"That would be lovely, thanks Peter." Tessa smiled up at him as she held her cup out.
"Zoe's getting married today." The grin on Peter's face stretched from ear to ear.
"It's exciting, isn't it, Peter?" Tessa smiled at him as he poured her coffee.
"Yes, and she saved the farm."
"I know, she's a very clever girl."
Zoe caught Tessa's eyes and let out a small laugh. For Peter's sake she was glad the farm had been saved, but it wasn't her doing, it was God's. She knew that. Yes, maybe she and Harrison and Spencer had been the instruments God had used, but she had no doubt that God was to be given all the praise and glory, not her.
"Grandma can't come. She's in heaven with Jesus."
"But she's here in spirit, Peter. Look, I'm going to wear Grandma's brooch today in my hair." Zoe, opened the box sitting on the table and pulled out a beautiful dainty rhinestone vintage brooch, studded with five ivory pearls, remodelled into a hair comb.
"That's Grandma's, Zoe. It's pretty."
"It is, isn't it?"
"Yes. Do you want anything else to eat?"
"No, thanks, Peter, this is wonderful, thank you."
"It's my pleasure, Zoe." He giggled as he left and went back into the kitchen.
"He's a lovely boy, Zoe." Tessa said as she sipped her coffee.
"Yes, he really is."
The next hour passed pleasantly, and right on time, a car came up the driveway and stopped in front of the house. The hairdresser and beautician climbed out and waved to Zoe.
Zoe stood and waved down at the girls, both dressed in hippy-type summer dresses and returned the wave. "Come on up, Piper, Heidi. Peter can get your gear."
Moments later, Piper and Heidi appeared on the deck, with Peter not far behind carrying their bags.
"What a lovely deck, Zoe." Piper bent down and hugged her.
"Yes, it's lovely sitting out here. Thanks for coming out, both of you." Zoe returned Piper's hug and squeezed Heidi's hand.
"Our pleasure, Zoe. We're looking forward to it."
Zoe introduced Piper and Heidi to Emma and Tessa, and offered them a seat. "Help yourselves to some food, and then we'd better get started."
For the next few hours, Piper and Heidi pampered the three girls. Mum occasionally came out with Naomi still safely ensconced in her arms. Tessa fed her once, but then Mum was eager to have her back. Piper was going to do her hair after she'd finished with the girls.
"Well, what do you think?" Piper held a large mirror in front of Zoe.
Zoe's eyes widened as she looked at her reflection. She hadn't wanted anything too different, but she loved what she saw. Lifting her hand to the soft chignon sitting above her left shoulder, she smiled. Harrison would love it. So soft and shiny, and Grandma's brooch topped it off superbly.
She gave Piper and Heidi grateful smiles. "I love it. Thank you so much."
"You look beautiful, Zoe." Tessa gave her a warm smile.
"You look pretty good yourself, Tessa." Tessa's light brown hair had been curled and bounced lightly on her shoulders.
She laughed. "It's been a while since I've been pampered like this. We should do it more often."
"We can always dream." Zoe chuckled. Where would she find two hours to pamper herself once she returned to work?"
They all turned as Mum stepped onto the deck with a crying Naomi in her arms. "I think she wants her mum."
Tessa cooed at the baby as she took her from Mum's arms, and Naomi instantly stopped. Amazing.
Shortly after, while Naomi slept, Tessa, Emma and Mum helped Zoe into her dress, a sweetheart design in lace and French tulle over lustre satin. As she slipped it on and stood in the middle of Mum's bedroom floor while Emma did up the twenty tiny buttons on the back, it really started to feel like she was getting married.
"There, don't you look a treat." Mum's eyes moistened as she stepped back to get a better look. "Grandma would be proud." Mum held both her arms out and pulled Zoe into a gentle hug. "She loved you so much, Zoe."
It was all Zoe could do to stop her tears from flowing. Although Grandma wasn't here, her sweet nature lived on in Mum, and Zoe had a sense Grandma might be smiling down on her from above.
* * *
Harrison knew it was time when Jayden and his new friend, Luke, began playing the song that he and Zoe had chosen for her walk through the gum trees. He drew in a deep breath and caught the eyes of both Ben and Spencer. What would he have done without them today? Until this morning he had no nervousness at all, but a switch had been flicked in his stomach, and the butterflies had been with him all day. He had no doubt Zoe would turn up, he was as sure of her love as he was of his for her. Maybe it was normal…Ben said it was, but he didn't like it. But now as he turned and waited for the first glimpse of his beautiful bride, a sense of anticipation flowed through him. This was it. He was going to marry his Zoe. After all the waiting, his dreams were becoming reality.
A car door closed, and soon after, Peter appeared through the trees holding Lachlan's and Lara-Katie's hands. They could have just been taking a stroll in a forest park, except for what they wore—long black pants, waistcoats and bow-ties for the boys, and the cutest white dress he'd ever seen for Lara-Katie. She held a small basket overflowing with baby's breath and delicate salmon rosebuds.
Following close behind, Emma looked like a princess in a dark blue, soft flowing mid-length dress. And then came Tessa. Harrison glanced at Ben—the smile on Ben's face said it all. Tessa looked the epitome of elegance in her dark blue dress as she stepped slowly through the trees to the beautiful music Ben and Tessa's teenage son, Jayden, and his new friend, Luke, were playing.
Harrison's heart beat faster and his breath caught as Zoe appeared through the trees with her arm linked through Kevin's. Never had he seen such beauty. Her face radiated the joy he felt at seeing her, a joy he knew that was so much greater because they both had God in their hearts. And her dress…absolutely perfect for her. Soft, flowing, feminine. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she drew closer. He couldn't take his eyes off her. And then she was in front of him, and Kevin placed her hand into his. He squeezed it and smiled into her beautiful face. He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm as they turned to face Pastor Stanthorpe.
It was like a dream. Pastor Stanthorpe, Harrison and Zoe's pastor from their church in Brisbane, welcomed everyone to the wedding of Harrison James Smith and Zoe Anne Taylor. He thanked God for the beautiful setting, and for bringing the two of them together. They sang their favourite hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness," and then he spoke to them. What he was saying was important, so Harrison forced himself to focus, although he just wanted to say "I do".
"Harrison, Zoe, marriage isn't man's invention, it's God's, and its purpose is to honour Him and to bring Him glory. As in all of life, what matters most in marriage is God. You both stand here today declaring your commitment to God and to each other, and I'm honoured to be leading this service today. You both have incredible strengths that you bring to this marriage, and you both have a desire to submit yourself to God's word and to allow God to change you and mould you to become more like Jesus. Thus I'm honoured to be here today as your pastor, to be the one leading this service.
"It's been a blessing seeing you both grow so much this year, and I'm overjoyed that God has brought you to this moment, and that you asked me to be part of your special day. Let's pray."
Harrison squeezed Zoe's hand and caught her eye before bowing his head, the tenderness in her smile sending warmth through his whole body.
"Lord, we thank you that You've brought us here to this very moment on this very day. We love Harrison and Zoe and we're excited for them. We pray, Lord, that this commitment being made today would honour and glorify You for their lifetime. May the message of the gospel be evident in this marriage and may they together be true witnesses to Your love to those around them. Oh, Lord, we pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen."
"Tessa is now going to b
ring us our Bible reading."
Tessa stepped to the middle, in front of the simple arbour of rustic timber doors decorated with a trailing wreath of soft roses. She stood behind a small lectern and cleared her voice. "Today's reading comes from 1 Corinthians 13, verses 1 to 13." She looked down at her Bible and began. "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Harrison's heart quickened as the words reached deep into his soul. Life giving words from the Father, and right there he committed to love Zoe with everything he had.
Tessa finished reading…"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
Lifting her head, she turned to Harrison and Zoe and gave them a smile that came from deep within. "God bless you both, my dear friends."
They'd written their own vows, and as Harrison took Zoe's hand in his and looked deep into her eyes, he knew this was the moment that he'd been waiting for all his life. He smiled into her beautiful eyes. "James 1, verse 17 says that every good and perfect gift comes from above, and Zoe, you're truly a gift from God and I promise to spend the rest of my life treating you as such. I'll cherish you always and never take you for granted. I'll lead and guide you as Christ leads me. I'll follow His teachings and obey His commands. I'll lead by example, with patience, and with understanding. I'll be slow to anger, and quick to listen. I'll be a strong spiritual leader in our home through good times and bad, in joy and in sorrow." Pausing, he sucked in a steadying breath. "Zoe, I promise to love you and to be faithful to you alone from this day forward until God calls us home. This is my solemn pledge to you and to God." He took the ring from Ben and smiled into her eyes. "Zoe, please accept this ring as a symbol of our covenant and my eternal love for you."
Zoe's eyes misted over as Harrison slipped the white gold wedding band on her finger. And then it was her turn. As Zoe took his hand and smiled into his eyes as she promised to love and honour him as her husband for as long as they both should live, Harrison could hardly contain the joy bubbling inside him. And when Pastor Stanthorpe announced they were man and wife and he could kiss her, he felt giddy with happiness. Zoe was now his wife, and he was the happiest man alive.
Taking her in his arms, he lowered his mouth against hers and kissed her with all the love in his heart. Everyone laughed and cheered, and when he finally pulled back from their kiss, love sparkled from her eyes and reached into his soul.
* * *
Soft piano music played in the background while they signed the register under the branches of the scented gum trees. It all seemed like a dream to Zoe as they smiled for the cameras and kissed and laughed again and again. But when Pastor Stanthorpe stood and introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Smith, she knew it wasn't a dream.
The reception was held under a large white marquee set up in a nearby paddock. Rows of tables were decorated beautifully but simply with a range of local native flowers and candles. The luncheon, provided by a local catering company, featured a selection of gourmet finger food followed by a choice of grilled salmon, seasoned with garlic, lemon and butter and served with steamed broccolini, and a baby rack of lamb coated with a blend of herbs and spices, and served with sauteed baby carrots and potato croquettes.
All through the afternoon, Zoe could barely keep her eyes off her husband, so handsome in his navy suit, and a smile on his face that warmed her heart, but she did have time to notice that Spencer and Emma were spending a lot of time together…it made her smile—they'd make a perfect couple!
When it came time to leave, Zoe slipped her arm around Harrison's waist while he thanked everyone for coming. As her gaze slowly moved around their family and friends, overwhelming gratitude to God welled up within her for their love and support. But she couldn't wait to be alone with Harrison.
They said their good-byes, and everyone followed them out onto the paddock where a plane sat waiting for them. Spencer stood at the bottom of the steps, his blue eyes twinkling and a grin on his face as wide as the brim of her father's straw hat. As he ushered them up, Zoe smiled at him. He'd always be her friend, and she'd be forever grateful that he'd been the one to lead Harrison to the Lord, but Harrison was the man she'd love forever.
Pausing on the top step, Harrison placed his arm around Zoe's shoulders and tilted her face to his, lowering his lips to hers in a kiss that made everyone clap and cheer. Together they waved to the gathered crowd before ducking their heads and climbing into the back of the small plane, ready for Spencer to fly them to their secret honeymoon destination.
As the plane lifted above the crowd, the vast expanse of the region came into view. Paddocks and hills so badly scarred by the fire were now tinged with green. In God's way and time, the land was recovering.
Zoe laughed with Harrison as they turned and looked back at the "Just Married" sign flapping in the sky behind them before Harrison turned Zoe's face to his, and closing the gap between them, kissed her with unbridled passion.
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
* * *
FROM THE AUTHOR
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading “The True Love Series.”
Ben, Tessa and Jayden’s story continues in “Forever Cherished”, Book 1 in the “Precious Love Series”, and Book 2, "Forever Faithful" and Book 3, “Forever His” on Amazon. Read an excerpt from “Forever Cherished” below. (All free with Kindle Unlimited)
I pray that you weren’t only touched by the Tessa, Ben and Jayden's stories, but that you now have a greater assurance that you’re loved by the God of Creation, and that you can truly have a personal relationship with Him.
If your interest was piqued by the study the Youth were doing and would like to find out more, there are plenty of great books out there, just do a search for “Apologetics” and choose one that appeals to you. It’s so exciting to see just how much proof there is for God’s existence, and how science is starting to confirm the story of creation. We don’t need to take a blind leap of faith—we can have certainty that what we believe is true, and that God really is there and that His love for us is constant and true. I encourage you to spend time finding out more, so that you are “Always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3: 15. Amen.
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Blessings,
Juliette
FOREVER CHERISHED
Prologue
Brisbane, Australia
Fifty-six year old Leah Maloney's hands trembled as she lifted the official envelope
out of her letterbox. Her heart thumped and she barely made it up the stairs and inside her small apartment before collapsing onto her chair, almost squashing Oscar and Smokey, her two beloved cats, in the process.
Pressing the envelope to her chest, Leah took a slow, deep breath. How many times had she told God she'd accept the outcome, whatever it was, but now the moment of truth had arrived, could she keep that promise?
She stared at the envelope, gulped, then opened it.
CHAPTER 1
THREE MONTHS LATER….
Tessa Williams blew a lock of damp hair off her forehead and collapsed onto a wooden rocking chair on the verandah of the farm house she and Ben, her husband of just over three years, had recently bought in the lush Mary Valley north of Brisbane. She stretched her legs out and sighed. "I don't want to see another weed or dig another hole for at least a year."
Ben placed a foot on the lower step, and leaning against the rail, lifted his straw hat and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "It's looking great, though, Tess. Not much more to do." Smudges of dirt covered his face, and the sight of Ben's toned, tanned body made Tessa's heart beat more rapidly.
She slid Naomi, their four-month old baby daughter out of the pouch on her chest and sat her on her lap.
Ben's face broke into a smile. "You, little miss, are very spoiled."
Tessa let out a small chuckle. "I don't mind carrying her, but sometimes I wish she'd sleep in a pram."
"She just likes being close to you. I don't blame her." A playful grin grew on Ben's face.
"Stop it, Ben." Tessa laughed, but her heart fluttered. Since moving to the farm, she and Ben had fallen even more in love than before, if that was possible. Country life was definitely suiting them.
Bindy and Sparky, their two small dogs, barked as an old, blue SUV made its way towards the house and stopped in front of the garage. Jayden, Ben and Tessa's sixteen-year old son, jumped out of the passenger side and strode towards them carrying a box of plants. The driver, Jayden’s new friend, David, a tall, gangly young man with short dark hair and glasses, followed with another box.
THE TRUE LOVE SERIES BOX SET: A Christian Romance Page 73