Waiting for Morning
Read Waiting for Morning Online
Authors: Karen Kingsbury
PRAISE FOR KAREN KINGSBURY’S
BOOKS
Waiting for Morning
“What a talent! I love her work.”
G
ARY
S
MALLEY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR
“Kingsbury not only entertains but also goes a step further and confronts readers with situations that are all too common, even for Christians. At the same time, it will remind believers of God’s mercy and challenge them to pray for America. The book … reveals God’s awesome love and His amazing ability to turn moments of weakness into times of strengthening.”
C
HRISTIAN
R
ETAILING
, S
POTLIGHT
R
EVIEW
When Joy Came to Stay
“Kingsbury confronts hard issues with truth and sensitivity.”
F
RANCINE
R
IVERS, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
L
EOTA’S
G
ARDEN
“Kingsbury’s poignant tale of a lost and broken family and how they experience God’s miraculous healing is a sure guarantee to bring hope and joy to her readers.”
M
ELODY
C
ARLSON, AUTHOR OF
D
IARY OF A
T
EENAGE
G
IRL
AND
I
T’S
M
Y
L
IFE
“A thought-provoking account of the battle with depression in a believer’s life. It leaves no doubt that God is loving, merciful, and faithful.”
N
ANCY
M
OSER, AUTHOR OF
T
HE
M
USTARD
S
EED SERIES
A Moment of Weakness
“Kingsbury spins a tale of love and loss, lies and betrayal, that sent me breathlessly turning pages.…”
L
IZ
C
URTIS
H
IGGS, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
B
OOKENDS
AND
M
IXED
S
IGNALS
“A gripping love story.
A Moment of Weakness
demonstrates the devastating consequences of wrong choices and the long shadows deception casts over the lives of God’s children. It also shows the even longer reach of God’s providence, grace, and forgiveness.”
R
ANDY
A
LCORN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
D
EADLINE
AND
D
OMINION
“One message shines clear and strong through Karen Kingsbury’s
A Moment of Weakness:
Our loving God is a God of second chances.”
A
NGELA
E
LWELL
H
UNT, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
T
HE
I
MMORTAL
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues
are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed
as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
WAITING FOR MORNING
published by Multnomah Books
A division of Random House, Inc
.
© 1999 by Karen Kingsbury
Published in association with the literary agency of Arthur Pine Associates, Inc.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from:
The Holy Bible
, New International Version
(NIV)
© 1973, 1984 by International
Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House
Multnomah
and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks
of Random House Inc.
Excerpts from the hymn
Great is Thy Faithfulness
by Thomas O. Chisholm ©1923, Ren. 1951 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permision.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission.
For information:
MULTNOMAH BOOKS
12265 ORACLE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80921
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kingsbury, Karen.
Waiting for morning/by Karen Kingsbury.
p.cm. eISBN: 978-0-307-56883-0
I. Title.
PS3561.I483L66 1999
813’.54–dc21
98-45973
v3.1
Dedicated to
my best friend, Donald
,
If life’s a dance …
then I pray the music keeps playing forever
.
Being married to you is the
sweetest song of all
.
To Kelsey
,
my softhearted little Norm
,
I can see in you the beautiful
young woman you are becoming …
especially your eyes
,
which so closely resemble your dad’s
and your Father’s
.
To Ty
,
my precious son …
whose flowers have given me
the most beautiful bouquet of memories
.
I cherish watching you grow
in the image of the daddy you
so clearly emulate
.
To Austin
,
my greatest miracle …
watching you throw the ball
and make layups
is daily proof of God’s unending love
and faithfulness
,
even in the darkest days
.
And to God Almighty
,
Who has—for now—blessed me with these
.
NOVELS BY KAREN KINGSBURY
Where Yesterday Lives
When Joy Came to Stay
On Every Side
A Time to Dance
A Time to Embrace
(sequel to
A Time to Dance
)
One Tuesday Morning
Oceans Apart
THE FOREVER FAITHFUL SERIES
Waitng for Morning
A Moment of Weakness
Halfway to Forever
THE REDEMPTION SERIES
(Co-written with Gary Smalley)
Redemption
Remember
Return
Rejoice
Reunion
THE RED GLOVES CHRISTMAS SERIES
Gideon’s Gift
Maggie’s Miracle
Sarah’s Song
Acknowledgments
Writing a novel about the devastating effects of drunk driving was a difficult, emotional journey and one that could not have been taken without borrowing from the pain of others. Searching for that dark place of despair and devastation, I read countless stories of tragic, senseless loss. I pored over the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Memorial web site and often conducted research through eyes blurred with tears.
For that reason, I wish to thank Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and every person who has ever helped change or tighten a drunk driving law. You may never know this side of heaven all the lives you have saved in the process. I pray you keep on.
Thanks also to the amazing staff at Multnomah Publishers. From sales to marketing to cover design to publicity … please know that God is working through you in ways that will continue to produce books that change lives, especially books like this. Thanks so much for all your help.
Of course, as with my last book, my writing would be nothing without the God-given talents of my editor, Karen Ball. You are a friend and a mentor, and I hope to keep learning from you as long as the Lord allows. Thanks a million times over.
Also thanks to my husband and family for their support and encouragement during what is always an emotional process—the writing of a novel. I am nothing without your collective smiles, cheers, hugs, and endless love throughout the days.
As with other projects, my parents and extended family were again an encouragement that I value deeply. Thanks to you and to the friends in my women’s Bible study and other close sisters in Christ who hold me in prayer, asking the Lord to use my writing for his glory.
And finally, a special thanks to my dear friend, Julie Kremer.
One day nearly a decade ago, Julie’s husband got a phone call from their teenage daughter. Her friend’s car had broken down on the side of the road. Julie’s husband did not hesitate but left immediately to help.
While he was out, he was hit and killed by a drunk driver, leaving Julie and two teenage children alone.
I never knew Julie’s husband, but I will forever be touched by the way Julie forgave. She brought a Bible to the man who killed her husband, and after that, continued to keep her eyes on the Lord.
Thank you, Julie, for teaching me what it is to forgive … and for giving me a reason to write
Waiting for Morning
.
Contents
Excerpt from
A Moment of Weakness
One
I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed
.
L
AMENTATIONS
1:20
A
Sunday Evening
They were late and that bothered her.
She had been through a list of likely explanations, any one of which was possible. They’d stopped for ice cream; they’d forgotten something back at the campsite; they’d gotten a later start than usual.