"I'll remember that," she said as she walked away. The storm was not a good thing in most ways that people counted good things—but for the most part, she was grateful that she got to spend so much time with Marjorie.
"A very wise woman," Pastor Mark said as they walked out of the kitchen area and over to an area where there weren't many people around.
"I thought people would be settling down by now," Pastor Mark said.
"I was surprised at how many people are still up too." She lifted a shoulder, unsure what more they could do to settle things down.
"I wanted to ask if it would be okay if we used all of the candles to kind of make a circle. I want to be careful, because obviously we do not want to risk a fire. But I was going to dim the lights, use the candles, and have a prayer service. I think people could really use that right now. They seem to be anxious and on edge, and unable to just let it go and let God do what He's going to do, and to trust Him."
"Of course. I can help."
"You've been dishing out soup for the last several hours. I would like to see you get off of your feet for a bit."
"I will, as soon as I get the candles lit, okay? You set them around wherever you want to, and I'll light them."
"All right. Sounds like a plan."
She realized that she had basically hijacked him and told him what to do. But he rolled with it. If that was what he was planning all along, he didn't say.
Maybe she did have a tendency to grab the bull by the horns. After all, the last few years that she'd spent on her own, having tofigure things out, having to take care of herself and her boys, had taught her that she couldn't be a shrinking violet.
But maybe she could learn to do that again. To support rather than command. She would like that.
Mark arranged the candles cleverly, so that there was no chance of having them knocked over, but that they would provide the maximum amount of warmth and glowing light for the group of people who gathered. He made a small announcement, quiet, so that he didn't wake any of the sleeping congregants, but loud enough that everyone could hear. Soon there were fifteen or so people gathered around, sitting in the chairs that he had arranged.
"I feel a little restless tonight," he began, as Olivia sat down in a chair in the back. She had to admit it felt good to be off her feet. But she also loved listening to Mark. His voice was calm and soothing, yet he had a commanding air about him that wasn't arrogant or intimidating. Just... comforting. The kind of man a person felt like they could trust. "And I thought it might be a nice idea for us all to get together and just reaffirm the fact that God is in control, and that we trust Him to have our very best at heart. Even if that sometimes hurts in the present moment."
There were nods around, and Olivia found herself agreeing as well. It was hard to trust. Especially when bad things were happening that a person had no control over, but they knew God could stop if He wanted to, and yet God chose not to.
"I don't understand why God lets bad things happen to good people."
Olivia wasn't sure, but that sounded like Millie Sanderson.
"That's just it. God's ways are higher than our ways. That's what it says in Isaiah. And his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. And that's why it's important for us to trust him. Because while we can't understand, and we don't see why, God does." Pastor Mark looked around the group. "He sees the whole picture. Not just the little pieces that we see. After all, when you have a puzzle to put together and you have one blue piece, you don't judge the whole thing,thinking you know what the whole puzzle should be just based on that piece. Do you?"
"No, of course we don't."
"And that's the way life is. We just see the little part that we're living. And not even all of that, a lot of times. After all, how many times have you lost something that you just had in your hand a few moments ago, and can't find it anywhere?"
There was a murmur of laughter. "So if we can't even keep track of our little day-to-day things, how can we even pretend to know or think we know what God should be doing? When we can't see it all."
"But I know when it hurts. And losing work right now, having the roof of my house cave in, that's gonna hurt."
Olivia couldn't see who spoke, but it was true. Losing the business this close to Christmas was going to pinch her financially. Although, God had already made a way for her to make more than she would've made had she been open on a regular year.
"Sometimes I think that's the whole 'God closes a door but he opens a window.' We think it should happen so that we're not inconvenienced or hurt at all, but it's usually in those times of inconvenience where we grow the most. And isn't that what God wants? For us to grow?" Pastor looked around, and there were a few nods, although Olivia noticed that there were a few people who didn't want to admit that. She could be in that camp. After all, for years, she'd questioned why God had her husband die. And she still didn't understand.
"That's what the Bible means when it says that we're supposed to trust God like a little child. You don't see Olivia's twin boys over there asking their mommy why they have to sleep at the church. They just get excited about the new thing."
"That's because they can't see how damaging it could be to our business," one guy spoke up.
"It's true. And maybe sometimes we see things, and we should just let them go. Because that's not our concern. If we can't do anything about it, if there's nothing we can do, let it go. Let Godworry about it. The Bible says His yoke is easy and His burden light. We're supposed to cast our cares on Him. He doesn't want us carrying around those things that are too heavy for us. We get bowed under the weight of those things, and then we're miserable, first of all, and secondly, He can't use us the way He wants to. Because when we're carrying around all of those encumbrances, we can't use our hands and our backs for God's work, because we're stuck carrying things around that we shouldn't be."
"That's good. Preach it,” one lady murmured.
Mark smiled just a little, but he looked over his small group, and Olivia could almost feel the love burning in his heart for the people that God had called him to shepherd.
His eyes met hers for a brief moment, and maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt like there was something special between them.
