Chapter 3: Call

© Copyright 2009 by Rachel Rossano
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Slipping out the nursery when the little one’s attention was elsewhere, Anne stepped into the hall. She took a deep breath, struggling to steady her heartbeat. Daniel was back. She had heard his voice in the hall about half an hour ago and couldn’t help the fluttering response in her chest.

Oh, Father, she prayed, Please give me a chance to speak with him sometime today.

The distant congregational singing signaled the beginning of morning worship. Needing at drink of water to soothe her dry throat, Anne slipped past the open sanctuary door and downstairs into the cool and silent basement. After a quick visit to the bathroom for a drink, she hurried back up the stairs, pausing in the foyer to glance at the displays while waiting for the doors to open after the opening prayer. Her eyes immediately found Daniel’s display. The deep blue felt background highlighted the images of children playing, sitting to eat, and kneeling to pray. School scenes of rows of older children listening to a lecture tugged at her heart just as much as the images of the young ones, too small for school, who clung to their caretaker’s skirts.

Then the door opened and the sounds of morning worship filled the foyer, calling her attention back to the here and now. With a quiet smile to the usher, Anne slipped into the auditorium and found a seat at the back. Despite her efforts to keep her thoughts on the service and the singing, she couldn’t help glancing around quickly to see if she could spot him.

“Our special speaker for this morning, one of our three missionaries visiting us this weekend, is Daniel Ryan.”

Anne was almost afraid to lift her head to look at him. When she did, her heart jumped. He had changed. She smiled at herself. Of course, he had changed. Two years were a long time to be gone. As he set his Bible on the podium and looked out over the crowded seats, Anne realized that not that much about him had changed. Despite the darker skin and the sun-bleached brown hair, his clear blue eyes were still penetrating and engaging, and his tall, spare frame still dwarfed most others.

And then he began to speak.

Anne found her heart and soul touched in a way that she had never known before. As Daniel described the mission field that the Lord had called him to two years ago, she found herself called as well. With a certainty that she had never known before, she knew that she was needed. God wanted her there. Yes, she had served faithfully here, but now it was time to move on. It was time to serve somewhere else. She bowed her head, seeking the Lord’s will, while he continued to speak. She had to be sure that this wasn’t just because of her close friendship with Daniel or the strange effect he had on her.

Her struggle with herself was so intense that she actually jumped when the song leader called for the congregation to stand and sing the closing hymn. She prayed, Please make it clear to me, Lord. With that final request, Anne joined the others in singing I Surrender All.




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