Free Flirting with Disaster by Sandra Byrd Page B

mom had told me I should go ahead and give my life to Him once more and she’d write the date on the back of a wooden cross. We hung the cross in my bedroom and then, anytime I wondered if I was really His, I’d pull the cross off my wall and look at it, reassured.
    Then I mentioned the forwards and texts. “Some of those texts and e-mails promised good things. But every good thing comes only from God. They also threatened disaster if I didn’t ‘obey’ them. But the only time I was flirting with disaster was when I trusted them. I don’t believe in luck. Or chance. Or horoscopes. I trust God. That’s all.”
    I smiled and indicated to Joe that I was ready.

Chapter 33

    Joe waded into the flat brown water with me, my flip-flops suctioning for all their worth in the silty riverbed. Once we were a few feet out, he said loudly enough for everyone on the bank to hear, “Based on your profession of faith and your desire to follow Christ wherever He leads you, I baptize you, Savannah Smith, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
    I closed my eyes as he put his arm around me, but it didn’t feel like Joe’s arm—it somehow felt like God’s. He was holding on to me, and there was nothing that could separate me from Him.
    “Two are better than one.”
    When Joe lifted me out of the water, everyone on the shore clapped, and I made my way to the edge. My mom held out a towel and dried off my face before handing it to me to wrap up in.
    A few others were baptized. Tommy gave me a little wave good-bye and then slipped silently up the bank again to the parking lot, where his grandfather waited to take him to his game.
    My mom pulled me aside and handed me a jewelry box.
    “What’s this?” I asked.
    “Open it,” she said.
    Dad and Louanne came alongside me too; Penny and Supriya were talking with some of the others. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Supriya introducing Penny to them.
    I turned my attention back to the jewelry box and cracked it open. The hinges moved smoothly. Inside was a beautiful gold cross.
    “Turn it over!” Louanne said.
    I did. On the other side was etched today’s date—making a matching set, in a way, with the cross on my wall. “Thank you,” I said and kissed each of their cheeks. “I’m kinda cold. I might go see if Penny is ready to go.” They said they’d meet us at the car.
    I walked up to Supriya and Penny. “Hey!”
    “That was lovely,” Penny said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    “Thank you,” I said.
    “I have a gift for you, Savvy,” Supriya said, “but it’s not something I can hand to you.”
    I cocked my head to the side. “Well, thank you. But what is it?”
    “I know the problems you’ve had with the forwards and the texts and all. And, you know, I’ve been tempted by them myself. So each week I’m going to find a Bible verse and text it to you. That’ll be the encouraging text for the week instead. You can even forward it, if you want.”
    At that, the three of us started laughing. We said good-bye, and Penny whispered, “You know, Savvy, I wouldn’t mind if you forwarded it on to me.”
    “I will,” I said, seeing the possibility of a new branch shooting from the Vine.
    “Savvy, can I see you for a second?” Joe called, waving me over.
    I nodded and asked Penny if it would be okay if she went to the car ahead of me.
    “Nicely done,” Joe said. “Have you prayed about playing on worship team?”
    I smiled broadly. “I have—and I’d love to.”
    “Good.” Joe turned to go, but then he stepped back toward me, a serious look suddenly replacing his grin. “I’ll be sending you a packet of information via e-mail tonight or tomorrow, just some follow-up Scriptures and thoughts. You know, sometimes things actually get more difficult for a bit after baptism. I just want to warn you.”
    I looked at him, slightly alarmed. “What do you mean?”
    “Well,” he started, “it’s like a new car.”
    Inwardly,