Free Her Rebel Heart by Shannon Farrington
Authors: Shannon Farrington
and distribute the items. Hopefully we can draw people inside the church. And you ladies would not be unattended. You would be properly chaperoned. Can I count on your assistance?"
It sounded like everything she was looking for. It was a simple way to show kindness to the people of her city, to help brighten the darkness this war had brought.
And if we are to be chaperoned I need not worry about Federal soldiers.
"Of course," Julia said. Sally pledged to serve, as well.
"Wonderful," said Reverend Perry. "Here is what we will do."
He determined a time to meet and the ladies decided what baked goods they would bring. "I will have one of our gentlemen furnish a table and fill the water barrels."
Julia was pleased. If there was one thing she could do well, it was bake bread and make jam. No politics or disagreements could invade.
Chapter Five
S am had promised Julia that he would not visit her home or sit in her family pew, but that would not keep him from serving the Lord. When Reverend Perry asked for his assistance with the bread table, he could hardly say no.
He had found a table in the cellar, then carried it to the edge of the churchyard. He gathered the water barrels and filled them high.
While he worked, he prayed. He prayed for his city, his seminary and his best friend. But, above all, he prayed for Julia.
Lord, You know I love her and I still believe You mean for us to be together. I want to do Your will. I want Julia to find Your will for her life. But if that means we must go our separate ways, then please give me the strength to accept Your plan.
He wondered how she would respond when she found out they would be working together. He hoped the interaction would lead to opportunities to prove that his intentions were good.
Give me the words to say to her, Lord, and the grace to respond as You would.
"
Julia had baked two loaves of bread and turned the mashed strawberries from the market into mouthwatering jam. As she prepared for the prayer meeting that day, an excitement pulsed through her veins. It was a feeling she had not experienced since before the beginning of the war.
Lord, thank You for this opportunity. Thank You for giving me a way to make a difference.
She arrived at church well before noon. The table was ready and the water barrels were waiting.
"It appears everything has been prepared," her father said.
"Indeed." With eagerness, Julia set her tray of bread and jam on the table.
Her father peered into one of the barrels. "They are filled to the brim."
"That is good."
They would need to be. The day was going to be warm. The late May sunshine was strong. Already heat rose in ripples from the cobblestone.
Sally and her father pulled up in their surrey at that moment. She hurried to where Julia was waiting. She, too, looked eager to begin.
"I made lemon tea bread," she said.
"Wonderful!" said Julia. "Everyone that passes by will want a slice."
"I do hope so."
The traffic on the street, both foot and carriage, was light, yet the women knew it would increase once the noon bell rang.
"Julia, you have no cups or ladles," Mrs. Stanton noticed. "I'll fetch them."
"And I'll see to it that the gentleman scheduled to assist you knows that you both have arrived," her father said. "Thank you."
Her parents climbed the church steps. The moment the front door shut, Sally reached into her pocket.
"Before someone else joins us'¦I have news. Stephen sent a letter."
Julia gasped, immediately abandoning the bread and jam. It was the first communication that they'd had with their loved ones since their departure. "When did it arrive?"
Sally handed it over. "This morning. They are in Virginia, although he did not say exactly where."
"They don't want to take any chances on the information falling into the wrong
It sounded like everything she was looking for. It was a simple way to show kindness to the people of her city, to help brighten the darkness this war had brought.
And if we are to be chaperoned I need not worry about Federal soldiers.
"Of course," Julia said. Sally pledged to serve, as well.
"Wonderful," said Reverend Perry. "Here is what we will do."
He determined a time to meet and the ladies decided what baked goods they would bring. "I will have one of our gentlemen furnish a table and fill the water barrels."
Julia was pleased. If there was one thing she could do well, it was bake bread and make jam. No politics or disagreements could invade.
Chapter Five
S am had promised Julia that he would not visit her home or sit in her family pew, but that would not keep him from serving the Lord. When Reverend Perry asked for his assistance with the bread table, he could hardly say no.
He had found a table in the cellar, then carried it to the edge of the churchyard. He gathered the water barrels and filled them high.
While he worked, he prayed. He prayed for his city, his seminary and his best friend. But, above all, he prayed for Julia.
Lord, You know I love her and I still believe You mean for us to be together. I want to do Your will. I want Julia to find Your will for her life. But if that means we must go our separate ways, then please give me the strength to accept Your plan.
He wondered how she would respond when she found out they would be working together. He hoped the interaction would lead to opportunities to prove that his intentions were good.
Give me the words to say to her, Lord, and the grace to respond as You would.
"
Julia had baked two loaves of bread and turned the mashed strawberries from the market into mouthwatering jam. As she prepared for the prayer meeting that day, an excitement pulsed through her veins. It was a feeling she had not experienced since before the beginning of the war.
Lord, thank You for this opportunity. Thank You for giving me a way to make a difference.
She arrived at church well before noon. The table was ready and the water barrels were waiting.
"It appears everything has been prepared," her father said.
"Indeed." With eagerness, Julia set her tray of bread and jam on the table.
Her father peered into one of the barrels. "They are filled to the brim."
"That is good."
They would need to be. The day was going to be warm. The late May sunshine was strong. Already heat rose in ripples from the cobblestone.
Sally and her father pulled up in their surrey at that moment. She hurried to where Julia was waiting. She, too, looked eager to begin.
"I made lemon tea bread," she said.
"Wonderful!" said Julia. "Everyone that passes by will want a slice."
"I do hope so."
The traffic on the street, both foot and carriage, was light, yet the women knew it would increase once the noon bell rang.
"Julia, you have no cups or ladles," Mrs. Stanton noticed. "I'll fetch them."
"And I'll see to it that the gentleman scheduled to assist you knows that you both have arrived," her father said. "Thank you."
Her parents climbed the church steps. The moment the front door shut, Sally reached into her pocket.
"Before someone else joins us'¦I have news. Stephen sent a letter."
Julia gasped, immediately abandoning the bread and jam. It was the first communication that they'd had with their loved ones since their departure. "When did it arrive?"
Sally handed it over. "This morning. They are in Virginia, although he did not say exactly where."
"They don't want to take any chances on the information falling into the wrong
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