Providence: Once Upon a Second Chance

by Chris Coppernoll

  Earlier today, Peter drove CMO’s pickup truck to Broader Street, to Mrs. Williams’s house. He’s got a two-person crew with him—James Pinter and Bethany Jewell. They’ll prep the site for a wheelchair ramp, and six other students will join them on Saturday to build it.

  We learned about Mrs. Williams when her daughter, Kendra, contacted CMO. They had tried to make do once Mrs. Williams’s MS got so bad that she had no choice but to slip into a wheelchair-bound existence. Kendra called to ask if there was a better way to get her mom in and out of the house. She’d told us how much her mother loved to sit in the front yard under the oak tree and tell stories to the neighbor children. But getting her in and out every day had become a burden too great for Kendra to handle.

  When we came by to see what could be done, we noticed a couple of rotting boards resting across the stairs. I walked up them, noting the bowing and the unsettling sound of cracking wood.

  “Yes, there is a better way,” we told Kendra. “There is something we can do to help.”

  She smiled then. Thankful.

  As if we needed any more prompting, just then a flock of smiling children ran up to Mrs. Williams who was sitting under the oak tree, knitting. She carefully set the scarf-in-progress on the grass as the children raced toward her, each of them hoping to get the seat of privilege for an impromptu story time. She gathered a little boy into her lap.

  “They take turns,” Kendra told Peter. “Mom remembers whose turn it is.”

  Earlier this week, it was Mrs. Williams’s turn. The first crew came and widened a doorway to make it easier for her to go in and out. The old door had been falling off its hinges. The new door swung open with ease.

  And tomorrow, a winding, gently sloping ramp will connect her porch to the sidewalk. Mrs. Williams will be able to navigate the ramp on her own. Kendra hugged Peter when he’d showed her the design today. Mrs. Williams would have hugged him too, but she was under the oak tree, a boy of three curled up in her lap, listening to a story about a baby scooped up from a river. A baby who would someday become a great leader.

  I couldn’t help but wonder as Peter told me about this on the phone a few moments ago just what future lies ahead for that little boy. Will he, too, become a great leader?

  The air-conditioning is broken at the CMO offices and all the windows in the old two-story brick Victorian are open, some held in place by blocks of wood—one by a rarely-used hole-punch. No one is complaining, though, because the bright light and an occasional breeze have made us all a little giddy with the promise of summer. We feel like playing hooky. It is Friday after all.

  Aaron just emerged from his office to tell us that a car dealership in town has committed to donating a shuttle van to us. We’ll use it to cart crews and materials around Norwood and shuttle car-less residents to and from church and school and grocery stores whenever possible. Aaron dreams of building a school in Norwood one day and of having enough shuttle vans to taxi the elderly to well-care visits and carry potential-filled children on day trips into the world beyond to see how far-reaching their growing gifts can take them someday.

  Nancy’s in the office. It is a rare Friday tour of duty for this generous teacher, who usually is so exhausted by the end of the week. She heads home after classes to get one good night’s sleep so she can wake early and join one of our teams on a work-site Saturday morning. She and Mrs. Burman are downstairs in the lobby, anticipating the return of the first crews—the ones that started their work right about dawn.

  Peter will be back soon and light the grill we keep out back. A few students—some we know well, others are curious strangers—are already beginning to congregate. Dozens of hot dogs and buns (donated by our new friends at the Dogs ’n’ More restaurant down the street) await their destiny, satisfying the hunger of sweaty volunteers and friends of CMO.

  One of the students, Tyson Howry, has just turned up the volume on his truck stereo. A Bob Marley tune is playing. Thank goodness for the classics. The music will soon mix with the smells of the grill and the sounds of laughter. From the deck on the second floor we can see Mike Johnson—our resident expert concrete pourer—and two other guys playing basketball. One of the students painted the words “Life Is Good” on the backboard.

  John Lowell, a recent graduate who doesn’t want to stop volunteering even though he just started a “real” job at a local law firm, drove a team to the West Street overpass today to paint over graffiti. I can see John’s truck returning now. This is the most popular work CMO does around Norwood, probably because it is so visible. Our crews routinely receive applause and shouts of support when we send out a paint team.

  That applause is a good thing. We don’t always get to see the fruits of our labor. Support and cheers are food for the students’ souls, a confirmation that they’re doing something of value. The hot dogs and the laughter will help too.

  But I’m still thinking about that young boy in Mrs. Williams’s lap, imagining that scene as if I were standing there next to Peter. It reminds me of another scene, one from Scripture.

  “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these’” (Matthew 19:14).

  I love that picture.

  While this is a fictional account of a man and his mission to make a difference in the local community, there are hundreds of real-life inspirational stories happening every day. Maybe you have a Laborers story. Write it down and send it to me via the Web site, www.providencebook.com. Tell about how you or others have reached out with compassion to those who have little. And if you don’t have a story, flip over to the resources page and find a way to plug into an organization that’s making a difference in the world.

  Resources

  Want to make a difference? Get involved in your local community like Jack Clayton did in Providence. There are hundreds of excellent organizations dedicated to serving those who don’t have the resources, time, or ability to help themselves. Check with your local social services agencies and colleges to see what programs are available and how you can help. Or check out any of these Web sites for more information on a few organizations I highly recommend.

  Eastern University (www.eastern.edu)—Eastern is a Christian university dedicated to “the preparation of undergraduate and graduate students for thoughtful and productive lives of Christian faith and service.”

  Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org)—Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that is dedicated to eliminating homelessness and to making decent shelter a matter of conscience. Habitat has already provided more than one million people with safe, affordable shelter.

  Mission Year (www.missionyear.org)—Mission Year is a yearlong program (in partnership with local churches) that gives eighteen- to twenty-nine-year-old Christian young people the opportunity to make a real difference in a neighborhood through volunteering, worshipping God, and loving their neighbors.

  Rockbridge Seminary (www.rockbridgeseminary.org)—Rockbridge Seminary is an online seminary designed with the concerns of the local church in mind. The seminary is based on the Purpose Driven model, balancing training in worship, evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and ministry.

  And here are just a few more organizations that reach out to the poor, the hungry, the widow, and the orphan both nationally and internationally.

  Compassion International (www.compassion.com)

  I.N. Network (www.innetworkusa.org)

  James Fund (Family Christian Stores Foundation)

  (www.jamesfund.org)

  Mercy Ministries (www.mercyministries.org)

  World Vision (www.worldvision.org)

  Author Interview

  Q: How would you summarize the story you tell in Providence?

  A: Providence is set in a fictitious college town and tells the story of a pastor named Jack Clayton who writes a best-selling book, much to everyone’s surprise (especially his own), and finds himself a re
luctant media darling (and target). The last thing Jack wants to do is discuss his past, but that’s exactly what happens. Prompted by circumstances, relationships with his closest friends, and the still, small voice of God, Jack begins to tell his personal story in a memoir. Because of his faithfulness, God begins to heal the past and restore the most essential relationships in his life.

  Q: As the host of Soul2Soul Radio, your Christian celebrity interviews are heard all over the world. How does this experience inform Providence, a story where the main character is a Christian icon, who ironically won’t do interviews?

  A: One thing I’ve noticed about Christian recording artists and authors is that most of them enjoy having a platform to share about things that matter most to them. It’s part of the way they’re built. I was intrigued by the idea of a story featuring a character like Jack Clayton who wasn’t “built” that way. I wanted to explore what it would be like for an introvert like Jack to be thrust into the spotlight and proclaim Christ in a very public forum. I think it’s fascinating to watch him deal with the crisis of obedience to God in a culture that is most foreign to him.

  Q: There are a few clear “good guys” and “bad guys” in Providence. The media is an unlikely and controversial bad guy. Why did you cast cable news and newspapers in this light?

  A: The news media is one of the principal shapers of the information we receive. Consequently, the media is the dominant purveyor of how we view the world around us. That’s a considerable amount of power. We’re used to seeing bad guys in books and movies acting as independent agents. But because the power of the media is a reality in our real world, I wanted to explore how Jack Clayton, using faith alone, would fight this battle.

  Q: Why did you choose to write Providence primarily as a love story? You’re a male author … shouldn’t you be writing about car chases and explosions?

  A: Providence is primarily a story about one man’s lifelong love for a woman, but it’s also about God’s eternal love for everyone. I think women are curious about what men really think about romantic love and the idea of soul mates. Well, that’s what I decided to give them—an inside look, so to speak, of one man’s view on infatuation, love, and commitment.

  Q: Providence is set in the pop culture of the 1980s as well the current time. Why did you choose these two eras?

  A: I think because the contrast is so striking, these two eras work well together. Even though the Cold War continued into the 1980s, we think of that time as idyllic now. This was before the highly technical computer/cell phone/PDA culture, before the intrusive but necessary airport-security screenings. It was the last great era of pop music, and the last season that saw baby boomers coming of age. The 1980s is a fascinating era on it’s own, but when readers of Providence experience the contrasts between the two eras, it really shows how far we’ve come.

  Q: You’re promoting your debut novel in a novel way. What can you tell our audience about Providence Cares?

  A: In my own life, I’ve watched friends, church members, and people in my community face catastrophic illnesses. It’s a common misconception that health insurance or state agencies cover treatment and after-care costs for significant health issues like these. They don’t. Families are shocked to learn they must raise tens of thousands of dollars on their own, and that’s an incredible task. Providence Cares is a way for a family to raise some of that money in a single night. It’s essentially an event based around my book that churches and individuals can host for a needy family. I’ll come and speak at the event and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the family toward their care and expenses. I see this as a practical, real-world example of the kind of community ministry Jack Clayton did in the book. It’s just my small way of trying to put feet on the ideas presented in Providence. (For updates and more information, families can visit www.providencebook.com.)

  Top 10 Soundtrack for My Novel

  The uniquely identifiable music of the 1980s found its way into the writing of my first novel, Providence, along an unexpected groove. In early writing, I often discovered songs creeping into my psyche, triggered by a salient moment in the story. Specific scenes in the book tipped off lyric fragments from songs I remembered, which seemed to speak to the internal condition of the characters. Melodies from the era began to surface, bringing underscore to the scenes, and filling in the backdrop like thick water in a vase of smooth stones until the music had become a character itself.

  Songs are powerful as imagery. They can capture our life moments like still photography. They can bring back our pasts in happily imperfect clarity, washing clear-cut facts from our minds, and leaving our pure and honest emotions vividly etched intact upon us.

  Three quarters of the way through the writing of Providence, the songs were multiplying. Popping up in meaningful scenes like a movie soundtrack, making their impression on me as I wrote until I finally decided to make them part of the story. They pulled their own weight too, revealing clues about the inner world of the people inside the tale, and connecting a distant yesterday with an all-too near-at-hand today.

  Some of the ’80s songs were especially inspiring to me during the writing of Providence starting with Billy Squier’s “Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You.” Before iTunes, the iPod, or even the CD, if you wanted to purchase just one fabulous hit song, the small black vinyl disc known as the 45 was the way to go. I have a vivid memory of playing Squier’s exceptional Christmas classic over and over again as a frozen Christmas snow fell outside our house in the Midwest. It has always amazed me how the Squier classic has not been re-recorded much given the number of Christmas albums released annually. The song is red and white peppermint melted over a chestnut fire, and poured into a three-and-half-minute tune.

  Al Jarreau’s “Moonlighting” was a hit theme song for the television series of the same name. Written by Al Jarreau and Lee Holdridge, and produced by Nile Rodgers, the song features one of the most romantic lyrical lines of all time: “Moonlighting strangers—who just met on the way.” It’s the idea that we’re on our way to somewhere, traveling alone, and then somehow by sweet serendipity, we encounter true love. Our soul’s find company and from then one, we travel on as two.

  The Greek words “Kyrie eleison” from the song “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister mean “Lord have mercy” and have been included in Christian liturgy for centuries. This song is an excellent example of the profoundly sacred turning up in the secular mainstream. Lyrics like “Kyrie eleison down the road that I must travel. Kyrie eleison through the darkness of the night” lay a prayer on the lips of every radio listener who’s ever heard this catchy song. Incidentally, artist Mark Schultz recorded his own amazing version of this song on his album, Song Cinema.

  In one scene in Providence, Jack is exhausted after a long day of writing. He emerges from his downstairs office, clicks on the CD with a remote, and hears Chris Eaton’s “Wonderful World.” If you’re not familiar with his song, Eaton is one of Christian music’s best loved songwriters. “Wonderful World” is the title cut from Chris’s 1995 album, and the only Providence song not from the 1980s. It’s a superbly absorbing song opening our eyes to beautiful things in this world, and when our eyes are opened to faith in Christ, seeing the vibrant beauty made possible by His love and forgiveness.

  Do you remember “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger? She was the girl who was always “motoring.” The lyric had everyone grooving, even while no one had a clue what it meant. Night Ranger drummer, Kelly Keagy, wrote and sang the song. With telling lyrics like “don’t you give it up before your time is due,” my guess is Sister Christian is an early abstinence song, another positive message floating around inside the rock-and-roll world.

  Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” is on my running CD and nearly twenty-five years after its release, I continue to marvel at the song’s fragile quality. Written by Cyndi and Rob Hyman of The Hooters, “Time After Time” is a song whose characters aren’t afraid to admit their own weaknesses. It speaks to peo
ple everywhere who relate to needing a greater strength beyond themselves, and wanting someone who will be there to depend on.

  Three Steve Winwood classics, “While You See a Chance,” “Higher Love,” and “Back in the High Life Again” appear in the story of Providence. I carry a profound memory of flying internationally in 1981 and listening to “While You See a Chance” over and over again on the in-flight music system. I was young, and traveling alone, and felt like I was seeing my chance and taking it. The song felt like a confirmation to me. Twenty-six years later, I’ve downloaded a new copy of the song, purchasing it to listen to today when I fly. It’s admonition to take those God appointed opportunities when the moment presents itself is still deeply inspirational to me.

  The MTV favorite Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” was released in 1984. It’s a song about important seasons in life passing from one era into another, the loss of innocence and the loss of love. It’s about our private questioning of ourselves and our internal examination of who time and our choices have led us to become. The tone of the song is haunting and confronts the pain of love and loss beyond our control. That’s a lot of ground to cover for just one pop song.

  Before Providence had a real name, I wrote under the working title, The Sound of My Soul, which is a lyric from the song, “True” by Spandau Ballet. I liked how the title revealed itself in one key scene where Jack and Peter are in Oscar’s having lunch. Jack, overwhelmed by the enormous task of writing his memoir, and seeing a woman who reminds him of Jenny, knows he’s losing the fight to stifle her memories. Then someone in the booth behind them hits the jukebox and he hears, “this is the sound of my soul.” And so it was.

  PROVIDENCE

  Published by David C Cook