Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Kim Cash Tate is the author of The Color of Hope, Hope Springs, Cherished, Faithful, Heavenly Places, and the memoir More Christian than African American. A former practicing attorney, she is also a Bible teacher and women's ministry leader at The Gate Church in St. Louis. She and her husband have two children. Twitter: @KimCashTate Facebook: kimcashtate

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The Color of Hope

THOMAS NELSON

Chapter One

We're making a huge mistake. I just know it.

Stephanie sanders London stood with her husband, Lindell, in front of family and friends in the activity center at living Word church, heart palpitating—or constricting. Or whatever word fit the slow but sure panic that had threatened all evening to overtake her and was about to make good on the promise.

Lindell, on the other hand, had an odd glow.

"I'm still so overwhelmed by your support," he was saying. "I never expected this." he paused, visibly moved.

Their pastor had asked them to say a few words to the crowd who had come to say good-bye. Stephanie had spoken first, which hastened the onset of whatever this was. She couldn't even remember what she'd said after acknowledging that they were leaving.

Lindell continued, "I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. But candidly, I was also drawn to the lifestyle it would afford. I never thought that one day the lifestyle wouldn't matter and medicine would become ministry. But a one-month trip to Haiti earlier this year changed my life. And now, because of you, I can alternate between practicing in the states and returning to Haiti on a regular basis. I can't thank you enough."

He turned to Stephanie to see if she had anything more to add. She looked out at her parents, Bruce and Claudia sanders. Bruce had been surprised and moved that Stephanie had grown so close to his side of the family and would be planting herself in his Hope Springs roots. But he'd let her know how much he'd miss her. Looking at them now, it struck her that they might never live in the same city again. Her parents might never be a regular part of her life or her future children's lives. She shook her head at Lindell. If she opened her mouth now, the only thing she'd add would be a retraction of all their plans.

Lindell wrapped up. "This will always be home. You might not see us every week in the first service, fourth pew from the front, left side"—he chuckled with the rest—"but you'd better believe we'll be there in spirit. We love you, and we'll miss you."

Stephanie nodded her agreement as applause rang throughout the room. They walked down the steps of the riser, and Stephanie searched immediately for her older sister, Cyd.

"Stephanie! Lindell!"

They turned to see who was calling.

"You don't know me," a young woman said. "I'm new to living Word, but when I saw the announcement Sunday at church, I wanted to come tonight. And I'm glad I did!" she regarded Lindell. "I'm in med school at Wash U and was so inspired by what you shared. It's radical, really, when you think about making a total life shift ..."

Alarm bells went off in Stephanie's head. The only "radical" moves she'd ever made were things like wearing a dress with too much cleavage showing at her wedding rehearsal ... which she only knew was radical by the feedback. Following-God radical was different. harder. She needed baby steps. She needed her sister.

"Excuse me." Stephanie was glad Lindell had taken up the response. "I need to find someone, but it was nice to meet you." she spotted Cyd a few feet over with her best friend, Dana.

Stephanie tugged Cyd's arm. "Emergency. Now. For real."

Cyd was laughing, barely holding on to her rambunctious one-year-old, chase. "I know! he's been in the dip, the punch, just got a fistful of cookies ..." she rubbed noses with him as he giggled. "Why did I ever encourage you to walk?"

Dana pinched his cheek. "Auntie Dana understands, little man. You're just trying to have a good—"

"Uh, hello?" Stephanie waved her hands at them both. "Does emergency mean anything to you two?" she gaped at her sister. "As in, I desperately need to talk to you?"

Cyd gave her the momma look—which she'd always done, but now that she really was a momma, it had more umph. Thirteen years older, she'd actually always been like a second momma. "Steph, it's not an emergency."

"It is an emergency."

"I know what it's about."

Chase spied his dad across the room and lunged forward in Cyd's arms. "Da-da. Da-da."

Stephanie latched onto her nephew's hand. "You're just a little cutie, you know that? Auntie Stephy loves you." chase was her soft spot, and she wouldn't be seeing him either, which brought her back to her angst. She looked at Cyd. "You do not know what it's about."

Dana laughed, wresting chase from Cyd. "how about this? I'll take chase to his da-da, and you go with Steph. In no time, you'll be wishing she was still here in St. Louis bombarding you with emergencies."

"I know, right?" Stephanie said.

Cyd gave them both a look.

The sisters walked out of the activity center. "Okay, what's the emergency?" Cyd said.

"I need to know if I'm crazy for going through with this move."

"I knew it." Cyd stopped in the hallway outside the center. "Yes. You are. Crazy for asking the same question week after week."

"No, it's really hitting me right now." Stephanie smiled at a couple just arriving. She lowered her voice. "I think we're making a mistake."

"Why?"

"Because." Stephanie pulled her farther down the hall. "Lindell and I are leaving st. Louis where i've lived all my life—not to move to chicago or Dc or someplace else that makes sense, but to Hope Springs. I mean, when I say it I sound crazy. Why would I move to a little country town in North Carolina? Who does that?"

"You're doing it. Tomorrow."

"That's not funny."

"And Janelle did it last month when she moved from DC," Cyd said.

"Yeah, but she's got an excuse for her crazy. She's in love."

Stephanie and her cousin Janelle had cared for their ailing grandmother in hope springs earlier in the year while Lindell was in Haiti. Stephanie had been excited that God put it on both her and her cousin's hearts to relocate there. She'd also been excited that they'd be near another cousin, Libby, who lived in Raleigh. But now ...

"Ever since Grandma Geri's funeral," Cyd said, "you and Lindell felt like God wanted you to do something different. You prayed and asked everybody and their momma to pray, even Pastor Lyles, which I've never seen you do." Cyd had moved from momma to exhortation mode. "And you both felt this was your answer. I understand the cold feet, but I just know God is leading you. Even if it feels crazy."

"It's more than cold feet. My heart is so out of rhythm, it might be a warning. What if we move to hope springs, and that's not what God was saying? That would be tragic."

Cyd almost laughed. "oh, stop it. You had a great time down there."

"The two months I spent there were great, because I got to know Grandma, Janelle, Libby, and other family. Living there is another story. We've got more people in our church than they've got in the town." she started pacing. "I can't believe I told Lindell to do that fleece thing."

"I meant to ask where you got that idea," Cyd said.

Stephanie paused with pursed lips. "Where do you think I got it? Bible study."

"What Bible study?"

"My personal Bible study."

"Really?" Cyd smiled. She'd been encouraging Stephanie to study her Bible for years. "I didn't know you were doing that."

"Well, don't get happy. I didn't think the fleece thing would work."

"And not just 'work,'" Cyd said. "It was more than Lindell could've hoped."

Lindell had said chances were slim that he'd find something near hope...