Leave a Candle Burning by Lori Wick

have a plan for all things. I do believe, Lord, but sometimes I’m weak. Help me trust You with all of myself, and help Cathy to that same end, Lord. Help her to find You. Let me be the husband she needs and never a hindrance in her path to You.
    Doyle thought he might have stood there all day and asked for God to increase his faith and save his wife, but a customer came in. Doyle turned with a ready smile, but his mind was not entirely on his job.

     
    Corina had been doing very well during the service. Dannan had seen to her needs prior to taking a seat, and so far the wiggles had been few. What Dannan hadn’t planned on was the bee that had joined them in the meetinghouse. It hadn’t come very close to him, so he hadn’t noticed it, but it was a different matter for Corina. She saw it from a distance and wanted in his lap. Dannan didn’t object, wanting her to stay quiet, but when the bee came close, nothing worked.
    “Bee!” she cried out, and Dannan put some fingers on her mouth.
    “It’s all right,” he whispered. “He’s gone.”
    And it was gone for a few seconds. Corina was quiet and watchful until the bee landed on the pew in front of them.
    “A bee, Mama! A bee! Help, Mama, help!”
    Corina was attempting to scale Dannan when he stood and took her from the room. She sobbed and called for her mother the entire time, cries that could be heard until Dannan strode away from all the open windows.
    No one older than 15 turned to watch Dannan. All had eyes for Douglas, who suddenly found himself without a voice. He stared at the door and then his wife, whose eyes had flooded. Douglas’ head dropped for a moment as he worked to compose himself. When he spoke again, his flock could barely hear him.
    “I feel brokenhearted for that little girl,” Douglas admitted. “Dannan too.”
    The congregation—those who could see through swimming eyes—still stared in frozen silence at their pastor, not having seen him like this very often.
    “I’m hoping that Dannan and Corina can join our family for dinner today so we can learn how he’s doing. And I tell you that so you won’t think me completely insensitive when I say that no matter how my heart feels right now, it knows nothing compared to the pain God feels when I choose my way over His.”
    Douglas swallowed and tried to clear his throat.
    “I’m going to be done with the sermon now. I want you to come to me if you think I could have handled this better, but I’m nearly finished with my points, so I’ll just wait and share those that remain with you next week. Right now, I want us to pray together for Dannan and Corina.”
    It was a relief for everyone to close their eyes. Douglas prayed, not a lengthy prayer, but his voice was still measured, as it had been since Corina began to cry for her mother. When Douglas was finished, he opened his eyes to find Dannan and Corina back inside.
    “Again,” he said, not dismissing them just yet, “I don’t wish to seem heartless, but I don’t want us to forget the good words we heard this morning from Scripture. We want to work hard this week or until we meet again. Know that I’ll be praying for all of you this week. God bless you.”
    No one moved very swiftly. Their minds had been working their way through verses on the war with sin, and that had been going well. No one banked on such an emotional ending to the service—certainly not Dannan. He felt completely drained, and if Alison hadn’t suddenly arrived at his side and asked him to dinner, he was quite certain he would have invited himself to the big house.

     
    It was a quiet couple that pulled into the Randall farmyard after leaving the meetinghouse. Jace had said little on the ride home; Maddie was just as quiet. They entered the house in the same way, Jace to see his wife and child inside, and Maddie to stand and stare thoughtfully around the kitchen.
    “We have to trust,” Jace emphasized as though they’d already been discussing it.
    Maddie