Temporary Husband by DiAnn Mills

Author:DiAnn Mills
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-04-18T00:00:00+00:00

Eleven

Nettie wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders. The chickens needed to be fed, and she’d brought a basket to gather eggs. Her small flock had increased and provided more eggs than she could use. The little extra money earned by selling them to folks in Mesquite had established a bit of savings.

The judge hadn’t decided about selling the land yet, and Riley had agreed to pay rent each month. The town had found a new schoolteacher, but she was the daughter of one of the farmers and didn’t need Nettie and Riley’s soddie. At first the prospect of another person teaching her dear children depressed Nettie, but the school board didn’t want a woman who’d been in jail or gotten married. The business of not teaching school had worked out for the best, even if Nettie sorely missed the children. God had blessed her with the love of a good man, something she’d thought she would never find.

If someone had told her that a godly husband would make a wonderful difference in her life, she’d have hotly denied the need. But Riley’s love embraced her with happiness and a sense of fulfillment unlike she’d ever imagined. All of the secret dreams she had abandoned as a girl now showered her many times over. Every day with her husband brought joy and an adventure. The love they shared had come from God, and with His guidance, they’d honor Him all of their lives.

A gust of wind whipped across her face, and she caught her breath. The late summer had been a little chilly, and the thought of an early winter didn’t rest well. Dipping temperatures and blizzards always brought an onslaught of fear, but not this year. God had given her Riley, and her husband had made life so much easier. When the winter winds blew, they would have plenty of dried fruits, vegetables, and meat. Cow chips were stacked beside the soddie along with a supply of firewood that Riley had gathered on one of his trips to see Abe.

Nettie loved Abe Wilkins. The old man possessed more wisdom in his little finger than most folks accumulated over their entire lives. His way of looking at life never deviated from the Bible. He had a way of taking the Scriptures and applying them to a situation, then pointing out how God’s Word ministered to folks today. A few times Abe had spent the night with her and Riley. He always thanked her for the hospitality, but he longed to be at his own home. Nettie and Riley fretted over his health. Abe looked more frail each time they saw him.

“What better place to meet Jesus than my own home?” Abe said. “I’m looking forward to it, except I’d like to see my son come to the Lord first.”

“Does he live near here?” Nettie asked. They were enjoying a cup of coffee around Abe’s fireplace. She’d brought lunch and the visit had lasted until late afternoon.

“I haven’t told her,” Riley said to Abe.

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.