Finally a Bride by McDonough Vickie;

Author:McDonough, Vickie; [McDonough, Vickie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1821734
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2011-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

Noah leaned over the hitching post at the back of the church property and retched. After a few moments of misery, he dabbed his mouth with his handkerchief. No amount of preparation ever eased his stomach before preaching a sermon, and this was by far the most nerve-wracking situation he’d ever encountered.

He glanced around, glad that no one had shown up early, then strode toward the water pump. The cool liquid tasted delicious but didn’t sit well in his belly. He gazed up at the sky through the canopy of trees overhead. “Father, I ask that You settle my stomach. Help me to rectify the damage I did last night, and enable me to share the message that You’ve laid on my heart.”

A wide yawn slipped out, and he covered his mouth. He’d slept little last night. The fight with Billy and then the disagreement with Jack weighed heavily on him. Doubts swirled through his thoughts like debris in a tornado. Would anyone recognize him as the former town bully? Would the church people be angry that he’d gotten in a fight? Would they be receptive to his message? Would they even show up?

Clutching his well-worn Bible against his heart, he opened the church door and stepped inside. Immediately the peace of God flooded him and calmed him. The morning sun peeked through the storm clouds overhead and glimmered through the stained-glass window, creating colorful patterns of light that danced on the floor and walls. Closing his eyes, he murmured a prayer of thanks to the Lord for His presence.

He opened all the windows, then sat down on the front row, read several psalms, and scanned his sermon again. By the time he was done, buggies were driving past the windows and parking in the lot next door.

Noah blew out a breath and went to greet his parishioners at the front door. A man he didn’t recognize walked up to the entrance with his wife and two adolescent boys. The man smiled at him, but when the woman glanced up, her happy expression turned to shock. She halted so fast, one of her boys ran into her back.

“Hey, Ma, whatcha stoppin’ for?” The boy backed up a few steps, nudging his brother with his elbows. Both youths glanced at him in unison, and their mouths dropped open.

Noah smiled. He’d seen his ugly purple eye in the mirror this morning, as well as his puffy cheek and eyebrow. He probably looked like some kind of monster that children conjured up in their creative minds. “Good morning, and welcome. I’m Noah Jeffers, the visiting minister.”

“Uh … we’uns is the Cauldwells,” the man said. “I’m Jethro, and this here’s my wife, Maisy, and our boys Samuel and Josiah.”

“Ah, good Bible names, I see. It’s a pleasure to meet y’all.” Noah held his hand out to the man.

Mr. Cauldwell glanced up, frowned, and then shook Noah’s hand. “D’you have some kind of accident or somethin’?”

Noah winced. He’d hoped word had gotten around town, so all he’d have to do was repent to the crowd and not have to explain things.

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