CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

“Nice to see you again, Todd.” Jake marched into Drew and Donna’s family room and shook the pastor’s hand. “I’ve been enjoying your sermons on Sunday nights.” He dropped onto the couch next to Drew.

“Thanks. It’s still a little intimidating speaking to adults rather than teens, but I’m working through it.” Todd nodded sagely, and Jake laughed at his frankness.

The three guys made small talk for a few minutes before Donna called everyone into the dining room for dinner. Much to Jake’s delight, she’d made his favorite, lasagna. As he ate, he tried not to think about his first date with Didi.

After dinner, Jake and Drew took turns holding the sleepy twins while Donna cleared the table. Jake jiggled Jonathan on his knee before handing him to Drew. The dear child promptly spit up all over Drew’s shirt.

“Thanks, buddy.” Drew scowled and mopped up his shirt with a towel.

“No problem.” Jake played with little CJ and made baby sounds.

Donna brought coffee into the family room for the men. With a twin in each arm, she hauled the boys upstairs to put them to bed.

Drew squatted and performed an impassioned drum roll on the coffee table. “Jake, we’ve asked you here this evening because Donna and I had an epiphany this week. In fact, we can’t believe you didn’t think of it. It’s as plain as the noble nose on your face. Todd, do you want to take it from here?” Drew gestured to Todd and sat down. “He’s all yours.”

Todd laughed and shook his head. “Well, Jake, I understand from your friends that God has called you to be a minister. Have I got that right?”

Jake nodded and added two spoons of sugar to his coffee. “Yep. And I’m running out of time. The lease on my house is up on Wednesday. Should I stay or should I go? Buy the bungalow or relocate to a new city? What seminary should I attend? Will I be accepted? What courses should I take? I’ve been trying to wait on Him, and I’ve been praying for direction, but I haven’t got a clue as to what He wants me to do.”

“I know how you feel. Being completely dependent on God’s direction is uncharted territory for lots of folks. I know it was for me. I was in a similar place five years ago.”

“What did you do?” Jake leaned forward, listening with his whole heart.

Todd eased back in the chair and crossed his left leg with his right. “I took an inventory of my talents and strengths. I figured God had given me certain gifts for a reason. Do you know what I really wanted to do—and what I was good at? I loved working with teenagers. I wanted to make their world a better place and point them toward God. That’s when I decided to be a youth pastor, and I’ve never regretted it.” He chuckled. “At least most of the time.”

Jake’s mouth twitched with laughter. “It was that simple?” He was having trouble believing it was that easy.

“It was that simple.”

Drew waved a hand to get everyone’s attention. “Didn’t I tell you it was as plain as…?”

“The nose on my face? Well, it does make sense. I’m already working with kids because I love it. And I do have a master’s in education. I suppose it wouldn’t be too hard to get my Master’s in Divinity as a youth pastor, or am I being naïve?”

“No, you’re right on track. It might take a while, but many of your courses should transfer. Plus, you may want to consider doing what I did. I took an M. Div in-service program. Some of the assignments have to be completed in the context of a ministry assignment.”

“Huh?” Jake wasn’t following what he was hearing.

“I was already working at Crossroads part-time. I could continue to work right here, get my degree, and do what I loved.”

Drew broke in. “He’s saying, dumbbell, you don’t have to move to a seminary. You can work at the church and get credit for doing that while you’re taking courses online.”

Jake inclined his head and rested his elbows on his knees.

Todd shrugged. “Sorry. We don’t seem to be doing this in the right order. We have a position open at Crossroads for a youth pastor trainee. We’re looking for the right person to help with our new youth programs—someone who can relate to the kids and meet them where they are. Your middle school teaching experience would be invaluable, and I’d be happy to help mentor you through seminary. That is, if you’re interested.”

“You’re asking me if I’d like a job at the church—just like that?”

“Just like that. You came with good references.” Todd fired Drew a look and turned back to Jake. “Donna said you were great. I’d take her word anytime.”

Drew snorted. “Hey, what about me? Didn’t I tell you he was a first-class all around good guy?”

“That you did.” Todd sipped his coffee. “So, would you like to think it over?”

Drew made a face. “He always has to think through everything. There’s not a spontaneous bone in this man’s body.”

“Hey, watch it. I’m a changed man.” This was his answer to prayer. He stood and offered his hand to Todd to shake on the deal. “I’ll take it. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“Woohoo!” Drew pumped his fist in the air. “I’m happy for you, Jake.”

Jake and Todd talked over the details and decided on a plan of action. Time really was running out, and Jake had a great deal of work to do on Monday.

As the men were discussing the changes Todd had recently made to the youth program, Donna waltzed out of the kitchen carrying a chocolate birthday cake. She launched into “Happy Birthday” in her warm alto. Todd and Drew joined in with a screeching tenor and croaking bass, sung loud and off-key. Jake grimaced and covered his ears.

After setting the cake on the coffee table in front of Jake, Donna lit the candle. “Knowing how much you love anything chocolate, please notice that not only is this a devil’s food cake with chocolate icing, but it even has chocolate chips on top. If I could have found a chocolate candle, I’d have put that on too.”

“Aw. You really know how to make a guy feel special.” The tips of Jake’s ears flamed hot as he blew out the candle.

Donna cut the luscious-looking cake and passed the plates around. “And there’s more.” She scampered into the kitchen and brought back a small stack of birthday gifts.

His present from Drew was a can of tennis balls and a Simpsons card two feet high, complete with a grinning Homer holding a pink balloon. Donna had been more creative with her gift of a dozen homemade cinnamon buns. Now, that was a present. He could freeze them and pull one out for breakfast whenever the urge hit him. Sweet.

Todd’s gift came last. He reached into his pocket and brought out a small object. “My present to you would be the key to your new office. I’ll show you around before church tomorrow night if you like.”

A flood of warmth washed over Jake as he held the small brass key. Drawing his key ring from his pocket, he snapped the gift into place. “I don’t know how to thank you, Todd. I feel so blessed.” Jake pushed his fingers through his hair. He guessed now was the time to ask the question he’d been pondering all evening.

“Uh, could I ask you a question?”

“Sure, Jake. What’s on your mind? And you have frosting on your forehead.”

“Thanks.” Jake rubbed the smudge of chocolate icing off his brow. “You’re married, right?”

“Very happily married. Best two years of my life. Remind me to introduce you to Karen tomorrow. Why?”

“Well…I was just wondering…I mean…I recently broke up with my girlfriend, and it’s killing me.”

Jake glanced over at Drew, who was slowly shaking his head. “Worst decision he ever made. Donna and I miss Didi, don’t we, honey?” Drew patted the sofa, inviting Donna to sit between him and Jake.

Donna shoved Drew over and punched him lightly on the arm. “Hush. We know he had his reasons. Good reasons.” She reached over and wiped Jake’s temple.

Jake flashed her a smile in response. “Thanks. I thought I had good reasons. Now I’m not so sure.” He tapped a finger on his knee. “Didi and I only went out for a couple of months, and I know it sounds crazy, but I wanted to marry her. We were so right together, and I sensed God’s blessing.”

Todd bent forward, a rapt expression on his face. “What happened? Why did you tell her goodbye?”

“I was sure God wanted me to surrender all, including Didi. Does that make any sense? I’d been running from God for so long that I wanted—no, I needed—to give Him everything.”

“Okay, I’m going to trust that God was speaking to you and that you were listening.” He chuckled. “It’s funny you’re bringing this up now, though. Tomorrow night’s service is devoted to the teens, so I’m preaching the sermon. You just summed up my evening’s message.”

“Is God really asking us to surrender all, as in everything? Somehow that doesn’t seem quite fair.” Jake leaned in closer.

“You’re familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac?”

“Sure.”

“My talk is titled ‘Are You in a Desperate Situation?’ It sounds like you’re right there with Abraham. I would guess that desperate is exactly how the man felt when God asked him to sacrifice his own son—the son who had been a long-awaited gift from God. His circumstances would have seemed hopeless.”

“Yes, and you’re right. That would be me. Life without Didi seems unimaginable.”

“Imagine Abraham’s angst. On the darkest day of his life, he and Isaac trudged up the side of the mountain. Despite his sorrow, Abraham put one foot in front of the other, his dread increasing with every step. Isaac’s death seemed certain.”

Drew cut himself another piece of cake. “I’ve always wondered how a father could possibly be willing to give up his own son. Now that I’m a dad, I find it harder to understand.”

Todd pursed his lips. “It doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it? But understanding this part helps. Abraham trusted God with his whole heart. Even if he had to surrender everything…” Todd glanced over at Jake. “No matter what, he was going to listen and obey when it seemed crazy. Now, here’s the cool part. At the same time that Abraham and Isaac were walking up the mountain, a sacrificial ram was climbing up the other side. For every step Abraham took toward the summit, the ram also took a step. God placed that ram at the top of the mountain at precisely the right moment.”

Jake took a deep breath. “So, what you’re saying is God put his plan in place before Abraham was aware of it?”

“Yes, that’s it. All Abraham saw was his pain, but God was already prepared to save Isaac. God had to make sure Abraham really meant it when he said he trusted Him. God was testing him.”

Folding his hands in his lap, Todd sat back. “To answer your question, does God want us to surrender all? Maybe in some cases, He does. But I’m thinking that most of the time, He just wants to know if we’re willing to sacrifice.” He looked Jake in the eye. “Why don’t you think on that and listen to what God is saying to you?”

* * *

The next morning, from the moment his eyes popped open, Jake longed to see Didi. If he called her, would she be angry with him? That was a distinct possibility, and it worried him. Worse yet, what if she’d moved on and found someone else? If she was dating another guy, it would tear him to pieces. She was a beautiful woman, inside and out, and he wouldn’t blame the other man one bit.

He settled in his leather chair with his Bible. He pored over the Scriptures and spent quality time in the Old Testament. Repeatedly, he observed the many ways God had answered prayer. He remembered that day at the falls when the Lord had given him a promise from the Psalms. His God was the God who performed miracles. He held fast to that assurance and expected his own miracle.

Todd’s words sprung to mind. “…and because Abraham obeyed the Lord and was willing to give up the thing that was the most important to him, God honored Abraham’s pleas. Abraham had passed the test, and God gave Isaac back to his father.”

Abraham’s obedience had been tested, and God had been merciful. Hardly daring to hope, Jake opened his heart and prayed, asking if his own willingness to sacrifice had been enough. The answer came back to him loud and clear. God was indeed merciful, and it was enough.

Grateful beyond words, Jake’s soul flooded with joy as he rose to his feet. He had to see Didi. He wanted to tell her the wonderful news—that is, if she still wanted to see him.