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Back When She Returned Save as PDF
Chapters (48)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT
  3. CONTENTS
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“These children will be the first soldiers in the army for the Lord’s kingdom. Where we have failed, they will succeed. In the areas where we have missed the mark, they will surpass it far greater than we could ask or imagine. Just like the word says. The Lord has sent us that same prophecy.” Sweat dripped down his face as the spirit moved him. “Family, we have failed, but we are not failures. We are beaten down but not forgotten. He has given us this gift. An opportunity to right all the wrongs through this new offspring. Do you feel his presence here tonight? Don’t try to pretend you don’t. I know you do. Let go of your anger. Let go of your rage, the bitterness. It will destroy you. Don’t hold on to it. These children will save the world. They will do what we couldn’t, but you have to let go. Family, do you hear me? Can you feel me?”

Within seconds, people were on their feet, roaring and clapping. It wasn’t long before someone broke into dance. Jane’s melodic voice rang out. Someone chanted behind it, their voice a desperate plea to God to forgive us and give us another chance.

But I couldn’t get up. I had forced myself to raise my hand, but I couldn’t make myself celebrate or pretend to be excited about his words. I wasn’t the only one who’d stayed seated. Were they asking the same question as me? We’d stood by and let people die—why did we think we deserved forgiveness or another chance?

THIRTY

THIRTY

MEREDITH

NOW

Neither of us had spoken since we’d stepped outside. It’d been almost a month since Kate had returned, and it was the first time Scott and I had been alone together outside the house. He’d asked if I wanted to go for a walk after dinner, and I had jumped at the opportunity. One of our favorite things to do was to fill our to-go mugs with coffee and stroll through the neighborhood. Our street was so pretty it’d been featured in Woman’s Day magazine twice. He’d taken my hand as we’d walked down the sidewalk, like he’d done so many times in the past, and the simple gesture almost brought me to tears.

“I missed us,” I said after a few more blocks had passed.

“Me too.” He squeezed my hand. “Are you feeling better about things than you were this morning?”