Book Description:
The Comfurt family is perfect. At least, that is what they've trained everyone, including themselves, to think. But now, as the facade becomes harder to keep up, it's plain to see that there needs to be a change. With the guidance of some new friends, Brian and Erica and their three children Jackson, Jordan, and Jimmy will accept a challenge that will teach them how to pray and endure some tough roads ahead.
This first book in the Abandoned Prayer series offers you to take the same challenge that the Comfurts do and give you insight, guidance, and encouragement along the way to seeking a God who is our comfort in the midst of Uncomfortable.
Author: Auri Jones
"...as the facade becomes harder to keep up, it's plain to see that there needs to be a change."#Christian #Fiction
Available on Amazon
EXCERPT:
A slight breeze drifted through an open window in the upstairs loft. All was quiet accept for the light rustle of the wind in the trees outside. The smell of fresh air and nature enhanced the senses and gave a calming effect as Jordan wavered in a semi-conscious state.
“Jordan.” Lizzie dragged out her name in a whisper just in case her friend wasn’t ready to be woken. “You still want to get up with me?”
“Uhh.” A small groan emerged from Jordan’s lips. That was the only answer she could muster at the moment, and she wasn’t going to push herself to respond any further. Her roommate knew that it was a miracle to even get that response from her. Lizzie shrugged.
“Okay, then. I’ll just…”
“I’m—getting up. I'm trying,” Jordan groaned again. She forced open one eye to see the blond-haired, smiling ball of energy staring down at her. “You’re a freak, you know that.”
“You love me,” Lizzie laughed throwing the covers off of her friend. “Besides, you’re the one who wanted to get up with me and Tyler this morning to see what it’s like on a farm.”
Jordan groaned again, but slowly rolled her body to the edge of the bed and let the fall onto the floor wake her up. It had been fascinating for her to be here at Lizzie’s home. No one would ever suspect that she was a farm girl, Jordan thought. She just didn’t fit the mold at school. Maybe it was just the stereotype that Jordan has associated with farm families. She had grown up with a couple of them, and they had always reminded her of the Duggars and their nineteen kids. Lizzie was far from a Duggar. Yet while somewhat of a girly-girl with city girl fashion at school, once they arrived at the Daniels’ house, Lizzie suddenly seemed to fit perfectly into the country lifestyle she was used to which was new to Jordan. Her family, though, fit perfectly into the picture Jordan had in mind. Mr. Daniels had talked her ear off on the car ride there with a thick twang in his voice. Every once in a while, his loud, full laugh would send a sudden jolt to Jordan’s heart, which in turn, made Lizzie laugh, too. Stories about his childhood seemed to leak into every topic of conversation, and Jordan could only imagine the endless story times he would have when he had grandchildren. Lizzie’s mother could have been a model in all due sense of the word. It wasn’t hard to realize where Lizzie had gotten her natural beauty. She understood why Lizzie never cared too much for make-up. Her mom looked like she never had to touch the stuff or needed it. Tyler was Lizzie’s twin, and though he was only a few minutes older, you could already tell that he made that difference count as much as possible. Lizzie pushed aside all of the immediate teasing she received from him and focused on getting him and Jordan talking. Apparently, all of the “promises” not to set her up with Tyler were false. He didn't seem to notice though or if he did, he didn’t mind.
“She used to be more of a country bumpkin,” Tyler noted during dinner the night before.
“She used to roll around in the dirt and beat up boys—she was more of a boy than me.”
“Your sister always acted like a girl,” Mrs. Daniels kicked at Tyler underneath the table.
“No, it’s true, honey,” her husband said. “Lizzie was a boy.”
“I was not!” Lizzie exclaimed with an incredulous laugh. Tyler smiled at Jordan.
“But she got into dresses and boy bands and stuff; so, dad shipped her off to Willards. She wasn’t any good on the farm anymore. Still isn't.” This time, Lizzie kicked him.
Now, the morning air slowly started to wake Jordan up as she threw on some old work clothes that Lizzie had tossed her. Jordan wrinkled her nose at the musty smelly boots and worn jeans and sweatshirt. Lizzie laughed.
“Oh, you're going to smell and look worse after we're done, prissy girl.”
“You are not the same girl I asked to be my roommate,” Jordan said in pretend disgust.
“You've changed.”
“Yeah, pretty sure, I asked you to be my roommate”, Lizzie said, “and you happily accepted me.” Fog covered the beautiful green country side in a mist as the forest animals realized that it was time for the insane farm people to get up, and they scurried back into their forest homes. Tyler laughed at Jordan and handed her some gloves as she entered into the barn behind his sister.
“You gonna make it?” She nodded.
“Just tell me what to do.” He smiled.
Milking the cows was fun. Lizzie marveled at how fast Jordan caught on, even with Tyler giving her a hard time by squirting her. Jordan would have squirted back if she didn't think that the cow beside her wouldn't take offense somehow. They looked much bigger in person and very intimidating when you were squatted down beside them. After that, the girls went and gathered eggs from the hen house, fed the horses, and joined Tyler in cleaning out the stalls. The stalls weren’t so fun. Jordan felt like she could gag at the smell.
“How do you get used to this?” Tyler frowned, but then nodded in comprehension.
“It takes a good while. After you’ve been on the farm for a while, you can start to tell the difference between different types of manure.”
“Ugh! That’s not something I’d brag about,” she said. Surprisingly, the chores went by faster than Jordan had thought they would. She was excited because after breakfast, the whole family was taking her to see her first rodeo, and Tyler was even participating in it.
“Does he—ride bulls?” Lizzie shook her head.
“My mom would have a fit if he did bull riding. He does saddle bronc riding and steer wrestling.” She laughed at Jordan’s perplexed look. “You’ll see later. Right now, Ty and I are going to show you something.”
A few minutes later, Jordan found herself up on one of the young fillies while Tyler brought two other horses out for him and his sister. All of the horses were named after hymns. It was a tradition that Mr. Daniels continued on from his father. Tyler brought out Blessed Assurance and Joyful for them to ride.
“So, I’ve never ridden a horse before, guys,” Jordan confessed biting her lip. “I just get on and say ‘go’ right?” They both laughed.
“This is Amazing Grace,” Lizzie said rubbing the horse’s nose. “She’s almost four. She’s a fast one when she wants to be, but she’s also very laid back and easy to handle.
With some brief instruction from Lizzie and Tyler, Jordan rode behind them through the Daniel’s land and into a brisk trot through fields as the sun began to rise over the horizon causing the fog to be subdued by its presence. Birds sang songs all around them as the quietness slowly began to be filled with the songs of nature. She wasn’t used to this. Growing up in a metropolitan area had always been the norm with its cars and people and noises. Granted, it wasn’t like her family lived in a huge city, but it wasn’t like this.
Soon, they came to a beautiful river flowing through the field they were in. Tyler and Lizzie slid gracefully off their horses, while Jordan made her best attempt to not fall.
“So, Lizzie told us how crazy things were these days for you and your family,” Tyler said.
“And with the whole Mallory thing, too.”
“Yeah?” Lizzie nodded.
“So, I had this cool thought that maybe you’d want to just have a Psalm 23 moment right here.” She pulled out a small Bible from her back pocket and sat down on the grass. Jordan sat down too into the dew-laced green carpet beneath her, not minding the cool damp feeling of the ground.
“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…”
Jordan listened as Lizzie read and let the words sink in. Her soul felt like it needed restoring. It had been easy to feel overwhelmed by what had been happening, but at the moment, she felt like she could put all of that away. Tyler stood with the horses listening as Lizzie just kept reading Psalm after Psalm. Time seemed to almost stand still.
It was a very simple gesture, but a good reminder. Sometimes, God just wanted to lead her beside still waters and in green pastures to remind her that the Shepherd still watched over His sheep. It took getting away from the craziness around her to do that. Maybe everything wouldn’t be fixed when she got back to Willards or home, but her Shepherd hadn’t change at all either. Jordan eased her head back and lay on the cool grass and just let it be. Green pastures around her, still waters near her, and the Shepherd still watching over.
Available on Amazon
