When Memories Fade
Page 24
She asked Melanie, “Are you singing?”
Melanie nodded. “I am. I feel more like myself when I am singing. I saw the video. You need to get out there more.”
Angel nodded over her shoulder at Wes. “Believe me, I hear that all the time.”
Melanie peeked around at Wes. “You got a good one. Thanks again for everything, my sister.” They hugged each other.
Angel watched as Melanie walked out.
Wes came up and placed his arms around her. “Did you see Candace’s hand?”
Angel smiled. “I did. Darnell did well with the ring.”
“He did all right.”
Wes and Angel had been dating—or as Candace liked to say, courting—for a year now. Angel didn’t know how she would have made it through the past year without Wes. Some days she had pushed him away as she struggled with her long overdue grief and anger. Wes had stood by her with a listening ear and prayers.
She smiled at Wes. “What? You think you can do better?”
“I don’t know. Let’s find out.”
Angel watched as Wes dropped to one knee in front of her. She gasped as he pulled out a ring box from inside his jacket.
He opened the box. “Angel, I would love for us to make a lifetime of memories together. Would you marry me?”
The joy that flooded her soul sparkled inside more vibrantly than the diamond Wes held out to her. She beamed down at Wes and answered, “Yes.”
Discussion Questions
1. At the beginning of the book, Angel becomes frustrated with her grandmother for bringing up her mother’s disappearance on her birthday. A bit later, Fredricka suffers a stroke. Angel already feels horrible about her outburst, and then she experiences guilt about her grandmother’s condition. Have you ever had a conflict with a person prior to a medical emergency or a tragedy? How did you deal with the guilt?
2. Despite his celibacy vow, Wes finds himself in a compromising situation with his coworker Serena. If he hadn’t been saved by the phone, he could have broken his vow. Has there been a time when you found a temptation so enticing, you almost broke or actually broke a vow/promise?
3. Angel finds herself directly involved in caring for her grandmother, while Wes encourages his mother to seek help caring for his Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather. Have you been involved in the care of an aged or disabled loved one? Have you offered your services to or assisted a caregiver?
4. Readers learn that four years ago, Angel was betrayed by her former best friend and her boyfriend. Consequently, Angel is hesitant to reach out to others, almost isolating herself to focus on her business. When Angel befriends Candace Johnson, she gains not only a new friend, but also a sister in Christ. The two women bond over their losses. Have you suffered the loss of a friendship? If so, how did you handle the loss? How did God bring new friends into your life?
5. With the absence of her parents, Angel was raised by her grandparents, who encouraged her to be all that she could be. They helped her pursue her passion for videography, which stemmed from Angel’s desire to capture memories. At the age of twenty-five, Angel owns her own business and does work she loves to do. Where are you at in your career? Are you passionate about your work? Do you have dreams of owning your own business? If you haven’t pursued those dreams, what’s stopping you?
6. When the Overcomers Women’s Ministry discusses the lesson on forgiveness, Angel voices her concerns about forgiving people who have betrayed her. Candace explains to Angel the true benefits of letting go and forgiving. Have you truly forgiven the person(s) who hurt you or betrayed your trust? Have you denied your true feelings? Or are you hanging on to those feelings, using them as your motivation to remain bitter?
7. As a reporter, Wes is determined to seek the truth, to the point where he takes risks. In fact, Wes’s quest for the truth pushes Angel to take a risk that she wouldn’t normally consider. Wes learns to pray for Angel, but he also needs to learn to pray for himself. Have you ever been driven by ambition to the point where you made a risky decision? Did you seek God in prayer prior to making the decision or afterward?
8. Angel has a beautiful voice like her mother. She refuses to sing in public due to childhood fears and misunderstandings about her mother’s disappearance. Slowly, God draws Angel out of her shell so she can share her gift and glorify God. What talents and gifts has God given you that you are not using to uplift His Kingdom building plans?
Resources
Alzheimer’s Disease
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is dedicated to understanding the nature of aging, supporting the health and well-being of older adults, and extending the healthy, active years of life for more people.
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
Heart Disease and Stroke
The National Stroke Association’s mission is to reduce the incidence and impact of strokes by providing education and programs focused on stroke prevention and on treatment, rehabilitation, and support for all impacted by stroke. http://www.stroke.org
Missing Persons
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) is a national centralized repository and resource center for missing person and unidentified decedent records. This free online system can be searched by medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement officials, and the general public from all over the country. http://www.namus.gov/
The Doe Network is a volunteer organization devoted to assisting law enforcement in solving cold cases involving unexplained disappearances and unidentified victims from North America, Australia, and Europe. http://www.doenetwork.org/
Let’s Bring Them Home operates a national missing adults program that provides services and coordinates between various government agencies, law enforcement, the media, and the families of endangered missing adults. The organization also offers safety education for all ages. http://www.lbth.org/
About the Author
Tyora Moody is an author and entrepreneur. Her debut novel, When Rain Falls, was released in March 2012. This is the first book in the Victory Gospel Series.
Tyora writes romantic suspense and cozy mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian Fiction Writers. She served as a judge for the Christy Awards for three years.
She owns and operates TywebbinCreations.com, a design and marketing company. For over twelve years, she has worked with authors, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations to develop their online presence. For free tips, how-to guides, and eCourses, visit DIYwithTy.com.
When Tyora isn’t working for a client or doing something literary, she enjoys spending time with family, catching a movie on the big screen, traveling and, when the mood hits her, baking cookies. You can visit her online at TyoraMoody.com.
Urban Books, LLC
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When Memories Fade: Victory Gospel Series Copyright © 2013 Tyora Moody
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ISBN: 978-1-6016-2753-7
This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.
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