Sharena Woods glanced at the clock as each minute seemed to dwindle in its passing.
She impatiently sighed. “Lord, is this You?” But there was no cool breeze, no rolling thunder, no still small voice this time. Only the whirring of the dishwasher as it was ending its rinse cycle. Sharena was going to be late to the office again today, but her soul wasn’t in anguish this time. There was no longer any denial about her condition—she was pregnant with Max’s baby.
She hoped.
Maximillian Arrandt, a local law firm executive assistant, was the epitome of suave. Every curl in place, perfect teeth, the body of a god, every woman he saw swooned over him. The man was fine fine, and he knew it. None of them knew the depth of his pain, how it even hurt his heart to smile. Looking at his watch, he knew it wouldn’t be long before he saw the lovely Sharena enter the office.
When he first saw her about eight months ago, she was as sultry as she was intelligent. Nothing could get past her. Max’s subtle advances could barely stand next to her coy smile, and he quaked with lust each time her fingertips softly touched his shoulder.
But, at some point, she changed. Although their “relationship” was fun and sensual, Sharena was different. Whenever he saw her these days, he knew he no longer looked into the eyes of a seductress. Yet, who was she? What did all of it mean?
Rewind: The Change
Early one morning, after leaving Max’s pad, Sharena crumpled to the floor in sheer brokenness. She never imagined that the only power that spoke in her sphere was the bedroom language. She recalled her grandmother saying, “Sin will take you farther than you ever meant to go. It’ll keep you longer than you meant to stay.”
“Oh, grandma! How right you were, how right you were,” she sobbed. There had to be more than being some rich man’s fling and acquiring nice things. Deep within, she knew there was more.
Sharena could barely remember the details of that night, but she knew there was drinking, drugs, and Max. In her haze, she felt someone else was there, too. Harry, perhaps? Whatever it was, she felt used, hazy, and worn. It was a new low for her, and she was ready to return home.
Something else her grandma would say that would course direct her life from here on out. It was something she needed to do, needed to say.
Right then, in a heap in the middle of the floor, tears streaming down her face, Sharena Woods beat her chest, and with everything within her, she cried out, “JESUS! JESUS! Save me, Lord Jesus!”
As the tears flowed from her heart through her eyes, she felt a tidal wave of God’s love overwhelm her. Sharena surrendered under His love, and she knew that no matter what, everything would be alright.
Could you find it?
Is there a silver lining in this short story? What exactly was the unexpected blessing here? Is there more than one?
Would you mind sharing this post if you enjoyed reading it today? Let’s chat about it in the comments! I’d love to read your responses to these questions.
Love,
Candace
Featured photo by Mustafa Omar on Unsplash
