A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780310413110
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2013-07-06T04:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

The following Wednesday afternoon, Hannah sat with her coworkers during lunch. She smiled while Carolyn shared a story about her nephews playing in the mud before they were supposed to leave for church. She wished she could share a funny story as well. Yet her thoughts had been tied up with confusion about her feelings for Trey and her heartbreak over Lillian’s problems getting the teaching job. She prayed about it every night, but the solution didn’t seem obvious to her. She wondered if she was concentrating on it too much or if she was missing the answer that was right before her eyes.

After lunch, she cleaned up the table while Linda and Carolyn left to complete their chores for the afternoon.

“Hannah?” Ruth lingered in the doorway to the break room. “Are you all right?”

Hannah looked back toward Ruth. “Honestly? No, I’m not.”

Ruth closed the door and gestured toward the table. “Sit. We still have a few minutes before our hour is up.” They sat across from each other. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m confused about some things.” Hannah bent her arm and rested her chin on her hand. “I’ve been praying about it, but the confusion hasn’t gotten any better.”

Ruth nodded slowly. “Is this about the Englisher?”

Hannah frowned. “You’ve heard what they’re saying about me?”

“I wish I could deny it, but that would be lying.” Ruth shook her head. “I heard it Sunday, and I wanted to say something to you.”

“What do you think of me now?”

Ruth smiled. “You’re mei freind, and you’ll always be mei freind, Hannah, no matter what people say.”

“Do you really feel that way?” Hannah leveled her eyes at Ruth. “You know that’s not what we’re taught. We’re supposed to be faithful to our beliefs, and we need to rein in those who sin.”

“Ya, that’s true, but I think sometimes people forget the Scripture verse from Ephesians: ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’“

“What I did wasn’t immoral, but I feel as if I’m being treated like I did something immoral.”

“Did you hug the Englisher?”

Hannah nodded. “I did. His name is Trey, and we’ve become gut freinden. He helped me last Wednesday when my son was injured. Andrew fell and got a bad gash above his eye.”

“Linda told me that you had to rush home.”

Hannah explained what had happened that day, and Ruth listened. “I didn’t really think it through. I hugged him because I needed someone to comfort me, and being with him feels natural. It’s as if I’ve known him my whole life.”

“The Lord puts special people in our lives when we least expect it.” Ruth’s smile faded. “But you know what happened will have implications in the community. Someone witnessed it and told another person. And you know how news spreads in our district.”

“I know, and it’s already affecting my family, especially mei dochder Lillian.” Hannah glowered. “Lillian wants to be a teacher and has learned about a teaching opportunity. She spoke to

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