The Braxtons of Miracle Springs by Michael Phillips

Author:Michael Phillips [Phillips, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042000, FIC026000
ISBN: 9781441229526
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-02-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

Christopher’s Wisdom

We were nearly back to the house now.

“Let me ask if you’re willing to do something a little more immediate than wait thirty years,” I said. “Would you be willing for us to go inside and ask Christopher about this?”

“Oh, I’d be too embarrassed, Corrie!”

“He is a wise man.”

“I know that, but . . .”

“I’m certain he could shed more light on it for you than I’ve been able to.”

“Maybe, but you are my sister. You understand these kinds of things. It’ll be hard to talk to a man about it—especially your husband.”

“Christopher’s not only my husband, Becky. He’s your brother now, too. Just talk to him like you would me.”

We went inside the bunkhouse. Christopher was sitting in his chair reading. He glanced up with a smile. I could tell he noticed Becky’s tear-stained face and my serious expression, but all he said was, “Have a nice walk?”

“Very nice,” I replied. “We would like to talk to you about something.”

“Of course. Have a seat.”

Becky and I sat down on the only other two wooden chairs we had in the room. I briefly recounted the gist of my conversation with Becky, and eventually Becky repeated her most pressing questions for Christopher, too.

“It’s just so hard,” she concluded, “to understand why God would want me not to be married and why he hasn’t answered my prayers about it.”

The small bunkhouse fell silent. Christopher always collected himself before saying anything. I knew he was inwardly praying for the right words.

“The questions you raise are good ones,” he finally said, “and very difficult to answer. You’ve voiced some things I know many people wonder about. You can’t imagine how many times I heard similar questions when I was pastoring. That experience was one of the things that helped me be so patient myself in waiting for Corrie.”

He paused. “So you say you have prayed about this, Becky?”

“Oh yes,” she answered, “for years.”

“But you think God hasn’t answered you?”

Her voice quavered, fresh tears not far away. “I’m not married. So I assume he hasn’t answered me.”

Christopher paused another long moment and then answered with great gentleness, “But what if his answer is no? What if his answer is that he has something else planned for you that is just as good, or better—but that you can’t see as better yet?”

Becky shrugged. “Something better than marriage?”

Christopher nodded.

“I don’t know,” she said after a bit.

“Let me ask you something else, Becky,” he said. “I want you to give me a straight, honest answer—agreed?”

“I’ll try.”

“All right—does it seem to you as if I probably don’t know how you feel, that I probably haven’t faced the kind of heartache you are going through, that probably all of my prayers are answered?”

Becky squirmed a little in her chair.

“I suppose maybe so,” she said with an uncomfortable smile.

“I thought perhaps that might be the case,” Christopher said. “That is often how it is—after someone has grown and has developed a certain level of spiritual maturity, which is perhaps

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