Page 51 of Still Afraid

Dusty air filled Chloe’s lung and she coughed. After loosening her arms from around her head, she pulled the collar of her t-shirt up over her face. At least she hadn’t known about the showing so she hadn’t worn a dressier shirt. But what if this t-shirt wasn’t enough to block a sufficient amount of dust? Was she going to run out of breathable air?

Her lungs tightened again.

I am with you.

“Jesus.” She breathed His name in and out. He was with her. Why was that so hard to remember and focus on?

The sound of the wind died down outside and was replaced by the sound of pelting rain.

She could feel the dampness encroaching in. Would it rain so hard it flooded the crawlspace? Was it helpful or not that the basement had been encapsulated?

There she went again. She needed to not focus on that. Scripture, focus on Scripture.

The Lord is my refuge, my strength, my ever-present help in trouble.

Lord, sustain me now.

If she was still alive and breathing, that must mean He wasn’t finished with her yet. Right?

She knew the truth; she just needed to remind herself of it and not let her imagination run away from her. It didn’t make the situation less scary, but maybe it made it more bearable.

Mentally turning her focus from the storm to the One who has command over all creation brought inexplicable peace to her heart. She needed to lean into Jesus.

That thought brought to mind the words of a hymn she loved singing as a child.

Dusting herself off a bit, she sat up, hugging her knees, and sang as much as her lungs would allow.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear? Leaning on the everlasting arms.

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near. Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

She went back and sang through the first two verses too, but that third one had always been a favorite. No matter how much fear she faced, she could still have the peace of Christ too.

Why did she forget that singing praises to the Lord was one of the most effective tools for fighting fear?

Chapter Twenty

As soon as Josh heard the rotation had died down, he bolted out of the bathroom and toward the front door. Poirot was right by his side until they were in the front hall.

The dog sat down in what seemed to be his new favorite spot by the antique secretary.

Josh grabbed the keys off the hook and opened the door. “Poirot, you’re coming too. We have to find her.”

He barked, jumped up, grabbed his leash from the coat closet doorknob, and bounded out the open door.

Josh barely remembered to lock it behind him before going to his SUV.

His hands were shaking so badly he could barely get the key into the ignition. Today would be a good day for a button start.

Poirot barked from the back seat.

“I’m trying.”

He finally got it started and pulled out of his driveway. He drove toward Chloe’s house, following the path of the tornado. Words wouldn’t come for prayers beyond a desperate plea that Chloe would be unharmed.