Page 13 (1/2)

Maria ate her hout her meal closely He was a mystery and yet it was as if she suddenly knew hi she learned built a picture of a man that beca second

Was she already falling for him?

Wasn't she supposed to do exactly that?

She resisted where her thoughts were taking her She abruptly stopped her , as she mentally traced back over what Elon had said in their roo what she knew God wanted of her in concern to Elon?

It was hard to think of herself as a gift to be given away to someone The independent and in control of her life way she had lived bridled at the submissive quality of the action required of her

What about her?

Didn't what she want out of life count?

"Who are you to question My will for your life? Did you fashion yourself out of the dust of the ground? Did you give yourself breath that you could so selfishly consider your ways higher than Mine? Your thoughts more wise than Mine? Behold I have spoken into existence all things that are and those things that are yet to come Who are you to question the purpose for which I have fashioned you? I require an answer!"

Maria's fork clattered to the table, as the greatest and h her entire being at the feeling of her Maker's words e their way across all corners of her consciousness She jolted away fronored Elon's concerned call out to her and ducked into the first door she could find, which happened to be the

Maria barelyin her stoe that she was in the process of dying She wanted to apologize though before she did die

"I'm sorry!!! I'iven"

Maria started to apologize again feeling as if she should continue begging for mercy, but the voice of authority spoke a tenant of wisdom into her that she hadn't known before, "Do not continue to apologize for a sin that has been forgiven by My Son's redemptive act of sacrifice on the cross or else you will declare His sacrifice to have been in vain"

Maria bit back her words and sobbed against the edge of the sink