying she hadn’t missed the obvious. If the news was about Tim, then that meant Bailey hadn’t been chosen. But she also knew Bailey well enough to know this wasn’t the time or place for sympathy. It was Tim’s shining moment, and he deserved their excitement. Not until later in their hotel room, when the door was finally shut and they were alone, did Bailey explain how she was feeling. “I’m okay. Really. I asked for God’s will.”
“I know, honey. I did too.” Her mom hugged her. “You can try out again next summer. Don’t forget that.”
Bailey still wanted to act, and she had a feeling God was about to open doors for her in film. Just something that had been on her heart lately. She had talked with Cody about it just before her trip to Manhattan. As for New York, she felt pretty sure that her feelings had changed. And that by next year at this time, she might not want to audition at all.
Now, in her mother’s arms, Bailey didn’t say anything. Ever since the audition ended, she’d found herself practically desperate to get back to Bloomington. To her friendship with Andi and her classes at IU, to her family and the coming football season, and to her role as a leader with Campus Crusade. Back to a guy who had finally told her how he felt.
And to a future the two of them just might have together.
ABOVE THE LINE SERIES
Take One
Karen Kingsbury,
New York Times Bestselling Author
Could they change the world—before the world changes them?
Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison left the mission field of Indonesia for the mission field of Hollywood with a dream bigger than both of them. Now they have done the impossible: raised enough money to produce a feature film with a message that could change the world.
But as Chase and Keith begin shooting, their well-laid plans begin to unravel. With millions of dollars on the line, they make a desperate attempt to keep the film from falling apart – even as a temperamental actress, a botched production schedule, and their own insecurities leave little room for the creative and spiritual passion that once motivated them. Was God really behind this movie after all? A chance meeting and friendship with John Baxter could bring the encouragement they need to stay on mission and produce a movie that will actually change people’s lives.
In the midst of the questions and the cameras, is it possible to keep things above the line and make a movie unlike anything done before – or is the risk too great for everyone?
Available in stores and online!
ABOVE THE LINE SERIES
Take Two
Karen Kingsbury,
New York Times Bestselling Author
Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison have completed their first feature film, and Hollywood is buzzing wi
th the news. In the wake of that excitement, the producers acquire rights to a novel that has all the ingredients they want for their next project. At the same time they cross paths with a well-connected player who introduces them to the right people, and suddenly every studio in town wants to talk to Chase and Keith. The producers’ dreams are on the verge of coming true, but Chase’s marriage is strained and Keith’s daughter—Andi Ellison – is making questionable choices in her quest for stardom. The producers are gaining respect and are on the verge of truly changing culture through the power of film—but is the change worth the cost?
Available in stores and online!
One Tuesday Morning
Karen Kingsbury
The last thing Jake Bryan knew was the roar of the World Trade Center collapsing on top of him and his fellow firefighters. The man in the hospital bed remembers nothing. Not rushing with his teammates up the stairway of the South Tower to help trapped victims. Not being blasted from the building. And not the woman sitting by his bedside who says she is his wife.
Jamie Bryan will do anything to help her beloved husband regain his memory. But that means helping Jake rediscover the one thing Jamie has never shared with him: his deep faith in God.
Available in stores and online!
Beyond Tuesday Morning
Karen Kingsbury
Winner of the Silver
Medallion Book Award
Determined to find meaning in her grief three years after the terrorist attacks on New York City, FDNY widow Jamie Bryan pours her life into volunteer work at a small memorial chapel across from where the Twin Towers once stood. There, unsure and feeling somehow guilty, Jamie opens herself to the possibility of love again.
But in the face of a staggering revelation, only the persistence of a tenacious man, the questions from Jamie’s curious young daughter, and the words from her dead husband’s journal can move Jamie beyond one Tuesday morning…toward life.
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Every Now and Then
Karen Kingsbury,
New York Times Bestselling Author
A wall went up around Alex Brady’s heart when his father, a New York firefighter, died in the Twin Towers. Turning his back on the only woman he ever loved, Alex shut out all the people who cared about him to concentrate on fighting crime. He and his trusty K9 partner, Bo, are determined to eliminate evil in the world and prevent tragedies like 9-11.
Then the worst fire season in California’s history erupts, and Alex faces the ultimate challenge to protect the community he serves. An environmental terrorist group is targeting the plush Oak Canyon Estates. At the risk of losing his job, and his soul, Alex is determined to infiltrate the group and put an end to their corruption. Only the friendship of Clay and Jamie Michaels – and the love of a dedicated young woman – can help Alex drop the walls around his heart and move forward into the future God has for him.
Available in stores and online!
Even Now
Karen Kingsbury
Sometimes hope for the future is found in the ashes of yesterday.
A young woman seeking answers to her heart’s deepest questions. A man and woman driven apart by lies and years of separation…who have never forgotten each other.
With hallmark tenderness and power, Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of lives, losses, love, and faith – and the miracle of resurrection.
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Ever After
Karen Kingsbury
2007 Christian Book of the Year
Two couples torn apart – one by war between countries, and one by a war within.
In this moving sequel to Even Now, Emily Anderson, now twenty, meets the man who changes everything for her: Army reservist Justin Baker. Their tender relationship, founded on a mutual faith in God and nurtured by their trust and love for each other, proves to be a shining inspiration to everyone they know, especially Emily’s reunited birth parents.
But Lauren and Shane still struggle to move past their opposing beliefs about war, politics, and faith. When tragedy strikes, can they set aside their opposing views so that love – God’s love – might win, no matter how great the odds?
Available in stores and online!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NO BOOK COMES TOGETHER WITHOUT A great and talented team of people making it happen. For that reason, a special thanks to my friends at Zondervan who combined efforts to make Take Three all it could be. A special thanks to my dedicated editor, Sue Brower, and to my brilliant publicist Karen Campbell, and to Karwyn Bursma, whose creative marketing is unrivaled in the publishing business.
Also, thanks to my amazing agent, Rick Christian, president of Alive Communications. Rick, you’ve always believed only the best for me. When we talk about the highest possible goals, you see them as doable, reachable. You are a brilliant manager of my career, and I thank God for you. But even with all you do for my ministry of writing, I am doubly grateful for your encouragement and prayers. Every time I finish a book, you send me a letter that deserves to be framed, and when something big happens, yours is the first call I receive. Thank you for that. But even more, the fact that you and Debbie are praying for me and my family keeps me confident every morning that God will continue to breathe life into the stories in my heart. Thank you for being so much more than a brilliant agent.
A special thank-you to my husband, who puts up with me on deadline and doesn’t mind driving through Taco Bell after a baseball game if I’ve been editing all day. This wild ride wouldn’t be possible without you, Donald. Your love keeps me writing; your prayers keep me believing that God has a plan in this ministry of Life-Changing Fiction™. And thanks for the hours you put in working with the guestbook entries on my website. It’s a full-time job, and I am grateful for your concern for my reader friends. I look forward to that time every day when you read through the entries, sharing them with me and releasing them to the public, lifting up the prayer requests. Thank you, honey, and thanks to all my kids, who pull together, bringing me iced green tea, and understanding my sometimes crazy schedule. I love that you know you’re still first, before any deadline.
Thank you also to my mom, Anne Kingsbury, and to my sisters, Tricia, Sue, and Lynne. Mom, you are amazing as my assistant—working day and night sorting through the mail from my readers. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know.
Tricia, you are the best executive assistant I could ever hope to have. I treasure your loyalty and honesty, the way you include me in every decision and the daily exciting website changes. My site has been a different place since you stepped in, and the hits have grown tenfold. Along the way, the readers have so much more to help them in their faith, so much more than a story. Please know that I pray for God’s blessings on you always, for your dedication to helping me in this season of writing, and for your wonderful son, Andrew. And aren’t we having such a good time too? God works all things to the good!
Sue, I believe you should’ve been a counselor! From your home far from mine, you get batches of reader letters every day, and you diligently answer them using God’s wisdom and His Word. When readers get a response from “Karen’s sister Susan,” I hope they know how carefully you’ve prayed for them and for the responses you give. Thank you for truly loving what you do, Sue. You’re gifted with people, and I’m blessed to have you aboard.
A special thanks also to Will Montgomery, my manager. In the beginning, I was terrified to venture into the business of selling my books at events. First, I never wanted to profit from selling my books, and second, because I would never have the time to handle such details. More recently, I’ve been driven to alter my speaking events so that I can be home more often on the weekends. Through it all, you’ve been creative and hardworking, always ahead of me with ideas of how to continue marketing this ministry of fiction while still putting my family first. With a mission statement that reads, “To love and serve the readers,” you have helped me supply books and free gift
s to tens of thousands of readers at events across the country. More than that, you’ve become my friend, a very valuable part of this team. You are loyal and kind and fiercely protective of me, my family, and the work God has me doing. Thank you for everything you’ve done, and continue to do.
Thanks too, to Olga Kalachik, my office assistant, who helps organize my supplies and storage areas, and who prepares our home for the marketing events and research gatherings that take place here on a regular basis. I appreciate all you’re doing to make sure I have time to write. You’re wonderful, Olga, and I pray God continues to bless you and your precious family.
I also want to thank my friends at Extraordinary Women—Roy Morgan, Tim and Julie Clinton, Beth Cleveland, Charles Billingsley, Angela Thomas, Matthew West, Chonda Pierce, and so many others. How wonderful to be a part of what God is doing through all of you. Thank you for including me in your family.
Thanks also to my forever friends and family, the ones who have been there and continue to be there. Your love has been a tangible source of comfort, pulling us through the tough times and making us know how very blessed we are to have you in our lives.
And the greatest thanks to God. The gift is Yours. I pray I might use it for years to come in a way that will bring You honor and glory.
Take Three Page 31
