“It’s time to get up, girls.” Kim peeked into each of her daughters’ bedrooms to be sure they had heard her as she made her way down the hall to turn up the heat on that chilly February morning. She shivered in her nightgown as she nudged the thermostat up two degrees and instinctively paused to listen for the heat to kick on. At the sound of the familiar click and hum, she yawned and headed back to her room to finish getting dressed.

Another day lay ahead – a day just like yesterday and the day before. A day of getting the girls off to school, rushing to work, dealing with office politics, rushing home, preparing dinner, helping with homework, getting the girls to bed, and finally having a few precious minutes to herself before falling into her own bed and starting the whole thing all over again. Ever since her husband, Dan, left four years earlier, life had been somewhat of a struggle. It wasn’t easy being a single parent. Although, she had to admit that it wasn’t quite as hard as it used to be. She and the girls had settled into a routine that seemed to flow pretty well now that they were a little older, Kelly fourteen and Sara sixteen. At least now she knew they would indeed survive the break up of the marriage, although there had been very bleak times when she wasn’t so certain in the beginning.

Kim hurried Sara and Kelly along on that cold, rainy morning, none of them eager to leave the house. By 8:00, however, they were on their way, the girls off to school in Sara’s car and she off to work in hers. She nibbled at a piece of toast and sipped coffee while fighting the insufferable traffic on her way across town, wishing she were back in her warm snuggly bed. This was the kind of day that begged to be spent curled up by the fireplace reading a good book, but of course, here she was, grid locked as usual, glancing nervously at the clock that seemed to rule her life.

She arrived at work with only a moment to spare and raced to be at her desk by 8:30. Her co-worker, Cindy, chuckled as Kim whizzed by - some things never changed. But soon Kim was in the groove, whipping out reports and spreadsheets at lightning speed. So progressed her morning, and the rest of her day. Almost.

At 3:37 that afternoon, Kim got a call that would change her life. She was at her desk, trying to finish a spreadsheet for her boss to take to a meeting the next morning. The unfamiliar voice on the other end of the line began to speak.

“Ms. Stanley, this is Officer Gifford of the highway patrol. I’m calling to inform you that your daughters were in an automobile accident this afternoon. Your older daughter is just a little bruised up, but the younger one is unconscious. The ambulance has already left the scene, so you will need to go straight to the hospital.”

“Oh my gosh!” Kim exclaimed, panic setting in so quickly she could hardly breathe. “Which hospital?” The officer told her. “I’ll be right there. Thank you.”

She slammed down the phone, grabbed her purse and coat, and rushed toward the door. This couldn’t be happening. Cindy saw the panic on her face and ran after her, asking what happened. Kim didn’t slow down, but yelled back over her shoulder.

“The girls had a wreck. They’re being rushed to the hospital. I’ve got to hurry.” With that she was out the door running across the parking lot.

She slipped and almost fell as she raced across the slick wet pavement to her car. “This is my fault!” she cried. “Why did I ever buy her that car? What kind of mother am I?” Guilt overcame her like a thick dark cloud. “Please God, please let them be alright!” Those words raced over and over again in her mind as she drove to the hospital. Everything was a blur. Nothing seemed real. She felt as if she was in the twilight zone.

Praying was not a regular part of her life. She didn’t attend church and wasn’t sure if she even believed in God, but right now, praying was the only thing she could do. She needed help. Her daughters needed help. If there was a God up there somewhere, this was the time she needed Him to reveal Himself.

Excerpt #2 (from Chapter 13)

Kim cleaned up the kitchen, distractedly loading the dishwasher and wiping down the counters. She had to talk to Sara again tonight and she was dreading it. This was one of those times when she really wished she had a husband, someone to share the load with. She felt so inadequate handling it alone. Suddenly she remembered the scripture from the single mom’s group, ‘For your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is His name,’ and she began to pray.

“Lord, I need a husband tonight. Please stand in that place and give me advice. Hold my hand and support me through this, and keep me calm and loving in all my responses. Please, be a father to Sara. That’s the love she’s searching for so desperately. That’s the love she needs, a father’s love. In Jesus’ name I pray.” Before long she felt better and a sweet peace enveloped her. She felt herself relax as the fear and anxiety left her. With the Lord at her side, she was ready to face Sara.

She knocked on Sara’s door and waited – no answer. She knocked again saying, “Sara, it’s Mom, can I come in?” Still no answer, so she slowly opened the door. Sara was lying on the bed with her stereo headphones on and her eyes closed, tapping her foot to the beat of the music. Kim switched off the stereo and Sara sat up angrily, pulling off the headphones.

“Can I talk to you for a couple of minutes?” Kim asked politely.

“Do I have a choice?” Sara answered sarcastically.

“No, I guess you don’t.” Kim sat down on the edge of the bed. “Look, I’m not the enemy, Sara. I’m your mother. I love you very much and I’m trying to protect you. Can’t you see that?” she asked gently.

“No, I see you butting into my relationships, trying to control me. I’m not a little girl any more. I’m almost seventeen. You can’t control me. You need to stop treating me like a child, like I don’t know what I’m doing,” Sara stated indignantly.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, that’s the problem. You haven’t thought this through at all. You’re making decisions based on emotions not reason, which is pretty typical for teenage girls. That’s why you still need your mother,” Kim said, tenderly patting Sara’s leg.

Sara jerked her leg away from her. “I don’t need you! Sam is the only one I need. He understands me.”

“Yes, you’re right about that. Sam does understand you. That’s why it’s so easy for him to manipulate you,” Kim replied sadly.

“He doesn’t manipulate me! You don’t even know him, and you don’t know me either.” Sara stood and walked to the window, trying to get as far away from her mother as was possible in her small bedroom.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Sara. I know you better than you think I do. I see exactly what you want and what you’re willing to do to get it. That’s why I’m afraid for you. And that’s why I’ve got to ground you for the next two weeks,” she stated softly, looking at her daughter’s back as Sara faced the window.

“What?” Sara exclaimed, turning to face Kim. “Ground me from what?”

“No dates, no social outings whatsoever, and no riding home with your boyfriend,” Kim stated methodically.

“I hate you!” Sara screamed, turning to face the window again.

“No you don’t, Sara. You don’t hate me. I know you don’t. I love you very, very much, but you’ve got to learn that there are consequences to your behavior. You disobeyed the rules, purposely, knowingly. Now you have to pay the consequences. This isn’t my fault. You did this to yourself. I’m sorry. I do love you.” Kim walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back against the door. The Lord had kept her strong and calm during the ordeal. She didn’t even get emotional when Sara said she hated her! That had to be God! She thanked Him as she walked to her room, truly believing for the first time that she was no longer alone.