Free The Winning Summer by Marsha Hubler Page A

Brave!
    She could do this.
    She would do this—for her Lord.
    Slowly, Skye stood.

Chapter Ten
    S kye, go right ahead!” A smile of victory beamed from Mr. Chambers’ face.
    A circle of eyes riveted on Skye.
    Mrs. Chambers strolled from her table and stood behind Joey. She folded her arms and gave Skye an assuring wink.
    “I—I—”
    “You can do this,” a Voice whispered deep in Skye’s soul.
    Skye took a deep breath, determined.
    Amazingly, words started flowing from her lips as fast as her heart was pounding. “I just wanna say that I used to be a pretty rotten kid. I blamed everybody else for all the trouble I caused. I ran away from everything and everybody, even God. But when Jesus came into my life, he gave me the guts to face my problems. I found out that it was him I was running away from all along. Now I know he’s with me through anything. He’s the best friend I have. That’s all!” Skye looked at her foster mother for approval, released a deep, long sigh, and sank back down onto her crate.
    Eyes watery, Mr. Chambers took a moment to find his voice. “Thank you, Skye. The Bible says that Christ wants to be as close as a brother to those who ask. If any of you would like to talk to me privately about your walk with God, see me afterward. Your testimonies were excellent. Let’s stand and we’ll close in prayer.”
    As Mr. Chambers started, Skye glanced at Morgan, who gave her a quick thumbs-up. Out of the corner of her eye, Skye watched Katie, who slowly stood with her head hung low. Her solemn face seemed set in stone.
    Now what ’ s goin ’ on in that brain of hers?
    Skye just had to find out.

    Sunday and time to go to church!
    Katie surprised everyone. Dressed in her Sunday best, she arrived first at the breakfast table. She smiled all the way to church—and through it! It seemed to Skye that Katie actually listened to the video in teen class and to the pastor in the main service, as well. At dinner as at breakfast, Katie used her best manners, taking only one serving of every dish. Something was definitely different!
    Skye studied her new friend as though Katie had grown an extra head. Despite prodding from Mr. and Mrs. Chambers as to why she had decided to attend church, Katie simply said, “I just wanted to. That’s all.” Not until the afternoon when the girls were grooming their horses in the barn did Skye have the chance to find out what was really going on.
    “All right, Katie, let’s have it,” Skye said as she ran a metal comb through Champ’s long, flowing tail.
    “Have what? One of these brushes?” Katie’s tone was light, almost a giggle. With a brush in each hand, she worked hard on Boomer’s coat.
    “You know perfectly well what. What’s with you and church all of a sudden? And you usually inhale two plates of food at every meal. Are you sick or something?”
    Silence filled the barn, except for two lazy horses whisking their tails to shoo away flies.
    “Katie?”
    “Oh, all right, Skye. You won’t give up until I spill it. I want you to be the first to know. It’s been killin’ me to keep this in until you and I were alone.”
    “What? What?”
    Katie rested her arms on Boomer’s back, her eyes darting rapidly. “I’ve given everything to the Lord. I mean everything . I did it last night at the campfire.”
    “But I thought you did that in your bedroom a few weeks ago.” Skye worked the comb through a stubborn knot in Champ’s tail.
    “Well, I only gave part of my life to God that day. Last night I gave up all the things I had been holding on to.”
    “What were you holdin’ on to, and what made you give them up?”
    “It was what the kids said. Mostly what you said, Skye.”
    “Me?” Skye’s voice squeaked. “I hardly said anything. I just told the truth, the way the Lord has been helping me. It was tough to give that testimony, but now I’m glad I did it.”
    “Yeah, and remember what you said about running away from God?”
    “How could I