The question slammed into her, uninvited and unshakable.
She had spent years defending the church against Lynn’s skepticism. Every time her sister rolled her eyes at the mention of a Bible study or dismissed a sermon as just another way for Christians to feel superior, Beth had argued back:“That’s not fair. That’s not what church is about. That’s not who we are.”
But today?
Today, she wasn’t sosure.
Jackie’s voice still rang in her ears, smug and self-righteous: “You might want to think about taking some time away from the church as you attempt to get your life back in order with the Word of God.”
The words hurt, but what stung even worse was the way she had said them. As if Beth were nothing more than a stain to be scrubbed away.
Beth clenched her fists, remembering Lynn’s graduation party—how towards the end of the night Beth found Lynn behind the garage, eye make-up running down her freckled cheeks, furious. She said the church ladies had pulled her aside at her own graduation party, of all places, and warned her she’d be pregnant, homeless, and addicted to drugs before she was twenty.
Beth had suggested that maybe Lynn misunderstood what they were saying. Perhaps they were just trying to caution her that without giving her life to Jesus those things could happen.
But she had also—shamefully—believed it was just Lynn being Lynn. That her sister was blowing it out of proportion, twisting it to fit her anti-church narrative.
She could still hear Lynn’s bitter laugh.
“Oh, Bethy. You still think these people love like Jesus, don’t you? You really think they care, but what do you think will happen if you do something they don’t like?”.
Beth had argued. Of course they cared. Of course they loved like Jesus.
She had been so sure.
Butnow?
Now she stood in the same shoes Lynn had worn years ago, and it wasn’t just painful—it was devastating.
Beth had always assumed the church would be her safe place. That, no matter what, these were the people who would stand beside her, love her, support her.
But today, they had humiliated her. Rejected her.
They had shamed her and she had never felt so lost.
Her faith in God hadn’t wavered. He was still good. Still merciful. Still, everything she needed.
But it was as though her eyes had been opened to a reality she had never seen before, and she didn’t know what to do with it.
Bryce shifted beside her, ending her reminiscing. “Ready?” he asked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
She wasn’t. But with a slow breath, she straightened her shoulders and nodded.
Bryce never let go of her hand as he led her toward the sanctuary. The song service was nearly over by the time they slipped in through the side door, stopping at the row where her parents sat.
Donald was at the piano, as he was most Sundays. Bryce had Beth precede him, making sure she was safely nestled between him and her mother.
Sue looked up, offering Bryce a warm smile before turning her gaze to Beth. The concern on her face was immediate.
Without a word, she reached over and took Beth’s other hand, squeezing gently.
CHAPTER 19
The weight of the morning still pressed down on Beth, but she held her head high as the ushers passed around the offering plate.
What she didn’t know—what no one knew—was that Lynn had changed her mind about leaving.
At the last moment, she had slipped unnoticed into the choir loft, arms crossed, foot tapping. Watching. Waiting.
