Trusting Him to Lead by T K Chapin

Author:T K Chapin [Chapin, T K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Branch Publishing
Published: 2020-01-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

West - Age 13

Walking down the sidewalk that stretched between Columbia River Junior High School and home, West and his friends were creating plans for that evening. A sleepover at Frankie’s house with tons of soda, chips, and video games was in order. There was only one problem. West had a church thing he had to get out of in order to attend the big friendly gathering.

“Can you convince your parents to let you come?” Frankie lifted a doubting eyebrow.

West rubbed the back of his neck as he shrugged. “Maybe. My dad doesn’t let church come second to anything, but I might be able to get my mom to convince him.”

Splitting off from his friends, West walked down the driveway and up to his front door. Walking into the house, he passed through the living room and into the kitchen. His mother, Helen, was pulling out a batch of chocolate chip cookies from the oven. The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air.

“Smells good in here, Mom.”

Smiling over at him, she grabbed the spatula and began placing each cookie on a cooling rack. “How was your day, West?”

“Good. Hey, I have a question for you.” Losing his backpack, he placed it near the coat rack in the mudroom and walked back into the kitchen. “I was wondering if it’d be okay if I went to a Bible study at Frankie’s tonight. You know, instead of that youth group thing at the church.”

Helen didn’t respond right away but finished unloading the tray of cookies onto the cooling racks. Then she set the cookie sheet and spatula down on the stove. Turning toward her son with a lifted eyebrow, she tilted her head. “Frankie doesn’t go to church.”

“I know.” Opening his arms as he came closer to her, he popped out his hands dramatically. “That’s the cool thing about it, Mom! He wants to know more about God and is willing to hear what I have to say.”

“Well, you’ll have to speak with your father when he gets home. He was looking forward to helping out at the church tonight and spending the night at the lock-in. Aren’t you excited at all about it?”

“I don’t know . . .” West’s shoulders slumped, and he walked over to the island in the kitchen and sat down on a stool. “The kids there are . . . weird, Mom. Jesus is the only thing they care about. I like my friends from school. They play video games and drink soda.”

Helen laughed. “I’m sure the kids in the youth group drink soda. In fact, your father is bringing a twenty-four pack of that lemon lime soda you like tonight.”

“You guys hate my friends just because they don’t go to church.”

“Westley Stewart Kirkland! Don’t you dare accuse us of hating them! That’s untrue.”

“Jeez. Sorry, Mom.” Slipping off his stool, he started to leave the kitchen.

“I’ll see if your father will let you skip out tonight. We don’t hate anyone, especially your friends.”

A smile crept onto the corner of young West’s lips as he left the kitchen and went to his room.

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