by Al Lacy
Hannah, child, came the still small voice, remember your own words to Lisa Norwood about going on with her husband’s dream?
“Yes, but I—”
And it was your words to Tracie Armstrong that caused her to go on. Now, Hannah, what kind of a testimony will you be to Lisa and Tracie if you turn back? Especially since they heard Solomon tell you and the children to go on and build your new life at Fort Bridger.
“But, Lord, I keep thinking if we had never left Independence, Solomon would still be alive.”
His time of departure from this earth was already appointed.
Hannah bit down hard on her lower lip. “Yes. Yes, Lord. But this poor earthly mind cannot grasp that. It seems that if we’d stayed in Independence—”
Hannah, if you had stayed in Independence, what about Tracie and Stuart and Tony?
Suddenly it came over Hannah Cooper like a warm wave of water: None of those three would be Christians now if the Coopers had not been in the wagon train!
Hannah’s thoughts went to Isaiah 26:3. As she fixed her mind on Jesus, she bent over and put her face against her knees. She thought of God’s love for her…His death at Calvary… His compassion for her as a lost sinner, and how He had drawn her to Himself through His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
A sweet, perfect peace flooded her heart and soul.
Yes! Hannah Cooper would go on to Fort Bridger with her precious children and build the new life she and Solomon had planned!
The new baby!
Hannah sat up, looked toward the sky and whispered, “O Lord Jesus! The baby! I almost forgot! Oh, thank You that I have this part of my darling Sol to carry with me to our new home… this part of him that will add to the joy of all our lives!”
Hannah rose to her feet, her eyes bright, as she looked down at the grave with the peace that passes all understanding. “All right, darling, the children and I will do as you said. We’ll go with God’s strength and build our new life!”
When Hannah returned to her four children, she smiled and gathered them in her arms. They looked into her eyes, waiting eagerly to hear her decision.
“My wonderful sons and daughters,” she said, “the Lord has worked in my heart. I know that He wants us to go on to Fort Bridger, even as your papa said. And that’s what we’re going to do!”
“O Mama,” Mary Beth said, “we’ll all miss Papa terribly, but we’ll know he’s smiling down from heaven at us when he sees that we’re going on to Fort Bridger!”
Suddenly Hannah was aware that people were applauding her decision. She wept again and smiled at them through her tears.
Hannah looked at Ezra and said, “Mr. Comstock, I need a few minutes to talk to my children, then we can pull out.”
“You say the word when you’re ready.”
Hannah took her children to a private spot beside their wagon. “I’m glad we all agree that we’re doing the right thing to go on, but your mama’s going to have to lean a lot on all four of you.”
Patty Ruth held Tony the Bear in one arm. “We’ll do whatever you tell us, Mama.”
The others spoke their agreement.
“When we open our store, we’ll all have to work together. It will be very hard at first. Can I count on you?”
Again the children nodded their heads.
Hannah smiled down at her children and caressed their faces.
Stuart Armstrong helped Hannah into the wagon, then climbed up and sat beside her, taking the reins.
Chris was on Buster, and Nipper was tied to the rear of the wagon.
Mary Beth and B. J. were in the back of the wagon, and Patty Ruth sat between her mother and Stuart, holding Tony the Bear.
Hannah smiled at Stuart. “Thank you for offering to drive. I should be feeling up to it in a couple of days.”
“My privilege, ma’am,” he said.
Up front, Ezra stood in the stirrups, pointed westward, and shouted, “Wagons ho-o-o!”
As the wheels began to turn, Hannah glanced back at the grave and remembered Solomon’s words to Chris when he was grieving over Joy Lynn’s death. In her heart, she said, Solomon, your memory will always be a sweet thing. And I’ll always have the memory of you. Yes, and five children who are part of you.
She brought herself around and looked forward. Twenty days to Fort Bridger… and many tomorrows. Abruptly her own words to Tracie and Deborah reverberated through her mind: The Lord always knows what’s ahead of us and can prepare us for the trials and heartaches that come our way, even before they happen. He’s already in eternity, which means He’s already in the future. So, He’s already in our tomorrows.
“Thank You, Lord,” she said under her breath. “Thank You for that wonderful truth.”
The wagon rocked and swayed as Hannah lifted her gaze to the magnificent canopy of the sky. As she studied the blue horizon, Solomon’s words, three months ago in Independence, filled her with hope.
“Out there, Hannah, under the distant sky, is our new home and our new life.”
UNDER THE DISTANT SKY
PUBLISHED BY MULTNOMAH BOOKS
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
This book is a work of fiction. With the exception of recognized historical figures, the characters in this novel are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
eISBN: 978-1-60142-301-6
Copyright © 1997 by ALJO Production Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.
MULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lacy, Al.
Under the distant sky/Al and JoAnna Lacy.
p. cm.—(Hannah of Fort Bridger; bk. 1)
1. Frontier and pioneer life—Wyoming—Fort Bridger—Fiction.
2. Fort Bridger (Wyo.)—History—Fiction. I. Lacy, JoAnna. II. Title.
III. Series: Lacy, Al. Hannah of Fort Bridger; bk. 1.
PS3562.A256U53 1997
813′.54—dc21
96-40158
v3.0