Is It Really This Simple?

This is another quote from one of my favorite authors, Janette Oke. She's daughter of a farmer and was born in Canada during the depression years. She married a pastor and pastored churches in the states and Canada along side him. She is a Christian novelist who writes romance novels. This quote is from her book "The Measure of a Heart". To set it up a little... this conversation takes place between the handsome and highly educated, 26 year old, interim pastor named Austin Barker and the pretty, but doesn't know it, 16 year old Anna, whom just recieved her eighth grade certificate a few weeks before. Seeing much potential in her, Austin has been loaning Anna books from his vast collection that he brought with him for the summer. Anna has stayed after the Sunday meeting, while her mother has gone home to prepare dinner for their family of eight alone, to return the loaned book and hopefully exchange it for another.........



Finally the last family took departure, and the young man turned from the steps of the little church and moved toward the front of the small sanctuary. He did not see Anna waiting until she cleared her throat.

"Anna. I didn't realize you wished to speak with me," he said quickly.

"Not speak," faltered Anna. "I... I just need to... to exchange these books - with your permission, please."

He eyed the books she held out to him.

"You didn't like it?" He asked, indicating the second volume, the thicker of the two he had given her.

"Oh, I did - very much. I would have read it over and over again - if I'd had the time. But I would like to get on to the others and - and -"

"You did read it?"

Anna nodded.

"All of it?" His eyebrows raised in surprise.

She nodded again.

For a moment he seemed to question if the young girl was telling the truth, but her eyes returned his gaze, honest and open.

"You are a remarkable youngster," he said with admiration and then continued. "Did you understand it?"

"I... I think I did. At least most of it. I... I wasn't sure when I came to the part about... about the Incarnation. About the way they explained it. I mean, I know Mary was Jesus' mother, and God, by His Spirit, was His father, but I couldn't understand some of the words they used. I mean - well - I guess I find it hard to understand - but - easy to believe."

He smiled. One of his full, approving smiles. "That is faith," he said to her. "Sometimes it is much easier to just believe without trying too hard to understand - at least all at once. God's ways are so far above man's ways that we can't always understand them with our finite minds. We need to just accept things as He gives them to us."




Wow, I needed to read that right now. It's sounds so simple!!