As she rose from the baptismal waters, she saw her again. That new lady that had started coming to her church. She didn't want to talk to her because she kept bugging her to write her son. She didn't date unsaved boys, and she didn't see why it was so important to this woman that she be the one to write him.

She turns to walk away, and there she is again. No escape. She sighs and says, "Hello."

"Congratulations on your baptism. I've been praying for you." The lady responded.

"Thank you, well...."

"Wait" she said. "I have something for you. I know you don't really want to write my son, but the Lord keeps impressing me about this. I brought you paper and a stamped addressed envelope. Will you please just write him this once?"

She knew when she was beat, took the paper and promised she would write.

Later that night, she lay in bed and remembered her promise. "Might as well get it over," she thought. Getting out of bed, she went to sit at her vanity with the paper the lady had given her. Hello, she wrote. I met your mother at our church and she asked me to write you so here goes. I am a Christian. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't go to movies. If you're OK with that, I will continue to write. If not, this is your last letter. She placed it in the envelope and went to bed, wondering what this man was like she had written to.

He stood for mail call, not really expecting a letter so he was surprised when his name was called. Thinking the letter would be from his mother, he slipped it in his pocket and went back to his bunk. Smelling the letter, he noticed it was not from his mother. His interest was peaked, as he traced her name with his finger. He opened the letter and read it. Stunned, he sat there for a minute wondering who this person was and why in the world she even wrote. But, being stationed in Germany was lonely, and he'd always wanted to meet a 'genuine Christian'. He figured she was as phony as all the rest, but he had to find out.

They exchanged letters for a year and a half. He discovered that she was exactly what she said she was. She discovered that she was in love. Then he came home. She waited anxiously, afraid he wouldn't like her, afraid he would since he wasn't a Christian and she couldn't date him.

It was a Sunday and he drove as fast as he could from New York to his home in Ohio to his mom's house. It was too late to go to church with her, so his mom called and asked his letter girl to come over. She did and they spent the afternoon looking covertly at one another. That evening he went to church with her and at invitation time, he went forward. I don't know what I want, but I know I want what Marilyn has. The preacher led him to Jesus and one year later they were married. God's hand had brought them together over many miles and the Atlantic ocean through the persistence of a mom who loved her son and listened to God.

Learn more about this author, Angela S. Young.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: Soldier tales?
We want to hear your view. Write now!