Clouds
Authors: Robin Jones Gunn
“Years ago my daughters and wife were inhaling Robin Gunn’s stories and loving them, so I had to take a peek myself to find out why. I did. Robin’s characters are believable, and her stories have just the right blend of hope, broken hearts, disappointments, lighthearted fun, joy, and an eternal perspective. The Lord Jesus always plays a role, whether behind the scenes or in the thick of things. Robin lives the faith that’s so evident in her books. She knows how to tell a story—and the stories she tells make an eternal difference.”
R
ANDY
A
LCORN
,
AUTHOR OF
D
EADLINE
“When you read a Robin Gunn book, you know you’re going to receive a tender lesson in what it means to belong to Christ—and you will be blessed for it.”
F
RANCINE
R
IVERS
,
AUTHOR OF
R
EDEEMING
L
OVE
AND
T
HE
M
ARK OF THE
L
ION
S
ERIES
“Gratefully Robin’s warmth, insight, and humor spill over from her heart onto the written page. She delights us with the well-woven fabric of a well-told tale and I’m certain Robin delights the Lord with her obvious passion for him.”
P
ATSY
C
LAIRMONT
,
AUTHOR OF
G
OD
U
SES
C
RACKED
P
OTS
AND
S
PORTIN
’
A
’T
UDE
“Robin Jones Gunn cares. She cares about her characters, she cares about her readers, and most of all, she cares about their mutual search for a life that pleases the Lord. Her novels are a delight to read—perfectly crafted, heartwarming, and fun. I’m always thrilled when one of Robin’s books appears on the top of my to-be-read stack!”
L
IZ
C
URTIS
H
IGGS
,
AUTHOR OF
M
IXED
S
IGNALS
, B
OOKENDS
,
AND
B
AD
G
IRLS OF THE
B
IBLE
“Robin Jones Gunn is one of those rare and wonderful writers who infuses her stories with bountiful doses of humor, wisdom, and warmth. Her books have touched and changed countless hearts and given a whole generation of readers a host of fictional characters who feel like dear friends!”
C
AROLE
G
IFT
P
AGE
,
AUTHOR OF
H
EARTLAND
M
EMORIES
S
ERIES
“Whenever I think of stories that touch the heart, I think of Robin Jones Gunn. They touch my heart and leave me wanting more. Reading a novel by Robin Jones Gunn is like spending time with a good friend … troubles are lighter and joys are deeper.”
A
LICE
G
RAY
,
AUTHOR OF
S
TORIES FOR THE
H
EART BOOK COLLECTION
“Robin Jones Gunn writes from a heart of love. Her tender stories honor the Savior and speak truth to a world desperately eager to hear it.”
A
NGELA
E
LWELL
H
UNT
,
AUTHOR OF
T
HE
T
RUTH
T
ELLER
“Robin Gunn is a gifted and sincere storyteller who gets right to the heart of matters with her readers.”
M
ELODY
C
ARLSON
,
AUTHOR OF
H
OMEWARD
HE
G
LENBROOKE
S
ERIES
#1 Secrets
#2 Whispers
#3 Echoes
#4 Sunsets
#5 Clouds
#6 Waterfalls
#7 Woodlands
#8 Wildflowers
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
CLOUDS
published by Multnomah Books
© 1997 by Robin’s Ink, LLC
eISBN: 978-0-307-82466-0
Cover design and images by Steve Gardner/His Image PixelWorks
Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible
, New International Version © 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Also quoted:
The Holy Bible
, New King James Version ©1984 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Revised Standard Version Bible
© 1946, 1952 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc, New York
M
ULTNOMAH
and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.
For information:
MULTNOMAH BOOKS, 11265 ORACLE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80921
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gunn, Robin Jones, 1955-
Clouds/by Robin Jones Gunn.
p.cm. I. Title.
1-59052-230-3
PS3557.U4866C58 1997 97-11839
813′.54—dc21
v3.1
To Beckie Melli, who walked with me
in the hushed woods that led us to St. Annakapella
.
And to my dear grandma, Gertrude Rudi Clawson,
who has prayed for me since the day I was born
.
Thank you both for teaching me
to treasure my godly heritage
.
Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
lift up a song to him who rides on the clouds
.
P
SALM
68:4,
RSV
S
helly Graham placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. A creak echoed from the hinges, and she smiled. Everything about this room felt familiar, friendly, welcoming. She stood in the doorway and surveyed her childhood bedroom. Two twin beds with white wrought-iron frames stood their ground as they had for more than twenty years, like faithful soldiers guarding the window between them.