Child of Grace (Love Inspired) by Irene Hannon Read Free Book Online Page B

it.
    Yet he wasn’t the type to walk away from people in need. That was why he’d become a doctor. Why he’d done more than his share of gritty, heartbreaking work near the front lines. Why he’d promised a medic he’d create the young man’s legacy in his stead.
    But it was hard to help people who didn’t want help. And maybe he wasn’t supposed to help Kelsey. Maybe he was supposed to let this go.
    Except he knew about loneliness. And disillusion. And anguish. He’d lived through all of them overseas. And Kelsey was living through them now. Every one of those emotions was reflected in the clear, green depths of her troubled eyes.
    Tipping his head back, he looked toward the heavens, where stars were just beginning to peek out.
    Lord, You led me here. For a mission I thought was clear. If You have another job in mind for me, would You let me know? Soon? And in the meantime, please let Kelsey feel Your healing presence. Because I have a feeling she’s in desperate need of some divine guidance and a healthy dose of TLC.

Chapter Five
     
    “A h, Kelsey! What a nice surprise!”
    At Reverend Howard’s greeting, Kelsey looked up from her book and watched the middle-aged pastor cross the grass with his typical spry gait. Since he knew she often walked down to this small park in Douglas at lunchtime, his comment about being surprised seemed a bit odd.
    Her curiosity piqued, she gestured to the facing seat in the double-sided swing she’d claimed on the edge of Kalamazoo Lake. “It’s nice to see you, Reverend. Won’t you join me?”
    “Thank you. I will.” He settled in across from her. “So what are you reading this fine day?”
    She angled the book of baby names toward him.
    He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ve reached a decision?”
    With a sigh, she rested her hand on her stomach and shook her head. “No. I’m just trying to be prepared for all contingencies.”
    “God will give you the answer in His time.”
    “The trouble is, I’m running out of time.”
    “You still have two months. And if you decide to give up the baby for adoption, all the arrangements are in place with the agency I contacted on your behalf. Try not to let the pressure get to you.”
    “It’s hard not to, the way the weeks are flying by.” She ran a finger down the spine of the book. “You know, a year ago, if someone had predicted that in twelve months I’d be pregnant, living in Gram’s cottage and making quilts for a living, I’d have thought they were crazy. I was totally focused on my goal of being a vice president by the time I was forty.” She shook her head. “So much for plans.”
    “Is your new life losing its luster?”
    “Not at all. I don’t miss the corporate rat race one iota. I may not make the big bucks anymore, but my life is more in balance and the creative work feeds my soul. I’m just sorry it took such a traumatic wake-up call for me to see the light.” The baby kicked, and she touched her stomach. “I can even have a family if I want one.”
    “Raising a child alone is difficult, Kelsey. Especially under your circumstances.”
    At the minister’s quiet comment, a pang echoed in her heart. They’d had similar discussions several times over the past few months, though he’d never before been as direct.
    “Don’t you think I’m up to it?”
    “I think you are a very strong woman who can achieve whatever you set out to accomplish. Your success in the corporate world proves that. So does your decision to change your life in the face of opposition from family and coworkers. But this decision isn’t just about you. It’s also about what’s best for your child. He or she deserves unconditional love, Kelsey.”
    “You don’t think I can offer that?”
    “Only you can answer that question. No one would blame you if you couldn’t.”
    Tears pricked Kelsey’s eyes, and she looked over the sparkling water, blinking them away. “I didn’t think I could in the beginning. I wanted