The Heart's Frontier by Lori Copeland Read Free Book Online Page B

street, leaned an arm against the sign that had welcomed them to Gorham, and bowed his head. From the porch, Emma watched him pray, and she formed an unspoken prayer of her own. Lord, guide Papa in this decision .
    Though Maummi and Rebecca both held their own hopes for their destination, Emma wasn’t sure what she thought anymore. She’d much rather stay in Apple Grove forever, but if Papa said the move to Troyer was God’s will, then how could she disagree? In Troyer she might find love and her future. What girl didn’t want to find a godly husband and start the process of building a home?
    But what if Maummi was right? Was this disaster the Lord’s way of changing their plans? Returning to the comfort and familiarity of home would be wonderful, and if the Lord wanted, He could send a husband to Apple Grove. God had a plan, she knew that for sure. All she must do was surrender to His will and submit to the authority He had placed over her. At the moment that authority was her father, and the decision on where she would go rested with him.
    Papa lifted his head and strode toward the porch, his feet kicking up dust around the bottom of his trousers with every step. Had he reached a decision? Emma sat straight in her chair, her feet on the wooden planks beneath her, waiting for his approach. Beside her, Rebecca and Maummi did the same.
    “Well?” Maummi demanded when he stood before them. “From which direction will we send for help?”
    Papa straightened his shoulders and replied, “The decision is not yet made.”
    Emma clamped her teeth together and gripped the arms of the rocker. A whole night and part of a morning, and still he didn’t know the Lord’s direction? Was the Lord silent, or were Papa’s ears stuffed too full of indecision to hear? He had ever been overly cautious and slow moving, like the time he took two weeks before deciding whether to hang her swing on the tree in front of the house or the one nearer the barn. Many times during those weeks of waiting she’d wanted to stomp her foot and shout that if he didn’t decide, she would. She fought the same desire now.
    Guilt flooded her mind at the uncharitable thought. She folded her hands in her lap and lowered her gaze to them so he couldn’t see the irritation on her face. Papa was a good provider and she loved him. He did his best to follow the Lord’s leading. Obviously she had not yet mastered the lesson she needed most to learn—patience.
    Judging by Maummi ’s tightly pressed lips, Emma wasn’t the only one who hadn’t learned tolerance. The old woman’s jaws bulged with the effort of keeping her mouth closed as Papa mounted the two wooden stairs and sat in the unoccupied fourth rocker.
    “We will continue to pray,” he announced. “Soon we will have an answer.”
    Silence returned to the porch, broken only by the quiet squeak of the chairs as they rocked back and forth on the wooden planks. Emma sent a new request heavenward.
    Lord, we can’t stay here forever, so please send Your answer soon . You know how Papa is. You might need to do something obvious in order to get his attention .
    She opened her eyes to see a horse and rider enter the settlement on the far side of the street. The cowboy’s lean body sat tall in the saddle, his shoulders broad beneath a leather vest. Though he was still too far away to be seen clearly, Emma’s heart flipped inside her chest. Could this be the Lord’s answer already?
    When he neared enough to be recognized, her rocking chair came to an abrupt halt. What was that cowboy doing here again?
    Lord, surely You didn’t send him again. What makes You think he’ll be any more help this time than before?

     
    Luke nodded a greeting at the storekeeper as he passed. Though the morning was half over, there was very little activity on the street. A movement through the blacksmith’s open doors caught his eye. Somebody was working, anyway. He spared a longing glance at the bath house. No time for