When All My Dreams Come True (28 page)

Bobbie awoke to find Annie sleeping next to her. Her presence surprised her until she remembered waking during the night to see her trying to sleep in that uncomfortable chair. She had ordered Annie to get into the bed with her or go on to her own. Without hesitation, Annie climbed in next to her.

The first light of dawn peeked through the checkered curtains on her window. For the first time she could remember, the sight didn’t bring her any joy. She slid from under the covers, careful not to disturb Annie’s sleep. Fresh clothes hung on a hook next to the door. She grabbed them and moved to the washroom to get dressed. Then she slipped out the kitchen door and headed for the privacy of the porch.

Yesterday’s events played through her mind and pulled her further back to when she had been accused of bank robbery. Before long, her thoughts drifted to God. If Jace was right about Him being in control of everything, then why did He allow all of this to happen? She had been going to church and the Bible studies without fail.

Footsteps crunched on the stone pathway surrounding the house. She turned and saw Annie headed her way.

“There you are. You were pretty quiet, or else I was very tired.” Annie sat next to her. “Do you mind, or would you rather be alone?”

Bobbie shrugged. She no longer knew what she wanted. “You can stay.” Annie examined her face, a curious tilt to her head. Bobbie reached over and took her hand. “Thank you for everything, Annie.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, you did. You were there for me.” She glanced at her and then looked across the ranch. She fought the tears that never seemed far away. “You didn’t judge me. Not yesterday or when I was accused of bank robbery. You stood with me as my friend through it all.” She swallowed hard and forced out the last. “You did a lot.”

Annie smiled and squeezed her hand. The two sat without saying a word. The morning sun shimmered between the trees. How could God create something so beautiful, and then allow something so ugly to happen? It made no sense. Yet Annie loved and trusted Him completely. Why?

“There are a lot of emotions flashing across your face, Bobbie. Care to share some of them?”

A daring blue jay darted out from the trees and stole a bit of corn that lay scattered on the ground for the chickens. She watched mirthlessly.

“Why would God allow this to happen, Annie? What did I do to deserve it? I’ve been trying to live right—going to church and such. I’ve tried to learn about Him. I even thought I was beginning to know Him. But now I don’t think I know Him at all. I don’t understand why this happened. First, He takes my mother from me, then my father, leaving me with no kin to speak of. Now this. I don’t understand.” Her gaze bored into Annie’s, waiting,
pleading
for an answer.

“I don’t know the answers to all of that, Bobbie. Sometimes things happen and we don’t find out why until much later. Sometimes we never know why this side of heaven.”

“Then how can you trust a God like that? How can you trust someone who will put you through terrible things for no apparent reason?”

“There’s always a reason, Bobbie. God allows each of us to make choices. We can choose for God or against Him. We can choose good or evil. Free will can get man into trouble.” Annie paused. “Or it could be part of God’s bigger and perfect plan. There’s a verse in Romans that says, ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!’

“It’s impossible for us mere humans to understand everything about God and His ways and wisdom. He is righteous and sovereign. We can’t possibly know or understand His plan. We just have to trust that He knows what’s best.”

Bobbie pondered that for a moment, trying to soak it all in. “Say that passage again, Annie.”

After Annie finished reciting it, Bobbie said, “I like that. It sounds so...
immense
is the only word that comes close to describing how that verse sounds.”

“That’s a good word for it. That’s also one of my favorite verses.”

“I can see why.”

“As for your church and Bible study attendance, Bobbie, they won’t save you. Only belief in Jesus Christ as your Savior will do that. And even when we’re saved, God doesn’t promise that life will be easy or that bad things won’t happen. But He does promise to be with us and help us through those times. Wouldn’t you rather go through them with God than without Him?”

Annie gripped Bobbie’s hand again. “The Bible tells us that God loves us so much that He didn’t want us to die separated from Him, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place so that we could live forever with God. The Bible tells us the way we do that is to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, and we can be saved.”

Bobbie was quiet at first. Then she sighed. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Oh, but it is that easy. It just takes true heartfelt belief to become a child of God. The peace that comes with the knowledge that you are His is incredible. It’s a binding relationship. Even more so than that piece of paper you and Pete signed when you placed your money in his care. This relationship can’t be torn, lost, or stolen. It’s an eternal commitment.
Nothing
can separate us from His love.”

Bobbie stared at the sky for several minutes. “I called out to Him.” She turned back to Annie. “Yesterday, when that man attacked me. I asked God to help me.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Then Jace showed up.”

Annie pulled her close. “Doesn’t that show you how much you want and need the Lord? Your thoughts went to Him when you
were in trouble. Your soul is crying out to be filled with His presence. You don’t have to deny yourself or Him any longer. You can have what you’re looking for today, right now.”

Bobbie sat back and went over the conversation in her mind. She didn’t want to make the most important decision of her life on a whim. She thought back to all the sincere believers she’d ever known. They all had something she didn’t—something she wanted.

“I want that kind of peace you spoke of, Annie. I want what my mom had. I want what you, Pete, and Jace have. I want God with me through the good times as well as the bad.”

Annie reached over and took Bobbie’s hand in hers. “Then ask Him. Step out in faith and ask Him to come and live within you. Admit that you’re a sinner and ask Him to forgive you of those sins and to make you His child. All it takes is a prayer.”

She looked into Annie’s eyes, her heart beating a little faster. Then she bowed her head.

“Dear God in heaven, I’ve been independent for so long that I’ve let it blind me to my need for You. I thought I would be fine on my own, putting my trust only in myself, but I was wrong. Lord, I’m tired of walking in that blindness. Take hold of my heart, Lord, and don’t ever let go. Forgive me of the sins that I’ve let build up in my life and wash them all away. Thank You for the chance to become Your child, and help me become the person You want me to be.”

She looked up at Annie then, her eyes filled with tears. Annie jumped up and pulled Bobbie into her arms. The women held each other as they wept, but for the first time, Bobbie’s tears were of incredible joy.

Jace pulled the outside kitchen door open, but closed it again when he heard the sound of crying. He went around to the porch and cleared his throat to let Bobbie know of his presence, then spotted Annie, who turned with a smile on her face.

“Jace, I’d like you to meet our new sister.”

Comprehension came slowly, but he knew of only one thing that would cause the look of joy on Bobbie’s face. He flew up the steps to hug her and welcome her to the family of God. Her hesitation accepting his embrace made him stop.

“I’ve got to tell Pete,” Annie said. “He’ll be so happy!” She ran into the house, leaving Jace and Bobbie alone.

“I can’t tell you how happy this makes me, Bobbie.”

“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time. My heart is pounding like I’ve just run a mile, yet I also feel at peace.”

“It only gets better. Just wait and see.”

Bobbie looked as uncomfortable as Jace felt. He started to suggest they move to the kitchen when she touched his arm.

“Thank you for helping me yesterday, Jace. I don’t think there’s any way I can tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“I’m just glad I was there.”

He couldn’t breathe. He had so much more to say, but he wasn’t prepared. The fact that she still couldn’t look him in the eye didn’t help, but at least she spoke to him. That was a start.

   TWENTY-TWO   

B
obbie lifted up on the barn door as she opened it to keep it from squeaking. She’d made it this far without being seen. Sneaking out for an early morning ride had the touch of criminal behavior, but with the way Jace had been hovering, she had no other choice.

He had asked her to stay near the ranch for a while. She thought he was being overprotective. Two days after becoming a Christian, she attended the church service. After the message, many of the members approached her with congratulations. Jace stood at her elbow the entire time. He seemed to be nearby every second as she went about her work on the ranch. If he wasn’t in her line of vision, she only had to look around to find him watching. She prayed his protectiveness would wear off soon.

Leading Mack out of the barn, Bobbie stopped long enough to pat the nose of Jace’s stallion, who had stuck his head out of his stall and snorted. If Jace didn’t hurry and name the black, she’d do it herself. She dug a treat from her pocket. The stallion loved them almost as much as Mack did.

Hoping to keep Mack silent, Bobbie fed him a treat of his own while she closed the door behind them. Instead of mounting up right away, she led Mack past Annie’s house, then Jace’s, all the while rubbing Mack’s nose to keep him quiet.