The widow

Pastor matt grant held his twin daughters. His older daughter and his wife's children came in. His wife had been a widow before they married. He looked at his family. He was so happy. He looked at his bride. She was 34. She was as beautiful as ever. He was ten years younger than her. He took her hand.

How did this all come about?

Jen's dad was a deacon. He had been a businessman and his wife was a stay-at-home mom. Were saved in his 20's and his wife grew up in the church. Jen and her dad were very close. She helped out with her siblings and with chores around the house.

She had been shy. During a summer, doug a young man stayed with him. He was a summer missionary. He was shadowing the pastor. They hit it off immediately.

Two summers later they got married. He was ordained a minister. He started his church in the least churches area. They had two boys and a girl. Caleb, Nate, and Emma. She was a stay-at-home mom. Doug had worked a secular job at times to supplement the income.

They had a great relationship. Shortly after Emma was born, doug died of an aneurysm. Jen was shocked. She was now a widow and single mom.

Everyone else had moved on but she could not. She did the best she could. She tried to show her best face. She suffered in silence. She tried to be strong. Show no fear.

Doug had been the only pastor of the gospel baptist church. Many of the church members were first-generation Christians. The church asked veteran pastor James grant to be the interim pastor. James had been a mentor to doug. He was well known to the church.

James and anna had ten kids. The oldest was matt. Like his father, he felt called to the ministry. His dad asked him to help him out.

He looked around the church. He introduced himself to various church members. He liked the church already. He was excited. He thought it was a good fit for his family.

He saw Jenifer Parker. She wore a pink and white dress. She was holding her young daughter. Her sons were next to her. She seemed sad. He felt prompted to go over to her. He was nervous about talking to her. He was not sure if he should. Was it appropriate for him too?/ Would she want him to?

After a few seconds of an internal debate, he decided to go talk to her. He nervously walked over to her. "Hi," he said. "Hi," she said. "I have seen you around but I am matt," he said. "I remember when you were little. I remember your dad spoke here when you were 15." She said."i remember that." He said. "Welcome to the church. I am thrilled your dad agreed to fill in. Doug adored your family. I know he would be pleased you guys are here. "She said.

" We love this church. Pastor Parker was a faithful servant. We were thrilled at what the Lord did hear. We are excited that we can be a part of it. I told my dad to put me to work." He said. "You might regret that." She said. He chuckled. " I might at that. I will survive." He said. They laughed.

"How are you? " he asked. "I am ok?" She said. "How are you doing?" He asked. "Slightly less than ok." She said. "I figured. There is a time to mourn. It's ok to be sad. It's ok to work through this. " he said. "I am not mad at the lord. It was Doug's time. He did what the Lord wanted him to do. He finished what he was supposed to do. He is far happier than he has ever been. he is in the presence of the lord. I do miss him. " she said.

"I understand," he said. "I don't want people to think that I am resentful." She said. "No one is going to think that. This was a high shock. You need time to work through this. No one is going to begrudge you of that. "Matt said. "I am still working through this. I am not ok but I am a little more ok than I was. Thank you for asking." Jen said.

"Not a problem. Please talk. freely with me. I want your honest thought." He said. "Ok. I never found it easy to express how I feel. " Jen said. "I get it. I am the same way. You can talk freely with me." He said. " ok. I appreciate that. " she said.

After a while, Matt went to get a seat. He was glad he got a chance to talk to her. He wanted to say hello to her. He was glad that he had that opportunity.

Matt worked construction for his uncle. He was a foreman. He was busy between church and work. He liked it that way. He liked to stay busy.

He was not sure if he should keep his distance from her or be friendly. Paul told Timothy to treat younger women as sisters. He was not sure how to do that. Perhaps it was just one conversation. There might not be any follow-up after that.

He saw her the next week in the lobby." hi how are you?" she asked. "I am good," he said. "How is work?" She asked. "it's good. We just finished one of our biggest projects. We were one of several contractors. It was a commercial building. It was a lot of work but we got our portion done. The next project is much lower key. It is remolding a bathroom. " he said.

"That's good. Do you think you will do more commercial buildings? " she asked.."i do. I think this has opened a new chapter for the company. I M hoping not right away. "He said. She chuckled. " I can understand that." She said.

They would engage in idle chit-chat here and there. It was never anything too serious. He called her Mrs..parker. She did not correct him. They kept a distance but they were friendly towards each other.

"Mathew!" She said. "Hi Mrs. Parker," he said. "I have this tree that is dying. It's threatening my window. Can you take care of it? I will pay you. " she asked. "No, you won't. I got this. I will take care of it. "He said.

He and two of his brothers came over. He had a chain saw. They cut it down. They moved the wood. " thank you so much. This has been bugging me. "She said. " no problem. You sure I can't pay you?" She asked. "Not a chance," he said. "Will you stay for supper? I made meatloaf," she said. He did agree to that.

"This is a beautiful house!" He said. "We lived in a studio apartment while he built it. It was cramped. I was pregnant with Caleb. We eventually moved in while he built the rest. " she said.

"So, what are your plans? "She asked." I am working towards ordination. I plan on helping my dad for now. Eventually, I want to pastor a church. I am just waiting for that time. "He said.

" so, did you ever consider not being a pastor? "She asked. " "I started working for my uncle when I was 16. I thought I would work construction all my life. My dad told me that you did not have to be a pastor to please the Lord. That was my plan. A visiting speaker gave a challenge on surrendering everything to the lord. i did that. I felt that I was called to the ministry. " he said.

" Are you planning on staying in the area?" he asked. "Yes. My roots are here. My parents want me to sell the house and move closer to them. I don't want to leave here. I love my church family. I am not ready to move from here. " she said. "I am glad you're staying. You would be missed," she said.

They did not hang out but chit-chat to each other othchitchat chit-chat. They engaged in small talk. They talked about the weather.

One day, he got a call. He did not recognize the number. He answered it nevertheless. "This is matt." He said. "Mathew it's Jen." She said. "You ok? You don't sound so good." He told her. " I am not..everything hit me today. I feel down," she said.

"This did not take the lord my surprise. He had not abandoned you or the kids. He won't. He has you and the kids in the palm of his hand. " he said.

"I know that. I miss doug do much. He was the only person I ever dated. i was homeschooled. I was sheltered. I was never really boy crazy. I met doug and that i was it. I never went to college or work out of the house. Doug was an amazing man. I feel lost. Adrift." She said.

"You're not alone. Pastor Parker did what he was supposed to do. He fulfilled his task on the earth. You have int. He had things he wants you to do here. You still needed." He told her.

"I know. I know that. I don't want to feel this way. " she said. "You won't. This is not forever. How you feel right now is not how you're going to feel tomorrow. This is not how you will feel a year from now. Hold on. Keep going. " he said. "I will," she said.

"I am pretty ridiculous arnt I. I am having a pity party," she said. "Your not. What's a pity party between friends now and then? " he said. "This won't happen all the time. I am not going to bother you every time I feel sad," she said.

"I am not counting. I am here for you. Show a brave face to everyone else if you want to but not me. Even if you did, I would know. " he said. "Ok. Thank you for listening. " she said "anytime. I mean that." He said.

"Who was that?" His mom asked. "Mrs. Parker." He said. "Seemed kind of intense." His dad said. "She is having a rough day. I think she is ok now. She tries so hard to be brave and tough. " he said

"Sounds like you care about her?" His mom said. "I do," he admitted. "I can tell you do. " his dad said.

He saw her at the midweek service. "Hey. Thank you so much for talking to me. I am still. not ok. I feel better. It's helped." She said. "I am glad. Please come to me any time," he said. "This is not your fight. I can't ask that of you." She said "you didn't. I offered. I meant it. " he said.

"You have enough of your plate than to worry about an old widow!" She said. "You're not that old. You could have been my older sister," he said. "I guess that's true," she said. "I care about you," he said. "I care about you too," she said.

Next up

Matt and Jen grow closer. Others start to notice.