by Glynna Kaye
“Understandable.” They probably had members lined up out the door, eager to share lamentations on the performance of their interim pastor. A few of the complainants might even have been his own extended family members. Hadn’t Luke been known to scold him for not following protocol?
“But before you continue, though—” Garrett wanted to smooth the path for the pair he’d come to highly respect this past year. “I’d like to say that working with you and the other church members has been an experience that I’m deeply thankful for. It’s been a growing time. A stretching time. A time of blessing. I don’t regret having taken on this filler role until you could find a permanent replacement.”
The men exchanged glances again.
“Fire away, then, gentlemen. And don’t hold anything back. I can take my lumps like a man.”
Bert frowned. “Lumps?”
“I mean, you don’t have to sugarcoat anything. I’m well aware of my shortcomings and the areas in which I still need to grow. I know that at times I haven’t met expectations and have probably let you down.”
Julian shifted in his chair. “I can’t say we agree with your self-evaluation, Garrett. At least not the way you’ve worded it. Quite frankly, we’ve been delighted that you haven’t met our original expectations.”
“Or rather, our concerns,” Bert clarified. “As you probably guessed, we had our doubts when your grandma approached us about you after yet another pastor pulled out to leave us sitting high and dry. You’d left behind a pretty wild legacy when you headed out of town after high school. And after that, Drew Everton's accident.”
Bert looked uncomfortable at having to bring that up.
“Again, I fully understand.” At least he hadn’t disappointed them entirely. “And in spite of your reservations, thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me to take part in ministering to my hometown.”
Julian grinned. “Sounds to me, then, that you’re willing to take us on for the duration.”
Was this a roundabout way of asking if he could fill in a little longer? Tide them over to the next minister? “What duration are we talking about? A month? Two?”
Bert gave him an odd look. “However long God leads you to stay on as our permanent pastor.”
Garrett straightened in his chair. “You’re asking me—?”
“We’re muddling this all up, Garrett,” Bert apologized. “Julian and I are here on behalf of the church board to offer you a permanent pastorship for as long as you want to be here or until God leads you elsewhere. Complete with a raise, health insurance and a retirement program.”
Garrett blinked. They were offering him a job?
“That’s what took us so long to make this offer,” Julian added. “We didn’t want to commit to benefits we couldn’t deliver, but that’s been taken care of now. Offerings are up since you came on board, and we’ve now worked out the paperwork and legalities involved.”
“We wish we could offer you a parsonage, though.” Bert gave him a regretful look. “You know, so you wouldn’t have to keep boarding with the Lovells. We had to sell off our parsonage to make ends meet after the last economic downturn.”
Garrett could only stare at them, trying in vain to process all that they were saying.
Julian chuckled. “You know, Bert, I think we’ve left Garrett speechless for the first time in his life.”
Bert smiled, too. “So what do you say, Pastor McCrae? When you originally interviewed, you’d mentioned furthering your education. We can be flexible—maybe even assist financially as you pursue an advanced degree.”
They wanted him to stay? Offering a raise? Assistance with his education?
“I am,” he said slowly, “as Julian pointed out, entirely speechless.”
Stunned, to be exact. This new direction was out of the blue. He hadn’t considered it as an option. All along he thought Old Man Moppert and a few long-entrenched, hard-to-please others would ensure he’d be out of here by year’s end.
Bert leaned forward. “Are you willing to take us on?”
“To be quite honest, I don’t know what to say. This offer is, to say the least, unexpected.”
Bert gave Julian an I-told-you-so look. “Our wives said we should discuss this with you early on, even if we didn’t have all the details worked out. That you might be making other plans. You haven’t, have you?”
“Actually, I have.
“That big-city church you interned at wants you back, right?”
“No, but I have another venture under consideration.”
“So have we lost out? A day late and a dollar short?” Julian’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, man, Marisela and Staci aren’t going to be happy with us.”
Suddenly uncomfortable, Garrett rose and moved to stand behind his chair, gripping the padded back. “I’m afraid I’ve long had my heart set on mission work, gentlemen.”
Then why did this unexpected offer fill him with such an incredible joy, tug so insistently at his spirit? Had Drew been right? This was his calling? Or did the fact that he’d instantly thought of how staying in Hunter Ridge might enable a future with Jodi prove this was yet another test to be passed, to prove his mettle and strengthen his resolve? Mission work in remote areas of the world wasn’t for the indecisive. God had to know He could count on you.
Julian perked up. “We can provide opportunities for you in hands-on missions work if that’s what you’re looking for. Like building homes in Mexico or doing projects on the Arizona reservations. We might even be able to foot the bill for a short-term overseas trip on down the road. You know, with one of those ministries Drew's so involved in.”
These guys were serious. They sincerely wanted to keep him here. But did God want him to turn them down flat? Close the door on temptation and settle it right now, once and for all?
Bert raised a brow. “If you haven’t made a final decision on anything, would you at least agree to pray about it? Give God a chance to weigh in? Maybe give us a word of hope to take back to the board—and our wives?”
What would it sound like to these fine men if a minister bluntly said no, he wasn’t willing to pray about it? They had him over a barrel. And he could hardly say he’d pray about it and then not pray about it, even if he thought he already had a good idea how God felt about this one.
He gripped the back of the chair more tightly. “I’d be willing to do that.”
Both men stood, and Bert thrust out his hand for a shake. “No hurry. No pressure. Take all the time you need.”
Still overwhelmed, Garrett also shook Julian’s hand. “I thank you both for your support.”
“Not just us, Pastor. The whole board. And, except for a few members who shall remain nameless—although a man with your spiritual discernment can probably guess the outliers—the membership will welcome you with open arms.”
“I’m sincerely humbled.”
“We’re grateful you’ll give our offer your prayerful consideration.” Bert gave him a quick nod. “We’d love to keep you, Pastor McCrae, but we want you to be firm in God’s will should you decide to accept.”
When they departed, Garrett closed the door, then dropped into the chair behind his desk, overwhelmed. He’d had it in his head for so long that God called him to fill the role Drew had been forced to abandon. Despite denials to Drew, Jodi and Grandma Jo, he’d harbored a certainty that in some small way he could make up for the part he’d played in the tragedy that robbed his friend of a long-held dream.
Then Jodi had unexpectedly reappeared on his doorstep—the girl, now a woman, he’d never quite gotten over. He was more drawn to her these past two weeks than ever before. She knew him like no one else did—the good and the bad.
And he’d turned her away.
He’d pushed her away because of a commitment to what he’d been so sure he’d b
een called to. Was this job offer at Christ’s Church a test from God? A temptation of the enemy to lure him away from God’s best? Or an answer to the prayers of a lonely man who deeply desired to follow his Heavenly Father's leading?
He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. He had a lot of hours of prayer and scripture meditation ahead of him.
He had to get this one right.
* * *
“Garrett’s going to be amazed when he finds out what happened,” a smiling Sofia said as she, Jodi and nine other ladies from the church finished loading—to the gills—six vehicles parked outside the church.
Garrett would be amazed, that is, if he joined them on their trek. He’d originally planned to come along this morning—but that was before he’d made a U-turn in their relationship. Jodi wasn’t ready to face him.
“The mothers are going to be thrilled with all of this.” Sunshine Carston waved her hand toward the SUV next to her, an early wedding gift from her husband-to-be. “And the volunteers at Canyon Springs Christian should be able to beat the Pacific storm front that's supposed to push in tonight.”
“You’ve done a great job on this project, Jodi,” Delaney Hunter called to her. “Even without last night’s unexpected boon, it would still be a respectable Merry Christmas for gals who need to know they’re loved.”
“I can’t accept all the credit.” Jodi secured the canvas tarp covering the pickup bed’s contents. “Like the saying goes, it takes a village.”
“That it does,” a male voice chimed in from where Garrett was helping a bundled-up Dolly out a side door of the church. The ladies cheered as their much-loved pastor put in an appearance.
In spite of herself, Jodi’s heart gave a happy leap, which she immediately tamped down. Now that she was considering a move to Hunter Ridge, it was just as well that Garrett wouldn’t be ministering at the church here. How could she bear to see him on a regular basis?
Perhaps today, though, she’d have an opportunity to apologize. To find a few minutes to again ask his forgiveness for betraying a confidence and to assure him it had never been her intention to draw him away from God’s plan for his life. Not that another apology would change anything between them. He’d made his decision. But maybe it would ease the ache in her heart.
Marisela put her hands on her hips. “We thought you might be skipping out on us, Pastor.”
“You know me better than that.” Garrett wagged a playful finger at her, then surveyed the cars, SUVs and pickups. “So everything’s loaded? You don’t need my Explorer?”
Delaney shook her head at her cousin-in-law. “Nope, this does it, even with last night’s surprise bonanza.”
“A surprise?”
He focused a curious look on Jodi. Was he wondering why she hadn’t called to share the news with him? Quickly she filled him in on her phone call with Melody.
He chuckled at the end of the tale. “So it was at her house this whole time?”
She nodded, enjoying the dumbfounded look on Garrett’s face.
He laughed. “Does God work in mysterious ways, or what?”
“He does.”
“Amazing. So, then, ladies—” His merry gaze now embraced the others. “Since my SUV isn’t needed, the least I can do is drive one of the vehicles.” He held out his hand to Jodi. “Keys, please.”
He was going to drive hers? Was she expected to ride along with him, or ride with one of the other volunteers?
“You go in the middle, Jodi.” Dolly gave her a push toward Rio’s truck. “I want to be where I can grip the armrest in case Garrett takes a curve too fast. That boy still doesn’t understand what a brake pedal is for.”
The others laughed and moved toward their respective vehicles, but Jodi hesitated—until Garrett jerked his head in the direction of the truck to indicate she was to go before him.
How awkward. But she’d be squeezing three into the front seat of any of the other vehicles, too, and it might draw unwanted attention if she refused to ride with Garrett and Dolly in her own truck.
When he’d opened the passenger-side door, she reluctantly climbed inside, then searched for her seat belt as he helped Dolly aboard.
“All in?” He slammed the side door and strode around the front of the truck to climb in. Then he squinted up at the lowering clouds. “Good thing we can get this done this morning.”
Jodi nodded, uncomfortably conscious of Garrett’s jacketed arm brushing hers as he buckled his seat belt. She could smell the leather of his jacket and the clean fresh scent of his aftershave—and scooted a tiny bit in Dolly’s direction.
The older woman patted her arm. “I imagine you’re enjoying your family.”
“I am. It’s been fun. My two brothers-in-law will be coming this afternoon instead of tomorrow, hoping to get in ahead of the snow. So the more the merrier. Although I wasn’t originally sold on the idea, I’m glad that my sisters insisted we do this.”
“Your grandmother certainly loved having you all here for the summers and holidays.”
Jodi nodded, conscious of Garrett’s listening ears. Grandma had loved it when he and his Grandma Jo visited, too. Except for that last time, of course, when she’d caught him teaching her granddaughter the fine art of kissing.
She shoved aside the memory. “It was a dream world that most kids don’t get to enjoy now. So much more freedom. I’m thankful for the time I got to spend up here.”
“As much as I once wanted to get away from this town,” Garrett joined in as he took the caravan’s lead out of the parking lot, “I can’t imagine growing up anywhere else.”
He might say that, but once again he could hardly wait to put the little community behind him. At least, though, he wasn’t like so many who wandered aimlessly, who spent the majority of their lives trying to find a purpose.
The trip to Canyon Springs went quickly, with Garrett and Dolly doing most of the talking, only occasionally encouraging her to join in. Did Garrett find this as awkward as she did? Thankfully, not many knew that only a few days ago it appeared God might be drawing them together. How rapidly things had changed. If Dolly noticed anything out of kilter about their interactions today, she didn’t let on.
Despite their falling-out, Garrett was still so, well, so Garrett. Bursting into song when the radio channel they’d been listening to piped up with an especially jazzy rendition of a Christmas carol, he elbowed her until he got her to join in. Even Dolly found herself nodding along with the beat. Just like old times, fun followed Garrett wherever he went.
Which left her feeling a little sad. Did he feel nothing, not even a twinge of downheartedness at having closed the door to her?
When they pulled into the parking lot at Canyon Springs Christian, Dolly gasped. “This looks just like a Christmas card, doesn’t it?”
It did. The native stone building, set back in a stand of ponderosa pines, featured a cross atop its bell tower and a snow-covered roof that resembled that of an icing-topped gingerbread house.
With snow flurries now dancing in the air, Meg Diaz and other volunteers from the church joined those from Hunter Ridge in hauling in the gifts to be divvied up for distribution that afternoon.
Jodi caught up with Meg. “Where’s Kara?”
Meg linked the fingers of both her hands and held them out in front of her like a rounded belly. “Her husband didn’t want her out today for fear she’d slip and fall. For once Kara wasn’t stubborn about it, so you can imagine how she’s feeling right about now.”
Not long ago, envy would have stabbed—and guilt would have gnawed. But today Jodi felt free. Clean. And filled with compassion for Kara’s discomfort.
She glanced in Garrett’s direction to find him watching her as he lifted a box from the back of the pickup. He dipped his head slightly and winked, almost as if he understood.
We would have made a good team, Lord.
But she wasn’t going there today. No gloom fests. Today was about helping single moms, young women who were likely just as scared as she’d once been. Feeling just as stupid. Just as alone. Just as ashamed. Maybe even angry.
Among them would be young women like Kimmy who’d been kicked out when their family couldn’t deal with the reality of their situation. At least Jodi knew with all her heart that her own family would never have kicked her out of their home.
Could she ever bring herself to tell them the truth of that difficult time in her life? Maybe. Someday. She’d certainly discuss it with her nieces if she suspected either was being pressured by a boy who claimed to love her. It might be, too, that she'd one day be called on to have a heart-to-heart with a teenage Henry.
As she carried another bag into the church, she couldn’t help but glance in Garrett’s direction as he hauled in one of the heavier items. On the drive over, he’d acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world. But that wasn’t true.
She still suspected that, like her, he needed to be set free from the chains of guilt that bound him. But to do that, wouldn’t he first need to admit that there were any chains at all?
Chapter Seventeen
No doubt about it, he was proud of Jodi.
With a Christmas tune playing quietly in the background on their return trip to Hunter Ridge, the gentle notes of a saxophone the perfect backdrop for the now steadily falling snow, he glanced over at Jodi who was chatting with Dolly about the best way to cook a turkey. He'd had Al drop it off at the Thorpe cabin yesterday, to her sisters' delight.
He wouldn’t say anything to her about those proud feelings, of course. But she’d proven today how big the strides were that she’d made in the way she’d dealt with the unexpected arrival of a seventeen-year-old single mother with her infant and a very pregnant teenage mom-to-be. In fact, she’d gravitated to them, the peace now in her heart reflecting in her expression as she’d placed an arm around one of the girls. She’d even reached out to cradle the baby in her arms.
