Brother Kraft pulled in a deep breath, as if he was trying to gather strength. “I’ve been the senior pastor—well, the only pastor, really—at Beech Street since 1988. Thirty-two years now. Our twins were born the year before we came, and our boys were early grade school age, so pretty young. I raised my family in this church. It means a lot to me.”
Jase couldn’t imagine being tied to a congregation, or to anything else, for that length of time. He released a soft whistle. “It’s quite a legacy you’ve built here.”
Brother Kraft smiled, but it held an element of sadness. “It’s fairly unusual for a church to keep the same minister for that length of time. I feel honored to have been accepted as the shepherd of this flock for so many years. But I’m getting older. I was sixty-eight my last birthday. I guess you could say I’m getting tired.”
Jase frowned, unpleasant scenarios crowding his brain. “Are you planning to retire?”
Brother Kraft shook his head slowly and puckered his lips. “Noooo…”
Jase released a sigh of relief.
“Not right now. But eventually? When the Father says it’s time? Then yes. I’ll hand the title of shepherd to someone else.” He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees and fixing Jase with a serious look. “When that day comes, the people here will need something familiar, someone familiar, so they’ll feel secure during the transition. I’ve been praying for more than three years already for the person who will help my flock transition to a new shepherd, and God sent you.”
His smile, which expressed godly love and acceptance and confidence, rounded his cheeks. “Will you join me in praying for God’s perfect timing for my stepping down from leadership here? This ticker of mine is trying to call the shots right now, but I’ve told it someone else is in charge. Everything needs to be according to God’s timing. And who knows? Maybe God’s using my heart trouble to bring my pastorate to a close. I’m not sure yet. But He’ll let me know. In His time and in His way.”
Brother Kraft sat up and folded his hands over his stomach again, contentment in his features—a contentment Jase longed to have for himself. “It would sure ease my mind to know you’re praying for my discernment and for the church family’s peaceful adjustment.” He held Jase’s gaze with a penetrating look. “Will you do that, Brother Jase?”
Lori
Someone tapped Lori’s shoulder, and she gave an all-over start. She smacked her toe on the vacuum cleaner’s power button and turned. Sister Kraft stood behind her, an ornery glint in her eyes.
Lori jammed her fist on her hip. “Sister Kraft, you nearly scared me out of a year’s growth.”
The woman had the audacity to laugh. “Well, if someone did that to me, I’d be grateful.”
Lori scrunched her brow in confusion.
The minister’s wife laughed again. “Honey, at my age, the only direction I’m apt to grow is out, so being scared out of a year’s worth of growth would be a blessing.”
Maybe Lori should ask Sister Kraft to scare her again. And again. And again.
“I came to check on you several minutes ago, and I tried to wait until that thing”—she glared at the vacuum cleaner—“stopped yelling, but I gave up on the idea of you turning it off. So I interrupted.” She folded her arms and tilted her head. “Did you have a good night’s sleep? Any…problems…when you got home and were by yourself?”
Lori understood the real question, and pride squared her shoulders. Although she’d been emotionally drained and extremely lonely after her intensely personal talk with the Krafts and Jase, she hadn’t put so much as a single M&M in her mouth. In fact, she’d dumped the entire bag of candy-coated chocolates down her garbage disposal and removed the temptation. “No problems, and I slept pretty well.” Not surprising. She’d been exhausted. But nights when she wouldn’t be too exhausted to eat surely waited ahead. Would she be able to stand strong during those evenings, or would she fall into the old habit of seeking comfort in the pantry?
Lori nodded. “Definitely.” She gestured to the vacuum cleaner. “I gotta finish up in here, then hit the classrooms. I’m due at the fabric shop by noon.”
“Then I’ll let you get back to it.” The minister’s wife eased backward, her smile intact. “Remember what Brother Kraft