Sean Donovan (The Californians, Book 3) (20 page)

"I want to talk with you more about this passage of
Scripture. I want you to know what the Bible has to say
about Jesus Christ in the weeks to come. But before I run
out of time, I must stop and ask you this: When was the
last time you talked to Jesus Christ as Nicodemus did?

"We can't stand face to face with Jesus as he was able
to do, but let me tell you, friends, we can talk to Christ as
though He were in the room. I'm referring to prayer.
Maybe you think praying is just for preachers, but I
assure you it's not. God wants to hear from each and
every one of you. First, He wants to hear you pray and
give yourself to Him, or as Jesus said to be 'born again,'
as we must do if we want to have eternal life. Then He
wants to hear you praise Him and share your every need.

"I'm going to close with my favorite verses in all of
Scripture, and they are in the same passage we are in
today. John 3:16 and 17 say, 'For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world through him might be
saved.'

"If there is any doubt in your mind as to what those
verses mean, please come and see me. Don't let another
day pass without settling your eternity. You can know
this Jesus Christ as your own personal Lord and Savior."

The congregation was dismissed with a song and then
a brief prayer. Sean and Charlie stood and moved toward
the door of the church. Sean was unsure what type of
welcome he would receive, and afraid that if Charlie saw
him rebuffed it would only confirm her belief that some
of these people were hypocrites. Sean knew from firsthand experience that born-again Christians were not
perfect, and he understood that they might be quite
hesitant to associate with a convicted bank robber.

Sean convinced himself that leaving quickly was the
best answer to protecting his wife's feelings. They were
halfway to the buggy when Duncan called out. Sean and
Charlie both turned to see Visalia's sheriff and his wife
approaching, each wearing huge smiles of welcome.

It's great to see you here, Sean." Duncan spoke softy
while Lora took Charlie over to meet her daughter and
grandson.

"It's great to be here," Sean cheerfully replied, grabbing Duncan's hand.

"How are things going at home and in the livery?"

"Unbelievably. Charlotte treats me like a king."

Duncan nodded. "I knew you would do well together.
I'm sure you've caught on that her growing-up years
were not easy."

"She doesn't share much, but it's obvious."

"Have you had a chance to talk about spiritual things?"

"Not really. I mean, she's somewhat open when we
talk, but I think she's afraid to ask too many questions;
fearful of intruding into my past. And I'm wary of pushing her and saying too much."

"I can understand that. We'll keep praying, Sean."

"Thanks, Duncan. I want you to know that my main
prayer is that Charlotte will come to Christ. God has
already answered so many prayers in my life, so quickly,
and I really do understand that oftentimes He asks us to
wait. I was saved from hanging, and just minutes later I was married. Now in a very short time I've come to care
deeply for my wife.

"My deepest desire is that Charlotte will be saved and
we'll go to Hawaii someday to continue the mission work
there. It's not going to happen overnight, like it has so
far, but God is sufficient, and I know that in His time,
we'll be wherever He leads."

Duncan reached out and touched the younger man's
shoulder. He seemed unable to speak, and Sean, who
turned to watch his wife some ten yards away, was glad
for the silence.

Sean lay in bed Sunday night and reflected on the day.
There had been nothing but handshakes and smiles of
welcome from the pastor and the rest of the congregation. Duncan and Lora had even asked them to dinner,
but Charlie had explained with visible regret that her
Aunt Sadie was expecting them.

Lora, in her gracious, unpretentious manner, simply
asked the Donovans to come the following week, and
Charlie had quickly accepted. Sean wondered if anyone
had ever tried to reach out to Charlie in the past, or if
someone had tried and been rejected. He also wondered
how much of this she was doing for him. He felt grateful
over this thought, but also prayed that Charlie would
soon have an interest in eternal issues.

For the first time he understood the way his sister must
have felt as she watched him grow harder and harder
toward God. Kaitlin had known that Sean's eternity was
secure, while Sean didn't have the same assurance about
Charlie's, but that wouldn't stop the ache, the longing, to
have your loved one walk in the way of the Lord.

Sean fell asleep thinking about his father. Had he ever
made it back to Santa Rosa? Evidently not, since Katie hadn't even mentioned him in her letter. Sean tried not
to read anything into that, but he knew in an instant that
he was not completely over his anger. Within seconds
his mind was immersed in his painful past. How long
would Father stay away? How long before he would see
that his family needed him? How long before things
could be patched up between father and son?

If only we could be in touch, even in a letter. Those were
Sean's last thoughts before he remembered he'd written
back to his sister just that evening and asked about
Father. Now all he could do was wait, or hope that
Marcail's letter would arrive with some news.

"Do you believe what that preacher said on Sunday
about prayer?"

Sean sighed with relief over the question. Charlie had
been very quiet since Sunday morning, and Sean simply
didn't know how to ask her what she was thinking. It
was Wednesday, and they were relaxing in the living
room of their small home as the sun sank low in the sky.

"Yes, I believe it. Is there something in particular
you're questioning?"

Charlie looked embarrassed and then quietly admitted, "I'm not really sure there's even Someone up there,
let alone talking as though God was in the same room
with me."

"Why don't you think God exists?"

Charlie shrugged. "He never answered my prayers
when I was young, so I knew He wasn't there and just
stopped praying."

Sean wasn't sure what to say. He believed that God's
will was perfect, even when it hurt, but how did you
explain that to someone whose faith was nonexistent?

"What types of things did you pray about?" Sean felt
he had picked a safe question and was certain when a
smile came over his wife's face.

"I wanted a pony of my very own," Charlie sighed.
'All the horses were always so big for me, and I wanted
one I could mount and ride on my own. But a pony
wouldn't have been an asset to the business, so Grandpa
said no."

Sean was quiet, hoping that she would continue. He
never suspected that his feelings, already very protective, would forever deepen in their intensity.

"I also asked God to make my grandfather stop hitting
me." Charlie didn't look at Sean as she continued, "It
seemed that I couldn't do anything right when I was
growing up, and Grandpa's answer was always an openhanded blow. Sadie said it wasn't me, that he was just
like that. He used to slap her all the time too.

"Sadie also believes that he hit my mother so hard that
she died having me. My mother would never tell him
who my father was, and even though she'd always been
his favorite child, Grandpa wouldn't forgive her.

"Sadie married Harry just to get away from Grandpa,
and they had a good life together. They even tried to take
me in, but Grandpa fell in love with my red hair. Even
though he acted like he hated me half of the time, he
wouldn't let me go."

Charlie had stared out the window for this emotionless recital, and Sean couldn't take his eyes from her.
How could anyone have mistreated this girl? How could
anyone have laid a violent hand on this woman? They
were sharing the sofa, and an instant later, Sean, overcome with his newfound emotions, covered the distance
that separated them and took his wife in his arms.

Charlie whispered in his ear as she let him hold her
close, "I'm all right, Sean."

"Well, I'm not," he whispered back and settled her
head more comfortably on his shoulder. "I'm not going
to let anyone else hurt you."

His hold was almost crushing her, but Charlie didn't
resist. After a few moments she sighed, "It was all a long
time ago." She sounded very reasonable. "You are really
too sensitive, you know, and I don't know what I'm
going to do with you."

Sean didn't answer. He pressed his lips to her forehead and his arms tightened slightly. Charlie turned her
head to look up into his face, glad that she was once
again without her hat. Sean's eyes traveled caressingly
over her features and emotions flooded through him,
ranging from fierce protectiveness to tender desire.

He realized in that instant that he was truly in love
with this woman. He ached to declare his love for her,
but a tiny fear of rejection lingered in his mind. The
desire to kiss her was overpowering, and almost of its
own volition his head began to lower. His lips were just a
breath away from Charlie's when a knock sounded at the
front door.

Sean drew back reluctantly. He rose from the sofa, but
the look of longing on his wife's face made him sit back
down and reach for her. The knock sounded again.

"Later," Sean said in a strained voice as he once again
pulled away. "We'll finish this later."

The sun was still casting an orange glow in the sky 'as
Sean answered the summons at the door. There wasn't
much light, and the man at the door was now a stranger,
but Sean knew him. His face was older, and he looked
thinner than the boy of 14 remembered, but Sean would
have known his father anywhere.

Patrick felt as if the air had been knocked from his
body at the sight of his son. He had left a frightened 14year-old boy and come back to find a man, strong of limb
and features. In fact, he felt like he was looking at a
younger version of himself.