Free Catching Serenity by Joann Durgin Page A

preferred living in the past, Ed Walton had chosen to move on with his life. Not that remarrying was necessarily the answer, but at least he’d taken a step forward.
    “ Listen, I’m really sorry about Danny, your mom and...everything you went through.” Appearing awkward, Spencer shoved his hands into the pockets of his fitted dress slacks and the muscles in his jaw tightened. “To be honest, I’m surprised to see you back here again.” Five years must have brought about this new-and-improved, more sensitive, grown-up version of the former high school jock.
    “ Thanks. I’m doing okay. Croisette Shores is my home, so here I am.”
    The beginning chords of the organ wafted through the half-closed doors , inviting them into the sanctuary. Spencer offered his arm. “Care to share a pew?”
    “ Sure.” She looped her arm through his and gave him a smile.
    H alfway down the aisle, Spencer stepped aside, waiting for her to be seated. As she sank onto the soft cushions, Serenity tried to ignore the whispers. She should be used to tongues wagging by now, even in church, but it bothered her. Spencer glanced at the bulletin and pointed out names of former classmates. They sang the opening praise choruses and shared a hymnal for “Blessed Redeemer.” Bowing her head during the morning prayer, Serenity prayed for her mother if she still had life and breath in her, her father’s health, her decorating business, Deidre and Wes and their kids, Danny’s family who’d moved away before his untimely death...
    The pastor ’s voice broke into her thoughts as he began the morning message. As she listened to his words and the passages of scripture, Serenity’s thoughts wandered, making it difficult to focus. Pastor Tom broke into her thoughts with a question, “What are you doing with God? Are you pushing Him away, like Peter and so many others, effectively denying you even know Him, much less have any kind of personal relationship with Him?”
    Serenity closed her eyes as she pondered those words. Dear Lord, I pray others in the town, and especially Dad, will see a difference in my life. She didn’t know much scripture, didn’t know much about the Bible, didn’t know the “right” God-speak or whatever people in the church called it, but she’d given her heart to Him when she’d lived in Atlanta. Accepting Andrea’s invitation to church was one of the best things she’d ever done. The way she looked at it, He’d chosen her . He’d found her among the ruins of her life and lifted her from the ashes. Even as she cherished that thought, she feared if she talked too much about it, she’d prove herself ignorant and somehow that new, fragile faith would slip away like most everything she’d considered precious in her life.
    She snapped to attention with the pastor ’s challenge near the end of the service. “I want to encourage you to share the love of the Savior by showing others that love. It’s amazing what a well-placed, kind word can do. Share fellowship with others who share the love of the Lord, but if someone doesn’t know the saving grace you’ve experienced through Christ, then invite them to breakfast or share a slice of pie and a cup of coffee and tell them about the hope you have of walking with Jesus in eternity one day.”
    Her thoughts strayed to Jackson at the mention of sharing a slice of pie. The doctor was obviously a man of faith. For all she knew, he might be sitting in this very congregation. Not the time. Focus. She concentrated on the pastor’s message.
    “ It could be a store clerk here in town or a visitor you meet on the beach. Take a walk with them and really listen, offer biblical counsel if needed, give them a book, even a Bible.” He waited while a soft ripple of laughter floated through the congregation. “Get to know them better and try to do one thing toward furthering the Kingdom. After all,” Pastor Tom said, “it’s what our Lord commands us to do. Sometimes it takes