“I suppose that’s possible.” Ava had forgotten all about the allergy troubles from the week before, but now that she thought back on them – they were worse than they ever had been. Generally, she only needed her Flonase in the morning to feel better, but that week she’d had to take her Flonase in the morning and afternoon as well as a Zyrtec in the morning. Could that have been a sinus infection instead of just allergies?
“Can we pray for Mommy to feel better?” Kylie asked.
“Of course baby, why don’t you pray?” Ava smiled at her daughter before closing her eyes.
“Lord, thank you for sending Aunt Gen with the food and thank you for the nice day today so Daddy and I could have fun at the park. Please heal Mommy so she can have fun with us again too. Amen.”
The adults all echoed the Amen, but the mood around the table had shifted. What if the medicine didn’t work? What if Ava had to deal with this neck pain and fatigue forever? Though she knew she was blessed, at that moment all the blessings she had taken for granted flashed in her vision - the days she had woken pain free and not thanked God, the times she had been frustrated that Kylie wanted her attention when she wanted to do something else. Had this happened to make Ava take a long look at her life?
She knew the answer before she asked the question. And with that answer came the one she had been waiting on all day – the words she should share tomorrow. Ava had no idea who needed them, but they were so clear in her head that she knew they must be from God. So, neither pain nor stiffness nor exhaustion mattered. She would be on the stage tomorrow and she would share His message.
Chapter 7
“How are you feeling?” John asked as she stepped on the stage the next morning. He was readying the mics which was supposed to be her job as leader, but she knew that he was doing it out of kindness for her and she thanked him with a smile.
“Not completely better, but good enough to be here. Thank you for asking and thank you for helping set up.”
“My pleasure. I know how pain can affect your life.”
As he moved the stands to the front, his situation hit her. She’d known he had chronic pain problems, but until this week, she’d really had no idea how that must feel. Now she did, and she would never forget it. He would be on her mind every morning in prayer and she would remember to ask how she could help him in the future.
“You feeling up to leading this?” Joyce asked as she took her place behind the piano.
“I am, and I have something I need to share. Can I talk before one of the songs?”
“Sure.” Joyce pulled out the order of worship and they scanned it together. “Probably best here before Reckless Love or just after.”
“I’ll do it after since John is starting Reckless Love.” Ava didn’t really care where it went in the message. She just knew it had to be there.
The rest of the musicians and singers found their places on stage and the team ran through the songs. Then the pastor joined them on stage and they prayed for the message and for healing of Ava’s neck. She hadn’t taken her muscle relaxers because they made her drowsy and she could feel the heaviness in her neck creeping in already, but Ava knew she would make it through the next three hours.
As the rest of the team wandered off to use the bathroom or grab a coffee, Ava grabbed her Bible. She wanted to read something about God always being there, but she hadn’t been in the Word enough lately to know which passage she wanted. After a quick Google search, she found a few verses she thought would do and when she opened her Bible to Philippians 4, she knew she had hit gold. The words not only resonated with her, but they felt right.
She closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer heavenward. “Thank you, Lord for opening my eyes this week. Thank you for making me focus on you more. Please give me the words to speak this morning that you want me to say. Shine through me today and use me as you need to.”
At five minutes to nine the band began playing. Ava grabbed her Bible and opened it up to the right page. When the clock at the back showed ten seconds left, she stepped up to the mic. “Good morning church. I’m so glad you could be with us today. I’m Ava Miller, and I’ll be your worship leader today. Before we sing, I’d like to share some scripture with you, so if you’re able, will you stand and join me in the reading of God’s word? I’m reading from The Message Bible because I really like how they put it in easy to read terms, and I’m reading Philippians 4:4-10.”
She took a deep breath before reading aloud the verses. “’Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
“’Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
“’Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.’ Amen?”
“Amen,” the crowd responded and Ava led them in prayer before the singing began. Just like at practice on Thursday, Ava felt tingling in her head as she sang the praises to God. Maybe it was all in her head, but she felt like she was receiving healing as she sang on the platform, and before she knew it, they were ending Reckless Love.
Ava closed her eyes as she envisioned the words she would say. The music softened behind her. “Before we sing this next song, I need to share something that God laid on my heart last night. See, I wasn’t sure I was going to be here this morning. Earlier this week, I woke up with a soreness in my neck and by that afternoon, I couldn’t move it. I thought it was just a pinched nerve, so I went to a chiropractor who thankfully sent me for x-rays before he adjusted me. Then I had another adjustment the next day and another on Friday and when I got home on Friday, the results from the x-ray were in my email inbox, and they were abnormal. So, I went to Urgent Car and after a CT scan, they found I didn’t have a pinched nerve but an infection in my neck.” She pointed to the spot on her neck and saw the reaction from the crowd. Some of the women had covered their mouths with their hands, but all eyes appeared firmly on her.
“And God reminded me that sin is a lot like my pain. It sneaks up on us. We do one thing thinking it’s not so bad and then another and then another and before we know it, we are mired down in sin. But God is also like my doctor. When I got there Friday night, she didn’t say ‘Why didn’t you come in Wednesday when this first happened?’ No, she said ‘I’m so glad you came in when you did.’ And God is like that too. He’s not looking to condemn us but to save us, and like we just sang, he leaves the ninety-nine to go find the one. To go find you. So, if you’re here today and you don’t know God because you think you’ve done something so terrible that He could never love you – You’re wrong! And if you’ve distanced yourself from God because you’ve been mired down in sin and you think you’ve done something so awful that He could never forgive you – You’re wrong! Because God is like that doctor. He is just waiting for us to come to Him and when we do, He doesn’t say we should have come sooner. He says ‘I’m glad you came when you did.’ Will you join us as we sing this last song?”
If Ava thought she had felt power in the church before that song, it was nothing like the power she felt as they sang the last song. The tingling in her head was almost overpowering, but for a moment, she felt no pain and no stiffness.
“God really used you today,” Joyce said as the team gathered their items together at the end
of the service. “That was exactly the right thing to say and the perfect analogy.”
“I agree. I was almost in tears,” Alanna said coming up behind her.
“Thank you. I’ve never been sure I hear God speaking to me, but when that came into my head last night, I knew it had to be Him.”
“Excuse me.”
Ava looked up to see a man she didn’t know coming up the stairs of the stage. He was an older gentleman, probably in his late sixties or seventies with thinning white hair. “Yes, sir?”
“Can you tell me what you read today?”
“Philippians 4:4-10,” Ava replied.
“Thank you,” he said as he scribbled something down on a paper. “Those were exactly the words I needed to hear today along with what you said at the end.”
Ava blinked at him a moment, amazed. “Thank you,” she managed. She’d believed God had given her the words to say, but she didn’t usually have people come and tell her they were touched.
“Seems like God had a plan for you this week,” Justin said as he joined her at the base of the stage.
“Yeah, I guess so. Who would have thought a disabling neck pain would have such a profound effect?”
“I stopped questioning God’s motives a long time ago,” Justin said with a laugh. He took her hand as they walked down the hallway to the childcare center to retrieve Kylie.
Before they reached their car in the parking lot, three more people approached Ava thanking her for her words. Ava nodded and smiled and said ‘you’re welcome’ with each one, but she knew she had done nothing. It had all been God.
“Mommy, is your neck better today?” Kylie asked as Ava buckled her into the car.
“It is baby, and though it’s not completely healed yet, I have a feeling it will be soon.”
“I know it will be,” Kylie said with a smile. “God told me this morning you would be better. He just needed you to see. I thought that was silly because it was your neck that hurt and not your eyes, but do you see, Mommy?”
“I do now, bug. I do now.” Ava leaned in and kissed her daughter’s forehead. As she shut Kylie’s door, she turned her face to the sky. “Thank you, Lord, for helping me see.”
The End!
Author’s Note
First off, let me say how glad I am that you read this book. I struggled with what this extended epilogue should be about, but then last week, I went through this medical scare that Ava did.
I woke up with a sore neck and the next morning, it was completely stiff. The pain that she feels in this book is exactly the pain I felt and the diagnosis she received was mine.
As an update, I am now back at work. The pain has lessened though my head still feels heavy, my ear still feels intense pressure, and the back of my head still tingles. I am hopeful that after the treatment of antibiotics that the pain will go away.
Regardless, as I wrote this epilogue, I had the realizations that Ava went through. While I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone, it did remind me of the joys I take for granted, and I hope that I will not take them for granted in the future.
And if you’ve enjoyed reading this author’s note so far (and really, how could you not?) I am offering, for today only, a page where you can sign up for my weekly newsletter for the low, low price of absolutely nothing.
Included in this weekly newsletter are many wonderful things like pictures of my adorable children, chances to win awesome prizes, new releases and sales I might be holding, great books from other authors, and anything else that strikes my fancy and that I think you would enjoy.
Even better, I solemnly swear to only send out one newsletter a week (usually on Tuesday unless life gets in the way which with three kids it usually does). I will not spam you, sell your email address to solicitors or anyone else, or any of those other terrible things.
Join me here and receive Once Upon a Star as my thank-you gift for choosing to hang out with me. It’s fun and entertaining. I promise.
Prayers and blessings,
Lorana
Not ready to say Goodbye yet?
Ava’s Blessing in Disguise is the seventh book in the multi-author Blushing Bride series, but my fourth. While each book written by a different author in the series will be a stand alone, I have decided to make mine a series. If you are reading on Amazon, the numbers may look confusing, but just know that my books will twine together. You don’t have to have read The Producer’s Unlikely Bride for this book to make sense, but if you have, you will have a better understanding of Justin and Ava.
With that in mind, the next book in the Blushing Bride series will be The Cop’s Fiery Bride. I decided to give Cassidy her own story. Don’t know who Cassidy is? Be sure to check out The Cowboy’s Reality Bride.
The book will open after Cassidy returns home from being on the show. Obviously she didn’t find love, but what she has found is a ton of guys trying to court her and massive teasing from her fellow firefighters.
The Cop’s Fiery Bride
A firefighter who just wants to get back to work.
Cassidy is glad to be back home after the reality dating show, but she did not expect so many men to be reaching out to her. Nor did she expect the teasing from her fellow firefighters. When she sees something at a fire that makes no sense, will she be able to convince anyone to take her seriously?
He’s a cop who’s avoided Cassidy as much as possible.
But not because he doesn’t like her. Unfortunately Cassidy reminds Jordan of a painful past. However, when she sees something odd during a fire, he is forced to spend time with her to figure out what it all means
Be sure to pre-order The Cop’s Fiery Bride
A Free Story For You
* * *
Enjoyed The Cowboy’s Reality Bride? Not ready to quit reading yet? If you sign up for my newsletter, you will receive Once Upon a Star, the love story of Blake and Audrey, two of my Star Lake characters, right away as my thank you gift for choosing to hang out with me.
Once Upon a Star
A high school crush….
Blake was a nerd in high school. Never noticed. Looked over. So, it was no wonder that Audrey paid no attention to him, but now that she’s back in town…
Audrey left Star Lake to pursue acting, but when she ends up pregnant and alone, she finds herself forced to return home.
Can Blake show Audrey a new side? Will she trust him enough to stay?
Read on for a taste of Once Upon a Star….
Once Upon a Star Preview
Audrey tried to peek around the nurses leaning over the silver table, obscuring the view of the thing she wanted to see most.
“Are you ready, Mom?” The head nurse, a kind, older woman with just a touch of gray in her dark hair, turned to Audrey, a tiny blue package in her arms.
Mom. The word had never applied to her, and she wasn’t sure it fit. Was she ready? Probably not. Would she ever be completely ready? Probably not. But that didn’t change reality. She tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear and nodded.
“Here’s your son.” The nurse held the swaddled bundle out to her. Audrey opened her hands, unsure of what the nurse wanted her to do. The nurse’s face softened and her warm brown eyes sparkled. With one hand, she adjusted Audrey’s arms to place the tiny bundle in them. “Hold him like this.” She demonstrated the proper technique. “You always want to support his head.”
Audrey nodded, trying to keep her arms from shaking. She was afraid to breathe, afraid to move, but mostly afraid she’d drop the infant, so she kept her eyes glued to him. Would he shatter like a piece of glass? The image sent a shiver down her spine. She didn’t want to find out.
The nurse’s eyes twinkled as she watched Audrey adjust and readjust her holding position. “There is a bassinet here.” She pointed at a clear plastic tub that looked like a large shoe box on top of a wheeled table. It didn’t look comfortable to Audrey, and she wondered how a baby slept in it. “If you want to take him walking, you need to put him in the ba
ssinet, okay?”
“Do I hold him the rest of the time?” As much as she was enjoying the baby in her arms, what happened when she needed to sleep or use the bathroom?
The woman chuckled. “You hold him as much as you want and put him down when you need a break. We’ll come in every few hours to check on you, and we’ll show you how to change his diaper and dress him. You’ll be a pro before you know it. Don’t worry.” She patted Audrey’s arm like her grandmother used to when she asked a silly question, and then the nurse walked out of the room, still smiling and shaking her head.
Audrey’s eyes dropped to the sleeping baby. His shock of dark hair reminded her of his father, the olive-skinned Italian who had charmed her with his fast tongue. She hoped it was the only trait Cayden would get from him. The world didn't need another heartbreaker. “I have no idea what we'll do, Cayden, but we’ll figure something out.”
* * *
Blake turned the glass on the countertop and glanced up at Max who leaned against the back counter, arms folded across his chest as if he were waiting for the answer to a question. The green of his plaid shirt matched the faded ball cap turned backwards on his head. “Sorry, did you say something? I’m distracted; it’s just getting close to Christmas, and I miss Connie.” A vision of the day she left popped into his head.
Blake opened the door, expecting to see Connie on the other side in her Sunday best. The church service started in half an hour. Though Connie stood there, his smile faded as he took in her jeans and t-shirt. There was no requirement of the patrons to dress up, but Connie always wore a dress or skirt. "What's going on?" Blake asked.
Ava's Blessing In Disguise: Short Story (The Blushing Brides Book 7) Page 4
