When Cynda reached Nina, she leaned close to her ear and said, “I told you I would be at my godson’s dedication, didn’t I?”
With a broad smile Nina said, “Cynda, I’ve got a feeling that you’ll be at his wedding, and then at the dedication service for his children as well.”
“You better know it,” Cynda agreed.
Isaac instructed the congregation to stand as he dedicated baby Isaac back to the Lord with the sprinkling of oil.
Donavan was seated in the pew directly behind Nina. Iona sat next to him. She had a monster size engagement ring on her finger and Johnny Dunford was on her other side. As the oil was sprinkled on her little brother’s head, Iona left her seat and went to stand with her family. She stood between Nina and Cynda and put her arms around both of them. She kissed Cynda on the cheek and then turned to Nina and said, “I’m so glad Daddy is here to see this.”
“God is good all the time, my sweet Baby Girl. Remember that always, okay?” Nina lovingly told Iona.
Brogan, Davison, Arnoth and Miguel stood in the back of the church unseen by human eyes, but very much a part of the service. For they had fought a good fight the day Isaac’s and Iona’s lives were threatened by the evil one. The two Walker warriors had laid down their carnal weapons and wholly depended on God to fight their battle. They had prayed and believed, even when they couldn’t see God working on their behalf; and that is why the angels still stood guard over their charges right now. The prayers of the saints allowed them to live to fight another day.
The four angels unsheathed their swords, lifted them high in the air and said in unison, “For all that is holy and all that is right!”
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You were reading Through the Storm, book 5 in the Rain Series
If you enjoyed this book, try book 6 & 7 of the Rain Series
(Rain for Christmas) - Sample Read Below
(After the Rain) - Sample Read Below
Other Books by Vanessa Miller
After the Rain
How Sweet The Sound
Heirs of Rebellion
Feels Like Heaven
Heaven on Earth
The Best of All
Better for Us
Her Good Thing
Long Time Coming
A Promise of Forever Love
A Love for Tomorrow
Yesterday’s Promise
Forgotten
Forgiven
Forsaken
Rain for Christmas (Novella)
Through the Storm
Rain Storm
Latter Rain
Abundant Rain
Former Rain
Anthologies (Editor)
Keeping the Faith
Have A Little Faith
This Far by Faith
EBOOKS
Love Isn’t Enough
A Mighty Love
The Blessed One (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Wild One (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Preacher’s Choice (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Politician’s Wife (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Playboy’s Redemption (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
Tears Fall at Night (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Joy Comes in the Morning (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
A Forever Kind of Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Ramsey’s Praise (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Escape to Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Praise For Christmas (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
His Love Walk (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Could This Be Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Song of Praise (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
A Note to my Readers
When I started Through the Storm I wanted the book to be fast paced and suspenseful. Then an unexpected thing happened. I attended a Prayer Journey at my church and I knew that I had to share that experience with my readers. When I arrived at my church for this journey I didn’t realize that I had unforgiveness in my heart. But I decided to be honest with myself during every stage of the journey – and yes, I had to put several rocks in my basket, but by the end of the journey, with the help of God, I was able to get rid of each rock. Hallelujah! When I left my church that day my plans for Through the Storm changed. I now wanted to get one pertinent thing across to my readers. PRAYER IS POWERFUL!
I truly believe that Christians (me included) get so caught up in our day to day problems that we forget to pray about our situations. Instead, we rush in and try to fix our problems without even bothering to ask God for a solution. But what if God is in heaven just waiting to send His angels to fight our battles, if only we would take the time to ask Him? It’s a wonderful thought isn’t it? I believe it’s true. I believe that God wants to see us safely through our storms.
This entire book was built on James 5:15: The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
I hope, if nothing else, Through the Storm encouraged you to pray about the things in life that concern you, because God is concerned about you and wants to raise you up.
Until the Next book, keep turning the pages for sample reads of book 6 and book 7 in the Rain Series.
Vanessa
Reader’s Discussion Questions
1)Do you believe that angels exist and are assigned to God’s people in order to protect us?
Daniel 8:15-19Psalm 34:7-8Luke 22:43
Hebrews 13:2Revelations 5:8-11
2)Most of the characters in this book believe that prayer changes things. How important do you believe prayer is in our daily lives?
I Samuel 12-22-23Psalm 5:2Psalm 55:17-19 Luke 18:1-8James 5:15-16I Thessalonians 5:17
3)Iona didn’t hide her flaws. She was in need of deliverance and didn’t care who knew it. During the Prayer Journey, everything became much clearer and she was able to repent and rededicate her life to God. Are you in need of a prayer journey? Or better yet, why not design your own prayer journey at your church and invite others to attend. It is a life changing experience that you will never forget.
4)Isaac found joy in ministering to criminal minded individuals. This was actually the ministry that God had given him before the foundation of the world. Therefore, his ministry was birthed from his past. Is there anything in your past that currently fuels the ministry that God has given you?
5) Nina received an answer to a twenty year old prayer when she conceived another child. How about you? Is there something you’ve been praying for that hasn’t manifested yet? Do you still believe that God can answer that prayer?
6)Iona and Johnny’s relationship began in deception. Would you forgive a man that deceived you if he had since turned his life over to God?
7)Donavan loved God but made a mistake when he fornicated with Diana. He then was so ashamed that he turned away from God instead of falling on his knees and asking for forgiveness. Have you ever been so ashamed that you tried to run away from the presence of God only to find that you couldn’t run far enough to get away from God?
8)As a Christian, do you believe it is wrong to fornicate (sex before marriage)? Do you understand that the Bible speaks against fornication and to be Christ-like we are supposed to follow the lead of Jesus Christ?
Romans 1:18-321 Corinthians 6:15-20
9)The Bible tells us that the prayer of faith will save the sick. When Cynda was diagnosed with a deadly illness, she was tenacious in her belief that God could heal her. Were you inspired by this character? Did Cynda make you believe that God could do the impossible if you just had a little bit of faith?
10)As you were reading Through the Storm, hopefully you could
see how unhealthy unforgiveness can be. Therefore, take a moment to search your heart and determine if you need to forgive someone – do it and just let it go.
Sample Chapter of:
RAIN FOR CHRISTMAS
A Christmas Novella
Book (6) in the Rain Series
by
Vanessa Miller
.
Prologue
“You’re the kind of woman I could see myself marrying.”
Diana Milner put her index finger against Donavan Walker’s luscious lips. “Don’t say things like that if you don’t mean it. I’m here, so I’m already yours. You don’t have to lie to me.”
“Oh, so now I’m a liar. You weren’t saying that a few minutes ago.” Donavan began tickling her. “Take it back,” he demanded.
She was wearing Donavan’s black and gray bath robe and nothing else, so she had little defense against his tickles,. She grabbed hold of the towel encircling his waist as if she was prepared to yank it off and said, “Who’s going to make me?”
“You think I care if you pull that towel off?” He stepped back, lifting his hands in the air to give her easy access. “I mean, you’re going to be my wife and you’ve already seen me naked once anyway. So, have at it.”
“No fair,” she giggled. “I can’t fight against an exhibitionist.”
“Why don’t we both show our exhibits?” Donavan slithered toward Diana with his fingers dancing toward her robe.
She wrapped the robe tighter around her body and screamed, “Don’t you dare,” as she took off running and giggling through the house.
Donavan ran after her. As he caught up with her, he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her mouth, her cheeks, her forehead and chin. Just as Diana was getting into the kissing game, Donavan pinched her and said, “That’s for calling me a liar.”
Diana’s mouth hung open for a moment. “Oh no you didn’t. You’re going to pay for that Donavan Walker.”
Donavan was enjoying himself with Diana. She was the only woman he’d been with that could make him laugh about nothing. He was getting tired of the way he’d been living his life… a youth pastor by day and a hound with the ladies by night. Donavan loved being in ministry. His father was the pastor and he had entrusted him with the youth ministry. Donavan wanted to settle down and take his Christian walk much more seriously. He was thinking that Diana could be the one to rescue him from himself.
Donavan was the picture of a happy man as he smirked at Diana and said, “Come and get me, baby. You’ve got to catch me before I’ll ever pay for anything.” He turned and made his way towards the living room, laughing all the way.
Diana wasn’t about to let Donavan get away with taunting her. She ran behind him, tackling him from behind. As they fell to the ground Diana landed on top of Donavan, she pinched him and then said, “I gotcha. Now what are you going to do about it?”
The two were having so much fun that neither of them noticed Donavan’s front door open, nor did they see the man standing just outside the door.
Donavan reached up and pulled her into an embrace. He kissed her again. As her wet hair fell across his face, he inhaled. “I love the way your hair smells after a shower. Woman, I definitely could get used to you.”
“Son!” Isaac shouted from the doorway. “What are you doing?”
Donavan jumped up, eyes bulging out of his head as he looked into his father’s shocked and disappointed face. Donavan didn’t know what the rest of his life would be like, but he knew one thing for certain, he would never forget the moment his father found out the kind of man he really was.
1
Five years later
Donavan Walker hated rainy days, but he loved the smell that permeated the air after the rain. It was like Sunday morning to him… a time of renewal and refreshing. Like the kind of refreshing he felt years ago as he listened to his father preach the gospel. In those days, Donavan believed that he had been called to preach the gospel just like his father. His father believed it, too, because he had been grooming him to one day take over his ministry.
Donavan was the youth pastor at his father’s church, and he loved every minute of his assignment. Those children brought him great joy and he tried his best to teach them God’s word in a manner they could understand.
But all of that occurred before the great Isaac Walker caught him with the church secretary. Things were never the same after that, and five years ago Donavan moved to Atlanta to help his frat brother with a start up investment firm.
Now Donavan was his own man, not trying to follow in anyone’s footsteps but his own. But he hadn’t forgotten the things his mama taught him about helping the less fortunate. So even now, as Donavan found himself worth millions more than his parents would ever be worth, he still found the time to help Kenneth and Elizabeth Underwood at the homeless shelter they ran there in Atlanta. His mother was pleased that he helped out at the homeless shelter. But that didn’t stop her from asking him to come back home, where she thought he belonged.
Donavan hadn’t been back to Ohio since he left in disgrace. His parents had visited him and the Underwoods for Christmas twice since he’d relocated to Atlanta, but now they were demanding that he come home to visit with his family. Iona, his half sister was expecting a baby and his mother refused to leave town until she held her first grandchild in her arms.
Donavan didn’t have a problem with going home for a visit; he wasn’t embarrassed about his current status as if he was a skid row buster. He had left home and made something of himself. Was he doing what he wanted to be doing at this point in his life? Donavan wasn’t sure how to answer that question. But the one thing he was positive of was that with the money he was making, no one would call him a failure.
He knew that many who were less fortunate than him would love to be able to buy up a bunch of presents, take them home and act like Santa Claus, just because they had it like that. Actually, he’d already purchased presents and had them mailed to his parents’ home the same as he’d done every year since he left. He also purchased presents for the Christmas party the youth ministry sponsored for the children each year. Just because he couldn’t physically see the kids in the youth ministry anymore, didn’t mean they weren’t on his mind. So, he made sure that the youth ministry knew that Donavan Walker hadn’t forgotten about them.
He would love to go home one year and pass those presents out to the kids personally. But Donavan knew that she would be there and she, as in Diana Milner, had been the one immovable force, keeping him away from his family all these years.
***
Diana Milner stepped out of her shower, towel dried her body, and then grabbed her jar of Carol’s Daughter Almond Cookie Shea Soufflé and lotioned herself. She loved the scent and how soft the lotion made her skin feel, so despite her meager church secretary salary, Diana found a way to treat herself every now and then.
But truth be told, Diana knew that she would soon have to give up that little treat and go back to the Avon moisturizing lotion that she used to order religiously. Her sister had been arrested for drug possession and Children’s Services had taken her four-year-old daughter away from her. Diana wasn’t throwing rocks at her sister for all the bad decisions she’d made recently, because once upon a time, she had made some bad decisions, too. Diana knew what it felt like to be arrested first hand. Yeah, she had made her share of mistakes, but she was well on her way to recovering from all her youthful missteps.
Since giving her life to the Lord five years ago, Diana had lived a single and no-mingle kind of life. She was now twenty-nine with no prospects for marriage in sight, so she had all but resigned herself to living a childless life. But thanks to Children’s Services and her sister’s drug problem, Diana was an instant mother with a four-year-old child’s needs to consider, so as she scraped out the last of her Almond Cookie Shea Soufflé, she reconciled herself to spending what extra money she had on pull-ups and girly dresses for her sweet little Amarri.
&n
bsp; Diana slid on her dress and the brown pumps that she’d gotten on sale at Stein Mart a few weeks back and left the house with Amarri. She still hadn’t gotten a handle on getting breakfast ready in time, so she stopped at McDonald’s, ordered her niece some pancakes and let her eat them while she drove her to the daycare across the street from the church. Diane was so thankful that Lisa, the owner of the daycare center was able to make room for Amarri on such short notice.
Having Amarri across the street from the church enabled her to check in on the little girl a couple times a day and that gave Diana peace of mind. The only thing that troubled her was the income she currently earned. She had just received a raise which brought her income up to thirty seven thousand dollars a year. She didn’t have a college degree, so Diana felt blessed to earn that much. However, the amount she earned barely took care of her needs. Now that she had Amarri to think about, Diana might have to leave her job at the church. And that fact saddened her, because Diana truly loved the Walkers. They had been good to her.
She sat down behind her desk in the front office, preparing to turn her computer on, when her phone rang. That’s when she remembered the thing she forgot to do. She picked up the phone and plastered a smile on her face as she tried to figure out a way to let the first lady of the House of God church down easy. “Hey, First Lady Nina. How are you doing?”
Through the Storm Page 25