Page 6 of Wish You Faith (Christmas Sweethearts #1)

CHAPTER THREE

R osie Hamilton.

Soon to be Rosie Cavanaugh?

Evan couldn’t help smiling at his own wandering thoughts.

The Children’s Ministry director walking alongside him down the narrow hallway of the lower deck of the riverboat was rattling on about something, but Evan had lost track of the conversation the closer they got to the children’s Sunday school classes.

Closer to seeing Rosie again for the third time since Friday…

“The younger kids from babies to third grade are on this deck, but the older kids are across the street in our annex,” she said.

Oh, was that what the conversation was about? “Isn’t a riverboat limiting for a church?”

The director nodded. “It’s the location that we can’t miss. Tourists come to Savannah, and they all flock to River Street. This is where Riverside Chapel wants to have church. However, rent is prohibitive. This riverboat is free for this season in time.”

This season in time.

“Does the church have a property in mind?” Evan asked.

“There are a couple of warehouses along the river that are being repurposed, but Pastor Flores and the deacons insist on operating debt free. So we need a miracle to find a sizable building to move to.”

He could be a part of that miracle if only Mom would let him have access to his trust fund three years early. Even going back to work at Cavanaugh Shipping wouldn’t be enough to buy properties in downtown Savannah with cash in hand.

As they turned a corner, Evan heard children singing and laughing.

“Thank you for volunteering,” the director said. “We don’t usually allow visitors to volunteer in the children’s area, but Cyrus and Amy vouched for you, and you know Rosie Hamilton, so you’re okay.”

“Do you do background checks on Sunday school workers?” Evan asked.

“Yes, we do if they’re permanent workers.”

“So Rosie passed the background checks.” He said it casually.

The director smiled. “She’s a sweet girl. Law abiding. Doesn’t even get a traffic ticket. She’s going to make a terrific mother some day.”

“Did she say she wants to be one?”

“Why don’t you ask her that yourself?” The director knocked on the door.

When it opened and Evan saw Rosie, he couldn’t help smiling. She seemed to have that effect on him.

Rosie held a Bible in her hand, and she was wearing a lavender wool sweater over a pair of black pants. “Oh, you found a volunteer. Thank you, Clara. What a surprise, Evan.”

“I’m surprised too. Didn’t expect to be teaching third graders this morning.”

“Come on in. We’re about to start reading the Bible.” Rosie stepped aside to let Evan in. “Thank you for volunteering. Michelle is at home with the flu, so I’m here with seven kids. Felt overwhelmed. But God sent you today.”

Evan felt bad. He had volunteered to be in Rosie’s Sunday school class this morning because he wanted to see her again, not because he was altruistically filling in for a sick Sunday school teacher per se.

Regardless of his selfish motivation, he was here now. Maybe Romans 8:28 was playing out. God could indeed work out all things for their good.

Evan looked around. The classroom looked like it might have been a large stateroom with most of the furniture removed except for a small rectangular folding table and two chairs, plus what looked like a small dorm-room refrigerator next to the table.

A bank of windows on the outer wall brought in morning sunlight.

Evan could see Hutchinson Island across the Savannah River.

On the walls were posters and bulletin boards. The kids sat on a giant rug on the floor.

“I didn’t know you were volunteering today.” Rosie motioned for him to sit anywhere.

“I came to church early to join Cyrus and Amy in their Sunday school class, when the announcement came that one of the teachers called in sick today and they needed a volunteer,” Evan explained.

“At first, I ignored it, but when they said that it was the only Sunday school class for third graders, I figured it was you.”

“Thank you.” Rosie glanced at the clock on the wall. “We usually start with a Bible reading. Then we play games and have some snacks before their parents pick them up.”

“Okay. Sounds good.” Evan waited to see where Rosie sat. To see her better, he decided to sit across from wherever she was sitting.

Rosie sat down by the wall, her legs stretched out on the floor. Her colorful socks—purple this time—matched her lavender sweater. The seven kids sat around her in a circle.

Evan found a place somewhere in the circle and sat cross-legged between two boys who looked like twins.

Rosie looked a bit shy, and maybe surprised to see Evan in the Sunday school room.

“Everyone, this is Mr. Evan,” Rosie said. Everyone greeted him. “How about we go around the room? Say your name so that Mr. Evan knows who you are.”

Evan could see that everyone wore a name tag except for him.

“How about I start and we go clockwise?” Rosie suggested.

“Start with you, Miss Rosie!”

Miss Rosie.

Evan wasn’t sure why he was happy to hear that she wasn’t Mrs. Rosie, even though in the south, it was common for women to be addressed as Miss, even if they were married. That much, he knew.

“December is here, and it’s only three and a half weeks to Christmas.” Rosie opened her Bible. “Starting today, we’ll be reading various Bible stories about Jesus. Do you have your Bible ready?”

Everyone said, “Yes!”

Bad news. Evan had left his Bible in his rental apartment. He pulled out his phone to look for the Bible app. More bad news. His phone was out of battery.

“Please open your Bible and turn to Luke 2:25-35. As soon as you get there, raise your hand.” Very quickly, a number of kids had won the Bible sword drill.

“Today we’re reading the story of Simeon, who’s been waiting for a long time for Jesus the Messiah.” Rosie looked around the room. “But first, let me ask you this. Do you want me to read the passage or do you want to invite Mr. Evan to read it for us?”

Most of the kids said, “Mr. Evan!”

That would have made Evan feel included and at home right away.

However, this morning, he didn’t have a Bible with him—and he was in church, no less.

Well, he’d been halfway to church in his car before he realized that he’d left his Bible at home.

He didn’t go back because he thought he’d just read it on his phone.

Of course, he had gone to bed right away after the masked ball last night, so he hadn’t charged his phone.

Now he felt embarrassed, as though a spotlight was shining on him on stage.

He didn’t think Rosie was that mean to pick on him, but he had only known her for two days.

Without looking at him, Rosie handed her Bible to the kid next to her. “Please pass it on all the way down to Mr. Evan over there so that he can read my Bible.”

He was only four kids away from her.

When her Bible arrived at Evan, he realized that it was her personal Bible. She had underlined verses, and made tiny notes in the margins. Her handwriting was neat and tidy.

Evan looked up and saw that Rosie was holding another Bible. Where did she get that Bible? It looked like a hardcover pew Bible.

“Everyone in Luke 2?” Rosie asked. When she heard the unanimous answer, she called another kid. “Celina, would you like to pray for us to open our Bible reading time?”

“Yes, ma’am.” And she did. It was a very short prayer, asking God to teach them something new.

Evan felt a sting in his eyes. He wanted to learn something new too.

Everyone was quiet as he read Luke 2:25-35 to the Sunday school class, which included a prayer by Simeon about having seen the salvation of the Lord.

For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.

After Evan finished reading, Rosie asked questions about what they just read. She was holding a workbook of some sort, but then Evan realized that it was an age-appropriate leader’s guide to the Bible study.

“How did Simeon know which child in the temple was Jesus?” Rosie asked.

The kids said all kinds of answers. Rosie didn’t criticize anyone. She let them speak and even laughed along with some of the answers.

“You can find the answer in verses 25 to 28. See if you can spot it.” Rosie waited.

Evan reread the three verses and saw that Rosie had underlined “Holy Spirit” and “spirit.” He wondered if this was his cheat sheet. Maybe it was why she had sent over her own Bible to him.

Or maybe he was overthinking it. After all, Rosie had underlined many passages. He flipped the pages randomly and saw that more verses were underlined. Underlining keywords was probably one of the ways that Rosie studied the Bible.

He felt that he was getting a glimpse into Rosie’s personal life.

A kid raised her hand. Rosie called her name.

“The Holy Spirit told Simeon,” the girl said.

Evan wondered how Rosie was going to handle that one. Would third graders know about the Holy Spirit of God?

“Thank you, McKenna. The Holy Spirit showed Simeon that Mary and Joseph’s baby was their Messiah.

” Rosie looked around the room. “Remember that Jesus was still a baby at this point and hadn’t gone to the cross yet.

Verse 25 says that the Holy Spirit was ‘upon him’ and not in him.

Today, when we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in our heart. ”

“I believe in Jesus!” a kid said, and several others echoed him.

They went around the room to talk about when and how they believed in Jesus. It was unexpected, and Evan found himself giving a brief testimony of his salvation.

“My parents call themselves Christians, but they are nominal at best,” Evan said mostly for Rosie’s benefit. He wasn’t sure why he began his salvation testimony there.

“What is nominal?” one of the kids asked.

“In name only,” Evan started to say. He stopped talking because he realized he was saying something negative about his own parents outside of their presence. They would be unable to defend themselves.