Unmending the Veil

by Lisa Heaton

  “Yes. I know you would never lie to me.” How could he look into her eyes and not believe it?

  “That is why I had to tell you. We were still married then, and I ask you to forgive me for going.”

  “At that point, I had no claim on you.”

  “Yes, you did. You always did.”

  Sliding his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her to him and kissed her head. With his other hand, he scooped her legs up and dragged her into his lap.

  She was snuggled against his chest, relieved to have told him about the date. Since she had moved home, it crossed her mind several times. Tempted to tell him before, she had decided it was better left unsaid, but once she realized how jealous he was of Chris, she knew it had become a matter of obedience.

  “Something he asked me once was why I never cried when I talked about you. I bawled over Michael, but not over you. At the time I could not figure it out for the life of me. It wasn’t until recently that I began to understand.”

  “Why?”

  “After I came here, I thought that if I cried over you, it would somehow give you power over me still. So I bottled everything up and pushed that entire part of my life into the darkness. But now, I realize, you can have all the power you want over me, because I trust what you will do with it. I trust you completely.”

  Hugging her to him so tightly he felt her sigh, he promised, “I will always love you as God loves me. I will always give myself for you. Looking back, I know my focus was on me, no matter what you say, it was. That is not the husband I will be from now on. You are second only to Him, but always before me.”

  “I believe that.” She did. Since being back at home, they had the best marriage of anyone she knew. It was not the “perfect” pretense marriage, rather a solid, godly marriage, one built upon the foundation of God and supported by the understanding of how precious and rare it was. While as comfortable together as they had been since the early years, they had a new appreciation for one another that can only come by losing and finding again.

  Settling into bed, he curled himself around her. She was lying with her back to him, and he was rubbing his baby. “Before, when I was here with you, I felt like a visitor. I hated that I was not part of your life.”

  He mentioned something about being a visitor while still delirious with fever. His explanation gave her clearer insight. “From now on, you will be a part of every aspect of it.”

  “I know.” Kissing her ear, he offered, “I am sorry I have been so jealous of him. I promise you, I am working on that. I guess it will just take time. Believe me, I know how much he helped you, and I am so thankful he did.”

  “I have tried to put myself in your position. In some ways, I have been jealous of Tim and what a role he played in your life. He was there for you when I wasn’t. You have a history with him that you don’t have with me. Sounds silly, I know.”

  “No, not at all. That is what I feel, too. It’s like, we have always been a part of each other’s history, but now there is this gap there.”

  “I know there is a gap, but just look at what God did inside of us both during that time. He knew He could never be first in either of our lives as long as we put each other first. It is something I have come to terms with. He had to take me away from you in order to allow me to see Him. This may sound crazy, but I don’t regret that.”

  “I don’t either.” How could he regret a journey that made him the new man he had become?

  “We just have to make sure there is never another gap.”

  “You can know that will never happen. I will never allow anything to come between us again.” He was silent for a moment, thinking of something else that had been bothering him. The name she picked for the baby was something he vetoed immediately out of jealousy. “I have been giving it some thought, and I like Christa Grace after all.”

  “Are you sure?” Never would she have pressured him into the name. It was important that he love whatever name they picked for their little girl. Up until that day, she had not understood the depth of his jealousy of Chris, suspected maybe, but not to the extent he demonstrated earlier. Had she known, she never would have suggested Christa.

  “I am certain.” He continued rubbing her stomach. It usually helped to put her to sleep. The more he thought about the name, the more he liked it. Christa would remind him of Christ rather than Chris. And Grace would remind him of his new life with his family. Only by God’s grace was it possible.

  Drifting in and out of sleep herself, she listened to Mike’s steady breathing. His long frame was wrapped around her; it was how he slept every night, and it gave her the greatest sense of security and comfort. Quite simply, she was content. Contemplating her earliest girlish expectations of happily-ever-after, she had come to learn, that was a notion of fairy tales, not real life. What the Lord gives is contentment. Even when the world around is difficult, or when friends die or illness comes, contentment is still a possibility. A lump formed in her throat at such a thought, but even if Mike were to be killed on the job or her baby girl taken in her sleep, God would still bring peace in spite of the pain.

  Learning the secret of contentment came as a result of unmending the veil. Once every barrier in her heart intended to keep God away was removed, she could see, and know, and be in His presence as He died to achieve. And in His presence, it was He who began the process of stitching. As if mending by hand, He healed her broken heart and wounded spirit, weaving within her the promise of joy and contentment that could never be stolen away by circumstance. She could never be shaken. In a world where no self-imposed veil remained, a woman could indeed live contentedly-ever-after.

  About the Author

  Lisa was born and raised in Nashville, TN and still lives nearby with her husband, Kelly and their teenage son, Zack. She has one older son, Adam, currently working on his Christian testimony.

  As a leader of Bible studies, speaker at women’s events, and youth leader, her sole passion is to lead believers into a closer relationship with Jesus. Too many in the church settle for less than what Jesus died to attain for them, so through her discipleship teaching and writing, she explains the simplicity of the Christian life: Begin with falling in love with Jesus, and everything else will fall into place. Describing herself as a former “hot-mess,” Lisa knows firsthand the powerful effect Christ can have on a life.

  Lisa has written ministry material for new believers used by Lifeway, the Tennessee Women’s Prison Ministry, and daily devotional material for children.

  Having written fiction as a hobby for many years, it wasn’t until friends encouraged her to write a companion study to go along with Unmending the Veil that she became serious about pursuing publishing, realizing the impact fiction can have when combined with ongoing discipleship. This material is available free of charge at www.unmendingtheveil.com. Just click on the link: Study Material. This study material may be used as an individual or group study.

  Watch for other titles by Lisa.

  New release in the fall of 2013:

  On 4/19