A Man to Trust (20 page)

“I love coming here.” Adrie pulled in a deep breath of fresh, salty air.

Ross moved in closer until his shoulder touched hers. “It’s a beautiful spot.”

She looked up at him, her heart overflowing. “There’s no one I’d rather share it with than you.”

Tenderness and affection flowed from his eyes. “I’m sure glad you came back, but I’m still trying to figure out why you changed your mind.”

“Maybe I just needed to take that drive and be quiet so God had a chance to speak to me.”

Ross grinned. “What did He say?”

“Well, it wasn’t an audible voice, but He gave me a strong, clear impression in my heart.”

Ross nodded, encouraging her to continue.

“He helped me see my music is a gift from Him. He wants me to enjoy it and use it to bless others. I could do that by playing in the Oregon Symphony, or I could do that right here in Fairhaven. The choice was up to me.”

He smiled, his eyes filling with delight. “And you chose Fairhaven.”

She nodded. “I love playing at church and being part of the worship team. I don’t want to give that up. And I like giving Amber lessons. Maybe I could do that for other foster kids who love music and don’t have that opportunity. And if I still have the urge to play more than that, I could put my name out to play at weddings and special events, and even try out for the Whatcom Symphony.”

“That sounds great, but it’s not exactly what you planned. Are you sure that will be enough for you?”

She tightened her hold on his hand and nodded. “I want to stay here with you and give our relationship a chance. And I want to make sure you can see your dreams fulfilled with your own studio. I’ll stay at the store and help train a new manager.”

He looked away, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “Thank you, Adrie. That means more than I can say.”

She waited until he looked at her again. “When I read your note, and you said you loved me, that helped me see I could have the future I really wanted. It also helped me realize my significance doesn’t come from where I play my music or even
if
I play. God loves me. I am His daughter. Even if I never played another note, He would still love me. I’m His child, and that’s enough for me.”

“Wow, that’s deep.”

She looked into his eyes. “Thank you for waiting, and for being my friend and giving me time to figure this out. That means the world to me.”

“You are so worth waiting for.” He placed his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. “I about died watching you pull out of the parking lot this morning.”

“You were watching?”

“Of course. I had to catch one more glimpse of the girl I love.”

Adrie smiled up at him. “Well, she loves you, too.” Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed him, and in her heart she knew she had finally found a man worthy of her trust and love.

* * * * *

Dear
Reader,

Thanks for taking the journey
back to Fairhaven with me! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Adrie, Ross,
Marian, George and the rest of the Bayside Treasures. Their story highlights
the blessing of friendship and shows how much we need each other to make it
through the ups and downs of life. I hope you learned along with Adrie more
about the importance of prayer and seeking God for direction in your life,
especially when you make plans and face important decisions. God delights in
guiding and directing us along the best path for our life. His love is a
wonderful anchor that holds us and keeps us close to Him no matter where we
go.

Did you read the first story set
in Fairhaven featuring Rachel and Cam? If not, I encourage you to pick up a
copy of
Seeking His Love
. Be watching for my next book set in Fairhaven in
late 2012. Until then, I enjoy hearing from my readers. You may contact me
through my website, www.carrieturansky.com.

Until next time,
happy reading!

Carrie Turansky

Questions for Discussion

1. When Adrie first meets Ross, he reminds her of her ex-fiancé, and it is a challenge for her to get over that impression and trust Ross. Have you ever distanced yourself from someone because they reminded you of someone else? Did you overcome your discomfort? If so, how?
   
2. Ross has to close his photography studio because of a downturn in the economy and take on a new job as manager of Bayside Books. Are you working at the job that you first trained for, or have you switched careers like Ross? How has that worked for you?
   
3. Marian believes Bayside Books is not just a business, it is a ministry, and she wanted to hire a manager who could care for people and encourage them spiritually. Do you consider your job a ministry? What are some ways you could help and encourage people where you work?
   
4. Adrie thinks Ross won’t be a good manager because he is a young Christian and he isn’t familiar with Christian publishing. Is that true? What skills and talents does Ross have that help him as a manager?
   
5. Cam’s friendship with Ross plays an important role in the story. How does Cam help Ross?
   
6. Ross struggles in his relationship with his father. What do you believe were the main issues they needed to work out so they could grow closer?
   
7. Adrie worked toward her goal of playing her flute professionally for many years. But as the story progresses, she begins to wonder if that was the right path for her life. What caused her to question her goal?
   
8. Adrie spent many years in Kenya when she was growing up. How did this impact her? Have you ever visited another country? How did it impact you?
   
9. Adrie is initially upset when her grandmother starts seeing George Bradford. Why do you think that bothers her? Are her reasons valid?
   
10. Ross uses his skills as a photographer to help foster children, even though he isn’t paid. What are some skills that you might be able to use to help others?
    
11. Adrie and Ross both pray and ask God to guide them as they make decisions about their future. When was the last time you asked God to help you make a decision or give you direction? How did that turn out for you?
    
12. As the story ends, Adrie realizes her significance doesn’t come from playing with a symphony; it comes from her relationship with God and His love for her. How does your relationship with God meet some of your needs for significance? What’s one thing you could do to grow closer to God?
    

ISBN: 9781459223721

Copyright © 2012 by Carrie Turansky

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