He looked into three tense faces. “Okay, let’s think logically and then spread out. Lana, check your cabin, toilet, and shower. Sara, you check the other girls’ cabins and the activity hall. Dennis and I will cover the archery range and soccer fields, then the hiking trails. We’ll meet back here, hopefully with Teri. Okay?”
❧
As Lana darted into the cabin, her mind flew. What does an angry teenage girl do? Usually something dramatic, she remembered from her own youth. The cabin was quiet, as were the two outbuildings. Dramatic? What was dramatic?
She spun around. She might pin herself to the archery bull’s-eye, but the guys were checking there. Lana closed her eyes. The lake made sense, and Lana raced back to the water’s edge. It made a great setting for moping and feeling sorry for one’s self. She’d done it herself as a teen.
Lana’s legs prodded her to the lake almost faster than she could run. Disappointment washed over her when she skidded to a stop. No one. The rowboat sat empty at the shoreline. She sat on the bench, resting her elbows on her knees, and thought. A canoe? Teri wouldn’t go out alone in a canoe. Dramatic, yes. But foolish.
Her heartbeat charged to a sprinter’s pace, and Lana rushed to the far side of the boat shed. The door gaped open, and a deep rut had been cut through the loose sand where a canoe had been dragged to the water. Sure enough, the foolish, lovesick teen had gone off alone in a canoe. Lana looked back toward the cabins far in the distance. Should she waste time looking for help or go on her own? The question surprised her. Her take-charge attitude faltered.
A “no time to spare” intuition ran through her, and she pulled at a canoe, amazed they were heavier than she expected. She tugged it with amazing strength to the water’s edge, then darted back for two paddles. She pushed the canoe carefully into the water. Where it rested against the sand, she stepped into the center, remembering as many of the rules as she could. This time, not standing up, she crouched and worked her way to the middle. But at that moment, she faltered.
She should leave Mark a message. She glanced down at her bracelet. WWJD. If she left that on the beach, he’d know where she was. With caution, she stepped from the canoe and darted across the sand to the bench. She tugged on the bracelet, then paused. What would Jesus do? The question slowed her thoughts. Jesus would pray. . .and He’d look to His disciples for help. The awareness struck her.
What had Mark been teaching the teens during the two weeks? Teamwork. Cooperation. Not depending on yourself but turning to others and to God. Though she knew God would be with her, she couldn’t go alone. If she’d learned one thing during these two weeks, she’d learned to listen to others. She had to be patient and get help.
Lana pushed her feet through the sand, then reached hard ground where running came easier. In a moment, she saw one of the teens heading toward her. “Gary,” she waved her arm. “Tell the others she took a canoe. Tell Mark I’ll start out and for him to follow.”
He gave her an understanding wave and spun around, heading back toward the cabins.
Thanking God for reminding her to rely on others, Lana turned back and climbed into the canoe. Once settled, she dug the canoe paddle into the water and tugged with her short arms. Slowly she moved into the lake and finally caught the river current. If she hadn’t left word for Mark, she would have no idea how to get back to camp, fighting against the current’s surprising strength. Now she knew Mark would be on his way to help her.
“Oh, help me, Lord,” Lana called out aloud. “I need Your guidance. Teri’s in deep trouble.” The words might have made her smile another day, but at this moment Lana saw nothing to grin about. Her skills at people-saving had never been tested.
The current helped her move along, and the lessons from the earlier canoe trip had apparently found a home in her brain. She moved the paddle from one side to the other, pushing the water past her, digging deep and gaining speed.
Lana glanced over her shoulder. The lake was far behind, but she thought she saw a speck where the beach area had vanished around the bend. Mark. Her head leaped with hope. Ahead, she saw nothing but water and sky and the shoreline on each side of the fast-rolling river. Approaching a parcel of trees along the shore, she recognized the place where she’d fallen into the water days earlier. She steered clear of the spot, but around the next bend, her heart lurched. A canoe paddle lay captured in the tangle of tree branches.
“Teri! Teri! Are you there?” She searched the bank for evidence. Tears rolled from her eyes, and she launched fervent prayers to heaven. Along the bank, she spotted an overturned canoe. Her senses jolted as a young voice sailed to her over the water. “Here. I’m over here.”
Lana looked ahead and caught sight of the teenager, waving wildly from the bank a few yards ahead. She looked behind and saw the distant form growing larger. A mixture of relief and fear plummeted through Lana’s chest. What could have happened, Lord? But You kept her safe. Thank You.
“I’m coming!” Lana called. Calling out words of assurance to the teenager, her voice rose on the breeze as she pulled herself toward the shore. But Lana’s panic remained. If that speck behind her wasn’t Mark, what would they do? She had no idea.
Teri hung over the bank and grabbed the end of the canoe. “I was so stupid,” the teen uttered over and over. “Just because I was upset at Dennis. And it was so silly.”
“He’s already forgiven you, Teri, and he’s scared to death.”
“He is?” she asked, clinging to Lana’s side.
“He sure is.”
Lana held the shivering girl in her arms, hoping her own tremors would go unnoticed. She looked down the lonely stretch of river, wondering how she’d had the stamina to get this far and praying that Mark’s strong arms would bring him to her quickly. Then her eyes lifted to heaven, and peace filled her.
Fourteen
Mark’s chest tightened as fear gripped him. They’d searched everywhere. When the campers reassembled to compare notes, everyone gathered except Lana and Gary. Now his panic heightened. Others had joined the hunt to no avail. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine where the two had gone. As independent as Lana was, he had no way of guessing what she had done.
Before he could calculate what to do, Gary appeared, running toward them. “She took a canoe. Lana’s on her way and asked you to follow.”
Following Gary, the group ran toward the lake. Mark’s mind whirred, praising God Lana hadn’t gone off without asking for help.
“Okay, the rest of you wait here. Keep your eyes open while Dennis and I take the rowboat.”
The parents gathered the teens around them in animated chatter as Mark and Dennis rowed away from shore.
The boat glided along quickly, picking up the river current. With powerful tugs of the oars, they sailed past the shoreline, eyes peeled for any sign of either canoe. As they rounded the bend, a canoe paddle bobbed among the debris at the bank, but they pressed forward.
Mark saw them before Dennis and waved his arms wildly. Relief charged through him when both women waved back, and their shouts of encouragement bounced across the water.
When they reached shore, Mark jumped to the sand to moor the boat, and before he reached Lana, she froze in place, and her piercing scream sent a bevy of frightened birds fluttering from the trees.
His heart lodged in his throat, and he charged toward her while Lana’s face paled in horror.
“It’s only a snake,” Teri yelled, tugging on Lana’s arm.
Mark masked his grin. Lana had met her nemesis. She shot across the grass like an arrow and, in a heartbeat, clung to Mark’s chest.
He wrapped his arm around her shaking frame. “You’re okay now. It’s gone. You scared the snake worse than he scared you, Lana.”
“Are you sure it’s gone?” she asked, her head buried in his shirt.
“Positive.” He chuckled silently. “You’re safe from snakes and being marooned.”
She lifted her head from his chest. “Praise the Lord you found u
s. I had no idea what to do,” Lana whispered, her body still trembling.
Mark tightened his embrace. “You did the right thing. You ran for help.” He tilted his head lower to gaze into her eyes.
“I was positive Teri had taken a canoe, and I almost left without sending word to you.” Her face flushed with her guilty admission.
“But you didn’t. You asked for help and then went after her. Two weeks ago you’d have suggested someone else look for Teri.”
Lana’s eyes widened. “You’re right. I probably would have done just that.” A sad grin tugged at her mouth. “You know what did it?”
“Did it?” He studied her face, wondering what she meant.
“What reminded me to go for help?”
Whatever it was, he thanked God for the blessing.
She lifted her arm. “The bracelet. WWJD. I started to leave the bracelet on the bench, thinking you’d find it, but instead, I thought of the meaning. This gift means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
A large lump caught in Mark’s throat. He hadn’t cried in years, not since he was a kid, but maybe tears weren’t so bad. If they were good enough for Jesus, they were good enough for him. He wiped the moisture from his eyes and sent an inner prayer of thanksgiving heavenward. A prayer thanking God for the women’s safety and for Lana’s growth.
❧
Mark looked over the crowd after dinner, their faces a blend of emotions. In the morning they would return home to the comforts they enjoyed, and the good times they’d shared would be only memories. Mark felt the same. His gaze settled on Lana’s thoughtful face. He’d given thanks so many times during the day for Lana and Teri’s safety. Lana had changed his life.
The activity hall seemed warm, and a breeze had risen outside. Rather than keep the campers inside, Mark suggested having Bible study around their last campfire. The teens accepted his idea with eagerness.
While the evening was still light, they ambled in, two and three at a time, and gathered around the fire pit. As he scanned their faces, his gaze settled on Lana in the dusky light, looking up at him from the log, her face tanned and her tousled hair streaked with sunny highlights. His chest burst with happiness.
He opened the Bible and scanned the verse, sensing the message was a perfect way to end the camping trip. “First let’s think back over our two weeks together. As I watched you these past days, I’ve seen the closeness and warmth that have happened in the short time we’ve been together. Imagine if we could reach out to the world with the same zeal. How wonderful the earth would be.”
Murmurs of agreement drifted across the open space.
“We’ve worked on communication and cooperation, all part of teamwork. And I hope we’ve developed a bond with each other and an even greater one with the Lord. When we go home, keep what you learned in your thoughts. The enjoyment and experiences will soon be only memories, but I hope the lessons we learned have planted seeds in your hearts.”
His eyes shifted again to Lana, her sweet face gazing at him with open admiration. He loved her, and all he needed was the courage to tell her so.
He turned again to the Scriptures and eyed the waiting teens. “For those who have their Bibles, open them to Galatians 5:22–25. The rest of you can listen. I hope you will take these verses with you and keep them close. They will serve as a personal motto for each of us as we return home: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.’ ”
Rather than discuss the passage, he asked the teens to think quietly about what he’d read. After a few minutes of silence, he closed with prayer.
To his surprise, the teens had prepared their own words of thanks. Gary rose, and as he reminisced their two weeks together, his wit and good spirit infected everyone as quickly as the poison ivy Mark and Lana had endured. Laughter lifted as high as the smoke from the bonfire.
“If you’re having marshmallows tonight,” Lana added, “please don’t show me your perfect specimen.” She sent out a warm smile and was greeted with more merriment.
“How’s your poison ivy, Mark?” Don asked.
“And how’s yours, Lana?” Janet teased.
Lana grinned, but Mark nailed them with his witty remark. “If all of you had learned to leave a man and woman alone for a few minutes so they could have a serious conversation, no one would have poison ivy, and who knows what special moments might have happened?”
Kissing sounds echoed around the campfire and ended only when the sound of guitar music filled the air. The campers joined in with familiar camp songs while Mark settled beside Lana, and in the dark, they clasped hands. Scanning the teens, he noticed Janet sat close to Don, and once again, Dennis and Teri smiled at each other, their squabble resolved. As the moon rose and the fire died, Mark sent the teens back to the cabins, herded along by the two counselors. Standing in the silence, Mark looked at Lana and drew in a deep, relieved breath.
“Should we douse the fire?” Lana asked, feeling a surge of comfort wash over her.
Mark nodded, and he shoveled sand onto the smoldering ashes while Lana raked the coals that had drifted away back into the pit.
As she pulled on the rake, Lana looked down at her blue and white WWJD bracelet—what would Jesus do? Mark couldn’t have given her a more appropriate gift. The bracelet would help keep her on track.
With a final bucket of sand sprinkled over the charred wood, Mark stepped back and caught Lana’s hand. “So this is it? Tomorrow, we’re home.”
Courage and honesty rushed through Lana’s thoughts. “I’m home right now, Mark.” His moonlit smile brightened the darkness, and her heart swelled with complete joy. “This has been some camping trip.”
“Lana, I wish I could tell you what it’s meant to me. You’ve been a partner through it all. A difficult partner at times, but a perfect partner. I thank God for bringing us together.”
She grinned. “Maybe we should thank Barb too. She brought you home.”
“When we first got here, I figured we’d leave after two weeks with you not speaking to me. Instead, I’ve fallen in love with you. I hope you know that.”
She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat, and she only nodded.
He slipped his arm around her and drew her closer to his side. “I think of all the crazy things that happened. You were up to your elbows in soapsuds, waist-deep in frogs, up to—”
“Up to my neck in poison ivy.” She gazed into his glowing, moonlit eyes and smiled. “And now I’m over my head in love.” She looked into the spangled sky and sensed God’s blessing.
Mark’s gaze embraced her. “I love you with all my heart, Lana, and there’s nothing better in the whole world than to be loved.”
As naturally as the sun rising, their lips met, and Lana’s heart soared over her head and up toward the stars. Like them, she glimmered with happiness, and she silently praised God for His generous blessing—the gift of love.
About the Author
Gail Gaymer Martin lives with her real-life hero and husband, Bob, in Lathrup Village, Michigan. Once a high school English and public speaking teacher, later a guidance counselor, Gail retired and taught English and speech at Davenport University. Now she is a full-time, award-winning, multipublished writer of romance fiction and the author of sixteen church resource books. Her first romance novel was published by Barbour in 1998, and in three years, God has blessed her with nearly twenty novel and novella sales.
A note from the author:
I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:
Gail Gaymer Martin
Author Relations
PO Box 719
Uhrichsville, OH 44683
Dedication
To all my friends in American Christian Romance Wr
iters. Thanks for your friendship, laughter, and prayers.
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Over Her Head (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 489) Page 16