Free As You Wish by Robin Jones Gunn Page A

Riverview was the church Matt had attended the last school year. He was giving Todd all kinds of information, since Matt had helped out with the youth group on a couple of outings.
    â€œThe adult couple who organized everything moved in June,” Matt explained. “That’s when the church leaders decided to hire someone. Not many teenagers come, but a lot of them could.”
    â€œWhy don’t they attend?” Christy asked.
    â€œThey haven’t had anything consistent except for Sunday school, and the couple who taught didn’t seem to care about the students. They lectured the whole time. There wasn’t any music or any chance for relationships to develop.”
    Christy could tell Todd appreciated all the inside information.
    â€œYou are going to start out with music tomorrow morning, aren’t you?” Christy asked.
    â€œI was planning on it.” Todd parked in the church lot, and Matt led the way to the room where the group would meet.
    â€œDo you have anyone helping you with music?” Matt asked.
    â€œI don’t have any volunteers yet,” Todd said, giving Christy a grin. “Unless either of you wants to sing with me.”
    Christy liked to sing, but she had never been in the front, leading a group. Her voice blended well if the person next to her sang loudly. She wasn’t a soloist.
    â€œI could help,” Christy said hesitantly.
    Todd’s clear-eyed, grinning expression told Christy shehad just won her boyfriend’s undying admiration. “Thanks. I know you’re still thinking about teaching, and I want you to take as long as you need to decide.”
    Christy didn’t feel pressured to say yes to teaching, but she did feel more open to the possibility. She liked being part of the start-up process in this new season in Todd’s life.
    â€œI’d be glad to help with whatever else you need,” Matt said.
    â€œThanks, man,” Todd said. “You can see I’m at ground zero on all this.”
    They spent a half hour setting up the room for the next morning and taking inventory of the available resources.
    â€œYou know what?” Christy said as they were about to leave. “We should pray before we go.”
    â€œGreat idea,” Todd said. “What’s that verse? ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.’ I want this to be God’s youth group.”
    Christy smiled. “Then we should pray about it.”
    Todd reached for Christy’s hand, and to her surprise, Matt reached for her other hand. The three of them stood in a tight circle, and the guys stretched their arms across each other’s shoulders.
    Todd prayed for God’s blessing on the future of the group and for God’s guidance over all the planning, teaching, worshiping, and fellowshiping that would happen in that room. Christy tried to concentrate. She knew they were holding hands as a gesture of being united in what they were praying, but Christy found herself comparing the two guys. Her hand felt at home in Todd’s hand. It felt familiar and safe. Matt’s hand was rough with the permanent calluses of someone who had shoveled snow and pitched hay. Christy thought of how her dad’s hands felt the same way.
    She tried to focus back on Todd’s prayer as he boldly claimed this territory and these hearts for God’s kingdom. “Whatever it takes,” Todd prayed, “let them see how real you are, Father.”
    Matt prayed, then Christy prayed. Todd closed off their time with his own version of “Amen,” which was, “Let it be so.”
    They all looked up and released their hands as Matt said, “This is going to be good, Todd. These kids are going to be so glad to have you here.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you apply for the position?” Todd asked Matt.
    He lowered his head slightly and with a bashful expression said, “I did. But I withdrew my application a