Country Crooner (Christian Romance)

by Rebecca Lynn Clayson

  "Well, it's interesting that you say that... because I actually turned in my resignation at work. I hired a moving company to help me pack up my apartment, and right now, I'm driving a moving truck with my car on a towing trailer. I figure that I can live in my dad's house and manage the radio station."

  The phone line was silent for a few seconds, and Chelsea started to ramble a little bit-- trying to justify her decision.

  "Um, I know it sounds crazy, especially because I am moving so quickly. It's a huge leap of faith. But, I feel like that's what God wants me to do with my life right now, and so I'm trying to move forward on faith. Hopefully we raise enough money to actually make it happen, or else I'm going to be looking for work in Idaho." Chelsea giggled a little bit, trying to get rid of the nervousness in her voice. Even though she felt at peace with her decision, she knew that there were still a lot of pieces to the puzzle that would need to fit together in order to make the radio broadcasting a success.

  Kurt was stunned at the news. His heart leaped in his chest and he was excited to hear that Chelsea was going to be living nearby. He was so surprised, that momentarily he didn't know what to say.

  "Wow, you're right that is a big surprise! I'm speechless. I don't know what to say." Kurt seemed happy about the news, but Chelsea was having a hard time understanding his reaction over the phone because of his silence after hearing the news.

  "Don't worry. I've been thinking through everything that I can do to make it work. I know a little bit about the radio show because my dad taught me when I was young, so I think that I can get it figured out. Plus, my boss is going to let me work from home for the next few weeks, so I will still have a little bit of income from my job." Chelsea felt as though she was trying to rationalize her decision to Kurt.

  "Oh, don't misunderstand me. I'm thrilled for you and know that you’re going to do a great job! I'm happy to hear that you’re moving back. It’ll be great to have you living in our little town. I'm sure that you're going to do an amazing job of filling your father's shoes," he reassured.

  "I hope so, but I recognize that there is a lot of work to do. I'm a little nervous about everything, but I feel like it could work out. Since my dad's house has already paid off, I can live there for minimal costs. As long as I can figure out a way to raise enough money for the radio station to get things going, it will give me a little bit of time so that I can have the opportunity to start looking for advertisers."

  "Chelsea, anything is possible with God on your side. The sacrifice you're making will have a great impact on the lives of so many people, and I know that you’ll be supported in your decisions. I promise you that I’ll be there by your side the whole time, to support and help with anything that I can. Between your understanding about online marketing and my experience with music, I think that we could put together a pretty good radio station."

  "I agree! I’m hoping that I can apply the knowledge I got from my father, plus use Mrs. Bullock's experience to keep things going. I know there is going to be a big learning curve as I'm trying to figure everything out, but I know just enough that I think it'll work. Plus, I've already talked with Mrs. Bullock, and she's on board 100%."

  "That's fantastic news!" The excitement in Kurt's voice was obvious, and he was feeling the hope and faith that Chelsea had.

  "Well, I better get back on the road, I've been driving for a while, and I still have about seven hours ahead of me. I'm hoping to pull into town no later than midnight tonight."

  "Be safe and I’ll see you soon!"

  *****

  Chelsea arrived with her moving truck late Friday night, the day before the show. She was exhausted from driving all day, and had been keeping herself awake with caffeine the last few hours of the trip. Her plan was to park the truck in the driveway of her father's house and unpack the following day or whenever she had time to get it done.

  As she pulled the moving truck up in front of her father's house, she could see someone sitting on the porch swing and instantly recognized Kurt's shadow. Her heart leaped in her chest, and she was excited to see that he was waiting for her arrival. It was late, and despite her tiredness, she was suddenly alert and excited to talk to him.

  As she turned off the truck, he walked over to open her door and say hi.

  "I wouldn't have guessed that a city slicker like you would be pulling up in a moving truck to a place like this," he said with a smile. “Are you sure you’re in the right place? It's good to see you. The choir kids are going to be so excited that you're attending the show tomorrow."

  Chelsea jumped out of the truck and gave Kurt a hug. "If you talked to me four weeks ago, I would've never guessed it either. It's amazing how quickly things change, especially when God helps you to see a different path for your life. It's good to see you too."

  Kurt wrapped his arms around Chelsea and hugged her back. They held on for a moment without saying anything, and then Kurt pulled away and looked into Chelsea's eyes.

  "I'm sure you're exhausted; you've had a big day today. That's a long way to travel, especially driving a big moving truck. I need to let you go to bed. "

  " Yes, I'm exhausted. It’ll be nice to get some rest tonight."

  "Be ready in the morning, because I've arranged for a few people to help you unpack at 9 o'clock in the morning."

  "Oh wow, that's unexpected! Thanks, I can definitely use the help getting that truck unloaded. I know that tomorrow's a big day so I figured that the truck could wait to be unloaded until after the show. But, since help is available, I'd be happy to get it done in the morning!"

  "You’re welcome. Have a great night; I'll see you in the morning." Kurt turned around and walked over to his car, as Chelsea unlocked the front door of her father's house and went inside.

  After closing the door, she peeked out the curtains in the front room to watch Kurt's car drive away, secretly wishing that he would have stayed a little longer. Despite her tiredness, she would have liked to spend a little more time with him.

  Tomorrow is going to be a big day, she reminded herself. We will have more time together after this fundraiser is over.

  Chelsea hoped that Kurt felt the same way about her, because she didn't want to be setting herself up for a heartbreak.

  *****

  The next morning, at 9 o'clock sharp, people started showing up to help with the move. Chelsea was surprised to see that there were already 10 people waiting in the front yard, ready to help unload the truck. Excitement was in the air as everyone talked about the choir performance that evening.

  Because she had lived in a one-bedroom apartment in California, she didn't have much to unload. As they worked, another five people showed up, and it only took an hour to get everything into the house.

  She knew that the show was top priority, so she left everything in boxes. They would still be there next week, waiting to be unpacked. Right now, it was time to focus on the performance at the town hall.

  Chapter 6

  Saturday morning, Kurt woke up thinking about Chelsea. He’d only known her for about four weeks, but he felt like he knew so much about her. As he lay in bed trying to wake up, he knew without a doubt that he was in love with Chelsea.

  She was beautiful; he loved her spirit, and the way that she threw herself into making sure that the fundraiser was a success. The fact that she was making such a sacrifice for the radio station touched his heart and proved to him even more that she was a good person deep down inside. She was the type of woman that every man dreamed about, high-caliber in every way.

  He hadn't told Chelsea about his feelings, because he was still worried about the fact that he didn't feel worthy of her love. He knew that he’d made some big mistakes in his life, and she deserved the best man that she could get. He felt conflicted, wanting to confess his love to her, but at the same time, wanting what was best for her.

  Kurt pulled himself out of bed, got dressed, and drove over to help Chelsea with the move.

  While everyone was unpac
king the moving truck, he focused on the work and tried hard to not let on how much he cared about Chelsea. He kept his distance from her so that he wouldn't have to worry about hiding the feelings in his heart.

  He felt as though there was a big sign on his forehead that said, "I love Chelsea," and he was worried about her reaction if she found out how he felt. It wasn't hard to avoid her during the move, because there were so many people going in and out of the house. He needed a little more time to sort through his thoughts before he could let her know what was going on in his heart and mind.

  Once the truck was unloaded Chelsea needed to drop it off, and Mrs. Bullock was going to give her a ride back home. She had a few more things that she needed to get done at home before heading over to the town hall, but she wouldn't be long because she wanted to help with the preparation for the show. Kurt headed over to the town hall immediately, and planned to meet up with her later.

  He arrived at the town hall and found a few of the choir kids there ready to help with the setup. They started working on the preparations: setting up chairs, checking the sound system, and making sure the stage was ready to go. An hour into his work the pastor from the church stopped by to see what he could do to help. Kurt stepped out into the hallway to talk with the pastor for a few minutes.

  "Hi Kurt, it looks like things are coming together, are you ready for the show tonight? Is there anything that I can do to help?" the pastor asked.

  "I think we’re almost ready, thanks for the offer though. Chelsea should be arriving soon, and the rest of the youth choir will be here shortly as well to rehearse a little before the performance. At this point, all that's left to do is to pray for a good turnout."

  "Well, praying is my specialty, so I can definitely help with that!" The pastor paused for a moment, as if he was deciding what to say. "The rumor around town is that you and Chelsea have been spending a lot of time together. How's that going? I may be overstepping my bounds to ask you, but I like to keep an eye on the people in my congregation."

  "She's a wonderful woman, and has definitely stolen a piece of my heart. But at this point, we're still just friends. And I think its best that we remain that way." Kurt was a little hesitant as he spoke, but he knew that it was the right thing to do.

  "Why do you say that you should remain friends, and not pursue the relationship? If you care about her, then you should tell her how you feel."

  "Well, she's a woman of strong faith, and I feel like she deserves a man to match that faith. I'm not sure that I’m good enough of a man for her."

  "I would have to disagree with that statement," the pastor said strongly. "You’ve come a long way in the past two years, and you can't discredit the progress that you've made."

  "Yes, I realize that I'm a better man now than I was two years ago, but I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I have too much baggage to bring into the relationship."

  "Kurt, you need to keep in mind that the atonement of Jesus Christ is a very real gift that has been given to us. You have worked with me over the past couple years to repent for the mistakes that you made, and through God's grace you have been forgiven for your sins. Have you not felt God's forgiveness in your life?"

  "Yes, I have felt the forgiveness. But sometimes, I still question myself. I just want what's best for Chelsea; I don't feel like it's fair that I've had such a rough history."

  "If I can give you some advice, it would be that you need to spend more time on your knees understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ. Once God has forgiven you for your sins, those sins are washed away as if they never occurred. Forgiveness from God is complete, and whole in every way. You’ve been so diligent with your progress in growing closer to God over the past few years, that you literally have become a new man. God has forgotten about the mistakes that you made, and you should forget about them as well. Focus on who you are right now, not who you used to be."

  "Thanks for your advice. You’re right, I’ll spend more time on my knees asking God for guidance so that I can understand the situation a little better. I would love to spend the rest of my life with Chelsea, but it's important that I make the right decision because I don't want to hurt her."

  "Follow your heart; it will lead you in the right direction. Also, know that my door is always open, you’re welcome to talk with me at anytime."

  "Thanks Pastor, I appreciate it!"

  *****

  Chelsea and the choir kids arrived around 4 o'clock, and everyone got to work quickly so they could run through the songs before the performance started. Mrs. Bullock and a few of her friends had volunteered to sit outside the door to collect donations. Some of the women from the neighborhood showed up to drop off homemade cookies and treats to sell as refreshments.

  People started showing up at 6 o'clock, an hour before the show started. The rumor was that there was going to be a big turnout, and everyone wanted to get there early in order to have good seats for the performance.

  The air was buzzing with excitement as more people arrived, and there was a special feeling of camaraderie as the community gathered together. Judgments and hard feelings were set aside as everyone came together to support the cause.

  A sign was hung up stating that the suggested donation was five dollars per ticket, but any amount of money would be acceptable. They wanted to be sure that everyone had the opportunity to listen to the performance, even if they didn't have five dollars to spend. At the same time, they were hoping that some people might donate more than five dollars per ticket.

  Mrs. Bullock was touched to see the donations coming in. Some people paid the suggested $5 per ticket. Several people slipped $100 bills into the donation bucket, and there were a few checks written for larger amounts.

  As the time grew closer for the show to start, people started showing up in droves. By 6:40, every seat in the town hall was filled. People started bringing their own chairs and setting them up in the aisles and the back of the town hall.

  Since people were continuing to come and the meeting space was completely filled, they decided to open up the windows of the town hall, so the people outside could hear the music. A few more speakers were set up to broadcast the music outside, and pretty soon the large grassy park on the side of the town hall was covered in the blankets of families who sat down to listen to the show.

  When it was time for the show to start, the youth choir walked out on stage and the audience began to cheer. There was a great excitement among the audience; everyone was happy to be gathered together to hear the performance.

  Chelsea had saved a seat on the front row, and she turned around to see the audience on their feet clapping and cheering. She felt overwhelmed with gratitude that so many people had shown up to support their cause. The sight of so many people gave her hope that there was a way to make it forward with the radio station.

  The choir was ready to begin singing, and Kurt stepped out on stage to conduct the music. Before the music started, he turned to the microphone to say a few words.

  "Thank you so much for supporting us tonight, we are excited to share this wonderful music with you! This concert is dedicated in memory of Jerry Watson; he was the amazing man who ran the radio station for 30 years. It is because of him that we are here today, enjoying the beautiful music of this choir. Jerry, we will always remember you and the impact that you had on this community. Let us share a moment of silence as a sign of respect and gratitude for him."

  The room quieted down and the men in the audience removed their hats out of respect for the moment. Everyone bowed their heads and silence filled the room.

  After the minute was up, Kurt spoke into the microphone again. "We hope that you enjoy the presentation tonight, and that you can feel the Spirit of God through the music that we have to share."

  Everyone clapped, and then Kurt turned to the choir to cue the music. The entire town hall quieted down to listen to the music, which echoed beautifully through the acoustics of the room. The extra practicing had paid off, and th
e sound was phenomenal.

  Chelsea sat in awe as she listened to the beauty of the music, and she loved seeing Kurt directing the choir. He seemed to be in the right place, enjoying what he was doing and making a difference in the kids’ lives. He was a natural on stage, and it was as though he was living his dream by helping the choir produce beautiful music.

  The choir sang a variety of music with both upbeat songs and some slow songs, all glorifying the name of God. The Christian theme to their music was uplifting and edifying to the people listening, and Chelsea could tell that everyone was enjoying the show. There were a few solos performed by some of the children in the choir, as well as group songs where everyone participated. They even had some songs with audience participation as a sing-along.

  As the show was nearing the end, Kurt turned around to face the audience and spoke into the microphone.

  "Before we finish up, I want to take a moment and say thank you, from everybody involved in the youth choir and the radio station. We are so grateful for your support, and glad that you could come to enjoy the music tonight. Thank you so much for your donations, we hope that the money will allow us to continue to bring you more of this great music!"

  The crowd roared in applause to show their appreciation and support.

  Kurt continued, "I would like to invite Mrs. Bullock to come up and share the results of our fundraiser. She has been tallying the donations that came in tonight, as well as the online donations that we received throughout the week."

  Mrs. Bullock walked onto the stage with a big smile on her face and a paper in her hand. "It's a good thing the choir had a lot of music to sing, because we received so many donations that I needed plenty of time to count all of it! We're happy to report that between the online donations and the donations here at the show, we've raised enough money to buy the equipment that we need for the radio station, and we'll be able to keep everything running for the next three months. Thank you to everyone for your support, we’re grateful that we can continue sharing the gospel message on the radio!"