A few weeks had passed since I'd been fired, and despite trying, I still hadn't found a new job. The one good thing about my sudden free time was that I'd been able to start a small group. Five young women in all: three from church, Kristy from school, and me. Today we were meeting at my house to talk about relationships. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, the timing felt perfect.

I opened my Bible. "Matthew 19:6. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. A lot of people will get into relationships and think they've found the perfect match and then they'll break up and wonder why it didn't work out. Their partner checked off all their boxes, their friends and families loved them, and they took care of each other's every need. Don't get me wrong, that's great and all, but that seems to be the extent of worldly relationships."

Kristy raised her hand. "But there are couples who don't believe in God and still grow old together. And plenty of Christians get divorced. Doesn't that prove belief doesn't really determine whether love lasts?"

Some of the girls gave her judgmental looks, but I cut them off. "She's right. No relationship is perfect, and even Christian couples fall apart. I'm not saying unbelievers can't stay together. But when we step outside God's will, nothing truly good can come from it."

The girls nodded. I pressed on. "That's why so many people are confused about love. We see 'situationships' because no one commits anymore. Girls think they have to act like wives or give up sex just to be 'worthy.' Guys feel pressured to lose their virginity early to prove they're men. But that's the world talking. God is love. Without knowing Him, you can't know what love truly is."

Haley, one of the church girls, jumped in. "Exactly. First Corinthians 13 defines love. It's patient, kind, not self-seeking. Those qualities aren't produced outside God's will. A man can buy you gifts or flatter you, but that's the world's version of a good man, not God's. His standards matter most, because He made us and this world. If you're in another country, you can't just say, 'Well, in my country this is okay.' You have to follow their laws. God's kingdom is the same way."

Kristy nodded quietly. I noticed her finger twitch, like she wanted to speak, so I gestured. "Kristy? Did you want to add something?"

She laughed nervously. "Didn't think you saw that. Um... I just wanted to ask if any of you have actually been in relationships?"

Whitney raised her hand. "I'm in one now."

Kristy leaned toward her. "How do you know he's the right one? Is it a feeling? The way he treats you? Did God... tell you? Cause I know I should follow my heart, but-"

"No," Whitney cut in. "That's the last thing you should do. The Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things. Following your heart is just leaning on yourself, not God. That's why the world says it because they don't have Him to lean on."

Kristy frowned. "Then how do you know who God wants you with?"

Whitney smiled. "God told me Noah was going to be my husband before I even met him. When I realized my feelings for him were growing, I prayed. And after some time, God confirmed it. It doesn't happen the same for everyone, but if you ask Him to reveal the truth, or to take something away if it's not for you, He will."

Kristy nodded. "That makes sense. I guess... I'm just confused. I really do love Duncan and I want to be with him."

"But?" I added.

"But the more I learn here, the more I get turned off. Any time I bring up God, he shuts me down. I can only talk about this stuff with you guys. My family isn't religious either, so it's just... me. Maybe he'll come around?"

I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Pray about it. Ask God if Duncan's really the one for you. No one's too far gone while they're alive. Sometimes one partner leads the other to Christ. But you have to be ready for God's answer, even if it's not what you want."

When we stood to close out in prayer, Kristy whispered, "How do you even hear God? I've been praying, but I don't feel like He says anything. Am I not holy enough?"

I shook my head. "Never think that. Sometimes His silence is the answer. Sometimes He just wants you near. Sometimes life's noise drowns Him out. But keep praying. He's there, even when you don't feel Him. I'll include you in the closing prayer."

We joined hands. I prayed, "Father, thank You for letting us gather and talk freely about You. Remind my sisters that they don't have to chase the world to find love. Reveal Yourself to Kristy. Answer her prayers, show her Your plans. Protect us, keep us strong, and guard us from temptation. Thank You for Your mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

"Amen," they echoed. After hugs, I walked them out.

As I began walking back inside, my phone started to ring and I saw that it was Aiden. Before I could even assess the situation, he sent me a text saying 'please pick up.'

I answered quickly. "Hello?"

"Ruth? Hello?" His voice broke, ragged.

"Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong? It sounds like you're crying. Are you okay?"

He sniffled. "No, no I'm not okay. It's my little sister. She got into an accident and now she's in critical condition. Could you please come here and pray for her? I don't know who else to ask."

My heart stopped. "Oh my gosh. Yes. Text me the hospital address. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right there."

"Okay. Please hurry." He hung up.

The address came through and I bolted outside, praying under my breath that my car would start. When it did, I whispered, "Thank You, Lord," and sped toward the hospital.

Inside, I found Aiden in the lobby, nervously tapping the floor with his foot. He looked up, saw me, and ran over, embracing me in a hug.

I hugged him back until he let go. His face was streaked with tears as I looked at him and asked, "Where is she?"

He instinctively grabbed my hand and led me to an elevator. "She's on the sixth floor."

As we rode up, I asked softly, "What happened?"

He swiped at his eyes. "It's my fault. She kept asking to play with my basketball, and I wouldn't let her. I got mad and threw it into the street, told her to go fetch it like a dog. The next thing I knew, a car came flying down our street without a care in the world and before I could even process what was happening, she got hit."

I touched his shoulder. "Oh, Aiden, I'm so sorry, but this isn't your fault. I know what guilt can do to a person and I don't want you to blame yourself for this. This accident is on the driver who was speeding down a neighborhood without regard for anyone else."

The elevator dinged. He tightened his grip on my hand. "Come on. She's just down here."

In the room, he stopped. "Can you... lay hands on her and pray? Please? I can't lose her."

I nodded and stepped inside. His parents looked up, wary, until I introduced myself. "Hi, my name is Ruth. Aiden called me here and asked if I could pray for his little sister."

They shook my hand, then quietly stepped out to give us space.

She looked no older than twelve, wrapped in bandages, motionless. My chest tightened. I placed a hand gently on her arm. "Holy Spirit, speak through me. Give me the words."

I prayed aloud. "Dear Father, I come to you right now with a heavy heart. I trust and believe that You have the power to do all things and restore what is broken. You've performed many miracles before and so has Your Son, Jesus Christ. With the Spirit that dwells on the inside of me, I pray that you heal Aiden's little sister, God. Let this family see Your hand at work and know it could only be You. Your Word says to lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, so I pray and believe that she will make a full recovery. You are faithful with Your promises and I have complete faith that you will heal this child in the name of Jesus. Amen."

The door creaked open and her parents returned. "Sorry," her mom whispered. "Didn't want to stay away too long."

"It's okay," I said softly. "I just finished. I'll go check on Aiden."

"Ruth?" She called after me.

I turned. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Of course."

Outside, Aiden jumped to his feet. "You finished? How is she?"

I held up a hand. "She's still asleep. I prayed, but now it's in God's hands."

His voice cracked. "But she's going to get better, right? She's not going to die?"

I sat and motioned for him to join me. "Aiden, listen. Sometimes God heals instantly. Sometimes it takes time. And sometimes... He doesn't heal at all. I can't control that. But I'll stay faithful. I wholeheartedly believe that your sister will be okay."

Although it wasn't the most comforting answer, it was the most honest. I had no idea what God's plans were for Aiden's sister. I knew it wasn't in His will for children to die, but sometimes life's brokenness allowed tragedy to happen. I couldn't lie and say I knew she would recover. I hoped and prayed, but I didn't know.

Aiden let out a long sigh. "Okay. Thanks anyway. I know you did all you could. Sorry if I called at a bad time. I wasn't even thinking that you could've been busy or something."

I waved it off. "No, you're fine. Actually, you called at the perfect time. I'd just wrapped up a Bible study with a few girls."

He nodded. "That's good to know. Look... I'm sorry about our last conversation. You probably think I'm a hypocrite. Trashing religion one day and begging for prayer the next. But hearing how convinced you were kind of made me think maybe you could be right. Then when the accident happened, I remembered what you said. About how nobody knows when they're going to die. It hit me that it really can happen at any time. I guess that's why I called. You were the first person I thought of."

I softened, offering him a small smile. "I appreciate your honesty. And that doesn't make you a hypocrite. You're allowed to change your mind. The best thing we can do when we're scared or nervous about something, is casting all of that onto Jesus. He takes that burden for us so we don't have to deal with the weight on our shoulders."

He tilted his head. "Cast it... how? I don't even think I understand what that means."

"It just means you don't have to carry fear or worry alone. Why stress over tomorrow when we can't control it anyway? God takes care of the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. If He provides for them, how much more will He care for us, who was created in His image? Start by trying to trust Him one day at a time. It's lighter when you let Him shoulder it."

He nodded slowly. "Okay. Yeah... I'll try."

"Good." I glanced at him gently. "Do you need anything else from me?"

He hesitated. "If you're not busy... could you stay a little longer? My parents aren't exactly the most exciting people to talk to."

I chuckled. "I can stay for an hour. But then I really do have to tackle homework."

His face brightened. "Thank you."

Seeing him smile again filled me with relief. For the next hour we sat together, talking about lighter things. His parents even welcomed me into the room and struck up conversation. Watching the love between them made me ache with jealousy. It was the kind of warmth I wished for my own parents. Still, given the circumstances, it was a good evening.

By the time I got home, I finished my homework, showered, and prayed before collapsing into bed.

~*~

Sunday morning, my dad closed service in prayer. As usual, I bolted for the door before anyone could corner me. I didn't mind people at church, but most conversations only happened because of who my dad was. Without his title, I doubted anyone would stop me at all.

I slid past the crowd and met eyes with Jonah and my heart dropped. I tried turning around but he approached me anyway. "Ruth, hey!"

I forced a smile. "Hi, Jonah."

He lifted his hands in surrender. "I know what you're going to say. But before you do, I want to apologize for how I acted the other night. That wasn't me. I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

I sighed. "Jonah, that was weeks ago. Why'd it take you so long to say something?"

His face tightened. "I was going through stuff, Ruth. Life hasn't been easy. I just needed a break. So... are you going to forgive me?"

I tilted my head, giving him a look. "Of course I forgive you. No harm done."

Relief spread across his face. "Awesome. So, Valentine's Day is tomorrow and the church is having an event at this spot they rented for the holy ball. Have you gotten your tickets yet?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm not going."

His smile faltered. "Why not? Is it your job again? You know we talked about work getting in the way-"

"I got fired! I just... don't feel like getting dressed up and going out. I'm just gonna stay home and watch some TV."

He crossed his arms, offended. "And your parents? They're fine with that?"

I glared. "They don't control me. I just don't want to go. End of story."

He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but shut it. "Alright. See you next Sunday, then. Bye, Ruth."

"Bye."

He walked off stiffly, and frustration boiled in me. He apologized, but then went right back to acting controlling and jealous. I had told him from the start that I wasn't interested, but my parents had been the ones pushing. They'd finally backed off once I found my voice, but Jonah clearly hadn't gotten the message.

I tried to calm down, since it was way too early in the morning to have a bad attitude. After my parents were done with their farewells to everyone at church, we drove home. They asked my brother if he wanted to do something altogether as a family, but he declined it. Once I felt myself getting annoyed by his decision, I went to my room and stayed there for the rest of the day.

~*~

"There's not even anything good on," I muttered, flipping through channels.

It was Valentine's Day, and I was the only one home. My parents had actually managed to get along long enough to go on a date, and my brother went out with his girlfriend. I was left in an empty house, trying not to feel pitiful. Jonah had texted me a photo from the church ball with a caption: wish you were here. I debated replying but let it sit unread.

Then another notification popped up. For a second I thought Jonah had double-texted, but it was Aiden.

[4:36pm] Aiden: hey ruth, sorry to bother you. are you busy rn?
[4:37pm] Ruth: ur not bothering me! what's up??
[4:39pm] Aiden: oh sweet! if ur available, could you please come up to the hospital?
[4:41pm] Ruth: yeah! is everything ok?
[4:41pm] Aiden: yeah, just come whenever u can, no pressure
[4:41pm] Ruth: ok, i'll be On my way! soon
[4:41pm] Ruth: omw***
[4:42pm] Aiden: haha ok, ty :)

I shot off the couch, tossed the remote aside, and dashed to my room. I didn't want to overdo it. I was going to a hospital, not a date. But I still wanted to look presentable. After a quick change, and touch-up to my hair and makeup, I headed out.

Aiden was waiting in the lobby. The second he saw me, he stood and pulled me into a hug. "Hey, you made it!"

I smiled. "Of course. Is everything alright? I know I already asked, but I just want to make sure."

"Come see for yourself," he said, taking me to the elevator.

He led me upstairs to Anna's room. When I stepped inside, I froze. Her eyes were open.

"She woke up today," Aiden whispered with a grin. "She's still a little weak, but this is the first real progress in weeks."

I looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Lord."

"Come on, we can talk more outside," he said as we both left to chat in the lobby. He continued."I think your prayers are working. Her injuries are healing pretty nicely too. My parents were here earlier but they left for some reason. Said they were going out or something."

I chuckled. "Well, it is Valentine's Day, so that might be the reason. My parents went out too."

His eyes widened. "Oh, shoot, is that today? I was so confused why I was seeing hearts everywhere. They even tried to bring us some candy earlier, which I took, but I was so confused why they were just randomly passing it out."

I laughed at him. "You seriously didn't know? Couples become insufferable this time of year."

"I had no clue." He smirked, then glanced at me sideways. "Well, now I feel bad dragging you here. You probably had plans with... that guy."

I scoffed. "Ugh, you did not! So, you were jealous?"

"Not jealous," he said quickly. "Just... confused. Do you like him?"

"No. Not at all. We only got food because the church snacks were awful. Trust me, I'm as single as it gets."

His grin widened. "Look at that, we have something in common. On that note... I'll be right back!"

Before I could respond, he jogged off. I shook my head, laughing at his urgency. A few minutes later, he returned holding a bouquet and a box of candy.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he said, cheeks pink.

My heart skipped. "Aiden, this is so sweet. Thank you." I buried my nose in the flowers, savoring the simple but thoughtful gesture. No one I liked had ever given me flowers before.

He sat back in his chair and started up a conversation. "So, back to what I was saying with my sister and how I think your prayers are working... it got me thinking about some stuff."

"Oh?"

"Like, if Anna hadn't gotten better... there has to be something after, right? Christians talk about Heaven and Hell. I like the idea of her going to Heaven if... well, if the worst happened. How do we make sure of that?"

"Oh, yeah. I could pray with her right now if you'd like. You could join in on the prayer too, you know," I said, hopeful.

He shifted, nervous. "Maybe another time. I just want to focus on her right now, if that's okay."

I nodded. "Yeah, okay. Just give me a minute and I'll be right back."

I stepped back into Anna's room. Her eyes turned toward me, weak but aware.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi, Anna. Aiden asked me to pray with you again. Would that be okay?"

She nodded and I joined our hands together. "This prayer is called the prayer of salvation. It's for those who want to give their life to Jesus and accept His free gift that He's given to us. The Bible says that anyone who confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead, they will be saved. Do you want to be saved, Anna?"

Another nod. That was all the confirmation I needed.

I prayed with her, line by line:

"Jesus, today, I accept You as my Lord and Savior."

She repeated it clearly.

"I believe You came, died, and rose again on the third day."

Again, she echoed.

"I will put all my hope and trust in You, today, tomorrow, and until You bring me home. Amen."

When she smiled, I nearly cried. "Anna, you're saved. That's the best decision you'll ever make. I'll let you go back to sleep, but I'll go let Aiden know."

"Thank you, Ruth," she whispered before drifting back to sleep.

I left the room and found Aiden pacing. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's okay. And she's saved now."

His relief was instant. He hugged me tightly. "Thank you. You're the best. I hope I didn't make you miss work or anything."

I bitterly laughed. "Hah! Yeah, I do not have a job anymore."

He grew concerned. "What? Why not? What happened?"

I waved it off. "It's nothing, really. My boss just decided to give all of my hours to someone else so now I'm left without a job. I've been looking for weeks and I'm still unemployed, so that should give you a good idea of how successful I've been."

"Then come work with me," he said quickly.

I blinked. "What?"

"You know King's Bar and Grill, where you and your church friend ate? I'm a line cook there. One of our servers quit. They're looking for someone new. Do you have any serving experience?"

"Not really."

"Eh, it should be fine. They'll train you. I'll let my boss know I got a candidate for him. You'll probably still need to go on an interview, but you basically got the job. They love me, so, my input means a lot," he said with a wink.

I smiled nervously. "Okay. I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Aiden."

"Of course. After everything you've done for me and Anna, it's the least I can do."

I pointed to the elevator. "Well, I should probably head home. Everyone should be getting back right about now. It was nice seeing you, though. I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

He smiled, nodding. "I will be there."

We parted ways, and I slipped home just as my parents returned from their date. Their stiff faces warned me not to ask how it went. My brother arrived shortly after, and I retreated to my room.

Dropping to my knees, I prayed:

"Dear Father, thank you for working things out for my good. I pray for favor in my upcoming interview. Let me leave a good impression on them. I pray that this job will open doors and opportunities for me and allow me to stack up my money. Father, thank you for giving me the words to speak to Anna today and bringing another soul to you! I know Heaven rejoices for her! I just pray that You continue to heal her and help her truly get to know You. I pray that her lifestyle and the miracles You've performed in her life will lead the rest of her family to repentance. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen."