He nodded. “Holly, He has already been working in me. I came here preparing to let you go, though that is the last thing I want is to let you go.”
“Then don’t let me go. I need you to promise that you will love me and not turn your back on me, no matter what. I promise to do the same. I will never allow my emotions to lead me astray again. I will promise to turn to God and to you before I turn to anything else.”
He brushed his lips briefly against hers before whispering, “I am sorry that I held the sins of others over your head. I know that I drove you into Seth’s arms -”
Holly interrupted his confession. “But I should have never gone there. It was selfish and -”
It was Hunter’s turn to interrupt. “So was letting years of a happy marriage slip out of my hands because I was too wrapped up in my anger.”
He dropped his hands from her face and let them trail down her arms, until he was holding both her hands in his. He looked down at the space between them before finally meeting her gaze again.
“Do you really think we can do this?”
Holly shook her head no. “We can’t do it on our own. But if we surrender ourselves and our marriage to God, His grace can rescue us from this place of pain into a place of redemption.”
Epilogue
Holly scanned the wedding resort brochure as Hunter spoke. “Kyle just started working there as the chaplain.” Pointing to a gorgeous pavilion dripping with flowers and overlooking a crystal blue lake, Hunter explained. “This is their Heavenly Wedding package. It includes a private pavilion with adjacent guest rooms, catering...”
“I don’t need this.” Holly argued, her face glowing despite her protests. “I am happy with the simple ceremony we had a year ago.”
For Holly, their vows had been exchanged the afternoon Hunter had arrived at the boutique to say he was sorry. Dressed in an ill-fitting gown, and locked in Hunter’s embrace, the two had made their promises. Hunter had taken her out on a few dates, but after three weeks, he presented her with new wedding rings. “I don’t want to go out on dates any more. What is the purpose? I am not going anywhere. And if you are willing to not go anywhere either, I say we dissolve this stupid divorce.” A week later, they had a simple ceremony at the courthouse with only a few family and friends in attendance.
Her husband’s words pulled her out of her thoughts. “That ceremony was a formality. A legal righting of a wrong I made.”
“And what would this be?” Holly asked with a smile.
“A song.”
Holly looked at Hunter, wondering what he meant.
“’He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.’”
At her questioning look, Hunter smiled. “That is Psalm 40, verses two and three.”
“And this wedding is our new song given to us by God?”
Hunter nodded his head. “Our marriage is our song – our love for each other is our hymn of praise to God. I want others to see what God can do when you value His will and His word over everything else.”
She smiled at the tenderness in his voice, the sweetness in his smile. Gone was the brooding husband of her past. The Lord had gentled his spirit, and little by little removed the pain and replaced it with His love. She knew what he went through because she herself had experienced the same healing process.
Redeemed.
They had gone from stained and lost, to reconciled and redeemed. Now their marriage was renewed under God’s gracious and merciful hand.
“Yeah, I think you have that right.” Wrapping her arms around his waist, she smiled up at him. “And it is a beautiful song indeed.”
About the Author
When Michelle Lynn Brown was a teenager, her mother used to take her to used books stores at least once a month. It was there she fell in love with the written word. As a writer, she uses this passion to share with others the joy of having a personal and intimate relationship with Christ.
She is a housewife, mother of three, military spouse, writer, blogger, hopeless romantic, and a cuddly lap for one very large cat. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, but raised in El Paso, Texas. Since she married her husband, the military has blessed her with the opportunity to live in many locations, from Germany to Pennsylvania, where she now resides.
Like the flawed characters that grace her books, she has had many stumbles and struggles in her life. God’s grace and mercy through these trials have kept her on her knees. It is from this humble position that she seeks to minister through her writing – not as someone who has it all figured out, but just someone who has figured out how wonderful and awesome God is.
Get to know Michelle Lynn Brown more at:
www.michellelynnbrown.com
www.facebook.com/michellelynnbrownauthor
www.twitter.com/MizChelleB
More from the Author
The Trampled Rose Series
Miracles in Disguise
Consider the Thorns
I’ll Settle for Love
Reconciled and Redeemed Series
Brides and Betrayal
Rehearsals and Regrets
Veils and Vows
Did you enjoy Brides and Betrayal?
Then you should read Rehearsals and Regrets by Michelle Lynn Brown
A knock on the door brings Lauren Ballard news of her husband’s death and his adultery. Her husband’s car crash left her widowed, and his passenger left her betrayed.
All at once, Lauren finds herself alone, wounded, widowed and expecting a child. When her strict and demanding father falls ill, Lauren reluctantly heads home. It isn’t long before she finds herself regretting her decision to come home. Her father’s resort places her in constant contact with Kyle Ashcroft, her high school sweetheart who she left without so much as a goodbye. Now that she’s returned, Kyle has questions – ones she is not prepared to answer.
One look at Lauren, and Kyle realizes he is still in love with Lauren, though his wounded pride would have it be otherwise. The pastor in him knows he needs to help the broken woman before him, but as the man she betrayed years ago, he wants to scream “serves you right.” When the truth of why she left him all those years ago surfaces, her betrayal cuts deeper than he thought, and has Kyle regretting and questioning every decision he’s ever made.
Will Lauren and Kyle be able to reconcile despite Lauren’s betrayal, or will they be left with nothing but regrets?
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