by Al Lacy
“Hello,” said Sally. “I’m glad we caught you before you left for home. Little Lydia Marie has been asking to see her favorite aunt all day.”
Tharyn stepped up to Sally’s side of the buggy and opened her arms. “Well, let’s not delay it any longer! Aunt Tharyn is eager to see her little niece. How’s she doing?”
Sally turned the pretty baby’s face toward Tharyn. “She’s doing great.”
Lydia Marie smiled and made a “goo” sound.
Sally laughed. “When she makes that sound, it means she’s very happy.”
“Of course,” said Tharyn, taking the little bundle into her arms. “She’s about to get hugged and kissed by her favorite aunt!”
While Dr. Dane was talking to Jack, he watched Tharyn cuddle Lydia Marie and kiss her chubby little cheeks.
After a few minutes, Jack turned to Sally. “Well, honey, I know our baby would love to stay here and get all this loving from her favorite aunt, but we’d better be heading home.”
Tharyn kissed the baby one more time and handed her back to Sally. “Okay. That’ll do till next time. Which will be tomorrow at church.”
Sally laughed, looked down at her baby girl, and said, “More loving from your favorite aunt tomorrow, sweetie.”
Lydia Marie smiled as if she understood.
Sally looked at Tharyn. “She says she is looking forward to it.”
“Not as much as I am!”
While the Logans were driving toward home with Pal pulling the buggy, Dane turned to Tharyn and grinned. “Happy now?”
“Of course. But I’ll be even happier when the baby I cuddle and kiss is Miss Elizabeth Ann Logan. Or, of course, Mr. Dane Logan Jr.”
Dane laughed. “Well, I guess we need to keep praying about little Miss Elizabeth Ann Logan. Or, of course, little Mr. Dane Logan Jr.”
That night, when the Logans were praying after reading their Bibles together, they both asked the Lord to guide them and to have His perfect will about when they should start their family.
Somewhere in the middle of the night, Tharyn found herself dreaming again.
In the dream, it was midmorning, and the sun was shining into the kitchen through a side window as Tharyn stood at the sink. She was looking out the window above the sink into the backyard, and a smile curved her lips as she fixed her gaze on her little five-year-old daughter who was swaying back and forth in the swing her father had made for her.
Little Elizabeth Ann was positioned on the swing seat so she faced the house. Her long dark brown hair fluttered in the air as she set her dark brown eyes on her mother and let go of one rope to wave to her. “Hi, Mommy!”
Tharyn felt a lump rise in her throat, waved back, and hurried out the door. When she stepped off the porch and headed toward the child, Elizabeth Ann dragged her feet to stop the swing, then hopped off and ran to meet her mother, smiling and opening her arms.
When they came together, Tharyn swept her up in her arms. Before she could tell the child she loved her, Elizabeth Ann said, “I love you, Mommy! I love you so much!”
Tharyn felt warm tears fill her eyes and moisten her cheeks. “I love you, too, sweetheart! So very, very much!”
The warmth of the tears on her cheeks awakened Tharyn. She opened her eyes and sat up in the bed. Next to her, Dane was snoring slightly. Tharyn wiped the tears from her face and said in a low whisper, “Oh, Elizabeth Ann, I love you so much. So very, very much!”
She eased her head back down on the pillow, and this time whispered, “Dear Lord, You are going to give me my little Elizabeth Ann, aren’t You?”
She dabbed at her eyes with the sheet, drying her tears. Moments later, she was asleep once again.
The next morning, when Dane and Tharyn arrived at church, they saw the Millers halfway down the aisle, talking to another couple. Tharyn’s line of sight fastened on little Lydia Marie in her mother’s arms, and her mind flashed back to the dream she had the night before.
Oh, dear Lord, she said in her heart, I so very much want to be a mother.
Dane stopped to shake hands with one of the men, who also greeted Tharyn. She returned the greeting warmly, then said in a low voice to Dane, “I want to go see Little Lydia Marie for a moment.”
The Millers were alone, ready to choose a pew, when Dane and Tharyn drew up.
Sally smiled, looked at the baby in her arms, and said, “Well, Lydia Marie, your favorite aunt is here.” With that, she handed the baby to Tharyn, who began talking to her as she cuddled and kissed her.
Dr. Dane and Jack shook hands, then observed Tharyn, who was overflowing with joy as she held the baby.
“You know, Tharyn,” Sally said teasingly, “you’re already spoiling this little one. Next time she cries and wants to be held, I’m bringing her to you.”
Tharyn’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, that would be fine with me! Anytime you need someone to take care of her, just bring her to me. If I’m at the office, I could put a bassinet right beside my desk.” She caressed a soft cheek, gave it another kiss, and handed Lydia Marie back to her mother, thinking, Someday I’ll have my very own precious bundle! It can’t come too soon!
At that moment, Pastor Mark and Peggy came through a door beside the platform and greeted the Logans. Dr. Dane told them about Eric Cox bringing his neighbor Carlene Hughes to the office yesterday with chest pains.
Pastor Shane said, “I know the Coxes have been witnessing to Mrs. Hughes, but haven’t been able to get anywhere with her.”
“Yes, but praise the Lord, I’ve got good news. Tharyn and I witnessed to her at the office yesterday, and Carlene received Jesus as her Saviour. It took the fear of angina pectoris to get her to listen about her need to be saved.”
“Great!”
“She said she wants to be baptized here in our church as soon as she’s able.”
“Wonderful!” exclaimed Peggy.
“I told her that both of you would be coming to see her soon.”
Pastor Shane smiled. “Peggy and I will go see her tomorrow.”
“Something else, Pastor …” said Dr. Dane. “Kirby Holton came into the office yesterday to commend me for my part in Chief Tando’s signing the peace treaty. While I had him there face-to-face, I invited him to come to church today. He promised to be here for the morning service.”
The pastor smiled. “Well, I hope he keeps his promise! He’s been a hard nut to crack.”
“Tell me about it! Tharyn and I have been praying hard that the Lord will get ahold of him today.”
At that point, the Shanes and the Logans spotted Eric and Nelda Cox coming toward them. Dr. Dane told them that he had spoken to Pastor and Mrs. Shane about Carlene Hughes being saved, and that they were going to visit her on Monday.
Eric looked at the Shanes. “She will be very glad to see you. We left her with some other neighbors this morning, who don’t go to church. We’ll be staying with her again tonight.”
When Sunday school was over, Dr. Dane went out onto the front porch of the church building to watch for Kirby Holton. He had just shaken hands with a couple of church members when he saw Kirby pull his buggy into the parking lot, and he breathed a prayer of thanks to the Lord.
Dr. Dane waited on the porch, and when Kirby Holton mounted the steps, he shook Kirby’s hand. “Welcome, my friend! Sure am glad to see you here.”
Kirby was visibly nervous, but his uneasiness diminished some when they entered the building and he was greeted by other people he knew, including some of his own employees.
Pastor Shane spotted him, and hurried to him, giving him a warm welcome.
As the pastor headed for the platform, Dr. Dane said, “Kirby, would you sit with Tharyn and me?”
“Of course.”
He guided his guest to the pew where Tharyn was already seated. She welcomed him with a wide smile, and Dr. Dane had Kirby sit on the aisle, then sat down between him and Tharyn.
The pump organ was striking up a song as the music director stepped before the choir, mo
tioned for them to stand, and led them in a rousing gospel song to open the service. The congregation was then asked to stand, and the music director led them in a beautiful hymn about Christ’s death on the cross.
The Logans noticed that Kirby Holton held a songbook, but did not sing.
During announcement time, Pastor Shane mentioned the article in the Rocky Mountain News about Chief Tando signing the peace treaty with the United States government, and asked how many had seen it. Hands went up all over the auditorium, accompanied by many an amen. Not wanting to embarrass Dr. Dane Logan, the pastor made only a passing remark about the doctor’s part in the change of attitude toward white men that had taken place in Chief Tando’s heart. He also made mention briefly about the renegade Chief Yukana’s death, and the surrender of his people to the U.S. army—and the peace treaty signed by renegade Chief Antono at Fort Junction that week.
After the offering and a solo by one of the men from the choir, Pastor Mark Shane stepped up to the pulpit and opened his Bible. “My basic text this morning is found in Proverbs 4:23. Please turn in your Bibles and follow as I read it.”
Pages were fluttering all over the auditorium as people flipped to the passage. Dr. Dane turned to the passage in his Bible and held it so Kirby could easily see the page.
The pastor read the verse loudly and clearly:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.”
He read it a second time for emphasis, then explained that the “issues” in our lives are what come out in consequences, aftermaths, or results from what we do in life. He added that our actions are determined by the condition of the heart.
He then compared the mind—the intellect, the brain, the seat of man’s intelligence—with the heart, the very center of the soul, the core of the individual. The pastor explained that as the physical heart is the central organ of the body, so the nonphysical heart is the central seat of the affections and the center of the moral consciousness.
“From this moral center,” he said, “flows forth the issues of life. The currents of the moral life take their rise in the heart, and flow forth from it, just as blood is propelled and issues forth into the arterial system in the body from the physical heart. As physical life is centered in the physical heart, so it is in the spiritual sense with the heart, which is the center of the soul. Out of that heart are the issues of life. It is the emotional part of a person; the very personality and moral part of the person. This is why God tells us to keep our heart with all diligence.”
Pastor Shane pointed out that Genesis 2:7 makes it clear that man does not just have a soul. He is the soul.
“As I said a moment ago,” he went on, “the heart spoken of in Proverbs 4:23 is the very center of the soul. It is the seat of our affections. It is our innermost being.”
While the pastor was preaching, Dr. Dane noticed that Kirby Holton was listening intently.
“The Scripture says the issues of life are from the heart. The things that defile a person are from the heart. A person is basically what he or she thinks in their heart. The heart of man, therefore, is the source of his life, his activities, and his destiny.”
Pastor Shane turned back several pages in his Bible. “The Bible says that God knows the hearts of men, searches the hearts of men, and discerns the motives of the hearts of men. Now go with me in your Bibles to Psalm 119:11. I want you to see what the psalmist wrote in this verse under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.”
When the sound of pages flipping ceased, Shane said, “Now look at this, and catch my emphasis on certain words. ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ Oh, Christians, hide the written Word of God in your hearts, not just your minds. You hide it in your mind when you memorize it, but you hide it in your heart when you not only memorize it, but let it take root in your very being. Listen closely to what I am about to say. The heart remembers things the mind forgets.”
He paused as he swept his gaze over the faces of the crowd. “Did you hear what I said? The heart remembers things the mind forgets.”
Dr. Dane Logan leaned close to Tharyn and whispered, “That’s good! I never thought of it in that light before.”
She smiled at him and nodded.
The pastor then returned to his original text, and after reading it aloud again, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the ‘heart’ of Proverbs 4:23 is not only tied to the issues of life here on earth, but also is involved in the issues of eternal life.”
Pastor Shane then took them to John 1:12, showing that to be born again, a lost sinner must receive Jesus Christ. He then took them to Ephesians 3:17, showing that Christ must dwell in their hearts; thus, He must be received into the individual sinner’s heart … the very center of his soul.
He then quoted Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:20: “ ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in.’ ”
Running his gaze over the crowd, Shane said, “Jesus said He will come in where?”
Answers came back from the crowd: “Into the heart!”
The pastor smiled. “Yes! And before this sermon is finished, you who are here without Christ are going to feel Him knocking on the door of your heart. I implore you … don’t turn Him away. Open your heart to Him!”
Dr. Dane noticed Kirby Holton nervously twisting in the pew.
Tears filmed Pastor Shane’s eyes as he said with a break in his voice, “Lost friend, many people who planned on receiving Jesus as their Saviour someday, died before that someday came. Satan’s greatest trick is to get you to put it off. Second Corinthians 6:2 says, ‘Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’ Your heart is pumping now. You are breathing now. But you have no assurance that this will be so tomorrow. Please do not leave here without opening your heart to Jesus.
“A wise Christian man once said, ‘If we put off repentance another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less in which to repent.’ Another said, ‘You cannot repent too soon, because you know not how soon it may be too late.’
“Let me tell you a story. A gospel preacher once was planning to preach on 2 Corinthians 6:2, which I just quoted to you. One night he dreamed that he was carried into the presence of wicked, evil spirits of Satan. They were assembled to devise means whereby they might cause more people to end up in hell. One said, ‘I will go to earth and tell men that the Bible is all false; that it is not divinely inspired of God.’
“ ‘No, that will not work,’ another said. ‘I’ll go tell people there is no God, no Saviour, no heaven, no hell.’ At those words, a fiendish smile lighted upon their countenances.
“ ‘No,’ said another. ‘That will not do. We can only make a few people believe that. I will journey to earth and tell them that, yes, there is a God; that there is a crucified, risen Saviour; that there is a heaven and a hell. But I will tell them there is no hurry. Tomorrow will do. There is no need to repent and receive Christ until tomorrow.’ And the other wicked, evil spirits voted to send him to earth.”
Pastor Mark Shane asked everyone in the crowd to bow their heads. He prayed for those in the building who were lost, and asked God to convict their hearts of their lost condition and draw them to Jesus. He then had the congregation stand and began the invitation.
While the invitation song was being sung, Dr. Dane and Tharyn saw Kirby Holton standing there with his head bowed, gripping the back of the pew ahead of him and shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
With a prayer in his heart, Dr. Dane leaned over and spoke in a low tone. “Don’t put it off, Kirby. If you’re willing to go forward and receive Jesus, I’ll walk down there with you.”
With tears in his eyes, Kirby raised his head, looked at the young doctor, and said, “Let’s go.”
Tharyn choked up when she saw the two of them step into the aisle. “Thank You, Lord!” she whispered. “Thank You!”
W
hen the doctor and the millionaire reached the front, the pastor took hold of Kirby’s hand. “Why are you coming, Mr. Holton?”
Kirby wiped tears. “I want to be saved, Pastor. Right now. I’m not putting it off till tomorrow.”
The pastor smiled and set his tear-stained eyes on Central City’s physician. “Dr. Dane, will you take him to the altar and lead him to Jesus?”
Face beaming, Dr. Dane said, “It will be my pleasure, Pastor.”
As the invitation went on, three other people also came forward, and when they gave their testimonies after receiving Christ, there was great rejoicing in the congregation.
Moments later, when all four were baptized, there was more rejoicing.
SEVENTEEN
Some two weeks passed.
On the morning of Monday, October 10, Dr. Dane Logan was standing at Tharyn’s desk, talking to her about a patient who had just been treated, when they looked up to see Pastor Mark Shane come in. There were four more patients in the waiting room.
Both Logans greeted the pastor, who said, “I just came by to talk to you for a moment about Kirby Holton. If you’re too busy, I’ll come back later.”
Tharyn rose from her chair and started around the desk. Meeting her husband’s glance, she said, “I’ll take the next patient on back to the examining room, Dane. Mr. Watson is next, and he needs you to check on his broken ribs.”
Dr. Dane looked at the pastor. “You say it will only take a moment?”
“Yes. Not more than two or three minutes.”
“All right, let’s go into my office. Tharyn, I’ll be back there shortly.”
When the two men stepped into the doctor’s private office, Shane said, “I’ve noticed at church the past two Sundays, and on Wednesday nights, that Kirby has sat with you and Tharyn. Are you getting to know him better?”
“We sure are. In fact, he told us he wanted to sit with us because he wanted to get to know us better.”
“Good. I’ve visited him twice at home since he got saved. He seems to be growing spiritually. I just wanted to see if you felt the same way.”