Read Online A Treasury of Miracles for Friends by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Kingsbury
Tags: REL036000
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beginning of the end, Taylor thought, as he kept climbing the utility pole. He’d prayed for Aaron for months and years on end after that, rescuing him from parties where he was stone drunk, taking him to counseling centers where he could get help for the depression that plagued him, and most of all telling him about God.
But Aaron didn’t want help, didn’t want to hear about answers.
Instead he drew farther from Taylor every year. Finally, that past spring, Aaron told Taylor their friendship was over.
“I don’t want your answers, Taylor.” Aaron’s voice was cold and bitter, without a trace of the warm humor that had been his trademark through high school. “Leave me alone, Taylor. We’re finished.”
Three times since then Taylor had called. But always Aaron’s attitude was the same. And now . . . now that fall was here, Taylor was beginning to accept the idea. The guy he’d thought he’d stay friends with forever was finally and completely out of his life.
Aaron Grant walked out of the church hall and smiled at the stormy sky above. How had he been so blind before, and how could he have let losing football nearly cost him his soul?
Two months earlier, Aaron had been at a bar, too drunk to sit up straight, when his former coach walked in and spotted him. The man came up alongside Aaron, his face a mix of sorrow and surprise. “Aaron, how are you?”
Aaron didn’t remember much about the conversation, only that his words were too slurred to understand. After a few more attempts, his old coach had shrugged and walked away.
Even in his drunken stupor, Aaron realized what had just happened. The man he’d played ball for, the man who’d dreamed with him and believed in him, had just walked away from him in disgust.
Suddenly every poor decision he’d made since his knee injury came flooding back, and there on the stool where he could barely manage to sit, Aaron hit rock bottom. The next day he was seized with remorse for the way he’d treated his best friend. Hadn’t Taylor always been there? Hadn’t he only wanted the best for Aaron?
Memories flooded his heart all that morning, times when Taylor had forced him through his rehabilitation exercises, times when the two of them had run together, with Taylor always shouting at him to push harder, faster.
Now that he’d made a decision to change, Aaron wanted to call Taylor more than anything, but he knew he couldn’t.
Not yet.
First he would get his act together, find out about this God that Taylor talked about so often, and walk away from alcohol altogether. Then, in a few months, he’d be ready. He could call Taylor and thank him for being the best friend anyone could ever have. And maybe, if God was willing, there would be some small way he could thank Taylor for never giving up. Even when Aaron asked him to do so.
The next two months passed in a blur of intensity. The same effort Aaron had once given on the football field he now gave to getting his life together. He sought counseling for his depression and alcohol abuse and took a job working at the local supermarket. At night he started his college classes up again, and three times a week he attended a church near his house for services and Bible studies.
That afternoon, with storm clouds building overhead, Aaron knew it was time. He’d known it from the moment they read the Bible verse for the day, the one that talked about encouraging each other daily. Encouragement had been Taylor’s ultimate gift to Aaron, even though that gift had been rejected. Now, though, Aaron could hardly wait to get home and call Taylor.
It was time he and Taylor reconnected, time for Aaron to start repaying the favor and do some encouraging of his own. As he drove across town, rain began to fall and in the distance sharp bolts of lightning pierced the afternoon sky.
Aaron smiled and hummed a song about God’s grace. No storm could dim his excitement. He was ten minutes from home, ten minutes from calling
But Aaron didn’t want help, didn’t want to hear about answers.
Instead he drew farther from Taylor every year. Finally, that past spring, Aaron told Taylor their friendship was over.
“I don’t want your answers, Taylor.” Aaron’s voice was cold and bitter, without a trace of the warm humor that had been his trademark through high school. “Leave me alone, Taylor. We’re finished.”
Three times since then Taylor had called. But always Aaron’s attitude was the same. And now . . . now that fall was here, Taylor was beginning to accept the idea. The guy he’d thought he’d stay friends with forever was finally and completely out of his life.
Aaron Grant walked out of the church hall and smiled at the stormy sky above. How had he been so blind before, and how could he have let losing football nearly cost him his soul?
Two months earlier, Aaron had been at a bar, too drunk to sit up straight, when his former coach walked in and spotted him. The man came up alongside Aaron, his face a mix of sorrow and surprise. “Aaron, how are you?”
Aaron didn’t remember much about the conversation, only that his words were too slurred to understand. After a few more attempts, his old coach had shrugged and walked away.
Even in his drunken stupor, Aaron realized what had just happened. The man he’d played ball for, the man who’d dreamed with him and believed in him, had just walked away from him in disgust.
Suddenly every poor decision he’d made since his knee injury came flooding back, and there on the stool where he could barely manage to sit, Aaron hit rock bottom. The next day he was seized with remorse for the way he’d treated his best friend. Hadn’t Taylor always been there? Hadn’t he only wanted the best for Aaron?
Memories flooded his heart all that morning, times when Taylor had forced him through his rehabilitation exercises, times when the two of them had run together, with Taylor always shouting at him to push harder, faster.
Now that he’d made a decision to change, Aaron wanted to call Taylor more than anything, but he knew he couldn’t.
Not yet.
First he would get his act together, find out about this God that Taylor talked about so often, and walk away from alcohol altogether. Then, in a few months, he’d be ready. He could call Taylor and thank him for being the best friend anyone could ever have. And maybe, if God was willing, there would be some small way he could thank Taylor for never giving up. Even when Aaron asked him to do so.
The next two months passed in a blur of intensity. The same effort Aaron had once given on the football field he now gave to getting his life together. He sought counseling for his depression and alcohol abuse and took a job working at the local supermarket. At night he started his college classes up again, and three times a week he attended a church near his house for services and Bible studies.
That afternoon, with storm clouds building overhead, Aaron knew it was time. He’d known it from the moment they read the Bible verse for the day, the one that talked about encouraging each other daily. Encouragement had been Taylor’s ultimate gift to Aaron, even though that gift had been rejected. Now, though, Aaron could hardly wait to get home and call Taylor.
It was time he and Taylor reconnected, time for Aaron to start repaying the favor and do some encouraging of his own. As he drove across town, rain began to fall and in the distance sharp bolts of lightning pierced the afternoon sky.
Aaron smiled and hummed a song about God’s grace. No storm could dim his excitement. He was ten minutes from home, ten minutes from calling
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