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gossip.”
    â€œYou’re the one who told me,” retorted Eustace.
    â€œI know, but I should have kept my mouth shut.” Ida shook her head.
    Wilma clicked her tongue. “Kristy would be devastated.” She placed her palm on her chest. “If the rumor’s true, I mean.”
    â€œThe poor dear has worked so hard all these years,” added Dortha.
    â€œThese days, kids do whatever they want to do,” said Eustace. “And let’s be honest. It would serve Kristy right.”
    Wade fought back the desire to put the elderly woman in her place. He wasn’t sure what rumor they’d heard, but whether true or not, Eustace obviously hadn’t listened to his sermon about God’s grace through trials.
    â€œNow, Eustace,” Wilma cooed. “Didn’t you listen to Pastor Wade talk about God’s grace?”
    He bit back a grin. The woman must have been a mind reader.
    â€œOf course God gives us grace,” Eustace retorted. “But He also says He punishes children to the third and fourth generation when we don’t follow His laws.”
    â€œOh, dear.” Ida pressed her fingertips against her mouth.
    Wade couldn’t keep silent any longer. “I’m not sure what rumor you’ve heard, but no matter what they have or haven’t done, God loves a repentant heart. He blesses us when we acknowledge our sins and turn back to Him.”
    â€œSure.” Eustace bristled. “But we still gotta face the consequences.”
    Wilma waved her hand through the air. “Stop all this, Eustace. If the rumor is true, we’ll be doing more celebrating.”
    â€œLike a wedding and a baby shower,” Eustace snapped, then turned toward him. “I also heard you’re going to be doing some marriage counseling.”
    Wade had no idea who had shared all this information with Eustace. Everything she said was true, but she made the circumstances sound as if they’d been secretive and sinful. Joel and Mel should not have gotten pregnant. They should have waited before having a physical relationship. But they hadn’t. They were repentant and looking toward following God now. They couldn’t change the past, but they could press on and fight the good fight for the future.
    He churned over a response in his mind. He’d dealt with many hardened, bitter or judgmental members in his old congregation, where he’d ministered for seventeen years. Often their attitudes had stemmed from their own needs for forgiveness, and they’d sought to hurt others as a ruse. Remembering this, his heart softened for the woman, and he smiled. “Eustace, I can’t tell you the private information about other members, but you can pray. When you hear something about one of your brothers or sisters, pray that God will heal and bless them.”
    â€œHumph.” Eustace picked up several tablecloths and headed toward the other side of the fellowship hall. Her friends joined her, and then they spread them on the tables.
    Wade focused on getting chairs out of the storage closet and setting them up around the tables. Just like any family, every church had people who thrived on stirring discord. God, show me how to be a leader. How to lead by example. Right now, I don’t feel love for Eustace. I feel a need to show her the sin of gossip in Your word, to show her how You loved the unlovable.
    As the prayer slipped through his mind, he looked over at the women. They cackled as they pressed the creases with their hands. Eustace saw Kristy and Mel and Joel as unlovable. He saw Eustace as the unlovable one. If he was going to lead by example, he’d have to purposefully choose to love Eustace.

Chapter 5
    I n no time at all, Kristy stood outside Tim and Leah’s home once again. She glanced back at the driveway. Joel’s truck was here, as was his parents’ car. The new pastor parked his truck in front of the house. Then he and an