Page 44

One year later

“A nd I want to say thank you to everyone who has turned out on this beautiful Muskoka day to celebrate the launch of this awesome initiative.” Dan paused. “Many of you are aware that Muskoka is a place that holds a very special part of my heart. It’s where I met my wife, Sarah—”

Sarah blew him a kiss as they were surrounded by applause and cheers, Sam’s loudest of all.

“—and where I’ve grown in my faith, and now live with a family of my own.”

“Whoo!” Sam again.

Sarah snuggled Grace closer.

“I love the fact that here in Muskoka we find respite from our busy lives, as we soak in what I like to call God’s country.”

“Amen!” Rachel called.

“And I love the fact that the Muskoka Hearts Foundation is supporting this incredible cause that focuses on the importance of valuing all people, including those who are often marginalized or considered broken. I believe that God is in the business of restoration, whether it be healing people’s lives, or using people to make right an initiative to help the poor, or the beautiful, revamped grounds you see here today. ”

Dan gestured to the renovated gardens, courtesy of Damian, Rachel’s husband, and his contractor connections.

“Here in Muskoka, we value community, family, friendships, all of which we can enjoy in this beautiful location. We don’t always get things right, but we can trust in God that things are being made right.

So on behalf of the Muskoka Hearts Foundation, and the Musko-cheers, thank you all for turning up today and for your support for this awesome cause. ”

Sarah covered Grace’s red curls with her hand, and blew him a kiss as the applause filled the air.

He was glad-handed and thumped on the back by numbers of people, then he made his way to her, kissing her cheek before drawing Grace from her arms.

“Thanks. She’s getting heavy.”

“Good thing these guns still work.”

She chuckled. “You were great.”

“It wasn’t too short?”

“It was perfect. You got your main points across, and you knew your audience. There’s a lot of young children here, so you couldn’t talk for too long.”

She glanced around, heart full at the scene. The old Muskoka Ferns Lodge buildings had been mostly torn down, apart from a farmhouse that Damian had deemed habitable. Instead, where once broken people were virtually enslaved, children ran, and flowers bloomed.

“Okay, it’s photo time!” Alexa, today’s photographer, called. “Can I please have all the people involved in the Muskoka Hearts Foundation and the Musko-cheers join us here.”

There was a bustle of movement, Dan protecting her as usual. He might’ve retired from defenseman duties, but he’d always be her defender.

“Now after three, say cheese. One, two three!”

Sarah grinned as Alexa snapped their picture, her arm around Dan as he held Grace. This, the event to cut the ribbon for new foundations being poured for new Muskoka special care units, was making the media, both here and province-wide.

Dan, newly retired, was planning one more camp onsite, before handing the reins of running the camp to Travis, who had agreed to be mentored by Dan to learn outdoors skills and continue the legacy started by Dan and Boyd all those years ago.

Dan knew he’d be too busy next year, with two children under three, finishing his studies, and working part-time for his team as a scout and mentor.

“You look like you’re filled with moonbeams,” Staci said from beside her.

“Aww.” Sarah hugged her. “That might be one of the loveliest things anyone has ever said to me.”

“It’s not too corny? It sounded good in my head, but I wanted to know what it sounded like out loud. Because you do look radiant.”

“It’s Muskoka. How can you not love this place?

” Although they may well be loving this place for half this year, Dan agreeing to clear his schedule so they could spend summer and Christmas in Australia.

Oh, how wonderful that would be to be warm in December, to visit the beach, and enjoy picnics and New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour.

Or, she smirked, just enjoy creating their own fireworks at home.

“What’s that look for?” Dan murmured.

“I’m just picturing summer in Sydney…” She sighed happily.

“Can you imagine flying all that way with a toddler and screaming newborn?”

“No. And considering our first child was an angel on that flight, I refuse to believe that this next one won’t be exactly the same. In Jesus’ name.”

Serena laughed, and leaned back against Joel.

John had recently installed Joel as the head pastor of Muskoka Shores Community Church, John and Ange finally stepping down to take time off and travel.

Toni stood with Matt, their two young ones between them.

Matt’s financial wizardry and business know-how had helped make this vision a reality much faster than anyone had dreamed.

Toni’s art auction had resulted in a bidding war that had seen movie stars from the likes of Harrison Woods to Ainsley Beckett to NHL stars like Luc Blanchard and Zac Parotti paying eye-watering amounts.

But it was all for a good cause. The special needs home would open later this summer, once the first stage was completed.

Anna and her husband Tom were chatting with Rachel and Damian, who had done so much to improve this place.

Next to them stood Lincoln and Jackie, who held their newest addition in her baby-carrying sling.

And James held his wife’s prominent baby bump tenderly, as if he too couldn’t believe the miracle found in Muskoka.

That same heated sensation that had flowed through Sam when he’d prayed for Sarah, had flowed when she’d felt an overwhelming desire to pray for Staci, and lo and behold, here they were, six months later.

Sam’s laughter rippled across the ground, as Alexa smirked at him, before taking her new husband’s picture.

Alexa’s calendars of Muskoka had helped fundraise, as had Staci’s latest book, a Christian contemporary that had rocketed to the top of the bestseller charts, with all profits going to the Muskoka Hearts Foundation.

The same could be said for Sarah’s secular album, which had opened her up to legions of new fans, even as some had questioned why she was straying from her roots.

She wanted to respond and say, “Because God is the God who is love,” and that “God so loved the world, ” and that if the worldly only ever saw Christians as judgmental then why would they want anything to do with that kind of God?

But she didn’t, Dan’s wise words ringing in the back of her head. For if God so loved the world, then He could be trusted to draw people to Himself, when the time was right, when their encounters with God were stories ready to be written.

Her job, his job, all of theirs, was to love people, and by showing how God had transformed their lives, God could touch all willing hearts with His hope and His Life.

That was the miracle she’d found in Muskoka. And that was the miracle found anywhere by people hungering for God.

THE END

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