A Place to Call Home | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: A Place to Call Home | Previous Challenge Entry
By Judy Traffie
11/29/07
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Becky stood looking at the red oak door willing her self to lift her hand and knock. She wiped her damp palms on her faded jeans and hung her head, her thick black hair falling to cover her face. She didn’t belong here. She didn’t even know why she had come.

She was used to being alone. She was comfortable in her little world even though she watched the families with yearning that constantly came through the store she worked in.

Lifting her head her eyes scanned the house in front of her. She had never even been inside a house this nice. Behind her she heard a car pull in the driveway its headlights casting a quick burst of light across the garage doors. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

Now is the time to go, her brain screamed at her. Clutching her Bible tightly she backed away from the door in quick, uncertain movements. Ducking her head she turned and quickly started down the walk as relief filled her. It was best to go home, back where people accepted her for who she was.

She hadn’t gone two steps before she walked into something solid and hard, filling her head with bright star bursts. Furtively she glanced up at what she had walked into.

Surprise and utter embarrassment filled her face with heat when she saw a tall man with warm brown eyes standing there watching her.

‘Where are you going? Bible study is through this door here’, his warm brown eyes smiled at her as he gently took her elbow steering her back the way she had come.

Trepidation rushed through her making her legs weak, but she found herself bustled through the door before she could say a word. Standing in the light of the warm entry hall she sternly told herself to stop acting like a baby. The nice lady that had stopped by her counter at the store wouldn’t have invited her if she hadn’t wanted too.

Shrugging out of her coat she slowly hung it up on the coat rack with the others, her eyes taking in the furnishings with awe. This was just like her dream house that she told herself one day she would have.

‘Becky! I am so glad you made it. We prayed that God would place it on your heart to join us!’, the woman Becky remembered rushed towards her a big smile on her face, her arms reaching for a hug.

Giving her a small, shy smile Becky allowed herself to be hugged. ‘Hi, Mrs. Griffin I almost didn’t make it.’

A voice boomed loudly behind her causing her to jump. ‘Don’t worry Elvira, I found her on the steps trying to make a run for it and made sure she found her way in.’

The man with the warm brown eyes stood behind her smiling, his eyes twinkling at her.

‘Well. Thank you, Josh that certainly would have been a pity if we’d lost Becky before she even made it inside. Now dear, come join us in the living room, we were just about to start.’

Mrs. Griffin’s aged hand enclosed hers in a soft comforting grip as she tugged her along towards the group gathered around the roaring fire. Becky found herself gently pushed down into a well worn brown leather chair near the fire as the man called Josh lead the group in prayer.

‘Father thank you for the privilege to gather together tonight. Please lead and guide our study tonight. Thank you for each of us being able to attend and especially look over Becky our newest member. Bless her. Amen.’

Becky’s insides jumped at the mention of her name. Did they think she was a charity case they had only asked out of pity? Glancing up through the curtain of hair she scanned each face and found only friendliness, happiness, openness.

Isn’t this what she had wanted for so long, a group of Godly friends to encourage and uplift her? She had become so accustomed to the lonely feeling that was her constant companion that when suddenly a soft warmth filled her chest, tears instantly filled her eyes as well.

Silently, inconspicuously wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes she met Josh’s warm gaze over the murmur of friendly voices. He seemed to be saying, ‘Welcome. I know exactly how you feel.’

While in her heart God seemed to be saying, ‘Welcome home my child. Welcome home.’

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