There Must Be Something More

115 | For Such A Time As This

"You're a Christian?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Amanda Jeung? A Christian? I must be dreaming.

"Look, I know you're just as confused as I am right now." Amanda held two hands up in surrender. "Trust me, I've been there."

"But..." She added, "as I listened to your lectures for the past few weeks... I don't know, it seems lots of questions I had were answered."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, first of all, I was always ashamed of being a Christian. My whole family is, actually. But we don't talk about it much. We never really lived... you know, we never lived Jesus out in our lives... not like you, Charlie. Not like you and Meredith. I mean, it's obvious, we don't have the same teaching in your church like you do."

I felt stupid. "What do you mean?"

"We were never taught that." She said, grabbing another tater tot bite as she fished one from her paper bag. "The one you're teaching at your lectures? Oh, that's news to us."

"What? But that should be standard Christian knowledge." I said.

"I guess we don't have the basic things to know as a Christian." Amanda said, wiping crumbs from her face. She looked down at my hands. "Aren't you gonna eat yours?"

"Oh, I will," I chuckled. "It's just that... everything you're telling me right now is so fascinating."

It was her turn to chuckle. "What's so fascinating about it? A Christian who doesn't even act like it? Who is ashamed of her own faith?

"Remember when you were so confused the first time you received Meredith's sticky notes? I already knew about them. I already knew about Bible verses and all that God stuff way before you did. It just wasn't enough for me to live it out."

"Because knowledge is never enough," I added. "You need a relationship. A relationship with God."

"I gave my life to God a year ago. I always, always wanted to live for Him and tell others about Him. I was just too scared or ashamed to do it. What will the others say? What will you and Calum say? And then I started getting jealous when you found God and started telling others about it. I should've been that. I should've done that in the first place. I wanted to talk to Meredith like you too. But my pride and jealousy got the best of me. I hated you and Meredith and everyone who was brave enough to live for God. I hated God, too. To me it seemed as if He had favorites. That He only gave bravery to those He felt like had a potential. But not me. God left me out. 

"At least, that's what I felt."

"But you know that's not true." I said, horror and disbelief at what she just said. I shook my head several times. I couldn't believe this was all true. That you never really know what's inside a person's head until they tell it to you. That you should never judge a person's circumstances and who they are with just the knowledge of how you see them. You gotta dig deeper than that. You gotta dig deeper in prayer.

"But I already see so much potential in you, Amanda," I blurted out, chuckling in my own sentence. "If I see so much potential, how much more God? He's the One who made you. That potential in you is His plan. He put it there the moment you were born. No one knows you better than the One who created you.

"Remember Jeremiah 1:5--before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

"God knew that potential even before I did. Amanda, God never left you out. Actually, He prepared you for such a time as this. That confession you made to God a year ago? That served a  purpose. Maybe you're the one God will use not just for our school, but for your family, for your church, and everyone you might encounter in the next few days."

"But I'm scared." Amanda admitted, squeezing my hands.

"Don't be. We'll help you."

She nodded eagerly. "So, what do I do first?"

"Well," I said, looking up at the sunset in the horizon. "First of all, we gotta get home before this place gets dark. Then you gotta get home and rekindle your relationship with God. Read the Bible, do your devotions, sing songs of worship and praise to Him, the works. Do what you once did, but this time with a better realization of who He is."

"I might just do that." Amanda grinned, nodding her head.

"And... Amanda?" I added before she walked back to her car.

"Yeah?"

"I missed you."

"Me, too. So much." She said, tears welling up her face. "I'm glad to be back, Charlie."

I walked over and patted her in the back, giving her a side hug, and then we bid our good-byes to what you can call a day full of confessions and realizations and reconciliation.

Over all, it was a good day.

Happily, I jammed the keys to the ignition and the engine roared to life. Taking one last look around the old and abandoned Jackson's Potatoes place, I backed up and drove home into the night.

And then I realized something. I quickly fished my phone from my pocket and dialed Amanda's number.

"Charlie? I was just about to leave?" She said over the phone.

"Wanna go to Meredith's house right now and talk to her?" I asked, excitement welling up my chest.

Amanda was silent for a while, and then, with a shaky voice, said, "Yes. Very much."

"I'll lead the way." I said, grinning.

*****

"That one is green bean casserole, that's cranberry sauce, that's classic stuffing, that's sweet potato casserole with marshmallows," Meredith said, naming tonight's dinner one by one for Amanda. And then she grabbed the big bowl in front of her and showed Amanda what it was.

"And how can I forget?" She exclaimed. "This is Grandpa Chuck's Special Mashed Potatoes."

"Special?" Amanda smiled.

"Yes! You'll never find anything like it anywhere else. Only right here at Caraway residence."

"Let's eat?" I asked.

"Of course!" Meredith grinned. After praying for the food, she hurried over to Amanda's side. "You can't go here and not try Grandpa Chuck's Special Mashed Potatoes first."

"Okay," Amanda chuckled, holding up her plate.

Grandpa Chuck laughed. "Meredith, let the girl choose her own food."

"It doesn't matter. I know she's gonna choose your mashed potatoes anyway." Meredith smiled.

"That is correct." Amanda said, laughing.

I smiled. I couldn't believe this was all happening. But I thanked God that it was. I just hoped this time it was for good.

And then, Meredith asked the million-dollar question.

She looked up from her plateful of mashed potatoes. "So, Amanda, what's your story?"

*******

A/N

"There Must Be Something More" is now PUBLISHED on paperback in currently 2 parts! You can go order them in Shopee if you live anywhere in the Philippines. But if you live outside Philippines, DM me for shipping options and details. God bless you and shalom!