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Quiet Strength - Book I, Love's Mission

Tina Hawkey Baker


Quiet Strength - Love’s Mission

  By Tina Hawkey Baker

  Copyright 2014-Tina Hawkey Baker

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-9781310998690

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  QUIET STRENGTH BOOK SERIES

  Book II

  The Offering

  Book III

  Eli’s Journey

  Book IV

  Called Home

  Dedication

  To the wonderful men in my life…

  My husband, Robert

  My dad, Jim Hawkey

  My stepdad, Daniel Wolfe

  You each have shown me that it is not in words alone that love is given, but those quiet precious moments where no words were spoken and you were there for me.

  &

  To my young men, Aaron, James and Timothy

  You each possess the strengths of Ryan in your heart and body. I believe in each of you and can’t wait to see God’s promises fulfilled in your lives.

  Special thanks

  Chuck and Diane Hammond; you are my hope for the book cover on Quiet Strength, Book II. You are a truly beautiful couple inside and out. The love you two share is mirrored in the characters of Ryan and Amy. To love, to share to protect a marriage of commitment takes two, you lead by example not only to your eight children, but to those who look up to you and your faith in God.

  Scott Hammond, tag you are it! You look the most like your dad and I appreciate you standing in as him for the book cover. Scott, you are a good young man. God has a great work for you.

  Vanessa Hopwood, I have never met you. Diane adores you and speaks so kindly of your character and faith. I am writing this before I have even seen you to do the book cover. Diane told me that you could absolutely pass as her (we won’t say how many years ago). I know you must be beautiful. Thank you for stepping in and helping out.

  Judy Meier, without missionaries like you who are willing to sacrifice all for Christ, the progression of Christianity would be so much harder. You are an extraordinary example of Christ alive and well.

  Mike Palmer, for giving me some of your valuable time and knowledge.

  Robert Baker (my hub) and Francis Cooper for correcting me.

  Thank you Lord and Savior, this is my offering

  Contents

  Chapter One: Someone Cares

  Chapter Two: A Bible and a Hammer

  Chapter Three: Amy’s Choice

  Chapter Four: Closed Windows to an Open Door

  Chapter Five: A Long, Long Way

  Chapter Six: History of a Passion

  Chapter Seven: Maldives the Beautiful

  Chapter Eight: Hard Work and Respect

  Chapter Nine: Love and Works

  Chapter Ten: Relationships of Many

  Chapter Eleven: When Evil Visits

  Chapter Twelve: Betrayed and Forgiven

  Chapter Thirteen: Brother

  Chapter Fourteen: Amy - The Brave

  Chapter Fifteen: Revealing Direction

  About Tina Hawkey Baker

  Chapter One: Someone Cares

  Ryan didn’t put a lot of thought into girlfriends, much less marriage. He wasn’t your average high school graduate. His passion for Christ had driven him and kept him strong and focused since the first day he was handed a Bible and a hammer. He was a sophomore in high school at that time, and unemotional about everything, especially his future. He wasn’t a trouble maker or an honor student. He looked like all the other teenage boys; he blended in with… no one. He stood in the crowd, but didn’t belong. He existed, so neutral that he was never asked to join in or told to go away. It was 1966 and the free-love and flower-child era was coming into bloom. His parents worked to avoid being home and stayed out at night enjoying what they thought was freedom, leaving Ryan to raise himself.

  It was a beautiful day in March. Most kids were excited about spring break. Where they were going and who was going with them controlled their thoughts and conversations. After spring break, it was a straight-forward countdown to high school graduation for the seniors and summer vacation for everyone else. College was the biggest challenge for most. With the war raging on in Vietnam, a much talked about draft would take any young man without a plan. Ryan often thought about the war. He had nowhere to go; he would surely be drafted and sent to fight for his country. Whenever he thought about going to war, it wasn’t being shot at or even dying for his country that saddened him. It was the thought of dying for his country and no one knowing, because as far as he could tell, no one knew he existed anyway. He had two more years before he was old enough to serve. He would sign up now and get dying over with if he could.

  Ryan walked home with his hands in his front jean pockets and his head down. The sound of a vacuum cleaner caught his attention. A middle-aged man was cleaning out his 54 Chevy Bel-Air. It was two-tone with a white roof and powder-blue body. The car was nothing spectacular in the eyes of true “motor heads” who looked for dual-quad carbureted large V-8 engines with Positrac rear-ends and Firestone tires. But, it was well kept and shiny from the wax job it had just received, which is what caught Ryan’s attention.

  When the man looked up, he made eye contact with Ryan, causing him to stutter out a weak, “Hello,” feeling the need to speak because he was caught staring. “Nice car, Sir,” Ryan said as he continued walking.

  “It’s going up for sale tomorrow. You interested?” The man wrapped the cord of the vacuum around his arm and then shoved it through the handle.

  “Even if I were interested, I couldn’t afford the car.” Ryan stopped as the man put the vacuum down and walked toward him.

  “My name is Ed. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand and waited for the awkward Ryan to shake his hand and tell him his name. Ed recognized the boy. He had seen him walking alone many times with the same posture. Several times he was driving and had seen Ryan unlock the door of a rundown duplex a couple blocks away. Ed’s heart was stirred as he looked into the empty eyes of the boy.

  Ryan weakly shook Ed’s hand, he stood there not knowing if he should walk on or stay.

  “You got a name?” Ed patiently waited for him to answer.

  “Ryan, Ryan Nelson is my name, Sir,” he replied.

  “Come on over here Ryan and take a look at her.” Ed was friendly and guided Ryan over to the car and popped open the hood. “I think I heard some whining in the engine when I drove her yesterday. Why don’t you hop inside and start her up so I can watch the belts? The keys are in the ignition.”

  Ryan wanted to so badly. He had never sat in the driver’s seat of a car much less started one up. He looked at the dashboard for a few moments. “Um, I don’t know how,” Ryan finally confessed while Ed was staring at the engine and waiting on him.

  Ed was an upbeat and truly patient man. He had three girls under the age of seven, so the chance to do “guy” things was a fun change for him. He gave Ryan simple instructions and spoke to him as if they were partners doing a project together. “How can a man who just met me give me such a responsibility? I hope I don’t start the car up and run over him!” Ryan turned the key and the engine started cranking.

  “Go ahead and push on the gas pedal, just a little,” Ed instructed.

  With that, the engine started right up. Ryan’s thoughts wer
e running faster than the car’s idle.

  A few moments later, Ed called for Ryan to shut off the car and come to him. The two guys huddled over the engine. Ed explained a few simple mechanics to Ryan. Then he asked him to hand him the two wrenches on the bench and hold back the air cleaner housing while he tightened the loose alternator belt.

  “That’s it, all done. Go ahead and start her up again. Good! Now she is purring. OK, you can turn her off now.” Ed shut the hood and grabbed a stained t-shirt to wipe his hands.

  Ryan was amused at the way Ed referred to the car as “she.” His reference gave the car personality and a sense of belonging.

  “Thanks for your help, Ryan. You came in real handy today.” Ed patted him on the back and laughed at him for having a smudge of oil across his cheek. “You are starting to look like a mechanic already!”

  Ryan genuinely smiled, he felt so good. Having interaction with someone who took the time to teach him made Ryan feel special. As he turned to leave, a woman’s voice bellowed from the front door of the house.

  “Time to eat,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron. “You two ready for dinner?” Ed’s wife had been watching them from the front window.

  She too recognized the boy and knew of his parents. Since they lived in a small Kentucky town, everyone knew everyone in one way or another. By fact or fiction, gossip was alive and well. Sometimes truth is worse than gossip, as was Ryan’s case.

  Ryan didn’t know what to do. She was looking straight at him. “Don’t just stand there young man. These girls are hungry and if you don’t get in here and get cleaned up they will drag you in here themselves. I am not letting Ed make you work and not at least feed you!” She was not going to take ‘No’ for an answer.

  Ryan washed his hands in the tidy half bath on the main floor of the two-story. When he came out, he was surprised to see everyone sitting at the table. “Come on over here and have a seat,” Ed said, pulling the chair next to him out. “Ryan, this is my wife, Nancy, and my girls, Amanda, Becky, and Carol.”

  Ryan waved gently. The food smelled great and he was hungry. The girls held hands, Ed and Nancy followed. “Ryan, we give thanks to the good Lord before we eat. Bow your head please.”

  Eating together, praying together, and talking about their day were all more than Ryan could take in at once. He ate politely, even though he wanted to pick up the bowl and gulp down every drop of the vegetable soup. The bread melted in his mouth it was homemade along with the strawberry preserves he slathered on top. “So this is family,” he thought to himself.

  After dinner, Ryan and Ed went into the living room. Before they had a chance to sit down, all three girls came running with their arms full of books.

  It was the best night of Ryan’s life.

  “Sorry, guy. It’s time to be daddy to my angels. Reading, baths and bedtime, it’s our routine.” Ed walked Ryan to the door. He thanked Ryan for his help and Ryan in return thanked him for dinner. “I get home from work about four tomorrow. Do you want to stop by again?” Ryan’s quietness mirrored his feelings. He thought it was a way of protecting himself. If he didn’t say much, his voice wouldn’t reveal how sad he really was to leave.

  “If I can, I will.” Ryan left without a handshake. He wished the night didn’t have to end.

  After the girls were bathed and put to bed, Ed and Nancy sat on the front porch with their coffee to watch the moon shine and the stars glimmer. “Are you thinking what I am thinking?” They didn’t look at one another. Their hearts were heavy and their thoughts were deep. “Did you hear what I asked, Ed?”

  “Yes, I heard you.” Ed put his coffee cup down and pulled Nancy close to him, holding her while rubbing her shoulder. “He has been put in our lives for a reason.” They talked for hours and prayed before going to bed themselves. They were going on a mission to make a difference in a young man’s life and they didn’t have to leave their yard to do it.