Returning Home by Toni Shiloh

Author:Toni Shiloh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian contemporary romance, african american christian fiction, inspirational romance
Publisher: Toni Shiloh
Published: 2017-09-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

At the mention of God, Jo froze. Not him too!

Evan continued talking. “He got me to see that the anger was hurting me and those I lashed out at. I knew He would allow me to be angry and not turn His back on me. People who say they’ll be there for you don’t offer that same guarantee.”

Jo tilted her head. In all the years she had known him she had never heard him mention God, let alone with such affection and awe. She studied his features, taking in the slightly bushy eyebrows paired with a nose a tad bit too wide. Yet, the slight imbalance in his features didn’t detract from his good looks. And his grin...it made her insides quiver with longing. His perfect smile just added to his charm. The desire to be near him collided with her desire to distance herself from God talk.

Wait a minute, you’re not interested. Business but friendly, remember?

She shook herself as his words sunk in. “What do you mean that you could be angry with Him? Why would He allow that?”

That didn’t make any sense. Her mother had taught her and Vanessa from an early age that God could strike them down at any moment. As she grew older, Jo had learned that wasn’t true. Her mother was the most hypocritical person she had ever known. And still, she remained standing. But the one person Jo had depended on had been allowed to die. As far as she could tell, God seemed to be hypocritical as well.

Evan looked at her as if gathering his words. He ran a hand behind his neck. “Have you ever heard the Scripture ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’?”

“Sure,” she said nonchalantly. “But what does that have to do with you being angry with Him and Him just letting that go?”

“Deep down, I knew He would never leave me. I knew, no matter what I did, He would still love me. But life taught me that others who professed to love me could leave me in a heartbeat. So, instead of being angry with those people, I directed my anger toward God. Instead of punishing me, He loved me. He loved me enough to put people in my life to remind me that He has always been with me and will never leave me. Because of that, I was finally able to let that anger go. Of course, I asked for His forgiveness, because what I did was wrong. And God, being the amazing God He is, forgave me.”

“How can that be?” she whispered.

Evan leaned close, laying a hand on top of hers. “How can what be, Jo?”

“How can He love you so much that He put those people in your life but didn’t put any in mine?”

She heard his sharp inhale but couldn’t focus on him through the tears in her eyes.

“Aw JoJo, God has put people in your life. Maybe you just haven’t realized it. What about Chloe?”

What about her? She’s always preaching at people.

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