Montana Grace by Elizabeth Bradshaw

Author:Elizabeth Bradshaw [Elizabeth Bradshaw]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Georgia, 2018

Something about being home eased Montana more than she expected. As she watched Tate with her parents, the years and angst she had harbored in her heart seemed to melt like butter on a hot pan. So much so, Tana was surprised by her voice as the question tumbled from her lips. Maybe the ease she felt actually made asking easier.

Millie was not blindsided by Montana’s question, and still, the hit sucked even more life from her body.

“I need to understand why you betrayed me, Mom.”

Without any further explanation, Millie knew to what her daughter referred. Oh, how she needed the right words here. Now. Jesus, please. “Baby doll, I never betrayed you. You always have been and always will be my very life. Everything I do is to help you grow and become who you are meant to be.”

“How is that even possible?” Tana could feel frustration cresting at the edge of her eyes, trying to burn its way out of her tear ducts. “You spent so many Saturdays going to talk to that man. My abductor.” She paused, trying to control the fire of anger that threatened to consume her. Tana took a deep breath, willing the quiver in her voice to settle, “The very reason I couldn’t sleep was taking my mother from me.”

“Baby, he was giving you back your mother . . .” Millie hesitated, trying to slow the tidal wave of emotions drowning her. “Visiting Jack was the hardest thing Jesus asked me to do. It was harder than living eight years not knowing if my baby was even alive. Facing the very reason my heart shattered was like facing the devil himself. But I wanted desperately to be strong for you, to be whole for you, if God brought you back home. And I needed to be whole for myself and your dad if He did not. The more I read the Bible; the more Jesus made it clear to me, I could never be either if I didn’t forgive Jack.”

The tears escaped Millie’s eyes, and she looked down at the teacup in her hand. “I started reading the first chapter of Colossians, where Paul talks about Jesus rescuing me from my darkness by forgiving my sins. I knew the only way I could be whole was to begin to offer the same forgiveness I received.” She paused and took a deep breath, her fingers tracing the edge of the cup.

“It took years of looking him in the eyes and saying the words before I meant them. My broken heart was such a stone, just saying it once was worthless. I was like a child throwing a tantrum, and Jesus had to slow me down and make me repeat it over and over.” She looked up from her teacup into the face of her beautiful daughter. “Four years. I needed four years of monthly visits before my heart cracked open, and I meant it. And it was after that Jesus allowed you to come home to me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.