accident.” Pain flickered in his blue-green eyes. “Before I got the insurance payout, a church member loaned me a vehicle. Then, after the payout arrived, he told me put my money in the bank and keep using the car for as long as I needed it. I gave the car back the day before I came here. So I’ve still got that money. I’d like to find a used car as quickly as possible.”
“I can help you with that.” Merlin started up the creaky stairs, with Jase behind him. “In fact, one of our members owns a family-run dealership in Wichita. You can trust him to sell you something dependable.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Although the words were positive, the younger man sounded uncertain. Merlin thought he understood. He flicked a glance over his shoulder. “Lots of changes all at once, isn’t it?”
Jase released a dry chuckle. “It is. But I’ll be okay. I got used to sudden changes when I was a kid.”
Had this staircase gotten longer since the last time he climbed it? Merlin paused with one foot on the square landing and pulled in a big breath. “Jase, I’m sure you already know this, but I’m going to say it anyway. We do not serve a wasteful God. I doubt Tony told me everything you’ve dealt with in your short life, but he told me enough to know you’ve had a lot to overcome. Every one of those situations we refer to as trials serves a purpose. Maybe it was to strengthen you. Maybe to give you wisdom. Maybe so you could show someone else how to navigate a tough pathway.”
He fixed Jase with a steady gaze, his voice rising in response to his inner conviction. “God tells Moses in Exodus 9, ‘I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ God raises us up for His purposes so we have the opportunity to experience and share His power in a human life.” He placed his hand on Jase’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “Stay open to His leading, Jase. You might feel like your plans have been lost, but His plans are never forsaken. He will use you for His glory, and it’ll be for your good, too.”
Merlin examined Jase’s face for signs of resentment. Had he said too much too soon? After all, he hardly knew the man. Leah sometimes warned him his enthusiasm led him to race ahead of God. Had he raced?
The corner of Jase’s lips twitched. Then came a full-blown grin. “Are you this convincing in the pulpit?”
Merlin shrugged, battling a chortle. “You’ll have to ask some of the members. It’s hard to be objective about yourself.”
Jase nodded. “Thanks for the words of wisdom. I’ll give them some consideration.”
Merlin nearly sagged with relief. He hadn’t run Jase off. Yet. He pulled the key for the apartment door from his pocket and held it out to Jase. “I’ll let you do the honors since this is your place now. I hope it’ll feel like home to you real soon.”
Jase took the key and looked at it for several seconds, his eyebrows low. “Me, too, sir. Me, too.”
Wichita, Kansas
Kenzie Stetler
Kenzie locked her apartment door, jiggled the doorknob, then tucked the key in the zippered pocket of her jacket. Back on the farm in Flourish, Indiana, her family never locked up the house. Or even the barn. But when she left to live in the city, Daed had told her to make sure her belongings were secure. So she always locked the door and double-checked the bolt.
Confident her apartment was safe, she made her way down the concrete steps leading to the sidewalk and set off for work at her usual brisk pace. Her coworkers teased her about walking everywhere, but she didn’t mind. Didn’t mind walking and didn’t mind being teased. Growing up with lots of brothers meant getting teased a lot. She’d learned long ago not to let it bother her. As for walking, Mamm said if God gave a person good strong legs, then she should use them. Besides, Kenzie didn’t have a car. She wouldn’t know how to drive even if she did have one. No one in her family’s sect operated motorized vehicles. But God had blessed her with strong legs, and she knew how to use them. So she walked.
The clear blue sky promised no rain, and the morning breeze was cool