Read Online A Treasury of Miracles for Teens by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Kingsbury
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Tears stung her eyes and she closed them, ashamed
at herself.
Forgive me, God. What have I done? Judging people like this … this poor homeless man. Thinking I’m better than everyone else.
I’m so sorry, God. Really.
For the next thirty minutes the group members took turns sharing their personal stories with Gus, the reasons why they had
come to believe, and the certainty that God still heard their prayers and worked miracles among them.
“Miracles, huh?” There was a sudden twinkle in Gus’s eyes. “I believe in miracles, too.”
By the time dinner arrived, the weary old man seemed to understand. For the first time since they’d met him that evening,
hope played across his weathered face. Hope where only an hour before there had been none.
“Come with us,” Fred said as the group prepared to leave. “We’ll take you to the next town. There’s a big church there and
we’ll set you up with someone who can help you.”
“You’d do that? For me?” The corners of Gus’s mouth worked their way into a smile.
“Definitely.” Fred patted Gus on the back. “Come with us,”
Gus nodded but this time he glanced at a clock on the wall. “I need to use the facilities first.” He stood and took slow steps
toward a restroom nestled in the back of the room. The group waited a few minutes, and then some more. Finally Fred stood
up. “I’m going to make sure he’s all right. He might need help.”
The others got up at the same time and agreed to meet Fred and Gus out front of the restaurant. Outside, they chatted about
the dinner and the way God’s truth had touched Gus’s heart. After several minutes, they began checking their watches and staring
back inside the restaurant.
“What’s taking so long?” Ashley peered through the glass looking for a sign of Fred and Gus.
Rita was about to go back in after the two men when suddenly Fred darted out the front door, his face a mask of confusion.
“Did he come out this way?” Fred found Rita, his eyes searching hers. “I can’t find him anywhere.”
Rita shook her head. “We haven’t seen him. Did you check the other exits?”
“The manager said there’s an emergency exit in the back near the cook’s station. But not in the room where we were eating.
The only way out was the way we came in.”
“Did you look in the restroom?” Rita crossed her arms, and Ashley and the others formed a half circle behind her.
“I started there. We all watched him go in, and there’s no way he could’ve gotten out without us seeing him. There’s only
one window in the bathroom and it’s near the ceiling. Much too small for a man to climb through.”
“You’re sure he’s not in there?” Rita tilted her head, clearly confused.
“I checked each stall. Then I went to the kitchen.” Fred shook his head. “They said they would’ve noticed a stranger walking
through there. They hadn’t seen anyone matching Gus’s description all night. And not a single customer had been in the kitchen.”
“So you thought maybe he came out this way?”
“It doesn’t make sense.” Fred anchored his hands on his hips. “All of us saw him go into the restroom. He couldn’t have come
out without getting past us and none of us saw him leave. But I had to ask. Just in case.”
The group members scanned the length of the street and shook their heads.
“I’m sure he hasn’t been out this way.” Ashley stepped forward. “Where could he be, Fred? It doesn’t make sense.”
Fred walked back into the restaurant and went up to the manager, whose desk was just inside the doorway.
“Have you seen a man with sort of old, ripped clothes and—”
“You mean the bum you brought in here?” The manager frowned. “I’ve been here for the past half hour. He hasn’t come out this
way since he went in to eat.”
Fred returned to the group outside and sat on a nearby brick wall. There were only two ways out of the restaurant—through
the
at herself.
Forgive me, God. What have I done? Judging people like this … this poor homeless man. Thinking I’m better than everyone else.
I’m so sorry, God. Really.
For the next thirty minutes the group members took turns sharing their personal stories with Gus, the reasons why they had
come to believe, and the certainty that God still heard their prayers and worked miracles among them.
“Miracles, huh?” There was a sudden twinkle in Gus’s eyes. “I believe in miracles, too.”
By the time dinner arrived, the weary old man seemed to understand. For the first time since they’d met him that evening,
hope played across his weathered face. Hope where only an hour before there had been none.
“Come with us,” Fred said as the group prepared to leave. “We’ll take you to the next town. There’s a big church there and
we’ll set you up with someone who can help you.”
“You’d do that? For me?” The corners of Gus’s mouth worked their way into a smile.
“Definitely.” Fred patted Gus on the back. “Come with us,”
Gus nodded but this time he glanced at a clock on the wall. “I need to use the facilities first.” He stood and took slow steps
toward a restroom nestled in the back of the room. The group waited a few minutes, and then some more. Finally Fred stood
up. “I’m going to make sure he’s all right. He might need help.”
The others got up at the same time and agreed to meet Fred and Gus out front of the restaurant. Outside, they chatted about
the dinner and the way God’s truth had touched Gus’s heart. After several minutes, they began checking their watches and staring
back inside the restaurant.
“What’s taking so long?” Ashley peered through the glass looking for a sign of Fred and Gus.
Rita was about to go back in after the two men when suddenly Fred darted out the front door, his face a mask of confusion.
“Did he come out this way?” Fred found Rita, his eyes searching hers. “I can’t find him anywhere.”
Rita shook her head. “We haven’t seen him. Did you check the other exits?”
“The manager said there’s an emergency exit in the back near the cook’s station. But not in the room where we were eating.
The only way out was the way we came in.”
“Did you look in the restroom?” Rita crossed her arms, and Ashley and the others formed a half circle behind her.
“I started there. We all watched him go in, and there’s no way he could’ve gotten out without us seeing him. There’s only
one window in the bathroom and it’s near the ceiling. Much too small for a man to climb through.”
“You’re sure he’s not in there?” Rita tilted her head, clearly confused.
“I checked each stall. Then I went to the kitchen.” Fred shook his head. “They said they would’ve noticed a stranger walking
through there. They hadn’t seen anyone matching Gus’s description all night. And not a single customer had been in the kitchen.”
“So you thought maybe he came out this way?”
“It doesn’t make sense.” Fred anchored his hands on his hips. “All of us saw him go into the restroom. He couldn’t have come
out without getting past us and none of us saw him leave. But I had to ask. Just in case.”
The group members scanned the length of the street and shook their heads.
“I’m sure he hasn’t been out this way.” Ashley stepped forward. “Where could he be, Fred? It doesn’t make sense.”
Fred walked back into the restaurant and went up to the manager, whose desk was just inside the doorway.
“Have you seen a man with sort of old, ripped clothes and—”
“You mean the bum you brought in here?” The manager frowned. “I’ve been here for the past half hour. He hasn’t come out this
way since he went in to eat.”
Fred returned to the group outside and sat on a nearby brick wall. There were only two ways out of the restaurant—through
the
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